Morning all.
It would appear Steve Bould has been given the sack after a disappointing season for the under 23’s. There’s been no official announcement from the club as yet but if it’s true, perhaps Freddie will come back. Or perhaps Merts will will be keen on bringing an up and coming German coach into the club. It’s imperative the club have a strong under 23 setup with the right coach because these young players are Arsenal’s future.
Finally, this awful and quite weird season comes to an end today. By 6.15pm we’ll know whether or not Arsenal will be playing in Europe next season, albeit the poor mans version of the Europa Cup. I’m not fussed either way really but I’d love us to finish above Toots on the table. If Everton beat City or Toots beat Leicester City, it’ll be one of them who’ll be in Europa Conference League regardless of the result at The Emirates. And of course, I want Arsenal to win and end the season on a bit of a positive note.
It’s Arsenal’s turn to play in front of their own fans so I hope the players can give them something to cheer about and vice versa of course.
The fans haven’t been at the stadium for a long time, we haven’t managed to be together so hopefully it will be a positive atmosphere to support the team and the team trying to give them some joy and win the game. Anything that is in our hands to make them happy and to help us to be in a better place today, it’s all positive.
Arsenal haven’t lost a match on the final day of the season for years. Not since 2004/05 to be precise. Should we win today, Brighton and Hove Albion with be one of very few clubs we’ve beaten both home and away during this campaign. Chelsea, West Brom, Newcastle Utd and Sheffield Utd are the others. Only on seven occasions have we won at home which really is poor. Seven home wins simply isn’t good enough. We’ve drawn four home fixtures which according to my maths means we’ve lost the remaining seven. Dropping twenty nine points at home is what’s cost us a top four place. Losing to City isn’t a crime for any club, even Liverpool bearing in mind they won the League last year but what’s hurt us is dropping points against the likes of Aston Villa, Everton, Leicester City, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Burnley. Yet we went to Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge and came away with maximum points. Yes, it’s been a weird season.
Arsenal defeated Brighton in the away fixture thanks to a Lacazette goal after he’d come on from the bench. The game was a tale of two halves really, the first pretty dire, the second, improved. Similar to our season as a whole. Before Christmas it looked like we were heading for a battle to beat relegation with Mikel Arteta’s job at great risk, after Christmas, the results improved. Performances though have been very up and down all season.
As said many times before, Arsenal still have a slim chance of being in Europe next season.
The Europa Conference League is a new competition so I don’t really know what will happen. First of all, let’s try to finish as high as possible and then after we will determine, once we are involved, what the best way is to do it. We have experienced in the last few years how tough being in the Europa League is with the amount of games you play and the short turnaround that you have all the time in the Premier League. I think there is a lot of history there with teams that have been involved in the Europa League, and the negative consequences that has in the Premier League positions. But we’ve tried to give it the best possible go, we came a little bit short, but this club has to be in Europe.
It seems he has mixed feelings about the new Europa Conference League too. I just want Arsenal to beat Brighton and finish above the Toots.
Finally, good luck to David Luiz who leaves the club after today’s final game, Dani Ceballos, Martin Odegaard and Matt Ryan too.
See you in the comments.
7+4 = 11, 19-11 = 8 not 7 😉
Anon, we have a game today…
Good morning Rico, Europa League Conference? No thanks!
It’s all well and good saying it can be used to give young players first team minutes, but you can’t play a whole team of youngsters, there needs to be some older and more experienced players too. It is inevitable that as the competition progresses, more and more senior players are drafted in with the result that the first team squad start to suffer from the number of games they are expected to play.
I would rather we stuck to the three home competitions and concentrated on improving on this seasons poor finishing position.
Morning Cicero.
I get the impression Mikel Arteta doesn’t want to be in the Europa Conference either. I’m not fussed either way really because I don’t think it’d only be us playing a team full of young players. We have to win first though and at The Emirates, who knows what’ll happen.
Plus, there’s no guarantee both Everton and Toots will lose.
Morning all!!
Tonight, I will squeeze my torso into a shirt worn by a beautiful man, a mad Arsenal fan from Ireland who was very special to a lot of Aussie Gooners.
His family sent me the shirt he cherished most after he passed away, so on it goes for the game-I hope it fits hahaha
RIP Ray Nolan.
It always leave me with wondering if this is the Arsenal which used to be called the invisibles, Even when they are going to play another team, our opposition fans dont show up openly until they see results bending on their way. For my case i go with those who want us to improve our league position b4 we start UEFA challenge. next season should be EPL FA and community shield thats period.
Apangu, this team is often more like the invisibles than the invincibles. 😜
Think it’s harsh to comment on fans after a season of having none in the stadium.
@charles_watts
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Changes at Arsenal already well underway.
After the sacking of Steve Bould as U23s coach, I’m told Bruno Mazziotti has also gone. The Brazilian’s contract has not been renewed and leaves the performance team less than a year after arriving from PSG.
I thought it was a car Kev…
Afternoon Devil.
You might be right although I suspect it’s a combination of things. It’s a shame because of his history with the club but perhaps it’s a good thing. As you say, perhaps now he can take up a job which will kick his career off in a different direction.
I reckon Toots will get Nuno. #just saying…. lol
I’ve never heard of Mazziotti but it seems that he was Uncle Bouldy’s assistant…
Good afternoon Rico and all
Thanks for the post Rico. I enjoyed reading that.
I feel there is more than one reason for Bould’s termination of services. I dont think its the results. That is only less than 10% of the reason imo.
Bould was schooled in the GG way of training and early AW methods. Coaching is an evolving matter…and I am afraid that while Bould is a good coach its not up to the level required by what the new era of football brings. Although personally I love direct power football it seems that Arsenal are heading for the Barca/Ajax model invented by Cruyff. And that needs a different mindset and skillset in players and coaches alike. Its not easy for a coach who has only one way of training to adapt to a different method and style. And I feel that Bould has struggled to adapt to the Barca/Ajax model. Its not his fault really. Its what is in his DNA and mindset. For example you cannot expect Klopp to play with Guardiola style since he is geared towards direct football.
Another reason I feel is that he has been at the club far too long…as player and coach. 30+ years is an awfully long time. a club is a living thing and change at coaching level is important. SAF kept changing his assistant coaches so that he will get new ideas on board.
I just hope that Bould will be successful at another club. Maybe even take the reigns to be a head coach in his own right. If I was a chairman in a lower division club, say for example Southend United (I always look out for their results. So sad they got relegated this year) I would have no hesitation in employing him. I think he would be a success.
Good luck Steve Bould. You gave Arsenal good honest service as a player and coach.
Matt Ryan is ineligible for this afternoon’s game and could be on the Brighton bus back home.
I sincerely hope that our executive team take the opportunity to meet with their Brighton opposite numbers to make an offer to buy a player who has impressed us all in the few games he has played. I do not want to see Leno left in the position of number one ‘keeper with only Runnarson as his competition for the spot.
I think Runnason will be gone this summer Cicero. I’m not even convinced Leno will stay either.
Contrary to many opinions I would love us to go into the Conference European cup. But only if it is given to the U23 players. I think it would be a good learning curve for them.
And for us to enjoy them more.
Toots will fail with whoever they employ. Even if they employed AW in his prime
I wouldn’t be so sure Devil, they’ll have £150m to spend if they sell Kane.
Ballard and Partey might make a strong midfield.
I would give anything to see Pope in an Arsenal shirt. Not raising my hopes but if he comes I will be over the moon.
My choice for this summer would be Pope, Aparecido/Lamptey, Doig, Buendia, Guido Rodriguez and keep Willock and AMN……..GK,RB,LB DM and AM. Preferably no Buendia but keep Willock to rotate with ESR.
And Ballard should be kept with first team now, He is top player
If we are to go down the Cruyff route then it had better be a hybrid . Wenger tried it and it did not work . He got it close and it produced a number of top 4 finishes but the Premier League is not La Liga and nice relaxing games against Eibar or Alaves before a European night don’t exist here.
Cruyff was a visionary and I am always amazed that when the best player ever conversation comes up , his name is rarely mentioned.
If Arteta can get a variation on the theme to work I would be delighted and frankly quite surprised. . We have some good young talent coming through that have been schooled in this style but as Wenger found out , it wasn’t competing with the better teams , it was the dropped points aginst the others that cost him.
Our early Wenger style of football would work though. A solid defence with power and pace in midfield and speed up front.
Ballard, Gabriel, Saliba-3 young CB’s who offer us a future.
Ballard stood up to Haaland at International level and did well.
His reputation is growing quickly, and rightly so, well, everyone is catching up to what I said around 2 years ago about the lad 🙂 🙂 🙂
Future skipper i reckon!!
Morning all.
Potter, he’d be right in the mix for the best player/manager of all time, no question.
You say every player is going to great Scott, like Ramsey was going to score a hat trick or Arsenal are going to win every game. One day you’re bound to be right.. lol
Scott….Ballard and Saliba are the main reason why I did not mention a CB in my wish list for summer. Because we would have them pls Gabriel, Mari and Holding. Plus Chambers who can play there as well.
Have you noticed that Pepe and Saka play better when they have a proper defender behind them? That is why Pepe improved drastically when he had Soares behind him and improved on that when he had Chambers. That is also the reason why Pepe seemed to prefer the left since Tierney offers him better protection while AMN at LB or anyone else except Saka (who was excellent at LB when called to play there. So imo we need only lateral DEFENDERS as back up. Tierney and Chambers should be the present incumbents I reckon. Aparecido or Lamptey for the RB spot while a back up to Tierney. My wish is Doig. should it be RB, who will be 31 is another matter.
Leno Chambers Holding Gabriel Tierney Partey Xhaka Pepe Odegaard ESR Aubameyang
Today will see Luiz opening the scoring with a header from outside the box assisted by a Willian corner 1-0. Then it will be Luiz who assists Willian with a long pass from the back 2-0. Ceballos with a solo run from our box to theirs and rounding the keeper will make it 3-0 after receiving the ball from Leno. Odegaard scores direct from a freekick to make it 4-0. At the beginning of the 2nd half Willian scores direct from a corner to make it 5-0. Luiz makes it 6-0 with another header this time assisted by a long punt upfield from Leno. quite what Luiz was up there when he was supposed to be defending is anyone’s guess. I thought he looked offside by 2 metres but VAR would have none of it and overturn the linesman and referee decisions. Odegaard scores the 7th from the penalty spot after Willian was fouled about three times and could not stay on his legs anymore. Ceballos with a scorpion kick makes it 8-0 after a Luiz assist. In the final minute Leno goes up for a corner and rises majestically to head home another Willian assist.
Final result 9-0 with all the players who are deemed to leave on the scoresheet. On the touchline Bellerin was seen arguing with Arteta because he wanted to come on so he could leave with his name on the scoresheet. But Arteta’s indecision meant that the ref blew the final whistle before Hector could step on the pitch.
My crystal ball has predicted the above score.
You won’t Devil, he’s not in the squad, nor Willian.
Damn Cicero…..you ruined my crystal ball’s prediction by posting the line up. tsk tsk. I’d better believe my crystal ball was telling me porkies.
spoilsport Rico. Bleh. tsk tsk
It will be interesting to see which players wave goodbye as the squad parade around the pitch at full-time. That, of course depends a lot on the result, less than three points and the terraces will be empty by the eighty-fifth manager minute. 😉
Well well, I have to eat my words. Josh Kroenke is at The Emirates.
Everton already 2-0 down.
Leicester 1-0 up
Ignore “manager” in my last comment.
Now one all.
Get Martineli on for Aubameyang, or Lacazette, or Nketiah or even the tea lady’s cat!
No Arsenal changes. Need to get to 60 odd mins I guess. Lol
Willock has scored again!
Rico, I know you are taking the piss, but hey, you can check back and prove what I say is correct on Ballard.
Can’t say I’m overly fussed Scott, it’s not me who feels the need to prove myself right.
Great strike Pepe, right footed too. Excellent finish.
Afternoon, well done Chambers, even better Pepe, looking much more of a striker than our other one!
If the Pepe of the last few weeks is the one we’re going to see next season, he should get 15-20 goals next campaign.
Last season Aubameyang would have buried that chance.
And another from Pepe….
Andrew, he could teach Aubameyang a thing or too at the moment. Lol
Rico… with Chambers behind him Pepe feels secure.
You’re probably right Devil. As you said earlier I think, on the left he has Tierney
Afternoon Rick.
What do you make of Bould departing?
Willock has scored again for Newcastle.. Incredible.
Afternoon Rico and the house
Its looking very good
Come Pepe scoe athired
Win win, if Pepe is sold, and most of us probably hoped so a few months ago, he’s reclaimed 15 million value back. Even better if he performs like this next season.
How is Auba still on when Laca and Martinelli have so deserved to be ahead of him?
Goodness knows, he’s had a really bad afternoon.
Partey so unlucky not to get off the mark.
Rico, that’s the funniest thing you’ve ever said 🙂
Devil, you may be onto something, but either way, this is a version of Pepe we’d all love to see stay at the club, I’m sure.
2 quality finishes.
Twice hit the bar now. Yes rico, fantastic effort from Partey.
First time I’ve said, well done Vardy!
Ha ha Andrew, I don’t mind his penalties today either.
Toots 3-2 up now.
Our boys did their part, bloody Leicester didn’t 🙂
Solid finish to the year.
Onwards and upwards.
4 – 2 now
.
Oh well, we didn’t want Europa Conference League anyway. 😜
I will prepare to see the game now
So, no Thursday night football, can’t say I’m sorry about that.
We really need to shift Aubameyang. I just can’t understand Arteta’s obsession with the guy, he gave us nothing today.
Hopefully, him and Willian will be gone come next season.
Agree re Aubameyang, him staying does no one any good imo.
Enjoy the game Quim, just don’t get too excited. 😉
No Pope next season DG, he’s having knee surgery next week.
I must say I like the the look of Bissouma, someone who can tackle without giving away a foul. Would make a great pairing with Partey when we need to control the midfield. If Ceballos and Odegaard are going back to Real Madrid Buendia would fit in nicely.
I like Bissouma too. Made me laugh listening to the commentator say Arsenal wouldn’t be able to sign him as they’ve no european football to offer. This is a guy who signed for Brighton for goodness sake….
It didnot turn out as we had hoped did it Rico/
It didn’t Rick.
I wonder who leaked the Bould news, if it’s true. Social media has a lot to do with rumours or news leaking. It only takes one and then Chinese whispers take over.
Tbh I am disappointed that we did not qualify for the Conference cup. Because the first games are usually against weak teams…. and hoped that Arsenal could have used U23 players , maybe even all the way to the final. That could have meant an extra 13 games for them, leaving the three domestic cups for the first team.
Martinez has won the supporters player of the year at Villa
Rico Re Steve Bould.
If its true that Steve has been sacked I find it disgusting.
In the long time I have been a gooner i have been proud
that we did things the right way
No one would know there had been a signing or departer untill the
club formally announced it
Now we are being told by bloody Sky that Mertasker has sacked him.
and at the moment no word from the club.
So called Arsenal fans are joing the bandwagon in saying it is the right thing to
do he is not good enough to coach at u23 level and should look to take a role in coaching some other team (DG said Southend another said Barnet )
Ther is more I want to say about which I will do when it becomes official.
Rick, I wonder how he’d have fared with all our loanees available.
Surely that had to hurt but regardless of whether the decision is right or not, it’s a shame the news has been leaked.
Well I’m not not sorry to see the back of that season and I’m not sorry that we missed out of the Conference.
Now Arteta can cull the squad and he can use the youngsters in the League Cup and he can also prepare, coach and focus 100% on the EPL with a view to finishing in the top four.
And, if, we fail to make the top four his position as manager must come under the severest of scrutiny!
Rico, I always thought that Mazzioti was a cooking oil…
Hiya Kev,
I’d take us challenging for top 4, at the very least.
European football is a must, top 4 the following season, for mine but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we did get top 4 next season.
It would have been nice to knock Spuds off, but a year away from that gives us every opportunity to do well in the League.
Good morning Rico and all
This season Pepe has been involved in 21 goals and assists. That is more than Lacazette and Auba who are strikers. A very good return for a winger.
Morning Devil,
He’s coming good, but with the amount of time he’s now had in England, he needs to go in with the job next season.
The talent is there, just need to see consistency.
Well Scott if you look at our form since Christmas, as has been mentioned before, we should have finished 3rd if that form had been mirrored before Christmas. So for me finishing top four should be the minimum next season especially if we have a decent summer transfer window. We have to raise our expectations and the club, coaching staff, ownership etc have to raise their level.
The fans have given notice to the Kroenkes so they’d better walk the walk and support the club during the summer. Edu is facing his most important summer and he needs to not only bring in the players we need he needs to find the required quality, no more Willian’s from here on, only Tierney’s will do. And for Arteta, the clock is ticking, he finished this season with 5 successive wins and that’s how he needs to start the next one and then carry that on for the entire season!
Kev I agree totally with you. Infact I feel that with the right players Arteta and his team can finish the season in top two places. Fingers crossed that the right players are bought in. However, Arteta has to compensate for January till March….too many Africans will go to ACON and they will derail the season. That is why I favour English core and European players.
Fair call, Kev, and that makes sense.
A few changes to the squad, a solid start to the year and the fans back in the stadium will see things headed the right way.
Morning all.
New post up now
https://highbury-house.com/2021/05/24/bitter-sweet-but-probably-for-the-best/
I’m not sure about top two DG because Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City will all strengthen this summer, our advantage is no european competition to distract and weary us but finishing 4th is the minimum for me, but yeah I do share your concern over the ACN players.
Everyone else will have the same problem but Arsenal if we sign Bissouma could lose a big big part of our core. Aubameyang, Pepe, Partey, Elneny and possibly Bissouma would constitute the spine of our team. It why we cannot lose Xhaka, who I thought was excellent yesterday and probably have to think deeply about retaining Willock and Maitland Niles.