Good morning Positives,
A fine afternoon rounded off our league campaign in style. We opened as though we were going to put five past the visitors by half time, then Laurent went a bit wild and became the first of Enver Valencia’s three victims of the afternoon. My goodness that boy can writhe and roll when the mood takes him, cant he? Just 15 minutes gone, hot afternoon, a talented Everton side with a good goal-scoring record in recent weeks ………..! A fair bit of teeth sucking on my part I admit.
With that slight setback we had to grind out a routine win that called on every Arsenal player to put in a determined contribution – I saw none of them waver. As was mentioned on the TV last night it was difficult at times to tell which side had 11 players and which 10. And when the Toffees did manage to clamber through the defensive barriers to get a clear strike on goal our man in the hat was in commanding form. As fautless a display as I have seen all season. The notion that Cech will not be our Number One ‘keeper next season I believe is not plausible.
Of our other lads the MoTM award is shared between Hector and Mesut. Hector is very much back to his best. Is it a coincidence that post–concussion syndrome symptoms can last up to thee months and Hector’s skull was smashed on the 4th February at the Bridge?
There is no such thing as coincidence.
If the Ox is fit for Wembley I have no idea which player Arsene will choose as right wing back.
For Mesut a game in which, despite some fairly robust handling in midfield, he became stronger and more influential. He is a pleasure to watch. The perfect footballing package.
And in the 92nd minute the boy from Caerphilly hit a beauty into the top corner.
For our opponents Robles had a rather good game didn’t he? Second keeper in a row to keep us at bay. We shall be third time lucky I am sure.
A day to savour. A result to enjoy, even if it did not quite bring us the fourth place finish that we all hoped for.
A busy week in prospect. Arsene’s focus I guess will be on putting together the best back three to face Chelsea and ensuring they have time to work together in training. We have good defensive players. What a year for Rob Holding? This time last year relegated with Bolton, probably in seven days time walking out in a Cup final.
That FA Cup final is the important horizon at present for the club, the players and, I hope, for the fans. What comes after we shall see, in the medium and the long term.
Enjoy your Monday.
Positively Arsenal 
yes shard, i have doubted usmanov”s love for Arsenal, when he not only laughed at Ivan Gazidis contacting his companies looking for sponsorship but he now sponsors Everton to the tune of something like £75M.
Usmanov has claimed that his companies do not sponsor Arsenal cos R&W have been refused a place on the board. So from what I was told tonight, the Board might be calling his bluff. if he does get a spot on the board it will be interesting to see if he puts his wallet where is mouth is.
I don’t want him anywhere near our club, but those decisions are not up to any of us.
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I don’t think so Andy. It seems to me that Stan (and indeed the Liverpool owners) are both in it for the long haul, until the time when football business changes. I would think the two big changes that they will be hoping/pushing for are the formation of a European Super League, and clubs being able to sell their own online viewing rights.
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Strangely enough next season is going to be very interesting.
I saw a tweet a few weeks ago that Toby Aderweirald refuses to sign a contract extension. Retaining players will be difficult in general. Pochettino accepting austerity for Spurs for the coming years. Mmmmm, sounds familiar.
We shall see how the top four squads cope with Champions League football and domestic demands. Mmmmmm, sounds familiar.
Arsenal are going to be an angry beast…I am getting quite excited.
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One minor suggestion to the PR department at the club
I know you have an annual budget to get rid of
Don’t ever ever put up any statues to any former Arsenal player until they are safely dead
Give it to charity
Burn it
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yes a_o_b, I found that act from the crowd to be disgusting, no getting at that twat Oliver for his one eyed performance, no getting behind the team at their moment of most need, no they show themselves up. says it all really.
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Agreed eddie. We’ll see how it goes. The only man I trust to stay honorable is Wenger. If he stays, I don’t have to feel conflicted in any way, and long may that last.
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The long haul = $x
There may be some who reckon 50-60 million potential Chinese and Indian subscribers are worth the candle and worth waiting for
There may be others who feel football has peaked – and certainly Euro/PL income – me for example
I’d certainly hedge
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I think KSE have never willingly sold a single share in any of their sports clubs investments. If I recall correctly they had to sell shares in a club in the usa due to the ownership rules by that sporting body.
also, I don’t know why any of the malcontents think that a few chants of kroenke out will have the slightest effect on stan, after all this man didn’t give a fig about the massive protest when he moved the rams back to L.A., not even law suits made a difference, so some banners, a few chants etc etc are so tame they actually probably made him feel loved.
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I don’t completely disagree andy, but seeing as sports are KSE’s business, I don’t think they are going to sell. Unless REALLY silly money is offered.
There’s plenty of other areas to invest in where you can make a quicker buck. But there’s the difference between an investor and a businessman. I see Stan as more of the latter and Usmanov as more of the former.
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anicol which of the statue boys has upset you today, Henry or Adams. Has Wright a statue, I really hope not, he really is a bit of an idiot, almost Merson or Dixon levels of stupidity
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anicol re the alexis stat, I put up stats good and bad for many of our players, only the other day I put up the great goal and assist stats for Alexis, not only this season’s but for his entire time with us.
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Ed. I think you mean Stan having to transfer his shares in all his other US franchises to his son, when he bought the Rams outright (he was minority shareholder before) NFL rules prevent an owner from having other sports franchises unless they are in the same city. The Rams were in St Louis, while all his other teams are based in Colorado. (Nuggets in NBA, Avalanche in NHL, and Rapids in MLS)
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Ben DinneryVerified account @BenDinnery 9h9 hours ago
Mustafi developed concussion like symptoms following the midweek win over Sunderland. The centre-back should be OK for the FA Cup final #AFC
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oh right shard, so kse have not sold any shares at all. They have been on the go since 1999, so 18 years and not a share sold.
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Arsenal will be a top seeded team in the EL
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I have decided that Wenger should be sacked for his awful behavior yesterday, how dare he not go on the lap with the players, and thank the malcontents for hounding him for most of the season, how dare he, how very dare he.
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Interesting Ed….have heard tales of Josh K meeting AU, but not heard that one!
guess two billionaires are better than one…or something along those lines, though I am very …veryfar from enamoured with either TBH. However, if it got us a better deal with refs, would take Kim Jong Un on the board.
2017 has not been the best of years, a lot of uncertainty, confusion, seeming lack of leadership, not a word from Stan…until this morning, reports of board divisions, alleged arguements over new backroom staff and their titles, the mysterious events of dec Wenger teased us with. Finishing fifth, recurring injury curses, the pgmol, being outsmarted again by Neanderthal managers….not good, all a bit undignified, and un-arsenal, this club can and should conduct themselves better.
But, whoever the owner may be, think the club need to get Wenger signed up, get players he deems they need in, and get back to basics a bit, and from the rumours I am hearing, we have Saed K, close to the young Nigerian prospect, Lemina getting a few mentions out there as well. I am sure the Santi position also being already covered, or looked at as well
Hopefully, next season, we get back to being a successful football club, rather than perennial click bait for the negatives
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well mandy it might all depend on how much if at all, usmanov wants a rep/place on the board, is he all fur coat and no knickers. Not a reason in the world he could not have one or more of his companies sponsor various things of Arsenal for hundreds of millions, after all he is sponsoring everton’s training ground, for a place on the board
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Raj Patel @rajpatel1809 9h9 hours ago
Club level getting a minimum £240 refund on their seats due to dropping out of CL. Fair play to the Club for addressing so quickly.
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afc won 4 from 4 with xhaka and cazorla as our midfield two and we won 10 from 11 with xhaka and ramsey as the two
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cazorla and coquelin as the two we won four and drew one of five games
after cazorla got injured we used 10 other midfield two combinations
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New post up
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