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.
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
If Tets would have not gone full galaxy brain and play Partey at RB and if we would have used the formation everyone screamed for, we would not only have won that game but also the title. But what do you expect from an OTJ manager.
Hoopah
What do these pundits know – eh. Foden definately their star player and Palmer the best transfer. But who do they think is the best Manager – all but two chose Emery. If it wasnt for Raul trying to save his bacon and Josh having a pair he would still be our manager and probably succesful. I like the 3 – 4 – 3 format that TRVL mentions. With the right players that system can be very strong in defence and attack. The two wing backs would probably need to be subbed more than any other players because of the physical output required. Doing away with the inverted full back system will make both sides of the pitch strong in attack. Perhaps Havertz could retrain as a goalie.
Cheers to you Tony, Hoopah and Norg…it’s by no means a coincidence that as soon as Achole mentions Bob’s name he magically appears…I think it’s vitally important to note that my issues with the two aforementioned posters started as a result of them making personal attacks towards me and not the reverese…so how ironic it is that they would go on another passive aggressive rant about the supposed abusive nature of this particular blog…simply put, this is how these sorts of individuals operate…they start the beef then continually fuel the fire in the hopes that the intended target goes just far enough that a couple things occur, (1) the perceived aggressor will be excommunicated and/or (2) they will cajole the powers that be into a blog reset that best fits their preferred narrative…this is why I spoke specifically of their divide and conquer agenda…the absolute gall of Bob to actually suggest that he wouldn’t name names, speaks directly to the passive aggressive nature of his weaselly quest…so before you buy into these two peas in a cancel culture pod, please look at the underlying facts so that you too don’t fall victim to their manipulative practices…I get it though, if one lacks the mental capacity to go toe-to-toe, it might be in your best interest to find a way to eliminate the “competition”…frankly, I feel for these sad, entitled mopes
Norg-in order to pursue the 3-4-3 model a manager must have tactical courage, an eye for talent, the proper financial backing and a willingness to utlilize his depth pieces…Gasperini has all but one of these variables, the financial capacity required to compete with the best, whereas MA tragically comes up short in the remaining 3 categories
Vera
“Eliminate the competition”
You’re funnier when you try less.
the competition of ideas, you lightweight, lacking in nuance clown LOL
Gasperini is definitely punching above his weight – Atalanta should win tgheir last two league games and they could end up 3rd. Inter have run away with the league this season. A business contact loves him. She said the atmosphere at home games is so positive these days and to reach a European final is beyond there wildest dreams. She doubts they will inflict a loss on Alonso’s last game of the season.
I think Zirkee (excuse the spelling) may be an Arsenal player by the beginning of June. He may follow advice and wear extra thick shorts to avoid splinters in the bum. ESR has offered to pass on his short pads.
Vera,
What sort of dimwit would want to eliminate competing ideas?
Says it all.
I’m not convinced by this new found Gasparini love in.
No doubt he’s been a rated coach for some time, seen his name bounced about over the years, and maybe punched above his weight at times but he’s not won very much and achieved very little on the big stage bar a Euro final this season.
He flopped on the bigger stages and there’s nothing to suggest he’d be a good fit for us any more than there was for Tets when he joined. He’d be learning the Prem on the job and we’d probably regress.
Good question, Senor Dimwit? Thanks for helping the cause…your contributions are greatly appreciated
People, Emery’s a good coach. Nobody with any sense doubts that. This doesn’t make Tets a bad coach. Both can be good coaches.
But it was four years ago and we were dire then. I think it’s possible to move on from him, Emi, Wilian and still have relevant discussions about Arsenal. Worth trying.
My contributions are great Vera.
It’s why you’d want them ‘eliminated’.
They make yours look silly.
“Get in Gasperini because he’d play a 3-4-3” is peak facile. And then you cobble together an imaginary 343 to show us what what this coach we’re not going to get would do for us.
But yeah, you think some coach who’s achieved little has the ‘tactical courage’ to play your made up formation.
He might, y’know, play a system that suits the personnel. That’s what smart coaches do.
Your strategies are always full of intangibles like having “balls” “courage” and “guts”. So 1980s.
I remember the old days when we were always told the “continentals” didn’t “like it up ’em” in lieu of strategy.
Bobby Robson’s team talk v Germany in 1990 springs to mind.
England were shit in those days. Its a good thing you’re not a real coach Vera.
Vera
You said “cancel culture”
Don’t let it happen to you again. I suspect the problem is you if it keeps happening.
Aitcho
I think the conversations about Gasparini are more about his style etc etc. He has achieved a lot with a small team from Bergamo. Half an hour from Milan and a cheap train fare meant a lot of the locals were Milan or Inter supporters. The local supporters enjoy what he has done – could he be prized away from Bergamo – I doubt it very much. He loves cheese – Bergamo is the shopping place for Italian cheese.
Well aside the gorgeous weather and a few cold beers yesterday was really hard work. We really didn’t look sharp, as always Arteta was slow to make changes and when they happened they really didn’t set the world alight.
What I really need someone to explain to me is the logic or thought process behind the Gabriel substitution – not that he was taken off he was injured but the replacement and shifting of Tomi?
Most people (at least ones who aren’t fuckwits) having their LCB pick up an injury and a LCB on the bench would make a like for like swap unless they were changing formations. Not El C though he starts with a RB at LB because the £35 million LB he bought isn’t good enough (although he is on the bench) so when his LCB gets injured does he bring on Kiwior? Don’t be fucking stupid he moves the RB playing at LB to LCB and brings the LB on who’s too shit to start at LB.
Now we won the match but what if we’d dropped points and City had had a wobble? Until Arteta can stop doing shit that makes no sense other than trying to look far too clever he’s going to continue coming up short.
My guess is in a years time we’ll be having the same conversation about much the same end of season result and the fanboys will be making the same excuses.
They could at least try to come up with some new ones!
On another note great to see Timber back and the crowd gave him a really special reception.
Marc
So Timber at RB , new LB and a back three of White, Saliba & Gabriel. How would that look to you?
Guys, no fights. It’s just 2 days without football, atleast let a month pass..
Marc / NORG,
I will stick to White at RB, Timber at LB, Gabriel and Saliba as CBs. I will keep Tomiyasu and Kiwior because they can play in that back line in any position, without a severe downgrade in performance.
Zinchenko needs to go. And we need a specialist CB back up as well.