On this Sunday afternoon, every team will play their 38th game, the last one of this season 2023-24. Premier League never disappoints you, who will be crowned the champion is not decided, yet! There’s not much to play for the other teams however.
Relegation battle : We already know the three teams that would be relegated. Luton, Burnley and a piss poor Sheffield United are going down.
Europe qualifiers : Newcastle and Man United are hoping Chelsea loses it’s last game and that they can win (while the other one should also lose) to secure a place in Europa League. Aston Villa have already qualified to Champions League football next season, so a 5th position Tottenham can’t do much about it.
Title challenge : This is the most important bit. Man City and Arsenal have two points difference, and there are 4 conditions that can happen.
- City loses, Arsenal Wins – We run away with the title. For this to happen, David Moyes needs to do us a favor, while we need to get pass the Dyche’s football.
- City draws, Arsenal wins – We win again since we have a better goal difference to City (60 to 61).
- City wins – irrespective of what happens with any other teams, if City wins, Pep will have another trophy to show in his cabinet.
- Arsenal draw / loss – If we draw against Everton or in worst case lose, City will be crowned Champions irrespective of their result against Moyes.
If you ask me personally, I would love the second scenario, a nerve breaking one where we beat the best team on the planet on goal difference of just ONE, on the final day of the league. That would be a WOW! moment. It’s not happening though, don’t keep your hopes high.
The best part of all of this is, that we are in contention for the title. The worst of it all, we depend on West Ham to beat City for us, and it’s not happening. Not on the final day, not when City needs a win to secure 4th title in a row, not at Etihad. There’s a very slim chance the west London club do us a favor, since Spurs and Son went on full Spursy mode against Pep. A very slim that one, but it won’t let me not be all excited for the game.
I was full ballistic in December when we dropped a lot of points. I was mad when we let Emery school us when we needed a win. The lads couldn’t sustain the pressure, nor the manager towards the end of the last season, but we have improved in that area. We have hold the fort since our Dubai’s training, and we have been giving some sleepless nights to Pep.
Lets not underestimate our achievements. Klopp fought against Pep for 8 seasons and only won one of those titles. He was second with 97 points in one of them. He had the best front 3 in last decade, Salah , Mane and Firmino and along with the best defender in VVD, he still couldn’t win more than once. Arteta has a lot to do before he matches Klopp. He is learning, and we are improving. I hated the pace at which we did, and I still do, but now since that bad phase has gone, I am very optimistic about the club in coming days.
Doesn’t mean I am not critical how we are letting go of Reuell Walters for free. A 19- year old Right Back, who made the Arsenal bench numerous times but couldn’t make it should still cost a couple million dollars in the market. Arthur Okonkwo is also leaving as a free agent, he should have costed more than a couple of millions. Aaron Ramsdale have been dropping hints of his transfers, and in his latest Instagram post, we saw a farewell message to him. The rumours points out a 15m fees to Newcastle. Now, how in the hell do you sell a player who was starting every game last season, and who is not playing not because his form dipped but because Mikel prefers David Raya over him, for only 15 million to a club that has all the money in the world. It’s not like we are selling him to Crystal Palace or Bournemouth.
Elneny and Cedric are leaving at the end of this season. I’m okay with that, they had their time here, and it’s over now.
In other news, Arne Slot will be the new Liverpool manager after Klopp. He is currently managing Feyenoord and is considered a top manager. We have seen what happens to those ‘top managers’ in the premier league – Ten Haag, Ralph Ragnik, Ange – and I will not have kept my hopes high if I was a Liverpool supporter. Plus, they will go through a rebuild now. Man United is in shambles, Chelsea are shit, Spurs will remain Spurs for the foreseeable future, and it’s going to be another City v Arsenal.
Right, that’s all for today. If you have a lucky charm in your house, hold on to it for 90 dear god minutes tomorrow, and pray West Ham sees Milwall in City. We also would have to win against Everton for sure. Lets close the season on a banger, irrespective of what happens.
See you tomorrow.
Sorry guys but I think I just won the name a song that describes Arteta competition.
He’s Misstra Know-It-All by Stevie Wonder.
Actually I can’t believe none of us thought of it earlier!
TRVL
Under my thumb & the brilliant You’re so Vain are great efforts. The Carly song worthy of 2nd.
Marc
There can be no better than your Stevie Wonder offering and worthy winner for me: He’s Mister Know It All.
Norg
I was furious to learn Wenger had interviewed IG. Talk about the tail wagging the dog. Wenger was Top Down management when everyone had changed to horizontal dissemination management. Our The Arsenal were the sum of Wenger’s autocratic kingdom parts he had created where results proved the need to be rid of him. The bottom line said different: Stan was happy in his mediocre sports franchise days.
Then Stan and Junior have invested in winning both sides of the pond. Here it’s £600m and counting, and not a tile or cup in sight.
When Raul & Dimond Eye were formed I knew IG had lost the plot completely. It was a recipe for disaster, and they did not disappoint with poor Unai getting eternally shafted with the rough end of a pineapple. I mean Unai did walk funny in his touchline box always grimacing even when we were not losing for 22 games.
He’s Ok now so maybe had colonic irrigation the right way instead of Raul kicking the shit out of Emery, and then wanting to resign the malleable manager. It was all about control.
Since the Kroenkes took over our club has been comedy central. Yes, they’ve invested after our oligarch had vacated the premises, but El B has also lost them a truck load of money right under their noses.
It could be as much as £200m+ in the incumbent’s 5 years. We are leveraged for the £600m in one way or another, but we’ve gone from £2b+ to probably £4b+, so the profit margin is acceptable for such alleged losses.
It’s not just the losses, is it? £200m invested even risk adverse would pay dividends that would maybe fund colony for a year. There doesn’t seem to be any fiscal prudence with El B at the helm.
Just think if we’d had that £200m for this window? Perhaps not, as you’d have to think about EL B and Edu spending it. Edu has gone very quiet these days and no ST razzmatazz that I’ve noticed.
Hoopah
Sounds like you have a cool made with a good palate. I want to taste Sarah’s food, just not sure if in Australia or Goa? Not a bad problem to have and I’ve never been to India. We’ll see.
LIR
When I woke up I saw the headline of Xavi sold and I immediately thought, YES!!!!!! El B is Barca bound and we might snag Xavi. All of a sudden I heard angels sing with unicorns dancing until I saw that Herr Flick is taking the reins of the Cules faithful’s club.
I’m just hoping Herr Flick is in some way related to his namesake from Allo Allo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6jCUogKDrY
Once I realised El B was staying and that silly season is upon us I thought same shit different day.
Have a good weekend LIR.
A final El B thought and a song from him that would make me happy as he sings goodbye:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SneCkM0bJq0
Tony
or this version of of Goodbye – El B at the piano in the middle of the pitch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKai4Ss13CI
Listening to Pete & Dud I thought it is going to be a long summer without football – I hate internationals – I am not into horse racing but this commentary has a couple of references to El B.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWpRcRCUKsY
Hi Tony
Just having a down week after last weekend. Decimating the garden, watching cricket, the usual summer shite. Feel like I need a wee break after all the meloodrama. I should research more about the depth and width of City’s historical cheating but fuggit!
Tony
I prefer the method of the Rugby TMO much over football’s VAR. The TMO can look at and correct infractions from phases prior. You can find yourself in a phase when the TMO interrupts and alerts the on field Ref to an infraction and they act upon it with total transparency. It is made much easier by the total respect from players to the Ref.
On the other hand VAR is totally fucked until they correct it perhaps by bringing in former players to become VAR operators as well as modifying when they can intervene and at what time. But at the present we are screwed.
KP
For me there are some tasty Summer Series Rugby matches especially South Africa v Ireland where the tickets sold out in less then an hour.
By the way how did Arteta’s moniker El-B come about and what is its explanation how it relates to the on the job manager wer have?
Killroy
Either KP or Tony conjured up the name.
Kroenkephobe conjured El B
Moniker had a surname as well in the original Kroenkephobe version.
Think Incopetente or something like that.
Whatever, but El B is apt and has stuck.
I find myself in the unpleasant situation of wanting ManU to win the Cup.
On the other hand I can’t see it actually happening.
Mickey mouse defending by City there after completely dominating the first 30.
ManU is up 2-0 . Second half Pep has upped the game.
Surprisingly ManU is playing well except maybe for MC Tomominy
Dokku does not have a left peg ,so compulsory has to come inwards to shoot. The only deficiency in a a fantastic player with pace and close ball control
Foden without de Bruyne is like ESR without Saka next to him.
Looks Like similar galaxy brains
so far this match has been all about one side capitializing on their only real opportunities, whereas the other side has failed to do so, minus 1 glorious save by Onana, which would have been a goal 9 out of 10 times…as for Doku, he’s a crafty little player but he’s a bang average finisher, otherwise he would be regularly deployed on the left…I really wonder if City will sell Grealish this summer, as he’s been, in large part, a disappointing signing…that said, I would suspect that he’s a very positive locker room presence and loved by all, as you could see during their interactions after they won the title last weekend
There are rumours Grealish is going to Bayern
KP-I figured as much…I do apologize for my role in the melodramatics…just as it pertains to you of course, as they were acting like snide little cnuts towards myself and Tony, so things were bound to get messy…I know you would relish having a wider array of posters, but surely you can see the vast difference in the way they conducted themselves towards you, even though you hold many of the same managerial views as myself and Tony…I get it though, as you’ve been far more forthcomng than myself when it comes to putting yourself out there and they likewise haven’t ruffled your feathers from a more political perspective…to be fair, I never made my attacks personal except when I was in their direct firing line…I have no problem whatsoever with differing opinions being expressed on here, in fact, I’m a huge proponent of having some lively back-and-forth, but only if those involved can handle a little take with their dish…who knows, maybe by melodrama you were simply rederring to how things panned out again this season and I totally misread the room…even if this were the case, I would still consider this to be worthwhile venture on my part…take care
just when the fat lady was preparing to sing City finally potted one…should be an electric final few minutes
this might create a very unusual situation if ten Hag gets axed in the hours or days following a FA victory, which qualifies them for Europe
Man U win 2-1
And into Europa uff