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.
Oh my my my losing 1:0
Rice own goal
what do you think it would say about us if we actually lost this fixture, regardless of rhe City scoreline?
That’s better 1:1
Typical El B TRVL and Hammers have pulled one back
Tomi is the player with the most chances today, which is a bit of a WTF situation…good on him for finally hitting the target, as his first two big chances we rebuffed rather easily
Kudus scored for the Hammers…one of the only reasons I felt that they might have a go against City, minus the Moyes “firing”, was that there are several key players on that squad that are looking to turn the heads of some managers elsewhere
I do like the fact that we’re committing a shitload of players into the box, which certainly isn’t typically the case…this should always be our tactical pursuits against those who belong to the bus sitting alliance
I thought that TRVL that Tommie liked most likely to score for us coming late in the box. Not sure what Havertz is doing but there you are.
The Hammers have had 2 shots on goal vs City’s 10. City have had 73% possession. Looks like one way traffic for the first half
Tony
Some half time US rock n roll entertainment.
https://youtu.be/AMVX0tzaTwk?si=13YneXSeha5m8pKM
TCOB by BTO
AKA taking care of business by Bachmann Turner Overdrive. Which is what we need to do in the second half! I fucking loathe Everton.
I’ve been impressed with Kudus this season.
Wonder what Pep is saying in the dressing room?
KP-can’t stand that tune anymore, as it was shoved done our proverbial throats during my younger years in this BTO part of the world…that said, I do get why it’s apropos for this particulas occasion
Havertz has had one shot off target made 3 tackles and 12 passes as our 9.
Tony-agree with your Kudu sentiments, especially on a Moyes managed side that tends to be rather dire in the final third
We need more width Trossard should hug his line.
I would imagine Pep would be pushing his players to score early so as to take away any momentum the Hammers might have conjured from their first tally
Tross can’t play that far from goal, as he doesn’t have the pace required to exploit those wider spaces…I would love to see he and Marts switch sides on occasion and see if we could catch Everton offguard, as they know of our right-side inklings
it’s good to see overlapping runs by White, but his end product in the final third leaves a lot to be desired…we could be an absolute juggernaut with Timber on the right, a proper wingback on the left, a back 3 of White, Saliba and Gabs, with Rice in front, and a true Striker up top…this would likwise allow Ode to slip into a more central position, thererby enabling him to unlock defences across the board, instead of on only one side of the pitch
Oh dear Zinchenko on and City 3:1
3-1 at the Etihad
Big Gabriel injured.
And wtf Zinchenko coming in. Galaxy brain . Let us brace for the inevitable.
And Jr. Kroenke talks if still still supporting ElB , moron
any thoughts Tony, or anyone else, on my previous post regarding a back 3?
That was a good save by Raya. His trademark jumping frog one. Good job
I think Rice was lucky not to get a red with studs up with his lunging foot. Rice looks a bit gassed.
TRVL
I agreed with your thinking. I’ve long thought we’d suit a 343 it’s why I liked your Gasparini post who also you d said liked 343.
We are making very hard work of this.
ESR looks slimmer
why not get Marts on the left, instead of Jesus, just to get some width over there…I’m pleased that Timber came on and was properly deployed on the right…he could be well-suited to play along side Saka, but we all know what will happen instead
The way Everton players are laid out , they are intercepting the Arsenal passes effortlessly, although our boys appear fitter and faster.
So guess you are right Tony about 343
Palace 5 up against Villa. I said they were porous but …….