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.
“always, always differ”…what happened there? was there a glitch in your Russian bot matrix? or did the guards call for lights out when you were mid-sentence and it rattled your little pea-like brain? regardless, your constant need to conform with the “simple” majority makes perfect sense…it’s likely why you rail so furiously against those troublesome think for themselves motherfuckers…I wish I could think of a single time in history when it might not have been wise to accept the prevailing narrative LOL…no wonder Marc fingered you as some sort of cult-loving brainless fuck…sleep tight little guy
Aitcho
Appreciate the comments and your concern for my vision of a winning Arsenal while you sit with the status quo. It’s almost endearing about that, and your special interest in my always challenging myself and Junior doing the same.
I assume you’re well read up on advanced mathematical sciences, have a blackbelt in TKD, and are the resident youth ‘Khon Giant’ champion on Thai TV, and was invited to the palace to join the adult troop to eventually dance for the king and visiting dignitaries. All at 15. It’s impossible for you to begin to understand by supporting losers such as El B, what has he won in 5 years?
The reality is we should have won 2 consecutive titles and El B boiled them both and you will be happy when it happens next season.
Now the season is done, and we came 2nd again from pole position, once again, I’ll leave you with the fan boys patting each other on the back with 2nd is a trophy. A good season and something to relish finishing above Spuds.
Not me Aitcho. I like winning. We’ve collapsed 3 times in a row, in April and you’re happy. Maybe you and other can line the Islington streets for your 2nd is a trophy celebrations or are you back up north now.
You live up north, but went down for the game to watch us lose the title?
As for Havertz watch?
1 goal
1 shot on target
3 off target with
17 successful passes
4/8 tackles @ 50% success
3 interception
If you are happy with that output for our 9 for next season, then I really can’t help you and would suggest you go back to football 101 or talk to Bob N15, you could be twins.
I’d start scrolling from here and look up a football managers job description and their KPIs. You’ll find their prime objective is to win trophies not blow run ins and not always have inconsistency in results and tactics and repeating mistakes: buying £65m square pegs for round holes.
If you do read, then might I suggest quaaludes instead of alcohol? Poor Bob was always a belligerent arsehole when drinking & posting, but then most drinkers are, and why I don’t drink alcohol.
TRVL
Emotions were running high yesterday for us all and we deflect in different ways.
Going to repost our little manager convo yesterday, which would have been better posted today, but I thought it might be a distraction of what was going to, and did happen.
TRVL
Thanks for the informative depth on Gasperini.
I vaguely knew the name and would agree with you that he seems as tailor made, as you could get. In the way you outlined Gasperini’s tactical nous, it also highlights El B’s considerable managerial frailties by comparison.
I’m a fan of De Zerbi as mentioned above. Andoni Iraola Sagarna has caught the eye with Bournemouth’s 2nd half of the season, and ditto really with Oliver Glasner at Palace.
When you add Gasperini to the top of the wanted list my list would be this:
Gasperini:
From your post he seems ideal. You will have watched him more than I have watched all of my four choices.
De Zerbi:
Has been well PL road tested proving he deserves his shot with an top 4 PL club. I think he would fix united as well, so more reason to get him. Although no nonsense tough his players love him where he gets rid of dissent quickly, as in Trossard.
Maybe White wasn’t a good fit either. I was surprised at his sale, but also money spoke the right language.
Oliver Glasner:
Would be my 3rd choice. His ability to also get Eze and Olise to perform to new levels is seriously impressive. I grant you they were in the Zaha show and lived in his shadow.
Now, though, those 2 alone toy with defenders and are really exciting to watch. Together with the other talented young group all now shining, they cut through teams at will, as they have their last few games.
If we had Oliver and he brought Eze and Olise as well as Tyrick Mitchell 24, at LB (2 goals & 3 assists). That addresses the areas you and I feel need finally dealing with. Would probably cost about £250m, but would represent a good investment both financially and and in our squad. No square pegs in round holes and Havertz would really have to sing for his supper, as it were.
That would just leave the keeper issue to solve. “News to me” Ramsdale seems to be staying put playing hardball. I’m in the Ramsdale camp, where do I sign?
Andoni Iraola Sagarna:
There is no denying B’mouth’s New Year resurgence and not with thug football, which is oft the norm for clubs with very little TW funds available. Unpolished and unknown gems are their level financially because B’mouth as a club is only worth £358m – let that sink in for a moment.
The club is worth half El B’s TW spend. Look at player values below to get a feel for what I’m saying.
https://www.transfermarkt.com/afc-bournemouth/kader/verein/989/saison_id/2023
Iraola has also kept his club playing stylish build up play football from the back, but perhaps more conservatively risk adverse to keep the ship/club steady on PL coffers. I really enjoy watching the way Iraola sets up to play from the back with such movement it confounds most PL teams now. Then the huge work rate he gets back from his players even when they are running on empty. His players leave everything on the pitch every game.
Looking at the current table it reads:
10 – Brighton
11 – Bournemouth
12 – Crystal Palace
That is no coincidence in my mind, for what it’s worth. It’s 3 manager performing with hugely limited resources who are taking points off top 6 clubs with regularity.
Just think if they had had £600m+ to spend with their obvious man managerial qualities, proven tactical nous and real understanding of players and the potential?
TRVL our likable, resident punch bag, Aitcho, seems to be clueless about management as well, but he did opt out of management to live up north, for the quiet life, I assume. He can’t run with the stress from management I assume the way he keeps bleating on here making no sense.
Still, gives you the daily mental agility work out your professorial mind enjoys. I’m sure you will look forward to that side of next season at least. Being 2nd again? Not so!
What does El B say after 5 years to us fans?
Lower expectations? As Wenger did with 4th is a trophy, where the only trophy is a CL birth.
Each season we say this should be El B’s last if he doesn’t deliver. The above named managers I feel would do a far better job with the resources. Unai got CL is his first full season and hands El B his arse on a plate each time El B comes up against Unai.
We fired Unai and he went on to win trophies with other clubs while El B deliver 88522. Facts that we won nothing.
Branthwaite yesterday again put in a steller performance, but is not an El B player ben though he plays LB as well as he plays LCB where he has good pace.
KP
I hope you’re not too wrapped in emotions. I’m in deflecting mood.
Marc
Look forward to your thoughts at the game.
Kilroy
Was there ever going to be a different outcome? Not for yesterday, but the whole season.
We both said El B will win nothing this season as did most here, bar 1.
Hoopah
Loved your input this season and hope for more of the same next season. Let your sardonic juices flow Hoopah.
Ambarish
Thanks for all you do and please let those who can help.
Norg
Hope your weekend outings went well and that you can log in to LIR now.
Bottled them both*
Let’s also not forget that El B took over us with a group of players who had missed 4th by one point in Unai’s first season. El B proceeded to spend north of £600+M where Unai had his players chosen for him.
What does he have to show for £600+M?
8 8 5 2 2 with the last 3 seasons being bottled when there were other solutions we all saw.
This is why we need a ‘winning’ mentality manager.
Not one who plans faux street victory parties and a pretend winning medal ceremony knowing it’s already over.
El B – comedy central at best and a joke of a loser manager – still makes rookie mistakes.
Anyone else feel we need a new manager?
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/article/2024/may/19/arsenal-manchester-city-premier-league-title
Read this if you have time. It puts asterisk-gate in some perspective although I don’t agree with all of it. Juxtaposed with what happened to Everton and Forest, it seems inconceivable that City will escape punishment from all 115 charges (which have been levelled at the corrupt, sportswashing oil state owned club by serious prosecuting lawyers).
Posthumously (re) awarded trophies though will infuriate fans and will rightly erode trust in football authorities. Imagine how you’ll feel in 6 month’s time (or however fucking long it takes) that Arsenal have been awarded 2 league titles and should have been in the CL when they actually finished 5th? Let’s put it this way – it isn’t going to provoke an out pouring of joy and a sense that justice has prevailed is it? If the shit sticks, City need to be ended as a sporting entity and that awful stadium used for something else.
There will be huge financial claims from many affected clubs who would have finished higher were it not for City’s cheating. The PL and FA etc. will also be upturned for not having had more rigorous checks in place on City’s financial management and for not carrying out correct due diligence in their fawning rush to take Middle Eastern money.
You could even imagine it working it’s way down to individual fans and betting people seeking redress.
TRL
Your post got into me like a big screen and I blew the coffee all over the place.
Anticipating the orgasm of the fanboy spilling into my cup , couldn’t drink the rest.
Good one for the finale of the season.
Greetings Aitcho , sleep well.
Tony
El B has been buying furiously every summer window and one January too.
He would have totally have blown maybe 1.40 billion to justify his existence and Selling Point as a top grade Cheque Book Manager in the league of Pep Guardiola.
Tony
For years the sheep were satisfied with with Wenger Mk 1. The early teams were very good and winning the PL made everybody in the AFC supporters camp happy. He then exposed his stubborn streak and without Dein keeping him in line he wanted to prove he could do the same without spend.
Apparently money was tight but not as tight as Wenger made out. PHW said more than once the spending money was available.
We now have Wenger Mk II – stubborn in different ways. The sheep are still there – how long before we see a banner – Arteta Knows. He spends huge amounts but is stubborn with his use of players.
This coming season will be the decision maker – if AFC win the league then everything in the garden will be rosy. Second? Third or below – disatisfaction )both players and supporters (there will still be bleating from the stands).
Klopp & Liverpool ran out of steam at the penultimate hurdle and we had already stumpled earlier but our recovery into full stride was not enough.
City will start as favourites again, we will probably be second favourites but there will be others breathing down our necks. Poch will be looking at second – it already has his name written on it. He still keeps his bridesmaids dress in the cupboard.
Hi Hoopah
Changing the subject slightly(!), who do you think will win this year’s IPL? I know Kolkata have the best record (Salt has done quite well this year no? And I like that guy Venkatesh’s style) but which of the others might steal it in the eliminators? I have a soft spot for Rajasthan having travelled there years ago (Udaipur and Jaipur) and because I’m a fan of Jos Buttler.
I guess this is a huge event throughout India and that everyone will be watching. Which of these teams will most people in Goa favour?
NORG
I’m not sure about Chelsea. Poch might have saved his job in the last few weeks, but they’re a shambles.
Until City are nuked out of the PL, I agree they’ll be the main threat. Given that they’re laughably protesting their innocence, they’ll continue to spend big, in the UK and offshore of course!
I think after yesterday, there’s a battle going on in my vindictive little mind that is putting City above even Spurs and Manure as the most detested teams in English football. I have a thing about cheating (don’t we all I suppose) and this has left me with 115 bugs up my arse. Excuse the florid and entymological imagery, especially if you’re eating sugar puffs for breakfast!
Tony,
While I did remark on Braithwaite and Onana a few weeks back, Braithwaite was far from stellar. 2 goals conceded, not much cop.
I don’t think you get this manager recruitment. The KPI isn’t ‘winning things’. Think it through.
Gasparini, Bielsa and a host of really good managers would never have work if your simplistic, unsurprisingly, view held any water.
You hitched your horse to the anti Arteta bandwagon and now you’re too shy to come off it and too bitter to forget about Le Grove.
Using terms like ‘bottling’ to describe coming second to a good team but above everyone else shows a lack of depth to your footballing views. Dismissing people who recognise that 8 5 5 2 2 means getting better as ‘fan boys’ is no more than a shallow coping strategy for being wrong in public and trying to double down on being wrong.
Be frustrated all you want, football people, people who understand organisational culture, how to manage all understand the progress Arteta has made.
I’m forced into one of two scenarios; you’re not very good at understanding football.
Actually no, you just don’t get football and rant because you don’t even know what you don’t know.
Hookah
He didn’t spend a billion. Others did.
You’re faling into the LiR trap of getting angry about stuff that didn’t happen.
Trvl
We outperformed XG more than any other team. That doesn’t point to a lack of firepower.
This, ‘we need a striker’ waffle is lazy. We’re top scorers. That doesn’t indicate a problem scoring. Read the numbers before wittering on for the umpteenth time how a strker would make it all better.
Havertz has put up good numbers. One of my kid’s friends, Spurs fan, bet, in October, that Havertz wouldn’t get double figures. The forfeit was him wearing an Arsenal shirt for a whole afternoon and getting posted on snap.
We let him off, humble pie was a suitable sanction.
I advised you last year to hold your counsel on Havertz. But oh no, Arteta bought him so you had to spout your nonsense about how bad he was and what a terrible purchase it was
And now you’re in humble pie territory. When the fans are singing his name, you have two choices. Accept it as yet another of your rubbish viewpoints borne out of being wrong about Arteta and eat your humble pie quietly. Or double down by posting endless critiques or bizarre reasons why you think he’s in the team that don’t involve him doing well and scoring goals.
It’s unclear why you equate understanding simple data with being a ‘fan boy’, I suspect you don’t understand simple data and it scares you.
Like those dimwits who think University of Life or School of Hard Knocks makes you fit for any more than just living and taking hard knocks.
Tony
All three of your new flavour of the month managers took no points off us. 10, 11, 12th places are hardly selling points.
Hardly shaking trees in my view. All closer to the drop than us.
I don’t think any rational Arsenal fan would he advocating for us to replace Tets with any of them. Oh wait…
Stick to swimming the Dardanelles in record times while Junior discovers new exo-planets in M51.
Your copy paste of Vera and click bait lacks insight.
Tony
I don’t know how you got me living up North. Probably reading Vera’s fanfic about me. He’s creating fantasisies about me as well as himself now.
I live in North London. Close to Bob N16 I’d imagine as we share the same postcode. He tried being a rational voice on here too. Bless him.
I have day to day interactions, just in life generally, with Arsenal fans, I go to most games, I take account of people who know what they’re talking about and I’ve got plenty in my ecosystem.
This isn’t to pull rank, the old fans in the stadium v armchair supporters, I think that’s lazy. But you saw the game yesterday, I hope, you saw how the team and manager were received, you’ve seen the stats, you’ve read the reports.
I don’t think your clueless views would cut much ice with anyone I know or speak to. But it’s not because you live in fantasy world or abroad maybe, it’s because you don’t understand football.
At this point in time, the only rabid dissent Re arteta, ie ‘get rid’ are you, Vera and a random on my Qatar 22 WhatsApp group. He gets laughed at too.
You may want to channel your inner Ricky Bobby as a flex but life isn’t that simplistic and you shouldn’t be either.
Go back and think about why so many people would tell you in person how wrong you’ve been. I’m but one but we both know I’m not the first. It’s why you’re here and why you pad your posts with amazing fables.
Hoopah,
Don’t go all Wenger on me, managers are meant to spend money, part of how you do the job not a failing. And if the have more they can spend more.
The key issue is if the money is spent well. I’m happy to report the team has improved as a result of the last four transfer windows. I can confirm, that equates to well spent. Although, Vera might just tell us that’s group think.
Don’t believe me, look at the data, I wouldn’t try to kid you. We’re definitely better.
‘Our manager spent money and made our team better” isn’t something most fans, of any club, get angry about. You shouldn’t either.
I feel blessed Aitcho!
I had to stop posting on here as I really didn’t enjoy the personal attacks I was attracting. I felt I was getting involved in interactions that were unpleasant and ultimately pointless. I do still read LiR from time to time, partly to enjoy Kroenkephobe’s posts and also to perversely marvel at some of the contortionist takes against some of our players, e.g. Havertz and of course Arteta.
I wonder how long you’ll last Aitcho before like me you’ll leave the stream to those who need it more and who despite their supposed wish for open debate, dislike any kickback against their extremist views.
It was great day yesterday and it’s been a great season.
I’ll leave it there, to quote Kroenkephobe, peace and love!
Wednesday night – open top bus through Islington to display the XG trophy.
Bob N16
We are all Arsenal supporters – I have been for 58years. By supporting the team it doesnt take away the right to criticise. I will always criticise and also praise. Achieving second is a good result but not as good as first.
We all want the best for our team and perhaps our vision allows us to expect even better than second – as you read this blog you will have also noticed the positive posts as we approached the final few matches.
Perhaps when I meet Arteta in person my opinion may change.
Norg,
I very much doubt it. Sounds like another Vera-esque piece of bants about things that never happened.
I think you missed my point. Outperforming xg indicates we’re more efficient at scoring. You could even describe it as more ‘clinical’.
Maybe we could have scored even more than everyone else, outperformed xg by even more than everyone else although neither of those get us trophies.
The point is, goalscoring has been far from an Achilles heel for us if we look at the numbers, either by how many we scored or on our conversion rate.
NORG, 100% agree with a person’s right to an individual’s opinion but if the criticism appears based on an individual’s personal dislike of a player or manager and if debate is stifled if questioned, then it soon becomes toxic when attacks are made on a poster, completely separate from the debate which leads to a narrow echo chamber of views.
Norg,
I don’t need to meet Tets to recognise what he’s done. I don’t need a friend in him, I want him to manage and manage well. I can respect what he’s done without needing to assess how much fun he’d be on a lads’ night out.
We’d all love to win all of the time and there’s no harm in wanting more, it’s harmful not to want more. Late Wenger’s ambition of just fourth did for us in the end.
I haven’t noticed much positivity, at most a faint hope we’d win the league usually with a barb at Tet’s or our team’s ability to do so.
If we played well, the vibes on here are usually it was dumb luck or teams rolling over for us and no other team.
Being a supporter for such a long time, you’ll have spent most of it watching us not win things. It happens to most clubs, us less than others. Getting exercised about us playing well and coming second isn’t the way forward.
I think we’ll be better next year on no more basis than we’ve got better the last three years. And that still doesn’t mean we’ll win the league because football isn’t as simple as that.
Norg
However here very little praise for Tets or the team on this blog.
It’s part of the reason to check in, see how the resident blowhards spin anything we do well into a negative.
“You don’t get a trophy for xg” while factually true misses the bigger point make no point at all.
If we’re trying to identify problems or areas for improvement, it’s right to work out why.
“Our keeper, (most clean sheets) is shit, our strikers (most goals) are shit, our manager (2 points off champions, quarters in CL) is shit” is, being polite here, reductive.
Bob,
Sorry if I missed it, I try to remove any personal attacks. The basic rule for me, is, you can call what I think ‘stupid’ but you should not call ‘me’ stupid for thinking that.
We are all gooners. Sometimes, it’s difficult to go through all the comments but if anything like that happens, give me a shout.
We keep it decent, unless I am told it’s a friendly banter.
Regarding others views, I can’t really control that. I have had articles bashing Arteta for 3 days in a row, I have had praised him for things that has improved.
I think it comes down to one’s individual choice of holding on to ‘700m spent for 2nd place’ or ‘challenging for title after 4th place is a trophy’s’. Both are correct statement, depends which way you are inclined.
It remains a open forum.
Again, no personal attacks guys. Criticize my thoughts, or rather counter it. If you have a very strong urge to call someone bellend, I can pass you some Tottenham blogs.
If you have a very strong urge to call someone bellend, I can pass you some Tottenham blogs.
– they take it as a compliment there.
Bob, if you were at the game and out and about in the Stokey periphery you would have seen what I saw and described earlier.
The area was taken over with Arsenal kits. Enthusiasm for what we were doing before and after the game. Not just in and around the stadium but I dropped my kid off at a tournament in Barnet and drove back in and then cycled over. You could see dribs and drabs of groups in kits from Wood Green inwards.
Something did strike me after the game, the sheer amount of kits we have on the go. I went for dinner on Church St post game and I saw a a large group in the Nandos wearing the Ian Wright, Maharishi, Stella McCartney, home away, third, Lifestylr, Stadium and Euro tops in one group, all this season’s offerings. People seem to like the team and being seen to be associated with it. Also, I’d be a few grand down if I’d bought my kids every single offering.
This blog can get a bit spicy and ultimately yes, unproductive but you’re right some posters need it more and bless them too. At some point they’ll be right about something and all the mutual undercarriage fiddling will be worth it.
MB
I appreciate the point of the blog. LG started off as a bunch of brats moaning about Wenger unreasonably, then it became legitimate as Wenger quite clearly became less ambitious and less realistic about what was needed to ensure we were at least competitive.
The cheering for Tets was unreasonable initially and we can all point out why and where. Less unreasonable now.
I’ve got no issue with the club spending money. We were all there in the “spend some effing money” days. To take a team bouncing around Europa spots and sneaking a fourth here and there to legitimate challengers takes an overhaul of the culture and spending some effing money.
Spurs had it in their grasp but didn’t spend money to consolidate and now they’re fighting to stay simply relevant. Us and City are the only teams to have made top four two seasons running.
If the only issue is the expected ROI then fine, we can have that discussion. If the debate is whether we’re shit or not, or our manager, players, fans are clueless that’s plainly ridiculous. Right now, 700m, give or take is what it costs to be a good team, even more so if our starting point was being not very good.
Perhaps next season, it might be a legit discussion and you’ll be ahead of the curve while LG becomes the Tets version of Untold that it was two years ago. The more mature fans may also acknowledge the cycles of football success.
Keep up your good work, I appreciate the blog maintaining it’s cynical slant on our manager, it helps with perspective
Welcome back Bob. Your departure was abrupt and it saddened me. I glad you and Aitcho enjoyed the game. I remember those sunny days watching masses of bejerseyed fans from my Eyrie at Highbury Barn. At the very least, they do give a massive sense of unity but are also tremendously fun and liberating.
We have a genuine opportunity at raising the debate here even further thanks to the plurality of views about the direction of the club. Something Pedro would never countenance hence the death of LG.
The end of season means a chance to draw the line and take stock. We’re all genuinely disappointed but let’s reduce the ad hominem attacks over the summer and stick to talking about the club which I think we all enjoy. Peace out. ☮️
Alright Kroenkephobe, the atmosphere in North London was amazing on a beautiful, warm sunny day.
I left my house in my Bergkamp 1998 away strip, cycling 5 mins up the road to a friend’s house for our traditional end of season get together. Within seconds a fellow supporter smiled and punched the badge. Turning onto the main road an Arsenal red, Rolls Royce Silver Shadow passed sedately passed with an Arsenal emblem instead of the Spirit of Ecstasy at the front. Earlier in the day at around 11, I’d driven up to Muswell Hill with my wife to meet up with friends for a dog walk and there were already Arsenal fans heading off to wherever they needed to be.
I was listening to ‘Charlie don’t Surf’ and the thought came to me was that there was nowhere in the world I’d rather be right at that moment, on the way to sit in the garden of a mate’s house with a dozen close friends, looking forward to the game. The prevailing thought was that we were proud of the team and were going to enjoy the day.
Ultimately, predictably we fell short and the players looked visibly gutted but the fans cheered and chanted, thanking the team for the season. The reaction from the players made me think that they’ll learn from this experience. I so hope we can spoil Guardiola’s final season by getting one over them. In fact seven of us drunkenly in the pub afterwards, pledged to get a cannon tattoo if(when) we win next season!
There’s a Cally Road tattooist who supposedly is a specialist in cannons!
Already looking forward to next season with the reasonable hope that we’ll recruit well and finally get some decent money in for our peripheral players. Left 8 is a crucial recruitment as well as a quick forward who can take on his man. I’d love Xavi Simons but that might be impossible. I’d tidy up LB position, Zinchenko can go and I’d take a punt on Hato the young Ajax player who looks the business. A top CF would be good too but I guess it’ll depend on budget and priorities.
All the best Ambarish. I’m not going to name names!
Bob
That RR sounds like something worth seeing. On those days when AFC is in everyone’s mind, you can strike up conversations with all kinds of people. Had they pulled it off yesterday, Kroenkephobe junior and I were fully planning a trip to see the parade.
Zinch has been progressively alienating himself as the season wore on. Too much Billy Big Bollocks football, constantly looking for killer passes when they patently weren’t on. He’s a very gifted player but possibly not the most intelligent. Christ knows how much he earns but it’ll be intriguing to see if we can actually move on a player like that.
I think Zinchenko should be playing in midfield not defence. He’s a talent but he’s possibly the one player who plays regularly in the team who gives me the newbie-jeebies! Hopefully Timber will take that position over, he looks a real talent in the limited time I’ve seen him play.
It’s days like yesterday when you really feel part of the Arsenal community. On a blog is one thing but in person something much more powerful.
heebie-jeebies!
Kroenkephobe
In our part of India we had a continental existence ( Portugal). So cricket is a bit of ” what’s that ?”. Football , primarily EPL is my game , although at school and later played basketball since I was myopic. Initially Benfica was the favourite team here , until satellite TV brought in the joys of rather the adrenaline of the highly competitive EPL. During Wenger years, Arsenal always played attractive football . But stale Wenger became an exasperation.
Bob, Ambarish
The stones have been going both ways. We are all entitled to our own opinion that may not always be the same as other posters. As I said previously we all want Arsenal to win and therefore if Arteta is the manager we still want him to succeed. However we can see mistakes and want him to improve – if he doesnt then more criticism will be aimed at him.
I do not feel comfortable at being criticised but if any body does I will read through – it may be something I have missed by the tone of the content need to be something I am comfortable with. There were two many posters on LG who were always right – they may be happy with second place. I guess that most posters on here would prefer a first place finish but cannot see that being achieved by the current manager – of course we may be wrong – we will now this time next year.
The common consensus from the Arteta supporters is we got 89 points, we finished 2nd, we have improved. We will win silverware NEXT season.
We had more goals scored than last season and more points, but no silverware again. Bottled it at the business end again and the Arteta Fans console themselves with NEXT season it will happen. This eternal hopeless mantra has been going on for too long.
There is only one solution get rid of the manager he is not generational nor the answer to getting silverware. Look what Alonso did with Leverkusen, that is generational.
Killroy
Agree to a T.
Ambition is required to be a winner. This ambition is also to improve by buying talent. Intelligence is to know what positions to buy and not pick up off the shelf and misfit players .
Generational is like what Alonso did in one outing at Leverkusen. Shows he could see the direction he needed to go along.
Luck is when the Manager stumbles into solutions like what Arteta did in December 2 years back.
Psychosis is when Manager realises that oops others have seen that he stumbled into a fortuitous situation , so he persistently banishes that player including playing him out of position so the general feeling over time , is yes Mr. A did right the fellow is a crock…. until the dog -in-the-manger squeaks ,I have been fit for a long time. But ,no problem , just play him out of position, instruct him to hold fire …and who knows better?
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-league-awards-2023-2024-32847082
Views of a number of pundits about this season. Consistent about a number of players and managers. Our Declan Rice figures too. But Foden is the undoubted star