Morning all.
I didn’t watch the League Cup Final but having read about it this morning, it seems Chelsea’s multi pound squad should have won it. Shoulda’ coulda’ doesn’t win matches though and by the end of extra time, Van Dijk’s late header had won Klopp another trophy. Hopefully his last in England.
Many fans talk about the Champions League and winning but honestly, I’d have loved for Arsenal to have been at Wembley yesterday with Martin Odegaard lifting the cup at the end. I’d love for Arsenal to still be in the FA Cup too because the domestic cups have something about them which European doesn’t. There’s none of the group stuff going on, it’s just pot luck and any club can win either if Lady Luck is on their side.
Anyway, through gritted teeth, congratulations to Liverpool because Klopp selected a young squad, he had a number of players missing through injury and yet his team still managed to beat a team which is one of most expensively assembled in England.
Back to Arsenal who have to play Chelsea next month. Our March fixtures are tough, really tough.
Sheffield Utd – away
Brentford – home
Porto – home
Chelsea – home
Man City – away
April doesn’t get any easier either, nor does May but then no game is easy. It’s good though because it means there’s no room for complacency.
We have to wait until next Monday before Arsenal play again so there’s a week for Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey to get stronger, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu to return to full training. Regardless of how the team have been playing in the league, rotation will be key to keeping the pressure on both City and Liverpool. Also, there are clubs breathing down our necks for a top four spot although it would take a bit of an Arsenal collapse for Totts or Man Utd to overtake us.
March isn’t kind to Man City either as they have to go to Anfield and The Amex and play both Man Utd and ourselves at home. As well as playing City, Liverpool go to Nottingham Forest and Everton, plus they play a two legged tie against Sparta Prague to negotiate as well as a home match against Brighton. In total, there are just 12 domestic fixtures left to play yet still plenty of time for twists and turns at the top and bottom of the league.
Arsenal FC has confirmed the boys will be heading to the USA again this summer where we’ll face Manchester United and Liverpool as part of our preparations for the 2024/25 season. Why oh why are we playing two Premier League clubs in America? Probably because all three have American owners and they want competitive friendlies. Long gone are the days of popping over to Europe to play a Swiss team we’ve barely heard of. By then of course, Liverpool will have a new manager, as for Utd, who knows. Who cares really….
Without sounding like I’m criticising the club, but it’s twenty years since you know, we won the Premier League. It’s twenty years since Arsene Wenger’s squad went through a season unbeaten. Where that time has gone I don’t know. Only five different clubs have won the league since 2004, City, Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and Leicester City. Funny enough, it’s only Arsenal’s ‘failings’ which get highlighted each season. Whilst I’d love to see us win the Champions League one day, it’s the Premier League for me every day of the week. Both would be fantastic but I’m a realist. Look how long it took Guardiola with his multibillion pound squad….
Catch up in the comments.
Good morning Rico, I seldom read, watch or agree with anything that Gary (spits) Neville says or does but his description of yesterday’s Chelsea team says it all about the Chavs, “blue billion-pound bottle jobs”.
There are never going to be any easy games in the Premiership or Champions League so our team must get that thought out of their minds. Arteta, by almost all ways starting with his best eleven, obviously recognises the simple fact that there are no free lunches in elite football.
On the subject of the summer tour, one simple reason for it, MONEY!!!
Morning Cicero, I just hope Chelsea are still missing chances later this month.
I get the money side of the tour but Utd and Liverpool? Still, we might have learned more dark arts by then. lol
Morning Rico
Well that was a fun weekend. Scintillating performance from Arsenal again.
Newcastle were put to the sword and the goal difference was bolstered again. Could be crucial. The Geordie fans were not happy after the game. A group walking to the Arsenal tube were singing to us how Arsenal were going to win ‘f@ck all’. Let’s see shall we? I think we’ve got a better chance of silverware than Newcastle…
The Chelsea defeat capped Sunday. Nothing is low enough for that degusting club. I really hope they get relegated for their misdeeds under Abramovic.
Morning Pete. I too thought we were brilliant. The first half especially which really did the damage to Newcastle. Kiwior has been superb and so pleased for him after getting his goal.
I don’t even begrudge Willock his goal.. lol
Willock deserved that for having the stones to say the ball was out which i doubt was too popular in the dressing room .
It will be the norm for American pre seasons now just as others will go far east or to the deserts . Got to sell the package.
I reckon the top 4 places are pretty much set for teams just the places need sorting I can’t see Tottenham making up the ground especially as they have to play us and Man City at home and have trips to Villa , West Ham, Newcastle , Liverpool and Chelsea . 5th or 6th between them and United .
We do need a result against Porto because even if we can’t win it , every round you progress brings in more money and we need as much as we can get to enable the purchase of additional players.
I dislike Chelsea even more than Liverpool so it was the lesser of two evils yesterday.
Have to agree,Gary Nevilles comments were spot on.
Maybe having a break until our next game will help.
I’ve just seen that Everton have had their points deduction reduced to 6 – but they are still guilty of breaking the rules,makes no sense to me.
Imagine being smothered on the pitch … looking like children against men, but trying to lash out by hoping for Man City to win the league again. I just don’t understand any teams fans that don’t cheer for Arsenal to overtake the money pigs.
I only understand Tottenham fans who might think that way. United fans are pathetic if they want Man City or Liverpool to succeed against us.
Afternoon Rico and Co.
I saw most of the Cup Final and thoroughly enjoyed them kicking lumps out of each other and into extra time, it was glorious.
I dislike both equally so whoever won was irrelevant if was great to see more Liverpool players getting injured.
As for all the youngsters, we’ll I think that Klopp gave up a bit when it went into extra time, he knows how games they have ahead and almost seemed to just go with the Kids (shit or bust) and he got lucky.
Wenger did it back in the day and we got trampled on by Drogba, some people are just lucky I guess?
Some typos there
Nigel.
I’ll tell you what it is mate, if you’re a Chelsea, West Ham, Newcastle, Villa, Liverpool or Man Utd fan then you’d prefer City to win it over Arsenal.
If Arsenal win it then your club looks really bad by comparison because most of those fans think that their club is better than Arsenal or should be.
But if City win it they can comfort themselves by saying we had no chance because they’ve got Pep and all the money…
It a kind of psychological comfort blanket…
Yes, it was refreshing to hear Willock being honest after the Newcastle goal, not that it did us any good. Shame he had to leave Arsenal to further his career.
Hope your right re top four etc Potter..
I really want us to go far in the CL because of the reasons you say but if, and I know football doesn’t work in such a way, I had to choose, PL win would be sweeter.
I don’t see the point reducing the Everton punishment either, it opens the door for more appeals in the future. Still, they’re facing another points deduction if found guilty of the more recent charge.
Afternoon Kev, I’m the same, can’t stand either club but for different reasons.
Nigel, agree and I don’t understand it either. We all want fair play yet pundits etc all get excited about the money spent.
Arsenal still need a minimum of 8 home grown players so if we’re going to lose Rambo as seems likely and possibly 2 out of our 3 Hale Enders in Reiss, Emile and Eddie.
Just why I don’t think ESR will go, nor Ramsdale. Unless Hein stays anyway.
If we are to buy a half decent striker we will need to generate a bit of cash. We will not get that sort of money for either Jesus or Zinchenko due to their chronic injury problems, which really leaves only Ramsdale, and as it seems Arteta favours Raya over him, will our England ‘keeper be prepared to spend most of the season on the bench. We already have a promising young backup ‘keeper in Hein.
I can see Ramsdale leaving but ESR will depend on any big offers from another English club as I am not sure ESR would want to leave England.
Mika Cicero.. My next Balogun 😂
New post up.