Arsenal Supporters in San Francisco, California
Tuday, 12/30 • 12:15 pm Kickoff • Maggie McGarry’s (21+)
Match on inside and outside.Parklet opens at 8:00 am.Maggie’s is 21+, even in the parklet.Dogs in parklet only, please.Keep the banter civil and friendly.Outside food is OK.Outside drinks are NOT.
COYG!
COYG!
Arsenal continue their arduous journey through crowded December fixtures. Following the nail biter against Wolves, the Gunners ground out a 1-nil victory at Everton and then survived penalties against Crystal Palace to reach the semi-finals of the League Cup.
We’re all dreaming of dominating matches, free flowing football and copious goals, but grinding out results and extra time equalizers are often a path to trophies. How many Manchester United teams rode to titles on the back of stoppage time wins in “Fergie Time”.
Sure, my holiday wish list includes more Gyökeres‘ goals, the return of Big Gabi, Havertz, Mosquera, and Ben White and a steady path to silverware. But maybe a hard road leads to greater appreciation of the end result. Being an Arsenal supporter has given me a lot gifts over the years, just not the ones I (and the Bay Area Gooners) truly want. So far.
Hope you’re enjoying the holidays and that I see you at Maggie’s tomorrow.
COYG!
Best, Mark
Saturday, 12/27 • 7:00 am Kickoff • Maggie McGarry’s (21+)
Match on inside.Parklet opens at 8:00 am.Maggie’s is 21+, even in the parklet.Non-alcoholic beverages only until 6:00 am.Dogs in parklet only, please.Keep the banter civil and friendly.Outside food is OK.Outside drinks are NOT.
COYG!
Tuesday, 12/23 • 12:00 pm Kickoff • Maggie McGarry’s (21+)
The Gunners in League Cup action tomorrow!
Match on inside and outside.Parklet opens at 8:00 am.Maggie’s is 21+, even in the parklet.Dogs in parklet only, please.Keep the banter civil and friendly.Outside food is OK.Outside drinks are NOT.
COYG!
Come on you Gunners!
So that happened. Last Saturday’s match against Wolves was a forgone conclusion, according to so many people I spoke with, . Surely, Arsenal would dispatch the worst team in the Premier League with ease.
But the Gunners struggled again against another low block side which slowed the match to a molasses level. Ultimately, Arsenal had to rely on 2 Wolverhampton own goals to secure the victory, including one in stoppage time.
Saliba returned as did Trossard but then we lost Ben White for another month with a hamstring injury. Gabriel Jesus was bright in his return and did enough to force the winning goal.
Saw footage of fans leaving the Emirates, prior to our late equalizer and while a common enough occurrence at football grounds all over, not something I usually associate with our dedicated supporters.
Their frustration is understandable. Many Bay Area Gooners discovered Arsenal in the past 5-20 years and it’s not been an easy run since The Invincibles season. A couple of FA Cups and several seasons as runners up.
Then there’s how Arsenal are treated in the English press. From this side of the pond, the bias is so glaringly obvious. No club quite gets the scrutiny or negativity the Gunners do. The criticism of our supposed reliance on set pieces, labeling us “bottlers”, and even attacks on how we celebrate wins.
A homegrown fan once told me that establishment media in the UK has never quite forgiven Arsenal (largely Arsene Wenger) for fielding sides with no English players.
Apparently, there’s a perception Arsenal supporters feel they are better than everyone else, despite the lack of trophies in recent times. For my part, guilty as charged. I cannot fathom supporting City, Chelsea, United, or Liverpool and genuinely believe our club is in a class all its own.
We’ll need maximum effort from the lads Saturday against Everton, as the level of play we saw against Wolves just won’t cut it. Besides, the Gooners at Maggie’s cannot take another like that. I know I can’t. But my support of this club will never waver.
Hanukkah has begun and Christmas is right around the corner. If you need something for the Gooner in your life, we still have scarves and t-shirts available at the pub on most match days. See you Saturday!
COYG!
Best, Mark
Saturday, 12/20 • 12 pm Kickoff • Maggie McGarry’s (21+)
Match on inside and outside.Maggie’s is 21+, even in the parklet.Dogs in parklet only, please.Keep the banter civil and friendly.Outside food is OK.Outside drinks are NOT.
COYG!
Sat, Dec. 13 • 12:00 pm Kickoff • Maggie McGarry’s (21+)
Match on inside and outside.Maggie’s is 21+, even in the parklet.Dogs in parklet only, please.Keep the banter civil and friendly.Outside food is OK.Outside drinks are NOT.
PLEASE NOTE: Santacon is the same day and Maggie’s is expected to be very busy. Arsenal supporters are encouraged to get to the pub at least an hour early to ensure entry.
COYG!
Arsenal’s frustrating last minute capitulation to Aston Villa did nothing for the moods of approximately 20 legendary Gooners at Maggie’s for a 4:30 am kickoff. The scrum occurring in the dying moments of the match which led to their winning goal, highlighted how much we miss Saliba and Big Gabi.
Demolishing Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday was some salve in the wound. The play of Madeuke, Zubemendi, and Martinelli made it a joy to watch and even Gabriel Jesus made a return. Late in the match, Mari Salmon became Arsenal’s fourth youngest player to feature for the first team, following in the footsteps of Max Dowman, Ethan Nwaneri and Jack Porter.
But our injury list is still the overriding story of the season. Wunderkind, Max Downman was recently added to a list, that includes Saliba, Big Gabi, Mosquera, Timber, Havertz, and Trossard. Even Declan Rice is a bit of a question mark.
Next up, Wolverhampton, who are winless in 15 matches. Wolves are the worst team in football but the Gunners cannot take anything for granted and must make it 16 matches, to sustain their title aspirations.
This Saturday’s match might be the first noon weekend match for Arsenal this season. Unfortunately, it coincides with San Francisco’s annual holiday event, Santacon.
In recent years, Santacon has become Maggie McGarry’s busiest day of the year, so we recommend Gooners get to the pub early on Saturday.
Looking forward to seeing you in red and white, hopefully for the Arsenal.
COYG!
Best, Mark
Wednesday, 12/10 • 12:00 pm Kickoff • Maggie McGarry’s (21+)
Match on inside and outside.Maggie’s is 21+, even in the parklet.Dogs in parklet only, please.Keep the banter civil and friendly.Outside food is OK.Outside drinks are NOT.
COYG!
Following brilliant wins over Spurs and Bayern Munich, Arsenal began the grind of 8 matches in December. The first was a grueling war of attrition against Chelsea, which despite them going down to 10 men, resulted in a 1-1 draw. Last night, the Gunners beat Brentford 2-0, and while not always pretty, it was the result that mattered.
I strongly suspect this is how the month is going to go. Having a match practically every 3 days is not a recipe for beautiful, dominant football. Most troubling was watching defender, Cristhian Mosquera go off injured and Declan Rice leaving, with a possible calf injury.
All December matches can be found on our Facebook Events.
In non-Arsenal news, the Bay Area Host Committee is hosting a World Cup 2026 Final Draw Watch Party this Friday at Thrive City, adjacent to the Chase Center.
Saturday’s match is another big ask for local Gooners as kickoff is at 4:30 am. We’ll be conveying “legend” status on everyone who attends.
I will be at Maggie’s in the pre-dawn hours Saturday. Hopefully, Andy the bartender and I are not watching alone. COYG!
Best, Mark
Bay Area Gooners