***** ARSENAL CHIT CHAT *****

EPL's in the bag.
We're under strength right now.
New players only just finding their feet - like Eze.
Will only get stronger when we have a full squad.

Chelsea were certainly combative and I thought it was a bitter performance by them overall, especially Cucurella, who sent Saka flying a few times. They look a difficult team to beat and will probably stay the course. Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea top three this season. Pleased to see Arsenal come through that match relatively unscathed and hopefully the big guns Gabriel, Saliba and Trossard will return soon.

Madueke has looked a right fecking Donkey against Brentford. Pub team quality.

3 points but a very nervy performance tonight. Those calling the title already might be a bit premature. It’s never over until it’s over. Villa away next, which will be a test.

Turgid stuff tonight. Begging to drop points playing like that. Villa the form team in the league, 8 wins in 9 after an awful start. White did well and should be starting in home games like that, attack and get a comfortable lead, then rest a few. Get a lot more out of Saka with him too.

Bounced back well away at Club Brugge in the CL. A pleasure to watch Arsenal in the CL atm; Madueke looking good in front of goal. A lot of matches coming up over next three weeks and fingers crossed the injury situation improves. Nice to see the squad players putting in good performances and Jesus return.

My god this fred still about

Arsenal looked lethargic to say the least and got lucky against a plucky Wolves. Need to get injured defenders back. Martinelli left his shooting boots at home and Eza & Gyökeres were rubbish together.

Still a win is a win and enjoyed Forest tonking Hotshyte last night. Incredible the succession of managers unable to improve things.

Gykores 2025 = Jeffers 2001

Arsenal finish 2nd three seasons in a row...

They are told (wrongly) that to finish 1st they need an all out goalscorer, a 'fox in the box'.

So they go out and sign one.

Then find out the goal machine can't hit the side of a barn.

But Arsenal win the title anyway......

He got good service tonight and two headers neither on target was very disappointing. Fantastic 2nd half performance blew Billa away with some great goals.

Gyokeres is Nketiah level. The central role in Arteta's system is not the primary goal threat anyway. If he gets 10+ league goals that's enough if he links the wide attackers but he doesn't, like Nketiah. Havertz is the best option and will be preferred in big games once fit. We scored 88 and 91 PL goals in our first 2 years challenging without a proper 9.

Jesus not good enough in that role either. People forget that he prefers to dive in the box when he can finish cos he's been out that long. Better than gyok but no improvement on prev years.

Arsenal are attacking like last year, reminds me of Southgate, but the manager wants to play for clean sheets and rely on Gabriel from set-pieces rather than take risk. Don't think it will change or be enough to win PL or CL. It is also the main cause of our injury crisis as games are nearly always on a knife-edge for 90+ minutes and this is the 4th year in a row going full gas, while playing them in EFL cup games. There is a lot of accumulated fatigue from that in our best players. Liverpool and City in their pomp couldn't keep that level up for 4 years, they always had a slump after 3. City won it 4 years in a row but the first was Pool's slump year after winning it and the 3rd was when we had Holding starting games after they started slow. Then they had a slump year and Pool won it again.

Need to take more risk, get goals up and rest, like tonight. Don't see it happening but maybe with Havertz and Gabriel fit it might.

Nonsense about Jeffers as well. He made 22 league appearances for Arsenal in 3 years injured or unfit nearly the whole time, gyok is playing every game almost. Henry got 32 that year after 17 the prev year, so they did need a goalscorer.

Jeffers was an awful signing, £8M was not cheap in 2001. Arsenal didn't need him, just needed Henry to enter his prime.

That Gykores is playing almost every game is the problem. I agree Jesus is not all that but is a better option. I wouldn't start either of them. Saka, Eze, Havertz, Trossard, Martinelli, Madueke should all be ahead of them.

Gykores looks like one of the worst Arsenal forwards of the last 40 years, if we are just talking about players expected to be regular starters, and leaving out kids that didn't make the jump from youth level.

Ntekiah probably better. I'd swap Gykores for Danny Welbeck.

He hasn't even been Bendntner level up to now. Maybe Chamakh level.

Obviously can't just get rid, but he should only be starting domestic cups and coming on in the league when 3-0 up to see if he can improve.

You boys would give anything for a Chelsea leveller here today.
Wouldn’t you?

.

VARSENAL!

Fecking hell, Anthony Taylor ref for Arsenal Liverpool match. He is a nightmare for making decisions detrimental to Arsenal, often sending our players off and giving penalties to opponents. Didn't even want to send the Chelsea player off until VAR got involved recently and yet booked six of our players in that match.

Thanks for the tip.  Must get a better on a Liverpool pen. award.    Who’s taking them nowadays?  Szoboszlai?

I've fully accepted now that your lot will most likely go on to win the title. 1/4 on the exchange now.  It was a disappointingly feeble title challenge from either Pool or City.  Better not mess it up or you'll never hear the end of it.

Aye, a win tonight & it's as good as done imo.
We're the only outfit plus Villa who've turned up this season.

It would be a deserved title win.  Arteta, after an immensely stressful start, is proving his mettle.

Yep, could easily have been sacked a few times if he'd had been elsewhere.
Just shows that patience is required.

Fabulous quality performance beating Inter 1:3 in the San ciro, controlled the game. What a pass by Martinelli AND perfect seven straight wins in the Champions League. Can rest players in the final match as guaranteed top two.
Very pleasing to watch and nice to see Jesus have a great european night after his horrendous injury.

Yep, looking very strong with quality on the bench.
Our B team will be plenty good enough.

^ for the last game

Bump. This how quiet it's become?
Are we all on YouTube watching aftv??
I know I am

I don't think we win it from here and it will be criminal if we don't. The only season City and Pool were both awful and the manager has decided to play win by 1 and defend after signing Eze and Gyok and slipping up multiple times to extend the lead. City signing Guehi and Semenyo is a game changer but it shouldn't have made a difference.

Hope I'm wrong but he has to change tack to win it or be told to before next season if we don't. Shouldn't be fired.

Wouldn't read anything into the Spurs game.

Unfortunately, I agree.

As it turned out Liverpool will again turn out to be pivotal in our season. When we were two up at Anfield and Liverpool clawed it back to 2:2 in Apr 23, that was a key result in us finishing 2nd. Last season Liverpool won umpteen games with very late goals, although Arsenal dealt with a lot of injuries throughout the season. This season they came to the Emirates and stifled a 0:0 (without a shot on target) and we seemed powerless to do anything to change that game. And that coupled with losing 1:2 at home Man City to two late goals a body blow this season.

We are also the architects of our own downfall though, the draws a Forest and home to Wolves, poor results. Probably a bit unlucky to lose to a resurgent Man Utd with a new manager & with two wonder goals.

I now think the table might end up something like this (assuming draw in the title decider):

1    Man City    38   27   6   5   80:31   48   87
2    Arsenal FC    38   25   10   3   84:26   45   85

*losing 1:2 at home Man Utd* doh.

More positively our Champions League draw to the final, a great reward for winning all eight and finishing top in the group stage.

Yeah, massive pressure on the players now because of where we were and could/should be by now. Big squad but overuse half of it and underuse the other half while challenging on 4 fronts instead of 2 makes it weaker in reality. Keep winning and City might fall away a bit, they are not as good in prev years and we could beat them up there which we might have to. City seem to be getting some dodgy decisions now that they are back in it, like they want a close race. WTF is happening with Rodri's ban too?

A London derby. Who'll win? Arse is odds-on, but I'm not sure it's deserved. If they lose Man City could be top dog come next week.

Arsenal turned football into rugby. **** footballing team. ****g boring to watch

Edu stole a living at Arsenal for several years.
Sussed out by Forest after less than one.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cdjm7wn39m7o

Hard to understand why Havertz, didnt get the pen, when defender Keane trod on the back of his foot, VAR useless again. Eza was mostly rubbish again and Saka seems out of form atm.

Excellent performance againt a decent Everton team with outstanding away form under Moyes. Apart from a dodgy five mins in 1st half, controlled the game well and Arsenal ramped up the pressure 2nd half. Raya,Calafiori, Rice on top form and as for Max Dowman, what an impact substitution by Arteta. He looks a real talent and only just 16. Happy days for Arsenal fans with Man City slipping up again.

Congratulations... Doubt you can imagine the pain you've inflicted on me...

It's only a game, innit.

Mar 15, 2026 -- 11:53AM, Emitdeb wrote:

Congratulations... Doubt you can imagine the pain you've inflicted on me... It's only a game, innit.

Yes,  just a bunch of millionaires kicking a bag of wind around a muddy field. Let's not take it too seriously, eh.  A full‑blown circus where grown men sprint after a ball like it’s the crown jewels, all while earning more in a week than most of us will see in a year. And we stand there, pint in hand, acting like the fate of civilisation hangs on whether someone manages to kick the thing between two posts.

What's worse is that women have been convinced more & more to involve themselves in this load o' bollox.
They're supposed to be the sensible ones.

It's an absurd spectacle when you really think about it.

Yes, the year Arsenal are on course to win the league and Spurs get relegated it's not important all of a sudden, despite posting on an internet forum about it almost every day.

Bizarre cope mechanism. Same with all the spurs fans constantly posting that it's the worst season in history. Hope you stay up as whoever replaces you would be harder to beat.

lurka sounds like a cynic.

He's a very, very serious chap. Definitely needs to lighten up.

Well said Lurka, truth always hurts. Would be a shame if Spurs go down, for Arsenal that is. Good to see our north london neighbour fans on the Arsenal thread...

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DV4PnDtCE9P/?igsh=MXFldndqbmc2YzFlMg==

Fabulous match last night for Arsenal fans to watch, Leverkusen blown away. Two excellent goals by Eza and Rice and could have been more as Arsenal cruised into quarter-finals.

FK
@fkhanage
·
11h
Eze’s strike was a live demo of applied ballistics: clean instep contact, minimal spin axis deviation and, a near optimal launch angle (~22°) to maximise carry without sacrificing velocity. Hip rotation → locked ankle → sweet spot compression. Pure kinetic poetry.

We weren’t at the races today. No creativity without Odegaard or Eze. City much the better side and deserved the win. It wasn’t even close.

Much to ponder in the last couple of months of the season. Away at City will be a pivotal game.

Were never winning it with that mug in goal and it's not aftertiming as he's done it countless times and isn't fit to be a 2nd choice keeper.

So many players in awful form, amazing that we are clear at the top. Manager was outthought by Pep and had no ideas, couldn't even show any urgency in attack when 2 down.

Hopefully win the league at last but it's not a given. Can't see us winning anything else playing like this and today is only going to put more pressure on.

Was arteta prepared to sacrifice today to give nothing away?

League game important, but surely win the league
even if Citeh win league match.

.

Mar 23, 2026 -- 1:26AM, ----you-have-to-laugh--- wrote:

Was arteta prepared to sacrifice today to give nothing away?League game important, but surely win the leagueeven if Citeh win league match..

What do you mean by "to give nothing away"?

Mar 22, 2026 -- 9:00PM, lurka wrote:

Were never winning it with that mug in goal and it's not aftertiming as he's done it countless times and isn't fit to be a 2nd choice keeper. So many players in awful form, amazing that we are clear at the top. Manager was outthought by Pep and had no ideas, couldn't even show any urgency in attack when 2 down.Hopefully win the league at last but it's not a given. Can't see us winning anything else playing like this and today is only going to put more pressure on.

I would think it is fair to say, Arteta royally fecked the tactics up. Playing Kepa was a sentimental decision that ultimately backfired. Arsenal started well and Havertz really should have scored. Man City hadn't even managed a shot on target by 30mins but by halftime they were taking control and it was obvious Hincapié was struggling to cope with Cherki or Semenyo. Pep made a few tweaks at halftime to target Hincapié and no surprise it didn't take much time for goals from crosses from that area of the pitch. Arteta took too long to change things, initially by not hooking Hincapié at halftime and then dealing with Saka, Havertz or Gyökeres all becoming ineffectual as the game progressed. tbf Man city played very well 2nd half and thoroughly deserved the victory. My main hope is a near three week international break might revitalize keys plays some of whom look very jaded in recent games (assuming they don't get knackered playing in the international break).

Mar 22, 2026 -- 9:00PM, lurka wrote:

Were never winning it with that mug in goal and it's not aftertiming as he's done it countless times and isn't fit to be a 2nd choice keeper. So many players in awful form, amazing that we are clear at the top. Manager was outthought by Pep and had no ideas, couldn't even show any urgency in attack when 2 down.Hopefully win the league at last but it's not a given. Can't see us winning anything else playing like this and today is only going to put more pressure on.

Aye.
Expected result.
Called it well beforehand.

https://x.com/icylin36/status/2035420195041182030?s=20

Saka's having a weird old season isn't he.


You're gonna win the league, are odds on to get to the CL final but when did he last have a decent game? Seems a shadow of last season.

Strained his back carrying his loot to the bank every week.

He's not been the same since the hamstring op. You'd have to wonder whether he ever will be. Same with Havertz and Odegaard. It's likely related to playing way too much at a high level for the 4th year in a row. Saliba, Gab, Timber, Rice and Zubi are going to end up in the same boat. Other players like MLS are going backwards playing next to never.

Massive squad but the manager doesn't finish teams off early and can't/won't rotate enough. Good to see a few of them pull out of the internationals before the run-in tho. They might be cooked for the world cup anyway but no sense in them playing friendlies.

Saka's game will have been analysed to death by opposition analysts. Every leftback in the country will know exactly how to stop him.

This season and last the manager is playing more negatively and Timber is poor going forward compared to White, he and Odegaard barely fully fit all season. FBs are operating high up in the inside channel and wide attackers are being asked to hold width, rather than the other way around. Not going to get into scoring or assisting positions out there, especially on your weak foot with poor creative players inside you. It's similar to how Southgate played at majors and people said the same about Saka (and every other attacking player, even Kane) then. Hence the big drop in open play goals.

But he's definitely lost some pace off the mark and prob some confidence in taking players on as a result.

What is confusing for me, the first season we finished 2nd, we played some great stuff & were only undone by a thin squad - notably injuries to Saliba & Jesus.
Now our squad is deep, he goes all negative.
Arteta knows how to play more expansively so it makes little sense.
He's obsessed with not conceding.

The conclusion I have come to is, he tried playing attacking football for past three seasons and just came up short. It's probably going to work in the PL this season as so many of the better teams try and stifle the game especially when they come to the Emirates. Liverpool this season a good example. It isn't going to work in the CL and I hope he continues to let the team play attacking football with the handbrake off. Some of the players look jaded and I'm hoping the international break will help revitalise them. Saka is a worry as he hasn't looked anywhere near his best since returning from the hamstring injury and Odegaard has struggled all season.

Newcastle did a job on us at the Emirates a few seasons ago, when they spent the whole match timewasting, feigning injuries, didn't have a shot on goal and came away with a 0:0. At the time Opta stats showed the amount of time the ball was in play was incredibly low. I'm sure he got the idea after that game as I remember we went to St James Park and did a job on them the next season.

I think it started last season once he lost Saka in December. Lost Havertz as well from Feb to May and had to play Merino up top.

This season lost Partey and Jorginho who are better progressive passers than Rice and Zubi.

Test

Did you know Zohran Mamdani was an Arsenal fan?

Shameful really!

https://x.com/NYCMayor/status/2048811035243724862?s=20

A set-piece goal. A 1-0. A VAR controversy. A lot of nerves. Arsenal on the brink now after a controlled performance; four straight wins without conceding a goal. Kai Havertz's towering header was a superbly crafted goal and hitting the woodwork twice, it was a routine win. Fantastic watching a team going for the Premier League title yet again and the Champions League final to look forward to. And the hysterical seethers are a hilarious read atm.

We did it. 22 years of waiting is over. Congratulations All!!!

Congratulations guys... enjoy!

It's been a long wait. Pleased we don't have to go through a nerve-shredder against Palace on Sunday. Well done to the players, backroom staff and to "Pep's cone man"

We've been the best team over the whole season, for sure. Some terrific early season form, but some very tight wins of late as teams have just sat deep. Last few games have been nervy and you can feel it in the stadium.

One opinion, which I'm sure will be unpopular on here: I really don't want Spurs to be relegated and I hope they stay up. Yes, I'd probably laugh for a week, but in all honesty, it's the one match that we all first look to when the fixtures are released.

Been the best team easily this season. Well deserved.

Great to finally get it over the line without going to the last day. After the Burnley match I wasn't looking forward to watching it but Palace would likely have played a weak side. Can concentrate on the CL for longer now too. Hopefully do that as well but PSG are rightly favs and will be very hard to beat.

I didn't find it an enjoyable season to watch compared to prev PL winning campaigns but will take it. It's actually some achievement with the attacking players we have and the way we play. Hopefully some new quality up top in the summer and shackles off next season - go back to playing like we did 2-3 years ago.

No I don't specially want Spurs to get relegated either. Probably because my old man was a Spurs fan. Some of the anti Arsenal seethers on the threads do piss me off and I can't fathom how some Spurs fans posted in the threads they wanted West Ham to beat Arsenal to stop them winning the league even if it significantly increased the risk they would go down. How sad is that?

Wouldn't it be fantastic if we can go on and win the Champions League.

Thanks for the congrats Aspro, a nice touch...

I'm not bothered about Spurs getting relegated, probably because my old man supported them back in the day. I do get a bit irritated with the anti Arsenal teethers on the forum, especially not spelling our name correctly; boring and childish really.

It would be fantastic if we can go on and win the Champions League.

Yeah, Citeh not winning last night has increased
chance of Arsenal winning ucl.

Really hope you do it, psg are not up for a scrap

May 20, 2026 -- 11:47AM, Storm Alert wrote:

No I don't specially want Spurs to get relegated either. Probably because my old man was a Spurs fan. Some of the anti Arsenal seethers on the threads do piss me off and I can't fathom how some Spurs fans posted in the threads they wanted West Ham to beat Arsenal to stop them winning the league even if it significantly increased the risk they would go down. How sad is that?Wouldn't it be fantastic if we can go on and win the Champions League. Thanks for the congrats Aspro, a nice touch...

Which Spurs supporter(s) wanted West Ham to beat Ars*nal? I haven't seen any evidence of that here so you might have made it up.  I'm disappointed that you can't handle some mild banter and ribbing on here.

Storm Alert: Which Spurs supporter(s) wanted West Ham to beat Ars*nal? I haven't seen any evidence of that here so you might have made it up.  I'm disappointed that you can't handle some mild banter and ribbing on here.

I looked back, and you are right, I read a comment from neutral suggesting Spurs fans were in a quandary for the West Ham Arsenal result and somehow conflated the rest. I'm putting down to the stress of watching Arsenal get over the line. Glad to put the record straight.

You may have actually been right Storm, in fairness to you. Someone posted a link to talk-sport and on it a Spurs supporter phoned in saying he could never support Arsenal winning a game. The two on the show were amazed by this moronic comment whereas the rest of us sane supporters wanted nothing more than an Arsenal win. There's always one and talk-sport managed to nab him.

As for one of us actually posting it on the threads, I don't recall ever seeing that. We're not that stupid.

May 21, 2026 -- 7:53PM, Aspro wrote:

You may have actually been right Storm, in fairness to you. Someone posted a link to talk-sport and on it a Spurs supporter phoned in saying he could never support Arsenal winning a game. The two on the show were amazed by this moronic comment whereas the rest of us sane supporters wanted nothing more than an Arsenal win. There's always one and talk-sport managed to nab him.As for one of us actually posting it on the threads, I don't recall ever seeing that. We're not that stupid.

Talksport regularly use plants to make outrageous claims as it increases engagement and Youtube clicks.  It's very easy to spot if you're a regular listener. Don't be pandering to the enemy, Aspro.

GB have fought Spain, France, Germany, Argentina, to name but a few. Today, similar to our country's diversions, my enemy is West Ham. We can return to Arsenal once they're disposed of

It's one of those rare occasions where we actually share a rivalry, rather than it being one-sided

Most Arsenal fans will be rooting for West Ham at the weekend.

I'd certainly find Spurs getting relegated amusing, it was the last time.

Michael Owen on Viktor Gyokeres:

https://metro.co.uk/2026/05/27/michael-owen-claims-arsenal-not-happy-64m-signing-28542889/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-gb

Couldn't have asked for a better fixture run towards the end of the season if chasing down the title again.

20th March - Sunderland (h)
10th April - Coventry (a)
17th April - Villa (h)
24th April - Bournemouth (a)
1st May - Tottenham (h)
8th May - Leeds (a)
15th May - Forest (h)
23rd May- Everton (a)
30th May - Brighton (h)

Nice to finish the season at home as well, even the Villa and Tottenham games are at the Emirates.

9 PL games in a row in London from 28 Nov to 6 Jan

think you're looking at the wrong season

actually you're right, didn't filter home/away, that is a nice advantage

ARSENAL'S 2026/27 PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
AUGUST
Fri 21 Coventry City (H)
Sat 29  Aston Villa (A)

SEPTEMBER
Sat 5  Chelsea (H)
Sat 12  Sunderland (A)
Sat 19  Brighton & Hove Albion (A)

OCTOBER
Sat 10  Leeds United (H)
Sat 17  Nottingham Forest (A)
Sat 24  Everton (H)
Sat 31  Liverpool (A)

NOVEMBER
Sat 7  Hull City (H)
Sat 21  Newcastle United (A)
Sat 28  Manchester City (H)

DECEMBER
Wed 2  Brentford (A)
Sat 5  Tottenham Hotspur (A)
Sat 12  Bournemouth (H)
Sat 19  Manchester United (H)
Sat 26  Crystal Palace (A)
Wed 30  Fulham (A)

JANUARY
Sat 2  Ipswich Town (H)
Wed 6  Brentford (H)
Sat 16  Hull City (A)
Sat 23  Newcastle United (H)
Sat 30  Manchester City (A)

FEBRUARY
Sat 6  Liverpool (H)
Wed 10  Ipswich Town (A)
Sat 20  Fulham (H)
Sat 27  Manchester United (A)

MARCH
Wed 3  Crystal Palace (H)
Sat 13  Chelsea (A)
Sat 20  Sunderland (H)

APRIL
Sat 10  Coventry City (A)
Sat 17  Aston Villa (H)
Sat 24  Bournemouth (A)

MAY
Sat 1 Tottenham Hotspur (H)
Sat 8 Leeds United (A)
Sat 15 Nottingham Forest (H)
Sun 23 Everton (A)
Sun 30  Brighton & Hove Albion (H)

Finally got round to watching the Charity Shield. The post-Pep Guardiola era couldn't have got off to a worse start for City, well thrashed. Maybe this is the season they will take the 40 points deduction for FFP breaches.

Back to Arsenal, there were some good player performances today; Odegaard, Tzolis and Mosquera stood out for me. Always nice to get a trophy under the belt, before the season gets going, although Declan Rice needs to work on his trophy hosting skills...

When are we penciling in St. Totteringham's Day this year?

Has to be before the 2nd North London Derby at home on May 1st 2027.

I'd plump for just before the Villa game at home Sat 17th April.

Kind Regards.

Arsenal agree deal to sign Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa

Fee agreed at £50m plus add-ons and long term deal in place with English defender.

Konsa will undergo his medical in next 48h  (fabrizio romano)

good business that

Barcelona have completed the signing of Gabriel Jesus on a permanent deal for a fee of £8.6m (10m euros). Gabriel Jesus joined Arsenal from Manchester City in 2022, scoring 32 goals and adding 22 assists in 123 appearances for the Gunners. He was instrumental in helping Arteta taking the team to the next level and ultimately securing the 2025/26 PL title. I loved his attitude and style of play and a shame injury curtailed his career at Arsenal for most of 2025. He has my best wishes for the future.

A good servant but we quickly outgrew the likes of Jesus, Barca a great move for him even if it's for the bench.

Martinelli gone as well, always felt like he deserved more game time.

Kind Regards.

We will miss Martinelli. Our lack of pace against Villa was there to see, a perfect game for him to have come on 2nd half after we took the lead.

Trossard was a real asset was well, disappointed to see him go.

Could never understand why Martinelli always went down the line slowly on his weak side when his natural tendency as a pacy, right-footed striker by trade should be to come inside at pace and look to shoot or get into scoring positions. Pep did exactly the same with Grealish who doesn't have Martinelli's pace. I suspect he was coached to do this the last 2 years especially as Arteta changed from wingers inside to wingers holding width outside and full-backs outside to inside, not that he ever had a good overlapping full-back supporting him.

He was never the same player once Xhaka left and wasn't replaced. The left side of the team wasn't the same either. I think Martinelli got a bad rep but didn't have the players supporting him that Saka does and was asked to play a more functional role. I'd have preferred to keep him with Trossard leaving but I suppose he generated some transfer profit as a record sale. Looks like the left side is weaker this year overall tho, unless Calafiori can stay fit for the season.

Yes, Arsenal weaker on the left side with Trossard & Martinelli leaving.

Havertz & Gyökeres are quite similar strong hold up players, neither are great finishers though. At least Havertz is a proven big "game player". And with Arsenal failing to sign an attacker close season, Eze needs to step up. Apart from the Hotsh*te matches and one great important goal on the Champions League last season, he hardly set the world alight, often looking a bit quiet in matches. There is still a chance he might make the grade though.

Chelsea match will tell us a lot, as I think they will come and attack on Sunday.

The charity shield and Coventry games look to have flattered Arsenal somewhat, the Villa game looks to me to be a more accurate look at what they are, very similar to last season where once again the defence is going to be doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

Two concerning takeaways from Monday night for me is that having been maybe fooled by the first couple of performances from Odegaard here he reverted to type and was completely anonymous, a knock on him during his time at Arsenal that he does not grab hold of games often enough and control things, also I wondered if Tzolis is going to be another Gyokeres in that Arsenal have brought in a championship player who's done Ok abroad but can't really crack it in the EPL, after a decent start against Coventry he was very poor on Monday.

Trossard who scored vital goals last season doesn't look to have been replaced and the general creative side of the team with Odegaard often being a shrinking violet is missing when you compare it to City and Chelsea therefore it is going to be imperative that Saka remains fit and regains the form from two seasons ago.

Perhaps the biggest concern especially when you've got the CEO talking about building a dynasty is their failure, in the light of winning the EPL and just missing the CL, to be able to attract a proper superstar to lead the line.

Maybe you're being fooled by one game, one of the toughest away games. It was the smart way to play against Villa as Emery always plays park the bus against us, despite it being spun as a defensive performance from Arsenal. Villa didn't have a shot on target and it's 3 points more than we got there last year.

There's no concerning takeaways from the Villa game, we won the game, defence looked as strong as ever.

You can't have 38 great games as an invidual, and you can't use a sample size of one game to say Odegaard is back to being poor ffs. Emery's mind is always extra concentrated when his teams play us, for obvious reasons, and if Odegaard went on a run of under-performing which is unlikely, then he's be replaced by Eze, which is his best position. That's also why the Norwegian knows he has to be on his toes, having competition makes you better.

Tzolis was booked after 28 minutes which then affects the way you play, and Arteta subbed him because of that at half time.

Arsenal probably doesn't suit Gyokeres rather than Gyokeres not suiting Arsenal, as someone said last season, he might not be the striker that you want him to be, but he's the striker Arteta wants him to be, i.e. a lot of Donkey work, he's usually the last port of call when he's on the pitch, his running helps to create space for others. Wouldn't be surprised if he's off in January if he continues to be benched every game, but it's early in the season so rotation is probably coming with Europe anyway.

Arsenal won the title last season because of how good the defence was, we were one of the lowest scoring title winners there's been in the Prem, and yet again Mikel has gone and strengthened that department with Konsa and the permanent signing of Mosquera, lack of creativity is not that big a concern but there's plenty of creative players in the team if need be.

There are not many superstar forward out there on the market who we could have bought, we went for one and he decided to stay at Real Madrid, it's not bringing in stars for the sake of it, it's about jigsaw pieces fitting blank spaces.

I would have preferred if Mikel would let go of the leash this season and play more front foot football, but if he carries on winning with his own way, I wont care.


Kind Regards.

Konsa doesn't strengthen us from last season with Saliba out and I'd say he could be out half the season.

If we can keep Calafiori and Havertz fit for most of the season and Ben White playing more games, with Bruno in midfield we should be much better in attack from open play.

Gyok cannot be trusted to keep hold of the ball/find a teammate and we rarely even played the ball to him last season. Havertz makes a big difference in the 9. Should be able to get the ball forward more quickly and centrally with Havertz. Eze also has the potential to improve us on the left if he gets his act together.

Ideally we need to be scoring more from open play (doubt we'll score nearly as many from corners) and getting 2 and 3 up and resting players. I think Arteta learned a lesson about rotation last year, hopefully he sees how getting out of sight early in games will allow him to rest players more and look to score more with his best defender out.

It was said with Saliba in mind, he'll still be back for the business end of the season where the difference between 1st and 2nd which is where we will probably be, will be around 3-5 pts or so.

That's also why I said Gyokeres is the last port of call, he's there for the donkey work but will start games when the game calls for it..