Hello and how are you? So, after an utterly enjoyable sojourn in the Champions League, we come back down to earth with a bump, and take another grind at the Premier League. This time against our old chums West Ham at the London stadium. KO 4.30pm UK time.
I’m sure you know already the ins and outs of this one; West Ham really need to beat us in order to stay up, but (potentially) it’s the only time you’ll find Leeds or Tottenham fans rooting for us to win, as they also need us to win in order to help them secure a place in the PL next season.
And we need a victory in order to keep on track and win the league; a draw isn’t really of any help whatsoever. That’s a lot of need cooking in the cauldron of hope and potential victory.
If we lose this, from my perspective it isn’t about bottling anything, more not deserving. But games on paper aren’t games played out; any permutation is possible with this one? They know we can buckle under pressure but at the same time we’ve proved we’ve cast off the League Cup final hangover and there’s no reason to go light-headed.
Merino and Timber! be still AWOL for the Gun. I’m Kind of hoping Arteta will play the victory side ( Fulham and Atletico) with MSL in. He didn’t actually say it, but Mike Love got it attached to him in the demise of the Smile sessions: don’t fk with the formula. But what do I know? Nix, Im sure Arteta has a better understanding of this one.
Nobodys doubtful or missing for the Irons.
The boys at Statto HQ having been disappointed with a trip to the overrated Venice Biennale, were now happily back and calculating how many bricks were used to line the Blisworth tunnel, but were kind of enough to stop and rumble up some stats for us. They reckon that West Ham have a 18.2 % chance of winning and The Arsenal have a 59.1 % chance of being victorious.
Next up, the penultimate game of this year’s PL against already down Burnley, at ours. SO COYG!
Mills
I don’t know about you, but this game fills me with fear and trepidation. As they say “It’s the hope that kills you” Of the 3 remaining games, I see this as the hardest. The jitters I’m getting are reminiscent of how I felt for every game when Arsene was leading us, and that’s a good thing, because I miss those feelings, perhaps you could call them the feelings a real fan gets?
May the force be with us.
Pedantic George.
Positively Arsenal 
Celtic beat Rangers today which means with 2 games to go the title is between Hearts and Celtic, with Hearts one point in front. Rangers have lost their last 3 games to drop out of the running.
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Great preview lads a joy to read.
Yes this is, you would imagine, the most difficult of the remaining league games and the hammers need something and they are unbeaten at home since early January but the pressure is on them.
I said before the Fulham game the dread had seemed to have been lifted the pressure bubble had burst and since some excitement and professionalism has set in.
Our opposition today love to give up possession and counter and we should be used to that. They don’t normally press high which should suit and they are the worst in the league at defending dead ball situations.
We know their flying wingers cause problems so our wingers and midfielders will need to support the fullbacks again.
At Brentford last week they were incredibly unlucky and probably should have won the game but Brentford would say that about yesterday as well but that’s football.
There seems to be a air of enjoyment in the squad at the moment and when they cross the white line they can’t wait to be unleashed.
We just need the three points today and don’t need to worry about goal difference but if we could go a few in front of would certainly make the ARSENAL watching world a lot more comfortable COYG.
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Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Eze, Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard
subs: Kepa, Mosquera, Hincapie, Odegaard, Zubimendi, Havertz, Madueke, Martinelli, Dowman
not in squad, Timber, Merino, Norgaard, Jesus
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COYG!!!!
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why didnt he bring on Mosquera for White? Declan plays better in midfield than right blooming back!
Started off alright and since Bens gone of we look a bit bereft?
West Ham and City rubbing their hands together in hope…
COYG!
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fknell what a fkn utter anxiety driven last moments. Phew! That was horrible, but at least we got it. bloody hell. Im off to the oxygen tent.
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i didn’t get to watch or even listen to commentary of the game, I was flittering in and out of X and live football scores for updates, I couldn’t believe that he put Rice to Right Back when White went off injured, an injury that it seems has ended his season.
Oh the joy when it came up on X that Trossard had scored, the Sunday Papers hatchet job on him hadn’t worked after all.
Was watching RTE News and their sports news section mentioned Arsenal leading 1-0 late in the game, then they did another sports story and then the bombshell, update from Arsenal v West Ham, its 1-1 late in stoppage time. I just laughed, and thought to myself “only Arsenal could do that”. A few minutes later ventured on to X to see the post mortem but the game was still on going, and it was all VAR has to disallow that, it has to be a foul on Raya. There was me thinking “only Arsenal could lose to West Ham after being 1-0 up in stoppage time. Then up it flashed, VAR rule out the West Ham goal for a foul on Raya, the game remains 1-0 to Arsenal. What?, How?, did it take them like 10 minutes to disallow the goal, who cares we are still ahead, no its over we have won, the title is still in our grasp. Phew, just another day of being an Arsenal supporter. It’ll be all worth it in the end.
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it was really tough Ed-we started off really well and should/could have been one or two up. And then seemed to wander around in no-mans land. Even when Trossard scored it didnt feel secure.
But the wait while VAR and the ref were checking was maybe one of the most tense and horrible Arsenal moments ever, or certainly filed with them. Fk me it was liked the title for the Edward D Wood bio; the nightmare of ecstasy!
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the foul on Raya, why did it take 4 minutes to see it was as clear a foul as you’ll ever see, and it was more than one foul too.
https://x.com/i/status/2053532341944160384
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dare we hope that Crystal Palace take some points off Man City on Wednesday, if they do we would win the title next Monday by beating Burnley at the Emirates.
Eze needs to be on the phone to all his old team mates and friends at Crystal Palace in the next couple of days. Come on Palace do it for Eze.
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Raya has won the Golden Glove again this season
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leeds and nottingham forest are both save from relegation after the West Ham loss.
Leeds play spurs tomorrow and could put them in a bit of trouble with a win
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Raya has now won the golden glove for the 3rd year in a row, he has 18 clean sheets in his 36 EPL games so far this season
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West Ham 0 ARSENAL 1,
West Ham 0 ARSENAL 1,
West Ham 0 ARSENAL 1
If we go on to win the league then this is where we did it.
Ed, you might not realise it but you were lucky not to watch this one I’m still shaking and my Mrs is convinced that’s how I’m going to die.
We were really unlucky not to score in the first twenty minutes and West Ham were all at sea and panicking every time we went near there goal and corners from either side was causing chaos in their area.
So it was just a matter of when we were going to score until Ben went off injured and Mikel had a brain fuck. The manager, who is known for his one for one changes, suddenly changed his winning formula (found by accident) and we gave up not only the midfield but control of the game and all attacking threat. It took an hour and three sub windows to fix.
We inverted everyone and so we had no width to attack a block that had struggled early on and suddenly looked like the best defence in the world. We didn’t create anything to force the corners that had caused so many problems early on
Mikel could well go on to achieve more in one season than any manager in our clubs history and while he may be excellent at preparing for games and creating a family atmosphere amongst the squad, he has no idea about game management and that reflects in the players as well.
Declan Rice is a fantastic player and a real monster on the pitch but he has the game management of a 13 year old. Indeed once we scored the whole team played like kids just kicking the ball anywhere and chasing all over the place without thinking.
We done everything wrong to protect a lead, giving stupid free kicks away, not keeping possession and playing the ball into crazy area’s. When the hammers were going to float the ball in our area from a free kick, Trossard and early on Zubamendi were in the defensive line and Gyorkares was in front. So one of our best defensive headers of the ball was unable to effect the game.
We also sat so deep that there wasn’t an out ball so everything just kept coming straight back in.
From West Ham goal, to the Var are looking at it, to the instruction to the ref to look at it, to the announcement took three days, seven hours and fifty six minutes or that’s how long it seemed and it was pure agony.
I haven’t even mentioned the wonderful save that Raya made when one on one with Fernandes when it was easier for the midfielder to score.
I keep reading that scoreline at the top because I still can’t believe it.
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the trossard goal
https://x.com/i/status/2053561046875492663
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I don’t think anyone should hang their hat on Palace doing anything at city. Unfortunately our rivals for the title will win both their home games. The main chance of them dropping points is at Bournemouth.
After today, us losing both full backs, having the ability to get things sorted wrong and with burnleys upgrade in performance, our next Home game looks a lot more difficult than it should be.
To put any pressure on city we need a massive performance in that game.
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Barcelona won la liga tonight by beating second placed Real Madrid 2-0
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I thought, along with the football world, that if ARSENAL beat West Ham we would stroll the last two league games.
Unfortunately after Sunday’s game I’m a lot more nervous. Our ability to make simple situations difficult scares the fuck out of me.
In 2006 we used seven left backs and it looks like the full back area is going to be tested again. There is a possibility Timber, Calafiori and Ben White will not make the final two games and so Moscara and Hincapie will have to deputise.
The other option would be moving Myles but at this stage that would be ridiculous.
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Zinsberger, Williams, Pelova, Codina and Beth Mead are all leaving the club this summer.
It looks like there will be an overhaul of the woman’s squad this window to make them competitive again next season.
Obviously other names will probably be added to that list.
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Evening lads, how are you? Have you recovered yet? What a mfkr of a week? Yesterdays game will not ever be forgotten by those who witnessed it either at the time or later in that day. Thank fk we didnt draw or lose can you imagien the mental hangover from that one?
West Ham pretty naffed about it all, but the real problem that Ive been going on about for years is holding at corners I cant see how you can get rid of it? Fining the club retrospectively?
Probably right Ian, each game feels like playing with concrete block boots? We havent got it yet and we are going to need to concentrate. Would be nice if Palace could even get a draw, but I cant see it, you?
I think Mosquera and Hincapie will do well, anyway we can always call on Declan at right back. Fk me! That really was nuts. Not putting Mosquera at rb could have cost us the game, certainly put WH back in it.
Pelova will be missed but since that long injury shes never really been back to the standard she had before, she’ll probably end up at Barca and do really well.
Did anyone see the highlights of Boreham wood v Rochdale? Aside from all the excitment of the game, did you notice the camera angle was much higher, a bit like the old Wembley, personally I liked it more, than the lower angle theyve had since it new Wembley opened. I wonder if it will stay?
Anyone see Maeda’s goal for Celtic, the bicycle kick, a touch of class!
Glad we all have a week to rest! COYG!
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Luis Munoz and Jaden Maghoma have been called up by England for an U15 tournament later this month.
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I thought the Celtic goal was good but the keeper just stood and watched it it was slow, high and looping and if he had of moved his feet quickly I think he would of got near it.
Holding was on PIGMOL’s agenda for this season but from the start they bottled it. They could of given us a penalty live on sky in the first game of the season against manure but let it go.
That was their chance and they blew it, that would have set the tone for the whole season but they failed.
All the clubs had warned but like all of their crackdowns it was just hot air and didn’t stick.
As far as fouls on keepers are concerned, it wasn’t long ago you couldn’t go near a keeper without giving a free kick away but when the officials started supporting stoke and the like everything changed and they got themselves into the situation they have today.
The problem now is you can’t just start giving penalties for pulling when attackers do it as well and a defensive free kick is the same punishment as a penalty and so attackers would still try it on with less jeopardy than a defender.
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Ben White has a medial knee ligament injury and will miss the rest of the season and possibly the world cup
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The Southampton v Middlesbrough game is going into meltdown. After all the problems with spygate 2.0 now we have had another incident during the game.
Former Gunner, Luke Ayling, has reported a discriminatory remark to the ref and the game was stopped. While the ref was explaining this to the coaching staff, they all kicked off.
This isn’t doing the saints any favours and I think the disciplinary hearing might just kick them out of the final.
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Christian Norgaard has announced his retirement from international football. Obviously this will not affect us as he is likely to be sold in the summer as Mikel has just not been a fan.
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Max Dowman has won the Premier League Home Grown Award. He was given the award at the Academy Awards at Wembley this evening.
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ARSENAL have announced all next season’s women’s fixtures will continue to be at the Emirates stadium after the record ticket sales at this season’s games.
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Sadly Peter Simpson has passed away aged 81. Another member of the 71 double winning side to gone.
Peter is still in the top 10 record appearances for ARSENAL after coming through the ranks a an apprentice R.I.P.
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Katie McCabe has decided to leave ARSENAL, despite being offered a new contract.
While we don’t know what was exactly offered to her in the new contract, this will be a huge loss to ARSENAL and will take a big player or players to replace her.
Woman’s squads are said to be moving to younger more dynamic players who will be more able to cope with the faster and amount of games.
As we have seen with the men’s squads senior players are still vital to carry the youngsters with them.
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sad to hear Katie McCabe is leaving, and as you say ian it will take some great recruitment to replace what we have let go this summer.
I really think that its vital that Arsenal bring in two powerhouse players, one at CB and the other in CM, we have been let down physically all season, not been strong enough in the battle.
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Chelsea have become the first side to lose four consecutive FA Cup final appearances since Leicester between 1949 and 1969
Reece James became just the second player to play in four FA Cup finals and lose them all, along with Paul Bracewell
Arsenal will play Man City in the Community Shield game
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Xabi Alonso has agreed to become the new manger at Chelsea
Michael Carrick has agreed to become the full time manager at Man Utd on a two year contract
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some controversy at the conclusion of the title race in Scotland, Celtic won their 14th title in 15 seasons by beating Hearts who finish 2nd 3-1 but after celtic scored their 3rd goal very late in stoppage time celtic fans ran on to pitch and some confronted Hearts players, its reported some struck Hearts players and the game blew up with still 30 seconds to play, and under the rules that should mean a 3-0 win awarded to Hearts which would mean them being named Champions. Can’t see it happening but you never know, after all rules are rules
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After all the refering decisions that have gone celtics way this season it should absolutely be given to Hearts.
To be fair the hoops should be nowhere near the title.
The decision is too big and there is no official body that would have the bollocks to give it to Hearts after it’s already been presented.
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Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
Overall, results, despite not always being the most important thing, haven’t been good enough at academy level.
U21s finished 14th and knocked out in playoffs
U18s finished 10th
U19s knocked out of Youth League in League Phase
U18s knocked out of Youth Cup in fourth round
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after west ham’s defeat v newcastle today it means spurs need just a draw from one of their remaining two games to avoid relegation and put the hammers down. Spurs are 2 points above west ham but their goal difference is such that it will not be surpassed by west ham without freak results.
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Edwin and Holger Quintero have won the Liam Brady Cup with Independiente del Valle, Holger Quintero was named player of the tournament. He was also named player of the match in the final. While Edwin Quintero was the captain.
The twins will join Arsenal in August 2027 when they turn 18.
Daniel McCarron who will officially join Arsenal this summer from Dungannon Swifts played for the Arsenal U16’s in this tournament.
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Arsenal are in for Leicester City’s 16 year old winger Jeremy Monga, he turns 17 next month. He has played in 30 first team games for Leicester city, including 7 in the EPL, he at the time of his debut was the second youngest EPL player after Ethan Nwaneri, he is now third youngest after Max Dowman set a new record. The lad is an England U19 international. Man Utd made a major move for him in recent weeks too so it remains to be seen if he comes to Arsenal, he wants assurances about a first team route.
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Ethan Nwaneri’s loan at Marseille ended today, not sure if he can play for us in any of our remaining games
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George, sent of a slim preview for Burnley. COYG!
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It’s up.
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