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mesmerised
02 Jul 18 21:10
Joined:
Date Joined: 10 Nov 10
| Topic/replies: 39,409 | Blogger: mesmerised's blog
it's gone JJ, it's gone

here's to Lord Emery and the era.

Hopefully he can bring back the much missed St. Totteringham's day.
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Report Aspro May 8, 2025 12:04 PM BST
Bad luck guys and sincerely meant. Could have been a whole different story had that early onslaught materialised; I make PSG rather fortunate there. Second goal killed the tie. If I was a fan I'd want PSG to win the final then at least you were only beaten by the eventual winners, a team you could have beaten on another day. You don't need me to say what you need, that is evident by your posts. I will still continue to have a dig and expect the same in return, but on a footballing front, you had every right to get as far as you did. Quite an impressive run to be fair.
Report Storm Alert May 8, 2025 12:46 PM BST
Cheers Aspro, nothing wrong with some banter between rival fans. Arsenal on the whole excellent in CL this season, some outstanding performances inc PSG before Christmas. Regressed in PL this season; Liverpool were relentless until they won it.

Arteta needs to change tactics again as teams will work out how to combat set piece play. Need a forward for next season and less injuries….
Report mesmerised May 8, 2025 12:59 PM BST
There really was little difference in overall quality between the two sides, next season will be his 6th full season, the entire squad has now been assembled by him, he has to win the league as the potential is there, if he can't then there can't be any more excuses, the time and money he would have had is far beyond what any other manager at any other top club would be given. Thankful for what he's done thus far though, we're in a far better place than we were when he took over and we should have won titles already if not for City cooking the books and maybe keeping our players fit this season, so he has it in him. Has to produce next season now. There is the danger the players might stop listening to him. Kind Regards.
Report lurka May 8, 2025 1:46 PM BST
Nonsense, Mes. Chelsea Man U and Spurs have spent more in the last 5 years. You don't hear about that because all of their managers have failed and been replaced after a year or two, so they've all spent a lot less individually, would you prefer that? I doubt any of them would get rid of Arteta.

You get rid he'll take a good few players with him, just before he and they hit their prime too. He's been operating in the Pep/Klopp era and nobody else has got within a sniff of those two and he challenged in his 3rd full season. Another manager could come in and win a league after Pep leaves and it's not going to be the level of football Arteta reached last season.

Klopp won a league when City were poor and there were no other challengers. He won the CL by beating Porto, a poor Barca and then Spurs in the final.
Report mesmerised May 8, 2025 2:03 PM BST
The point I'm making is that as well as what he's done in terms of making Arsenal competitive again, you can't expect to keep your job if you don't win a big trophy going into his 7th season as manager at a club the size of Arsenal - but given we have the same owners as when Wenger was in charge, it's unlikely any change would be made anyway as long as he keeps delivering top 4. But there is no doubt that players will stop listening to him if he keeps ending seasons potless, top class players in their prime like Rice, Saliba and Saka might star to have their heads turned if they feel they have a chance of winning elsewhere. For this reason he has to start winning something big and soon. Kind Regards.
Report Whisperingdeath May 8, 2025 3:22 PM BST
Arsenal look over coached to me Lurka,

They play format football. It is becoming incredibly boring to watch. I love the way Inter and PSG attack with pace, desire and intensity.

Feed the monkey ffs! and do it much more quickly!
Report Stringvest May 8, 2025 3:40 PM BST
yep  , they need a plan b or c next year , get a decent forward who.s a good target man, even a youngster or old timer to mix it up.
Report lurka May 8, 2025 10:24 PM BST
I don't think Inter are renowned for their attacking football in the CL at least, they are not usually a high scoring team and are more renowned for defensive solidity. F11 A 1 in 8 group stage games for example. Rarely score 3 in the CL.

The reason why there were 13 goals in that tie was almost totally down to the way Barca play - ultra aggressive in both attack and defence but wide open at the back with poor defenders, especially when they regain possession and try to get it forward quickly but lose it. The reason why the likes of Pep and Arteta play slow and cautious out of defense is precisely to avoid what Barca got caught out for multiple times v Inter. It was a freak tie, the tie against Bayern where they were outplayed in both legs but more clinical is more Inter than the Barca tie.

I don't think the Kroenkes are the tightarsés we all thought they were under Wenger. I think some of that was down to Wenger being an economist and the boardroom stalemate with Usmanov, Wenger had a lot more to spend than he actually did for years. They haven't pumped money in but that's fine -  that shouldn't be needed at a club the size of Arsenal and they have certainly not acted anything like that since they became full owners.

Last summer was the third year in the 3 year FFP period after 2 big spending years. They had to sell youth players like ESR and Nketiah to generate funds just to spend a lot less than the previous two years, if they hadn't got to CL KO stage this year they might have been in trouble. This year the first of those 3 years falls away which allows us to spend more than last year + there's €100m+ coming in from the CL this year. I'd expect a big spend and on a top attacker or maybe two but someone to play the left side midfield role like Xhaka did is more important than a second attacker imo.

Will be concerned if he doesn't sign a top attacker and/or isn't given a lot to spend. The squad still isn't equipped to challenge for both PL and CL and with injuries this year is wasn't good enough to win even one of them. Happy enough til we see what happens in the summer.
Report mesmerised September 9, 2025 1:00 AM BST
Arteta needs to know if he doesn't win the title it's his last year, needs to take the handbreak off, going to City and parking the bus when clear at the top of the table half way through the season just for a point, is one thing, buy going to Anfield after the third game and doing it is another, doesn't scream champions mentality, especially playing Rice, Merino and Zubimendi in the same team, his teams were more fluid and attacking in the early years, now he's playing more with fear, probably because he's started to fear for his job. I'd take Klopp next season, but would hope Mikel can do it instead. Champions League fixtures, especially the order in which they're in, look good however.

Kind Regards.
Report Whisperingdeath September 9, 2025 9:47 AM BST
I would have taken Klopp 10 years ago
Report ImSoLuckyLucky! September 9, 2025 1:24 PM BST
The Mighty ANGE in control of
Forest
Arse must be scared!!!
Laugh
Report mesmerised October 8, 2025 11:30 AM BST
Looks like we're going back to Wembley, plans to make the Emirates bigger. I remember we were there for Champions Leagues games late 90's, and our record wasn't good, pretty sure we lost to clubs Lens when we were double winners with all those star players, don't know how that happened.

I always remember thinking 20 years ago when I first heard the Emirates would be 60k how short sighted that was and seemed to demonstrate a lack of ambition given at the time Old Trafford was 68k and the fact we could even back have easily filled an 80k stadium given the huge catchment area, the tourist factor and over 100k on the waiting list for a season ticket, there was also no thought at all of developing the Emirates into a multi use stadium to generate far bigger profits.

20 years later our stadium looks dated already in terms of modernism and aesthetics thanks to other stadia including those mugs up the road as much as I don't like to say it, proposed new re-development apparently was the reason why we never put the Emirates forward for 2028.

We've also never been chose to host a Champions League final even though capacity wise we fit the criteria, apparently this is something to do with a a lack of (car parking spaces for the UEFA fat cats and all their chums, sponsors, free-loaders, acquaintances, etc.), instead we appeared to use nearby space to build private housing instead.

I'm no expert on construction but I'd imagine we'd be better of demolishing the Emirates altogether and starting again to build our own Red wall, making it multi purpose, retractable pitch and making it far more pleasing on the eye, I also how struck I was by the depressing grey concrete that wrapped the Emirates when I first saw, I honestly thought it wasn't finished, turned out it was.

Course one of the downsides of greater capacity would attract more tourists types and they contribute to a sterile atmosphere by all accounts by those who actually go to games.

The ridiculousness of now spending more money (apparently up to £500 mil) on increasing capacity to just 70k and some other minor improvements, than what the original of the stadium cost in 2006 (£390 mil), is just breath taking. It was a real lack of foresight - unless they were told by local authorities that was the limit thanks to pressure on local infrastructure at the time, but I don't ever remember that being the case.



Kind Regards.
Report Whisperingdeath October 8, 2025 1:31 PM BST
Have to say it is strange that they did not build with a view to increase capacity.

The options are remove roof, which, is expensive or dig the pitch lower, which may have topological problems.

Some times there is a lack of foresight. Maybe we I not understand the money but I remember a time when our footballers were barely paid above working mans wages. I think George Best broke the mould.

In the 70's American sports stars were already being paid in excess of $100,000 a year. I remember Rollerball coming out and thinking how one day football will be like that. Every major city in the World would field a team in a World league. We have only just seen the Bigs Boys of Europe and Spurs trying to toxify our game with a Franchise type European Super League. They changed the European Cup into a mini Champions League for more money.

Now there are probably more Manchester United fans in Delhi than in all of Surrey. Add up the Indians, the Chinese, Malaysian's, Indonesian's, Japanese and Koreans. I am a bit fik so maybe somebody could do the mathematics for me. If 200 million people paid 50p to watch a game on their phone, how much money would that raise?

The ego of many clubs will be their undoing. London, Manchester, Milan, Turin, Paris, Munchen, Delhi, Bombay, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Peking etc etc etc.

Who wants Spurs or Chelsea?

Arsenal should have grasped the Crown that was theirs to seize.
Report Whisperingdeath October 8, 2025 1:39 PM BST
There is no shortgage of Sociopaths and Psychopaths to make RollerFootball happen. Look at the powerful Billionaires in Indian Cricket, theirs was a bloodless coup.

John Duerden
Wed 8 Oct 2025 11.35 BST


There hasn’t been that much to smile about for Malaysian football fans in recent years, so there was real jubilation among the 60,000 home spectators upon the final whistle in Kuala Lumpur on on 10 June. A 4-0 win over regional rivals Vietnam not just kept the Harimau Malaya (Malayan Tigers) on course for the 2027 Asian Cup but well and truly confirmed they were dining back at the top table in southeast Asia. Four months later, they are still the talk of the region of 650 million people, but not in a good way.

The story starts, as it does increasingly in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) football these days, with naturalisation. In January, the crown prince of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, the owner of Johor Darul Ta’zim football club, and former president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), wrote on social media: “We have identified 6-7 heritage players … and hope the Malaysian government could assist in the process of obtaining Malaysian passports in order for them to play in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.”

Seven players from Argentina, Brazil, Spain and the Netherlands with a grandparent from Malaysia were naturalised. All seven played against Vietnam; two scored. The day after, we now know, Fifa received a complaint about their eligibility and started investigating.
Report the fink sisters November 23, 2025 6:54 PM GMT
Turned out nice again.

I think the only way to get at us these days - particularly when we are missing key players - is to have a go like Sunderland did.

Spurs were too cautious and were focused on damage limitation. They only woke up at 3-0 down.
Report Wesdag November 24, 2025 12:15 AM GMT
EPL's in the bag.
We're under strength right now.
New players only just finding their feet - like Eze.Cool
Will only get stronger when we have a full squad.
Report Storm Alert December 1, 2025 3:14 PM GMT
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.
Report Storm Alert December 3, 2025 8:52 PM GMT
Madueke has looked a right fecking Donkey against Brentford. Pub team quality.
Report the fink sisters December 3, 2025 9:33 PM GMT
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.
Report lurka December 3, 2025 9:55 PM GMT
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.
Report Storm Alert December 10, 2025 9:27 PM GMT
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.
Report chopsy5656 December 12, 2025 8:02 PM GMT
My god this fred still aboutCoolCoolCool
Report Storm Alert December 15, 2025 10:04 AM GMT
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.
Report tobermory December 30, 2025 11:07 PM GMT
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......
Report Storm Alert December 30, 2025 11:42 PM GMT
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.
Report lurka December 30, 2025 11:44 PM GMT
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.
Report tobermory December 30, 2025 11:52 PM GMT
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.
Report tobermory December 30, 2025 11:57 PM GMT
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.
Report LoyalHoncho January 4, 2026 7:02 PM GMT
You boys would give anything for a Chelsea leveller here today.
Wouldn’t you?
Report LoyalHoncho January 4, 2026 7:27 PM GMT
.
Report LoyalHoncho January 4, 2026 7:29 PM GMT
VARSENAL!
Report Storm Alert January 6, 2026 10:15 PM GMT
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.
Report LoyalHoncho January 7, 2026 12:25 PM GMT
Thanks for the tip.  Must get a better on a Liverpool pen. award.  Love  Who’s taking them nowadays?  Szoboszlai?
Report sofaking January 8, 2026 4:27 AM GMT
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. Silly
Report Wesdag January 8, 2026 11:13 AM GMT
Aye, a win tonight & it's as good as done imo.
We're the only outfit plus Villa who've turned up this season.Crazy
Report LoyalHoncho January 8, 2026 2:03 PM GMT
It would be a deserved title win.  Arteta, after an immensely stressful start, is proving his mettle.
Report Wesdag January 8, 2026 3:52 PM GMT
Yep, could easily have been sacked a few times if he'd had been elsewhere.
Just shows that patience is required.
Report Storm Alert January 20, 2026 10:13 PM GMT
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.
Report Wesdag January 20, 2026 11:31 PM GMT
Yep, looking very strong with quality on the bench.
Our B team will be plenty good enough.
Report Wesdag January 20, 2026 11:32 PM GMT
^ for the last game
Report yuvutu February 28, 2026 11:19 PM GMT
Bump. This how quiet it's become?
Are we all on YouTube watching aftv??
I know I am
Report lurka March 1, 2026 1:24 AM GMT
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.
Report Storm Alert March 1, 2026 8:33 AM GMT
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
Report Storm Alert March 1, 2026 8:37 AM GMT
*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.
Report lurka March 1, 2026 1:42 PM GMT
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?
Report impossible123 March 1, 2026 4:29 PM GMT
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.
Report Bishy March 1, 2026 8:55 PM GMT
Arsenal turned football into rugby. **** footballing team. ****g boring to watch
Report Wesdag March 5, 2026 7:01 PM GMT
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
Report Storm Alert March 15, 2026 9:40 AM GMT
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.
Report Emitdeb March 15, 2026 10:53 AM GMT
Congratulations... Doubt you can imagine the pain you've inflicted on me... Grin

It's only a game, innit.
Report sofaking March 15, 2026 10:07 PM GMT

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.

Report Wesdag March 15, 2026 10:41 PM GMT
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.Devil
Report sofaking March 15, 2026 10:54 PM GMT
It's an absurd spectacle when you really think about it. Crazy
Report lurka March 15, 2026 11:32 PM GMT
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.
Report sofaking March 15, 2026 11:36 PM GMT
Laugh
Report Wesdag March 16, 2026 1:34 AM GMT
lurka sounds like a cynic.Grin
Report sofaking March 16, 2026 1:46 AM GMT
He's a very, very serious chap. Definitely needs to lighten up.
Report Storm Alert March 17, 2026 10:48 AM GMT
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...
Report Emitdeb March 17, 2026 5:39 PM GMT
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DV4PnDtCE9P/?igsh=MXFldndqbmc2YzFlMg==

Love
Report Storm Alert March 18, 2026 8:06 AM GMT
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.
Report lurka March 18, 2026 12:37 PM GMT
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.
Report the fink sisters March 22, 2026 7:04 PM GMT
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.
Report lurka March 22, 2026 8:00 PM GMT
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.
Report ----you-have-to-laugh--- March 23, 2026 12:26 AM GMT
Was arteta prepared to sacrifice today to give nothing away?

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

.
Report sofaking March 23, 2026 1:29 AM GMT

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"?

Report Storm Alert March 23, 2026 2:21 PM GMT

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).

Report Wesdag March 23, 2026 6:01 PM GMT

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

Report PorcupineorPineapple March 23, 2026 6:09 PM GMT
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.
Report Wesdag March 23, 2026 6:11 PM GMT
Strained his back carrying his loot to the bank every week.
Report lurka March 23, 2026 7:05 PM GMT
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.
Report SirNorbertClarke March 24, 2026 9:58 AM GMT
Saka's game will have been analysed to death by opposition analysts. Every leftback in the country will know exactly how to stop him.
Report lurka March 24, 2026 3:43 PM GMT
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.
Report Wesdag March 24, 2026 7:02 PM GMT
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.
Report Storm Alert March 24, 2026 10:46 PM GMT
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.
Report lurka March 24, 2026 11:40 PM GMT
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.
Report Storm Alert April 25, 2026 8:35 AM BST
Test
Report SirNorbertClarke April 27, 2026 9:42 PM BST
Did you know Zohran Mamdani was an Arsenal fan?

Shameful really!

https://x.com/NYCMayor/status/2048811035243724862?s=20
Report Storm Alert May 19, 2026 7:59 AM BST
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. Laugh
Report Mr_Spreadsheet May 20, 2026 7:40 AM BST
We did it. 22 years of waiting is over. Congratulations All!!!
Report Aspro May 20, 2026 8:13 AM BST
Congratulations guys... enjoy!
Report Storm Alert May 20, 2026 8:54 AM BST
Report the fink sisters May 20, 2026 9:56 AM BST
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.
Report PorcupineorPineapple May 20, 2026 10:08 AM BST
Been the best team easily this season. Well deserved.
Report lurka May 20, 2026 11:25 AM BST
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.
Report Storm Alert May 20, 2026 11:47 AM BST
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. Cool

Thanks for the congrats Aspro, a nice touch...
Report Storm Alert May 20, 2026 12:37 PM BST
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. Cool
Report ----you-have-to-laugh--- May 20, 2026 12:40 PM BST
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
Report sofaking May 21, 2026 2:09 AM BST

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.

Report sofaking May 21, 2026 2:10 AM BST
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.
Report Storm Alert May 21, 2026 7:29 PM BST
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.
Report Aspro May 21, 2026 7:53 PM BST
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.
Report sofaking May 21, 2026 8:20 PM BST

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. Silly

Report Aspro May 21, 2026 8:27 PM BST
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 Devil
Report Aspro May 21, 2026 8:28 PM BST
It's one of those rare occasions where we actually share a rivalry, rather than it being one-sided Laugh
Report Ell May 21, 2026 11:15 PM BST
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.
Report Storm Alert May 28, 2026 8:35 AM BST
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
Report mesmerised June 19, 2026 12:38 PM BST
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.
Report lurka June 19, 2026 2:13 PM BST
9 PL games in a row in London from 28 Nov to 6 Jan
Report mesmerised June 19, 2026 2:40 PM BST
think you're looking at the wrong season
Report mesmerised June 19, 2026 2:42 PM BST
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)
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