Morning all.
Wow! What a day for all Arsenal fans. Four red Arsenal buses full of players from both the men and women’s team, coaches and staff and of course, Mikel Arteta. The man who has delivered success to The Arsenal once more.
I’ve no idea what the total number of fans who swamped north London was but reports suggest it a lot more than the expected 500,000. Three times more said the Metropolitan Police, the largest parade in Englands footballing history. Doesn’t that make you feel proud?
Declan Rice speaking on the Arsenal parade bus:
They [were] pointing and laughing. And what happened? They’re not laughing anymore.
I love this team.
I love this manager.
To see the joy we can give people is crazy.
Next year, we’re coming back for more.
Josh Kroenke was on the bus and rightly so, it’s he and his family who hired Mikel Arteta, believed in him through the tough times and supported him financially. Honestly, I’m not sure we could have better owners of our club. Josh has made it clear, we as a club will not stand still which is music to every Arsenal fans ears I’m sure. When Declan Rice said “we’re coming back for more”, I believe him.
This group of players is relatively young, certainly in footballing terms so there is no reason to not believe this is the beginning of better times. Going back to what Declan Rice said, he’s spot on.
Other football club fans were laughing at us, the constant “bottlers” jibe being the favourite. When Bournemouth beat us and then Man City soon after, anyone who had a voice on television or a column in the newspapers, predicted Man City would be too strong and Arsenal would cave. Not all I hasten to add because a few pundits braved their decision to back us, just not many. But we as a club stayed strong and in the end, the only club who bottled this seasons title challenge in the end was Man City.
It’s such a shame this is a World Cup year because our players need a rest. I think we all need a rest. lol For the first time in a long time, no, I’m not going to mention the numbers, we fans can enjoy the down time as the Premier League is ours. Our summer transfer window will not in my opinion, be as stressful as others because of the work the club did last year. The signings of Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Martin Zubimendi, Ebe Eze and Victor Gyokeres have been a great success. Admittedly the latter three have struggled a bit at certain times of the season but they’ve more than contributed to us achieving success. Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Kepa have in my opinion, big question marks over them but all have played their part at certain times over the last ten months.
This summer I hope Arsenal bring players in who can improve the attacking side of our game. Actually, not just improve it but make it dazzle. I’m pretty sure sacrifices will have to be made but as long as those coming in are better than those who leave, I’m sure we’ll all cope.
Thank you Mikel…
New post up.
I get that Cicero but players should be able to switch off from one in order to player another surely? I do wonder if in ten years time there will be five day test cricket because the shorter games are growing by the day.
Morning to you and all by the way.
I don’t know about the weather Rico but poor batting against some good bowling produced sixteen wickets on the first day.
Too much white ball cricket and not enough county cricket is not good preparation for test matches. It seems the England management learnt nothing from the disastrous Ashes series down under.
Must be the weather Cicero, Lords is usually a hard place to get a wicket isn’t it?
Narrative? I think it’s more like reality Dennis. Every year people moan about how poor the club is at selling players. I’m certainly one of those people.
Funny old goings on at Lord’s, England all out for 140, New Zealand 17 for 4.
Gabriel Jesus is an extremely expensive modern day Jon Sammels (or Peter Marinello), who contributed very little to Arsenal’s title, so I’ll be more than happy to see him gone this summer.
He has also expressed a desire to return to Brazil and play for Palmeiros (*sp), so there’s a few options on the table.
Sell Jesus for a fish supper, getting him off the wage bill would save the club a small fortune.
Then I can post here and whinge about selling him on the cheap just to cheer Kevin up by complying with his narrative.
My comment was in jest really Kev.
True Rico, but if Arsenal sell Jesus, for say £12m and then he goes on to score 15+ goals, then Arteta will get the blame for selling him on the cheap, it’s the usual tired and dull old narrative we get from all sides and sadly from within…
Any deal would do 😂
After their 3-3 draw with City I’m sure that we could do Everton a bit of a favour, maybe we could do a deal linked to appearances and goals?
Morning Cicero, all.
I’m not surprised, every club who wants our players want them on the cheap.
Everton are interested in signing Jesus but want Arsenal to reduce the £20 million transfer fee.
Exactly what I’ve been saying Kev. This last season was about winning the league first and foremost. It worked. Next season I think we’ll play differently.
You brought them into the equation Dennis. As suggested, what we think the club “should” have done is opinion, but bearing in mind how much Arteta wanted to win trophies, I’d imagine he wanted to get to where we are now as quickly as anyone else.
Hi Dev, this season no team covered more distance in 38 games than Arsenal, Arsenal also finished top of the Fair-Play League, Arsenal also didn’t have a player sent off in the EPL the only team to not receive a red card, but don’t expect the MSM to mention that.
Yes Rico there’s no doubt that we enjoyed some amazing moments during Wenger’s time in charge, just as we did under Arteta in 23/24, but we didn’t win in 23/24 despite all the big results, so Arteta decided to strengthen the squad and play more pragmatically to get it over the line. I guess it’s all about taking knowledge from your disappointments and not repeating those errors, something Arsene wasn’t too strong on.
Hi Devil, try not to obsess too much on one season – ‘The Invincibles’, Wenger started on October 1st 1996, and the football we played after the Blackburn defeat in December 1997 to go on and win our second ‘Double’ was top draw.
George Graham’s defence with a pivot of Vieira and Petit, the speed of Overmars, the wizardry of Bergkamp, and a choice up front between Wrighty and Anelka. Fun winning football isn’t a binary choice, you can have both simultaneously.
Not just the ‘Invincibles’, Devil, a style of football over a sustained period that was the envy of the PL.
HI Rico.
Come on now, Bournemouth and Brentford are never in the conversation for the title, their first priority is always PL survival.
Saying neither have won the PL, is like saying no team from the National Conference has ever won the CL.
They operate at a completely different level to the ‘big six’.
I said pound for pound, comparing club infrastructure, global fan-base, commercial value etc. There is no comparison, if you look at how much Arsenal are worth, Bournemouth and Brentford combined don’t come close, Arsenal’s value dwarfs the two.
In reality they shouldn’t be able to live with the big clubs on the park given the gulf off the park, the reason they do is smart recruitment.
To state the obvious about Arsenal winning the PL is missing the point, Rico.
Arsenal have been in the top tier over 100 years.
Bournemouth have spent most of their history in the 3rd & 4th tiers, and after Eddie Howe’s stint, this is only their 2nd time at this level with a ground that holds 11,000. Minnows when measured against any of the big six.
Brentford too, spent most of their history in the lower divisions. The last time they played top tier football was the 1930’s.
These clubs aren’t even in the same market as us, and have to replace key players every summer. And because they buy smart, they get a premium profit for those players, which gives them at least another year in the PL. They have completely different contexts and perspectives than the big six.
I think the officials were as bad back then as they are now. The big difference between then and now in my opinion is that the playing field has levelled a lot more. No game these days is easy but back then, I think one could almost foresee where the points would be won.
Evening Devil, but the invincibles were great to watch.. lol
Hi Dennis, the clubs you mention do recruit well, however none have won the league or even competed in the CL. The grass often looks greener but I know which field I’d rather be in..
Did the Invincibles face teams who practically parked the bus in the 6 yard box like the Unbearables??
Looking back we had teams which attacked us and that opened their defenders up a bit, something we did not have the luxury of this season.
Ask yourself….did the Invincibles have to contend with the same atrocious refereeing as much as the unbearables?? This year we had VAR, back then we did not. But those in their right senses will know that certain issues were more difficult this year.
Dont get me wrong, the Invincibles were a super team and their status will forever remain legendary. But to keep criticizing this year’s team for this, that and what have you is going a bit over the top.
Those who want to criticize will always find something to criticize.
Good evening Rico and all
A little bit of comparison between the Invincibles and the Unbearables.
The Invincibles and The Unbearables won the same number of games, 26. The Unbearables lost 5 while the Invincibles lost 0.
The invincibles 2004….Goals for 73 Goals against 26
The unbearables 2026…..Goals for 71 Goals against 27
The Invincibles attack with the King TH14, DB10+FL08 and BP07.
The Unbearables attack with Saka, VG14, Kai, Martinelli, Trossard and Merino.
So while we had TH14 knocking them in for fun the reality is that theUbearables fell just 2 goals short. The defence strength is practically the same
Hi Rico
Ultimately, sticking with Mikel Arteta has proven to be the right call, even though it’s been quite a long journey.
Of course you always have to factor in that City are a financial juggernaut who massively impact the PL, but sometimes it’s as much about our own recruitment.
City paid £32m for Cherki, Arsenal paid £60m for Eze, and we both know who has the higher ceiling.
Not many clubs have been smarter than Bournemouth (or Brentford) with their recruitment, with an 11,000 stadium capacity (League One level), they are punching far beyond their weight, which for me, proves it can be done. Brentford have had to replace four strikers and have the 2nd highest goalscorer in the PL this season, just two behind the Cyborg.
Sunderland were promoted through the play-offs, and in their first season back qualified with Bournemouth for the Europa League. (What a signing Granit Xhaka has been for them at £15m!).
There’s a big difference in mind-set between the two though. Clubs like Bournemouth have to get their recruitment right to preserve (or occasionally over-perform), whereas the City’s, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and United are able to absorb expensive mistakes, which provides a big margin for error.
Throw enough money at it and eventually you’ll get it right. Arsenal have done just that, but clubs like Bournemouth and Brentford, pound for pound and considering club infrastructure, have recruited a lot better than Arsenal.
To catch up from yesterday –
Hi Potter, you’re right, our title win is more akin to the pragmatism of George Graham, not the swashbuckling fast counter-attacking style of Arsene Wenger. I’d imagine signing players is quite different today with all the AI data they collect to measure players fitness, physicality etc, so the ‘eye test’ isn’t enough anymore. And of course back then, Wenger had the advantage of knowing about the untapped French league, which helped massively with the signings of Vieira, Anelka, Petit, Henry and Pires. The signing that orchestrated and knitted the magic together was clearly Bergkamp in the summer ’95. It was a statement signing, and one that signalled Arsenal were going to play a very different style from that of George Graham. And in the last 10 years at Highbury, Arsenal played some beautiful winning football that rivals could only dream of. After Anfield in ’89, those last 10 years at Highbury were fantastic.
Mind you, Potter, the 1970-71 ‘Double’ winners were quite pragmatic and not always easy on the eye, so we have quite a long history of winning ‘ugly’.
Hello Devil.
You seem to have mixed up your time periods.
You’re right that from around 2010 onwards Arsenal had a soft underbelly, and were too easy to get at. But this was definitely not the case during Wenger’s first 10 years. He changed his tactical formation after moving to the Emirates.
Arsenal were big and powerful under Wenger at Highbury.
Kev, I think we may see Timber, White and Salmon sharing the right back role as both Timber and White are bit injury prone, some judicious substitutions during games will ease the load. The same could apply to Saliba and Mosquera who is primarily a centre back.
The extension of contracts will again be a major priority this summer as Declan Rice will be entering the last two years of his deal as will Jurrien Timber, David Raya, Mikel Merino, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard. I’d imagine that all those contracts will be extended with all the associated costs involved in doing that, which will be quite an eye watering amount I’d imagine.
But the elephant in the room for me is William Saliba and his continuing back issue. We don’t want to go into the defence of our Premier title with the prospect of Bill missing large chunks of it. Mosquera, regardless of his rash tackle (pen) had a solid game against the best team in the world, so I’m told, and up against the best left-winger in the world, so I’m equally told, therefore I’m confident that he can step into the Saliba void if needs must. That then leaves a conundrum? Depth…
Calafiori and Hincapie can cover inside, but injuries occur and the former has had his issues before? Salmon is top quality but he’s still only 16 so do Arsenal again, much to everyone’s chagrin, look to bring in a central defender/left-back as cover, maybe on loan, as well as a right-back? Personally I’d stick with Ben White at right back but then I tend to be a Luddite.
Given the antipathy Arsenal receive from clubs like Newcastle and Aston Villa I’d be inclined to look elsewhere for new additions, both the Geodies and Villa are deeply envious of how Arsenal are run and the success we have, not least because none of it is due to the financial gifts from the likes of Gazprom or Abu Dhabi or for that matter Qatar. So those clubs are not inclined to want to sell quality players to us just as Athleti don’t want to sell to Barcelona. But there are plenty of good players out there and Berta will know who they are and if they can fit in to our carefully constructed squad.
Arsenal only spend what they generate and that should be something for fair minded Arsenal fans to be proud of as this club continues on its current growth spurt but that is yet another reason that our club will be the recipient of snide comments from the MSM and social media who hate us because we are run like a proper football club so it’s up to us to have the insight and common sense not to be influenced by those who dislike our club and our manager and attempt to poison our fanbase.
No change then Cicero, we already get ripped off for transfer fees, £50 million for Madueke is a prime example.
G’day all.
Devil that increased income may turn out to be a bit of a draw back. We know that Arteta is pushing for a big salary increase, players nearing the end of their contracts will also want a pay rise. Selling clubs will put their prices up when it comes to transfer fee negotiation and in-coming players will expect that bit more.
Villa are already playing hard ball over Morgan Rogers.
Morning all.
Dennis, I think a lot of people dislike Mikel Arteta, certainly fans of other clubs. Reading around the blogs, which I know includes a lot of what I’d call “internet fans”, he’s not always popular, mostly because of style of football, his team selection, lack of rotation, the list is endless. Ultimately, how or what Arteta does is subjective and not everyone can be pleased all of the time but as you say, he now has a PL trophy to his an Arsenal’s name.
Beyond your or my opinion though, it is the club owners, players and staff whose opinion which matters and I think it’s fair to say, they all love him.
You are right, we do sometimes play like a team full of strangers but that’s life isn’t it? Not every day is everyone at their peak. I certainly know I’m not.
Whether on not this rebuild could have been done quicker, I think it’s clear that had Man City not been in the equation, it would have been.
It seems that our club is expected to become the Premier League’s highest-earning club when the next financial accounts are released.
We won the Premier League and enjoenjoyed a very lucrative Champions League year after goijng all the way to the final (we collected only around 3 million less than PSG) and this saw a huge rise in revenue from prize money, broadcasting income, matchdays and commercial deals.
Last season we were the third financially sound club behind Liverpool and Manchester City, but it seems that our title-winning campaign, gate money etc could push us to the top of the financial rankings.
Let me state categorically, Mikel Arteta has finally earned his stripes and it would be folly to lose him.
However, whether some acknowledge it or not, he has been supported and backed by Arsenal’s custodians more than any other manager in the club’s history, and spent about £1billion assembling a squad that is still unbalanced, still lacking any bite in attack and leans heavily into its defensive solidity.
And after nearly seven years, Arsenal are not very exciting to watch.
I think it’s fair to say he has been a bit of a marmite character, but the dynamics have changed.
He now commands the respect of the media, he can speak with the reverence and authority of a winner, the 8th Arsenal manager to do so.
And he starts next season as the only manager in the PL to have a PL title.
Football demands emotions like nothing else in the world, one week Arsenal will look like world-beaters, a week later they’ll look like a team of strangers who’ve never met before, and from feeling euphoric, within days you can be in a pit of despair.
I admit I didn’t warm to him, and I still believe what he has achieved could have been done in a much quicker time-frame, however, I believe he can grow from this and develop the club onto new levels.
He’ll be more relaxed within himself, and he’ll be stronger with the whole fan-base fully behind him.
For now, he has walked into the Arsenal Hall of Fame, and has surely inducted himself into the ‘Arsenal family’.
I found this on FB. Too hilarious not to share…….
My EPL table predictions 2026/2027
1. Arsenal
2. Man City (if they are still without penalty points deduction)
3. PLEASE
4. HELP US
5. STOP THEM
6. SET
7. PIECE
8. FC
9. I WILL
10. RATHER LOSE
11. THEIR FANS ARE
12. UNBEARABLE
13. PSG PLEASE
14. BAYERN HELP
15. STOP
16. THEM
17. WORST
18. CHAMPIONS
19. EVER
20. SPURS
Copied
It’s certainly a managerial merry go round at the moment, players too are switching clubs already.
Mourinho to Real Madrid, Marco Silva to Benfica, looks like Iraola is going to Liverpool and Glasner is yet to land anywhere. Not to mention Chelsea have yet another new manager in Alonso and City have a new guy.
Next season is going to be very different.
I can see the logic in why Arteta changed tact Kev, took me while admittedly because I got so bored with watching how we played but now we have the trophy, I fully expect us to play differently next season, as long as we change 2/3 players.
He improved after Christmas but as you say, it’s all in the service he gets. Quicker football will help that.
Perfectly put Kev. I agree with all you said.
I also happen to think that Josh Kroenke, the board and everyone with Arsenal’s administration all back Arteta, so unless the latter has a brain fart or gets too big headed, those who keep banging the drum for Arteta out are going to be in it for the long haul.
So they had better get used to it.
I think these revolutionary new edicts passed down by FIFA and slavishly adopted no doubt by UEFA will be as short lived as those rule changes that saw Rice and Trossard dismissed a couple of seasons ago. Let’s see how strictly these rules are adhered to when it’s France or Spain or Argentina or Brazil on the receiving end?
Rico you as usual take in the big picture and consider the gradual improvement of our team/squad and that is admirable, I personally don’t have any patience with the AFTV, TikTok view of football anymore, it’s exhausting trying to debate with those that are set in their ways
All that is all fine and dandy if that’s your world football view but don’t expect me to tip toe around your sensitivities.
i don’t engage for a reason and that’s because the Arteta out mindset is boring…
I am still confused about Gyokeres , he was scoring for fun in Portugal and has a good record in International football . He was at Sporting for three years and it was only in his last 2 seasons that he came alive . Perhaps next season may be more successful for us providing that we do give him quicker supply.
Perhaps Jovier can drum home to our players to just run up to the ball and put their boot through it. Like Gyokeres with his penalties.
They must have done as we won the PL Dennis 😝
I keep saying this but will do again, we all want to see more exciting football. It’s be written here many times.
https://youtube.com/shorts/2RFvNG_83tM? … n4dlrCnHX8
He did it before with similar result
That doesn’t just apply to you and Cicero, Rico, anyone who won’t have a full-throated discussion about all things Arsenal in good times and bad.
I felt this way straight after the CL final, but left it a couple of days because of the PL celebrations.
Over £100m was spent last summer on Zubi and Madueke, the same again for Eze and Gyokeres, and none of them take the club to the next level.
Ekitike was a big miss for me, maybe this summer we can make amends.
Ethan Nwaneri not given a shirt number for England.
Afternoon Devil..
That was my point earlier Dennis, we’ve all commented about our football but it’s earned us a PL trophy which I think is exactly why we played that way. A couple of seasons ago we played great football and scored loads of goals but where did it get us?
No worse perhaps than suggesting Cicero and I are sensitive souls who aren’t prepared to talk about difficult things.
Good afternoon Rico and all housers
In the past, when we had a team full of attacking players, many, even our own supporters, complained that we have a soft belly. Teams used to get in our faces, make us feel soft and attack our players who actually tried to play.
We have a manager who can play attacking football….season 23/24 was a clear example. Now the same coach has gone from AW football to Mourinesque clamp lockdown. Those who complained of a soft underbelly, now complain about our nerves of steel. Glorified Stoke? Maybe. Expensive Reevie Leeds? It might be. Mourinho negativity? Probably .
The thing is that we won. And in a few years time nobody will remember who won what and how. They will remember the winners. And on the EPL trophy there will only be one name….ARSENAL 2025/26 champions.
Now we defend. And we have to remember that teams play in a very very low block especially in the six yard box. And even if we have the most potent attack of the world, it will be very difficult to score. We cannot wait for them to come out because they will stay there. Better a point for them than nothing at all. We all saw during the season how teams who attacked us were murdered domestically.
This season’s championship was just getting over the threshold. Of winning a big trophy. Not the FA Cup. Not the Carabeo cup. Not the Charity shield. It had to be one which has big ears. And we won one and came close to winning the second.
BBD…..its not the style of play which lost us (we didnt lose, we didnt get mauled, and we drew with them), its not the penalties (in which Raya didnt save 4 because he committed before they even shot and saved one because he guessed correctly). We didnt lose because of the ref’s decision (although they played a part) or because big Gaby volunteered because he had big balls to shoot the last penalty. We lost simply because of one decision….when Kai decided to go for goal himself and shot at the keeper instead of passing to Trossard who would have scored easily. I dont blame Kai, maybe I would have done the same in his position, however I feel that that was the moment in which we did not win the cup.
Had that chance gone in I am still sure, more than 100%, that you would have said the same as above.
Dennis , In many ways I can see the point of those that would like to see Arsenal play with the style of the early Wenger years.
But despite the money invested we don’t have the players to do it. This season was more akin to the George Graham philosophy than the more expansive style with Henry , Anelka , Overmars , Pires , Llunberg and of course your namesake Mr Bergkamp all of whom would have walked into this team with Petit and Vieira.
Assuming that our only way of winning should be with a full on Samba style is sounding very Spursy and hopefully it will come in time .
,
Fred is the Black Cab driver who won Mastermind.
I think it is rude to identify someone as having a limited football narrative, which suggests they must have a low IQ, and be a bit of a thicko, hence my reference to ‘Fred’, who can be a little condescending.
If Arteta hadn’t won the title with his ugly football, Rico, I would definitely want him replaced.
Right now, I want him to be braver and play expansive attractive football. Go and win the PL with the brand of football that Wenger gave us in the latter years of Highbury.
We’re a massive club so there’s no excuse for playing underdog football or producing tactics that shows fear to your opponents.
I would respect him more if he took on his opponents toe-to-toe and his team had far more of the ball instead of hiding behind cowardly defensive tactics.
Maybe now he’s a big winner he will evolve and we’ll see better football.
If he does this, he will have my full support.
5 seconds for a throw in is ridiculous I think. I wonder if that clock starts after a player has collected the ball. If so, I guess we’ll see a few slow walks towards the ball.
If it was behind the corner and booking for Mosquera, it was implemented far too soon if these changes are coming in for the WC.
As much as I am against the grappling and blocking at set pieces I find it strange that it’s purely being aimed at attacking and goals scored from free kicks , corners and long throws etc.
This puts us in a situation where if I grab you it’s foul but if you grab me it’s alright..What is more it’s enforcing the powers of VAR which inevitably will lead to more controversy whilst enhancing the refereeing community’s ability to decide the outcome of the game.
Also it appears that New anti-timewasting measures introduced
Referees will now use a visible five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal-kicks. If a throw-in is not taken before the countdown expires, possession will be awarded to the opposition.
A 10-second time limit for substitutions will be enforced. If teams overrun, the player coming on will have to wait an extra minute off-field.
To speed up play, referees will be able to start a five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal-kicks. Throw-ins will be reversed and corners awarded where too long is taken.
Was that behind the corner awarded but cancelled because of the time it took to take it and the immediate booking for Mosquera.?
I am fearful that the referee who is at his best when you don’t remember him is now coming mob handed to run and control the reults of games like a 1960’s schoolmaster with a 4 foot cane .
Bloomin heck, both Kevin Keegan and Kenny Dalglish have cancer…
Who is Fred and who has been rude?
Is it not true that you would rather Arsenal replaced Arteta Dennis?
Targeting the attacking teams during the blocking, shoving, grappling holding of shirts and defenders wrapping their arms around opponents during the melee of a corner-kick…
If they hadn’t made that call and gave the goal at West Ham, we might not be celebrating a title.
I have a bigger football narrative than you could ever imagine, Fred (Housego), and I choose not to be as rude as you.
After the players got some much needed rest between the Palace and PSG games, I just wanted a better, more ambitious performance in the final itself.
Is that too much to ask of one of the most expensively assembled squads in the PL?
We saw similar performances against Liverpool (1 point from 6), against City (1 point from 6), Chelsea at home against 10 men, struggled to a 1-1 stalemate.
In isolation these results don’t matter when you’re champions, but if your tactics aren’t producing positive outcomes against the bigger teams, learn from it and change the approach.
It’s almost as though you’re admitting you’re not technically as good as these other big clubs despite having your own expensive technicians, and rather than allow his players to display their full range of abilities, he shackles them and plays underdog attritional football.
Surely, after a long slog of a season, in a show-case final (the biggest club game in world football), as newly crowned English champions, you want a performance that reflects that status.
Play like you’re champions, because whether you lose 5-0 like Inter, or you’re super cautious and lose on the fine margins of a penalty shoot-out, you’re still getting a loser’s medal.
Mikel Arteta deserves enormous credit for winning the PL title and is rightly getting the plaudits, my only point is that Saturday was a huge missed opportunity because we refused to fully engage in the battle, a recurring theme against ‘bigger’ clubs that has proven not to work in our favour.
It’s just another example of two-tier officiating and I suspect it’s primarily aimed at the Premier League
Win win Cicero, an odd selection though bearing in mind the way his loan went. I’d rather he was getting a rest and ready for a hard pre season.
If it’s good for the goose Kev…
Nwaneri has travelled with the England squad, that is an indicator of his quality and I hope Arteta has taken note of the fact. It will also do no harm to Ethan’s value in the transfer market.
Exactly Rico, the reason that attacking teams actually go to such nefarious levels is because the officials have, and it seems will continue to, turn a blind eye to how the defenders of most teams are holding, blocking, grappling, pulling shirts and wrapping arms around opponents at corners and free kicks. It seems completely senseless (but not surprising) to just target the attacking team with these new regulations and shows how bereft IFAB are when it comes to even-handed officiating.
It was only a matter of time Potter but I don’t agree the rule should apply only to the attacking team. Defenders grapple opponents just as much, if not more, than the attacking players.
It’ll be interesting to see this new ruling applied and whether or not the PL follow suit.
Timing Dennis, it’s about the timing.
I think we’ve all commented on our style of football and want to see us be more attack minded etc but as said, I think this season, certainly looking back, was more about breaking that 22 year duck rather than how we did it. Same imo applies to the Champions League. Arteta wanted Arsenal to win it rather than worry about what you or anyone else thinks about how.
Suggesting any of us are sensitive souls is like something from the playground.
‘Chaos’ screams the Sun, ‘carnage’ is the view of the Mirror whilst the equally low brow Evening Standard also goes with ‘chaos’ following the reported six stabbings in the vicinity of the Arsenal Victory Parade. It was suggested that the stabbings were gang related so that might give us some kind of insight into those involved and the incidents were apparently later in the evening when most Arsenal fans had gone home.
Nothing to compare with Paris of course but then some members of the MSM will do anything to cast a negative light on Sunday’s celebrations, despite the Metropolitan Police commending the vast majority of fans. Some 500 Police were on patrol which is amazing given the crowds in Islington at the weekend.
I guess that when your whole football narrative is basically centred around the evisceration of the current Arsenal manager, it then becomes extremely difficult to admit that you are in fact totally wrong and that your narrative is baseless, and that’s when you double down and show everybody not only how misguided you are but also how mean spirited you are. Maybe a period of introspection and silence is the way to go…
As Eb’s might say, “Chill BBD. Let’s enjoy the celebration a while longer, mon”.
Referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina has brought in a major crackdown on grappling at corners at the World Cup this summer.
And that will come as a major blow for England boss Thomas Tuchel, who has admitted that he wanted to use set-pieces – including free kicks, corners and throw-ins – as a major weapon in the United States.
FIFA are bringing in a raft of new directives ahead of the tournament to crackdown on players covering their mouths, time-wasting, hydration breaks and also new VAR rules to intervene on wrongly awarded corners, second yellow cards and also mistaken identity.
And the really eye-catching directive is a clampdown on grappling at corners, which Arsenal have turned into a work of art in the Premier League as Mikel Arteta’s champions scored 24 goals from set-pieces last season.
Referee chiefs have got last-minute approval from law makers IFAB for VAR checks on penalty box grappling BEFORE corners and free kicks are taken – but only for the attacking team.
IFAB confirmed in a statement: “The IFAB has approved a clarification to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) protocol for use at the 2026 FIFA World Cup regarding clear offences committed by the attacking team before the ball is in play at a corner kick or free kick that have a direct impact on a goal, penalty kick, or disciplinary sanction.
“If the offence meets the criteria set out in the clarification, the VAR will recommend an on-field review, following which, if the referee determines that an offence occurred before the ball was in play, the appropriate disciplinary action will be taken and the corner kick or free kick will be retaken.”
Which part of my comment did you find most disagreeable, Cicero?
He joins the Arsenal greats, and he has gained many more believers since the West Ham and Bournemouth v City games.
Are we allowed to speak truth here, or behave like little obedient sycophants with no opinions – say for example, like the waste of big money on Madueke?
Did he set us up to win on Saturday or to defend and pray for some miraculous intervention?
Definitely the latter, right Cicero, Rico?
Only Liverpool (1977, ’84), United (’99) and City, have won the title and CL in the same season, so getting us so close is some achievement.
We had a comparitively decent draw in our path to the final, and in the final analysis, Arsenal were extremely passive and disappointing in their approach and performance in the final itself.
Are we allowed to have that opinion or are there a few sensitive souls who’d rather not face up to some of our short-comings?
But that lot Cicero? Traitor 😂
Free agent Rico, big signing on payment and high wages. Her financial future assured.
We already have her replacement on board.
Katie McCabe has signed for Chelsea… Never saw that coming..
He got nicked Kev.. lol
Cicero, I’ve a feeling Nwaneri might be sold, not that I hope he is.
Blimey Dennis, Arteta did what he did to win the league. Just as he did against PSG and we were a penalty away from winning. I’m all for agreeing to disagree but come on, give Arteta a bit of a break eh…
Well B B D, it didn’t take you long to return with your all too familiar criticism of Arteta did it?
Hello Champion HH’ers.
Mikel gets away with one because we have waited 22 years, and when you’ve finished second three years running, you will look for any fine margin to prove you’re a winner. Ugly and nail-biting, at times excrutiating, but worthwhile in the end.
Monkey off the back.
I don’t see a period of Arsenal domination, there’s some interesting appointments in the PL.
Xabi Alonso has pedigree with an unbeaten season with Leverkusen and will vastly improve Chelsea, Andoni Iraola going to Liverpool (he currently leads Arteta 3-2 in head-to-heads, and that’s with ‘little’ Bournemouth), and although there are doubts around Michael Carrick, as last season has just proved, getting the recruitment right and playing players in their natural positions work wonders, and that makes United a threat.
The CL was so disappointing.
It could have been a re-run of England – Italy Euro final five years ago.
Early early goal, sit back and pray.
25% possession and we didn’t force their GK to make one save in 120mins of football.
We didn’t offer PSG any threat after the Havertz goal. After they equalised from the spot, Arsenal didn’t even look for a second goal, and contributed little except to defend for their lives.
I thought Gyokeres might have started, but it wouldn’t have mattered with Arsenal’s timid mentality.
A disappointing limp end to an otherwise successful season.
This summer’s transfer window could define and shape Arsenal for the next generation, so a huge one ahead.
Julian Alvarez, Morgan Rodgers, Fernandez (CM at West Ham) would be a great start and significantly improve our profile.
Then we can realistically talk of winning Ol’ Big Ears.
If we are to sign elite players to strengthen our squad we will need to sell some players, one of those sold should be Madueke, getting his wages off the balance sheet must be a priority. We have a ready made replacement which won’t cost us a penny in Nwaneri.
Whether Arteta and Berta will have the guts to admit to a mistake in signing Madueke we will just have to wait and see.
Who’s been on the Jamaican Woodbines?
He can go round the outside then. Just! 😂
https://metro.co.uk/2026/06/01/video-shows-raheem-sterling-driving-all-place-crashing-270k-lamborghini-28603334/
I suspect they are not taking bets Limey 😝
I’m sure Eze will stay,probably Madueke but I’d love an upgrade.
I wonder what odds the bookies would give on Eze scoring against Spurs?
Can’t see Eze being sold, Madueke, yes please..
Thanks Cicero, the scenes were incredible. More next year I hope.
Excellent re Saliba, the rest will do him good. Hopefully others will bruise their big toes too..
What an amazing turn out,an incredible outpouring of joy. I know people came from all over the world,but incredible numbers on the streets of London.
We already know our club is special,our rivals try and deny it but they must know it too,probably why they hate us so much.
Potter, apparently out four have not travelled with the England squad and will not take part in the first two warm up games. Personally I’d be more than happy if both Saka and Rice pulled out altogether. As far as Eze and Madueke are concerned I expect them both to be sold tout suite so some other club’s problems.
Even in sleepy Potter Heigham there were dozens of Arsenal shirts in the crowds for the 3 rivers race . North London forever was heard coming from the Riverside pub named after one of the Norfolk wherries “” Norada “”
Doubts on Saliba’s world cup as he picked up an injury against PSG , why can’t Saka and Rice do the same and get a few weeks rest.
Another fine post Rico, wasn’t it great to see one and a half million Arsenal fans celebrating together regardless of race, gender, religion or politics.
Someone wrote that Arsenal are the most diverse football club in the World.
There were huge celebrations in Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, not too mention Kerikeri. 😉
Yes Lee, we went one better in 2025 and reached the Semi-Final, this year we reached the Final, 2027 might be the magic year?
Ha ha Stuart, I watched on television with a big grin on my face. The Arsenal fans were brilliant, I’m sure like so many, I wish I could have been there..
Thanks Rico. Phenomenal turn out for the parade. We had our own driving though sleepy little Kerikeri with horns blasting and scarves trailing out the car windows. Didn’t quite paint the town red, but felt good to represent the greatest football team the world has ever seen…