Morning all.
Arsenal travel across the city today to face West Ham at the London Stadium. I still think of “that” Saturday back in 2012 when Great Britain stormed to Olympic success. It’s hard to believe that was 14 years ago.
Anyway, back to football. Both clubs need maximum points today albeit for very different reasons but I only care about Arsenal’s needs which couldn’t be any more clear. Anything other than a win today and it’ll be advantage Man City after their 3-0 defeat of Brentford.
Arsenal’s Adrian Clarke on West Ham:
In recent weeks, Nuno has settled on a 4-4-1-1 with Pablo operating behind Castellanos. West Ham will allow us to have most of the ball, as their possession average of 42.6% is the second-lowest in the division, and try to frustrate us with their compactness before winning the ball back and breaking on us at speed.
Since the turn of the year, they have been well-organised and carried a threat up front; even in defeat at Brentford last weekend, they struck the woodwork three times. So, even if they only put us under sporadic pressure, they do have players in form who can hurt us.
Wing flyers Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville are excellent at carrying the team up the pitch. Nuno’s side lean most of their attacks to the England man’s right wing, from where the Hammers skipper has consistently impacted games, with eight goals and 10 assists. When Bowen cuts in on his left foot, David Raya will need to be on his toes.
However, having conceded 17 times from dead-ball situations, West Ham share the worst record in the Premier League with Liverpool and Bournemouth. Perceived as a little fragile in the air, they have leaked 16 headed goals, the most of all 20 top-flight teams, and given we have scored an all-time record 17 times from corners in the Premier League, this is an area we can exploit.
This group of Arsenal players have proved over the season that when they are singing off the same footballing hymn sheet, they really are capable of beating the best in the game. Consistency hasn’t always been apparent though as in a few games, despite creating enough opportunities to score during games, they’ve gone begging which has cost us points. I’m not for one minute suggesting we should be winning every game, that would be arrogant as some days, opponents are simply better on the day. That’s sport and that’s life in general.
Now we’re at the end game moment. A time when three big performances are required along with nine points. That in itself should be motivation enough for the players to perform at 💯% or as near as mentally and physically possible. The desire to see this Premier League chase over the line should come from within each and every player because there is no guarantee when such an opportunity will come again.
As said, we know West Ham are fighting for Premier League survival and you can bet their fans will be right behind the team so it’s not going to be an difficult afternoon for Mikel Arteta’s players but nothing in life comes for free, for most of us anyway, so Arsenal will have to get out there this afternoon and play like a team which wants the win. Fight hard for every ball, every goal scoring opportunity, the three points and above all else, the name on the front of their shirts. The Arsenal!
Catch up in the comments.
Our lads will know that these are peak moments in their lives, moments which will define them as professionals, as men, moments their children and grandchildren will ask them about and boast about to their mates. They’ll be up for it. So will I, at 3.30am NZ time.
COYG.
Good morning Rico, all I can say is “fingers crossed”.
Morning Cicero, Stuart, guys.
These are the kind of fixtures I fear..
What a nervy game,this might not be one to enjoy,not until we’re at least 2 goals up anyway.
I’ve seen people saying we should manage ,the minutes of Saka especially with the Champions league final in mind,he has asurely got to play in our last 3 games,it would make sense to substitute him as soon as games are won (ha ha)
I don’t care who plays,if the attitude is right I see us overpowering them,might take a long time.
I see Aubameyang has been dropped by Marseille,for letting off a fire extinguisher at a member of staff,he hasn’t got any more mature since he left Arsenal.
COYG
I’m not fussed about the CL, not until the PL season has ended. We have to play our strongest team each game now imo unless fitness doesn’t allow. Saka has to start I think.
Some of our players are coming back from debilitating injuries so their minutes need to be carefully managed but I do understand why most would go with our strongest XI, so maybe give Saka an hour even if I’d start him on the bench, but I’d definitely rest Trossard and maybe rotate Rice, Zubi and Myles, but don’t ask me how as a bit of me would like to see Rice left out of the starting XI due to the baggage!
A little gossip none of us are likely to enjoy reading, from Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are prepared to sell Ethan Nwaneri this summer. 😕
I hope Fabrizio is wrong..
Can’t see Rice being rested, too risky imo. Martinelli would make sense as he’s very good tracking back. Unlike Madueke who marks zero out of ten for his defensive work and only marginally better for his attacking skills.
Personally, rest players who need it in our next home match against Burnley rather than today. They’ve had 5 days off for goodness sake. 😂
I’m with Rico on playing our strongest available team. Start with Saka and Rice, if all goes well in the first half then sub them at the break. Bringing on players, piecemeal, when we are trailing just leads to confusion.
Our Greek ex-centre back, Mavropanis has been suffering from a few bloopers recently, Gyokeres can have him for breakfast.
I too see Gyokeres giving West ham hell,I’d love to see him score. Havertz from the bench too.
Test. Seems phone posts work but not lap top . Wierd
Morning Rico and all.
looking forwarded to today’s match hopefully a nice 3 nil win to add more pressure City
Potter, what happens when you try and post on laptop? Do you get a message or does the “post comment” option simply not work?
Morning Geoff.
Afternoon all, good setting up rico. Nerves starting to kick in. Don’t think rotation a thing now, practically a week for all remaining games. Hard decision whether to play same team for third match running and leave out a Spanish international and recent player of the month. Glad it’s not my decision, couldn’t call it.
Just hope PGMOL don’t think that they can’t let us still not have a player sent off, and think be a good time for them to do it. Soon know if Saka has a few hard challenges, then our first one a booking so we can’t get close again.
nothing I cant see the comments at all, the green flag says 22 but none appear . When I press refresh the comments it goes back to yesterdays post.
Posting from lap top
Last week a Reply button appeared to keep threads together, which was useful as posts were all in reverse order, has that disappeared?
As I posted a month ago, this is the decisive gme for the title. I hope we win it
Come on Arsenal!
SNA you live in NZ?? Lucky you. Lucky you. Lucky you. I have never been there but simply love the scenery which I first saw from LOTR movies. I would love to be there but 24 hour flight to Oz and then another 3 hour trip to NZ will kill me health wise. If I am there one day I think I will die there….a step from heaven.
Good afternoon Rico and all
Thanks for post Rico. I would have added one question to it……who are spuds going to support today??? Arsenal (so that they will win and possibly another step towards the EPL or WHU knowing fully well that they will over leap them and might send them to the 1st division??
All I care about is us winning three points. 1-0 or 10-0 they will all count. If we win 1-0 each of the remaining games we will be champions.
We have an unchanged team from last games…..Raya, White, Saliba, Gabi, Calafiori; MLS, Rice, EZE; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard
Thanks Andrew, the reply option I removed but if the general consensus is it’s better with it, I’ll add it again. Same with the comments, if people would rather the oldest comments come first then I’ll change it.
Just let me know guys.
Potter, I let the genius behind the scenes know.
Afternoon Devil, thanks. I don’t give that lot down the road any thought.
Personally I would love the reply option, plus the older comments come first and newer comments last.
The like option I really like.
Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, M L S, Eze, Gyokeres Saka, Trossard
Afternoon Rico And the House.
just keep posting Rico which ever way is best for you.
Be back later
Afternoon Rick. 🙏
Yay, it reads like a book now! Before, you had to keep going down to see where last post you read was, then go up.
What a strong subs bench. Dowman preferred to Jesus!
It seems that I have to refresh every time I log in our it shows either no comments or sometimes yesterdays post . I know that I am capable of ruining any I T system but There is no problem with any other sites only this one since you updated. Still as Kev often says I will have to persevere and keep marching on .
Even better than a Reply, would be a Quote button? Sometimes you don’t know what someone is replying to and have to search backwards to try and match up. Don’t suppose an option?
I realised men need to get their own way Andrew. 😜
I’m at a loss Potter but I’ll do my best.
Nope, a quote no an option so you’ll have to copy and paste.. lol
Good morning, HH. NLF…
Crossbar, post!
Why not Mosquera?
West Ham have perked up since Rice out of midfield. Cannot believe our main midfielder is at right back.
Tough going. But it will come.
Need to put Mosquera on for MLS and get Rice in midfield. Saka hardly in game, Trossard looks our biggest threat.
Well, not was what hoped for, was it?
Our only real threat came from set pieces … again.
The most worrying was Bukayo’s invisibilty. Looks like something’s very wrong with him … again.
The rigidity-fanaticism of our setup puts the boys’ inspiration, creativity, passion even, to sleep and, on the other hand, has acted as a confidence-booster to them, so much so that Raya’s due a massive thank you for that late save … again.
As for Kavanagh of course, he’d love nothing more than having half of the lads injured – how could Disasi not be yellowed at least for his assault on Gyö?
What a disappointment. I guess we’ll see Øde-Havertz-Noni-Marti pretty soon, let’s hope that’ll be enough to turn things around.
COYG
… poor Ben; I was so happy for him after his performance against Atleti. Hope I’m wrong, but it doesn’t look like we’ll see him again this season.
No idea why Zubi came on, should have been Mosquera at rb and continue to push at them. Instead, we’ve let them into the game.
If they want to win the league its time to show some bollocks and attack them. getting desperate with long shots.
Absolutely agree.
I’ll backtrack on all I’ve written about him if Madueke can be our hero…
Get in!
Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
One goal, clean sheet, three points just another day at the office.
Rayaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Trossardddddddddddddddddddd VARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
That was stressful…
We live to fight another day, but so poor. Artetas worst day as a Manager, so wrong with his subs. But for VAR to save us, wow.
A useless (and wrog!) sub was wasted when White left the pitch. The game changed when Rice moved out of the attacking zone, unbalancing the defense and midfield.
We enden up being lucky.
Let’s wait and see…
… (and wrong!) …
Andrew, I agree the first sub decision didn’t work but MO8 was brilliant, his assist for Trossard was classic, patient, probing, surgical…
The VAR decision was obviously correct on two counts, the arm across Raya’s throat and the pull on his shirt. No question.
Girls hit your hallelujah (woo)
Girls hit your hallelujah (woo)
Girls hit your hallelujah (woo)
Cause VAR gon’ give it to you (Woo)
Cause VAR gon’ give it to you
Cause VAR gon’ give it to you
Sunday night and we in the spot
Don’t believe me, just watch, come on…
Guardiola must be gutted. 😂
We are in a fantastic position now,8 full days until our next game,always the hope that City will drop points in their last 3 games.
We got lucky today but I don’t care.
Makes up for all the moments of bad luck.
Hopefully Leeds will win tomorrow night..
Cicero………..One goal, clean sheet, three points just another day at the office.
CLASSIC with CLASS
Those after match comments are becoming legendary. Mythical.
I look out for it.
https://dubz.co/c/ea9a31
https://dubz.co/c/98d39a
anyone who says that Raya wasnt fouled for their equalizer should refrain from going to work and instead go to an ophtalmologist and make an eye test. A WHU player nearly strangled him while another wrestled him to the ground.
The amount of tears that rival fans are shedding going around the blogosphere will be remembered for a long time. I will be enjoooooying this for a loooooooonnnnnnggggg time.
From Arsenal dot com…………..
David Raya has won the Premier League Golden Glove award for the third season in a row after his heroics between the posts for us in 2025/26.
Our No. 1 has registered 18 clean sheets this season in just 36 league appearances, and with three games to go, cannot be caught at the top of the rankings by any of the division’s other shot-stoppers.
His nearest rival for the prize was Gianluigi Donnarumma who has kept 14 shutouts for Manchester City this term, but as City only have three matches remaining, the Italian international cannot surpass David:
It is the Spaniard’s third successive Golden Glove, with him claiming the award in all three campaigns as our goalkeeper since his arrival from Brentford in 2023. In his debut campaign, he recorded 16 shutouts, while last term he shared the award with Nottingham Forest’s Matz Sels after the duo failed to be beaten 13 times apiece. Like last season, he is on course to have played in every league game for us during the campaign.
Only three other shot-stoppers have managed to complete a hat-trick of victories in succession: Liverpool’s Pepe Reina between 2006 and 2008, Joe Hart of Manchester City between 2011 and 2013, and City’s current custodian Ederson between 2020 and 2022.
With three trophies safely on his mantlepiece, David is now just one Golden Glove away from equalling the record of four, jointly held by ex-Gunner Petr Cech and Hart.
With three trophies safely on his mantlepiece, David is now just one Golden Glove away from equalling the record of four, jointly held by ex-Gunner Petr Cech and Hart.
David is the third Gunner to win the accolade, which was introduced in 2004/05. Wojciech Szczesny’s 16 clean sheets in 2013/14 saw him tie with Chelsea’s Cech, but following his move to north London the Czech was the victor two seasons later when he also recorded 16.
Our current keeper’s recent form means that since his Premier League debut in 2021, no keeper has kept more clean sheets than him:
I loved Rambo between the sticks. And still have fond memories of him.
I was gutted when Raya took over, because I felt that Rambo Ramsdale should have been in that position for a long time if not ever……….but now I am blessing the fact that Raya has been our number one.
Two fouls on Raya, shirt pull and an arm across his neck/chest.
Refreshing to see VAR get it right.
…. and more than a few of us had, and expressed, doubts about him when he first arrived.
Raya joins an illustrious line of ‘keepers which goes back, in my lifetime, to George Swindon, Jack Kelsey, Bob Wilson et all.
I certainly did. How wrong I was…
Everyone must have passed out.
Kudos to David Raya for a match winning performance but given the juvenile nonsense he’s been going through I’ve gotta say that Trossard put in a magnificent performance notwithstanding his goal. He really is showing his best form and at just the right time.
Now the medical team will really have to earn their wages and redouble their efforts to get Jurrien Timber back onto the football field because I fear we’ve lost Ben for the remainder of the season!
Alternatively it’s looking as if Odegaard has recaptured his confidence and form, all in all it’s looking positive with the only dark cloud being Ben White…
Arteta’s brain fart!
What was he thinking?
The most illogical substitution of this, or any, season. White injured and off, Rice moved to fullback and Zubimendi on in place of Rice in midfield.
That sequence of errors disrupted our entire formation.
WHY?
Good morning all.
Morning Cicero, all.
Said the same at the time. Rice at right back was nearly as stupid as Partey at right back. Not only did it let West Ham into the game but might, just might have cost us the league. A total ally wasted substitution.
New post up.
White only has himself to blame for his injury. Even at my extremely low level of playing I knew either go into a challenge full on, or don’t challenge at all.
We have been christened with a new nickname which could revive an old terrace song from the 60’s. Set to the tune of the long and the short and the tall.
We are the VARSENAL and we are the best we are the VARSENAL so f8ck all the rest.
Seriously though it does mean that something does need to be done about the holding and grappling at penalty area set pieces;
We were always taught to get touch tight , not to bear hug , shirt pull , etc . The rule that you can do all of this whilst the ball is not in play is a nonsense and that as soon as the ball is kicked the foul becomes active is too complicated and impossible to adjudicate by an on field referee.
Many years ago there was a case for an extra linesman that would be solely for looking for fouls at set pieces but the powers that be chose to go down the route of technology.
If the decision was made by a human that sees what the people in the stands see , their decision would be more likely to be accepted than one made made by a remote entity after a forensic inspection lasting 3 to 5 minutes .