Arsenal FC: The Game We Love

I was curious about Arsenal FC: The Game We Love because I know very little about football (as most of the world terms it; “soccer” to us US heathens).

After reading this loving tribute by Philippe Glogowski, I don’t know much more about the sport or how one wins a game, but I do feel that I’ve been introduced to all the best and favorite moments of the past twenty years or so for this team (dating from 1996-2016). It’s a quick pass over names and tournaments and victories.

There’s a lightweight framing story, in which Andy, long-time dedicated team follower, takes his partner’s son Nathan (that’s the boy on the cover) to his first game as a bonding experience. Somehow, hearing Andy go over twenty years of victories and his childhood as a fan, with the occasional diversion into how great a team manager Arsène Wenger was, convinces Nathan the sport and the team are great to follow. I was reminded of the overly fannish type, the one who knows a lot but doesn’t always recognize when they’re overwhelming their audience.

Still, as an officially licensed hardcover, I can already see it on sale in the stadium shops, to tempt young fans. I think it works better as a memento than a story. Here are some preview pages provided by the publisher.

(The publisher provided an advance digital review copy.)