Good morning Positives,
What a good result! A 5-1 aggregate score and two legs in which we comfortably ended the games in control is a rarity in European competitions at this stage where the ‘better’ clubs are coming face to face.
Of the game itself I thought we started a bit jittery and out of sorts, not helped by Kosc’s injury. The Frenchman immediately looked uncomfortable after going up for a corner, and not able to run so I was surprise it took 4-5 minutes to take him off.
With Laurent gone the teams traded possession for the next 30 minutes with neither side showing really testing the keeper or creating a clear goalscoring opening. Milan’s final ball was poor, as it had been to the San Siro, and our attacks ran went to the edge of the visitors’ box before running out of ideas.
The goal from Calhanoglu on 36 minutes was entirely unexpected, for me as much as Ospina. Good goal, 30 yards, corner of the net. Could the Colombian have been more alert and at least got a hand to it? Could Bellerin and/or Mustafi have shut the striker down quicker as their shouting match after the goal went in hinted at ? We shall never know.
There was a bit of a groan around me I admit but the goal was exactly what the tie needed and we responded immediately. We surged forward and within a minute it seemed Danny went down in a heap. Even from the other end it looked soft as the referee and the 5th official eyed each other up coyly. The Swedish referee nevertheless pointed spot-ward and Milan players went beserk, as I suspect any group of players would do in similar circumstances. Nessun sente da che parte preme la scarpa, se non chi se la calza. For all the fuss Danny stepped up and despatched the generous gift left and Donnarumma dived right. A collective sigh of relief was heard as far away as Hampstead Heath as we knew it was not going to be one of ‘those’ nights. Referee Eriksson compounded his guilt a few moments later by denying Milan a penalty when Callum Chambers arm was up but that would have been harsh.
The rest of the game I admit is a bit of a blur although as I did not get home until 2 this morning is a bit fuzzy anyway. The main recollection however is of Arsenal largely controlling the game. The pivot of that control last night being our Swiss midfielder, though whom it seemed most ball was channeled from back to front, and against Granit wall the RossoNeri battered to little effect as he covered ground and space, nicked the ball away and put a sly foot in as required. A really professional performance and capped by the killer second goal as far as Milan were concerned, a shocking cock up by a keeper who up until then in the tie had been excellent. Man of the match Xhaka. Enjoy your moment, you have worked hard for it. Merit points for Aaron, Jack, Mustafi, Callum and Danny.
Of the atmosphere 90% of Milan fans in the ground and singing an hour before kick off ! By Kick off + 5 I could see only a few empty seats in the upper tiers in the East and West Stands at the sides but it looked full to me. Plenty of noise throughout and lots of fans stayed after the final whistle to applaud all the players on both teams off the pitch. Arsenal fan next to me left immediately Donnarumma fumbled the second goal into his net – he’d seen enough.
At midday UK time we shall discover who the next opponents are in the Europa League and the hoopla will start again.
Enjoy Friday and the international break.
Positively Arsenal 
On Sunday Arsenal U14s (Fulham at Hale End) & Arsenal U13s (Southampton Away) play in PL Cup Semi-Finals.
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Some seriously bad allegations against Graham Rix at Chelsea, really…really hope they are not true.
And the Aussies cheating at cricket.
Beats Wenger baiting I guess
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Hello football-starved people
Anyone getting a bit desperate should be able to watch a stream of our youth team in Dallas cup later.
12.30 Dallas time, 18.30 uk
Apparently will be on fcdallas website
https://www.fcdallas.com
We might be a bit up against it as it’s an u19 tournament and our squad is all u18, mostly 1st years (17), with quite a few of best lads missing through internationals and injury.
Still, it’s Arsenal and hopefully good experience for those over there
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Arsenal Women
Verified account @ArsenalWFC
4m4 minutes ago
⚽ GOAL FOR ARSENAL!
The home side win a penalty and Kim Little makes no mistake and converts it. 1-0 (4)
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Arsenal Women
Verified account @ArsenalWFC
53s54 seconds ago
HT: Little’s well taken penalty is the only difference between the sides at the break. 1-0
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Mandy Dodd
I can confirm Rix is a racist peado don’t be suprised he is not the only one, football has some of the nicest and some of the most evil people in the world.Football world breeds extrems.
The Canoville drama will only touch on a few very menacing and dark times in Football and Chelsea in particular.
I know for a fact some things which happened at Arsenal but will wait untill the people involved have a chance to speak about them.
I know of a couple of players who would really like to say the truth about things that happened but know it will affect them and their livelihoods and some people who they see as inocents but who in my opinion are as culpable as the rest.
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Arsenal Women
Verified account @ArsenalWFC
6m6 minutes ago
⚽ GOAL ARSENAL!
O’Reilly gets through on goal one-on-one and slams home from close range 2-0 (56)
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Arsenal Women
Verified account @ArsenalWFC
49s49 seconds ago
⚽ GOAL ARSENAL!
With her first touch Miedema sends a bullet header past Startup.
3-0 (60)
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Arsenal Women
Verified account @ArsenalWFC
1m1 minute ago
⚽ GOAL ARSENAL!
Carter turns home Evans’ cross from close range. 4-0 (85)
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Arsenal Women
Verified account @ArsenalWFC
7m7 minutes ago
⚽ GOAL ARSENAL!
Nobbs hits a trademark strike from outside the box to make 5!
5-0 (89)
0 replies 5 retweets 17 likes
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Arsenal Women
Verified account @ArsenalWFC
3m3 minutes ago
FT: We are safely into the @SSEWomensFACup semi final after putting 5 past @CAFCWomen
Goals from Little, O’Reilly, Miedema, Carter & Nobbs.
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The ArseWomen are at it this afternoon !
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Vivianne Miedema
Has that air about her that really good players have ‘I am just way better than you are’, reminds me of Marieanne Spacey always looked levels better than anyone around.
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Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
18h18 hours ago
This was the provisional Arsenal squad for Dallas Cup. May be some changes in the actual squad.
Balogun, Barden, Ballard, Beckford, Benson, Burton, Clarke, Coyle, D-Campbell, Dennis, McGuinness, Okonkwo, Olayinka, Olowu, Omole, Saka, M. Smith, Spencer-Adams, Swanson, Thompson.
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Then that’s very sad When we were Boring.
Not that I expect ex Arsenal, even ones who were at Chelsea during reportedly dark times to be paragons of virtue, what Rix was convicted for is pretty much, well,evil, but if he is a racist as well! A pretty flawed human being all round.
But don’t doubt what you say that there are others
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Teams are out on the pitch and game about to start, link above
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lovely goal
very well worked
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10 minutes in and Balogun gives AFC the lead
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stunning goal for Dallas from 25 yards out wide of the area sees it 1-1
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That was a freak screamer for the equaliser
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half time: 1-1
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Saka with a bit of a screamer of his own puts AFC 2-1 up
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FT: Dallas 1-2 Arsenal
a deserved win for AFC, played some good football for most of the game
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Missed first half. Second a bit disrupted by subs and players tiring on what looked a giant pitch. Lovely goal to win it.
That unusual (very high, bird’s-eye) view was good for appreciating the hard work of both teams.
Also demonstrated well just how much football we try to play, how often we succeed, and that extra bit of quality some of the players have which really shows up when space tightens up, little time on ball, esp around box
Saka made difficult things look pretty easy. Looks a big talent. Also liked one of midfield lads. Smith, I think.
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spot on rich, the work rate of our lads to support the team mate in possession, by making a supporting run, or to move into a passing area, was a delight. I thought our right back, Daley-Campbell was top level, although the pass across the edge of the area now and then might be better than always looking for the one across the six yard box.
Olayinka impressed me too
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Ed
Yeah, lot of pleasing stuff, especially when you think of some of the eligible players not there. Smith-Rowe, Amaechi, Nelson, John-Jules. More if u19 actually means year above as well.
That view isn’t as enjoyable but probably shows more I reckon. So noticeable how much effort was involved. Mesut’s game would be interesting from up there.
Hopefully we’ll get to watch more of these players on tv proper in last weeks of season if they get through to cup final. Two legs, both on tv I think. Semis also shown sometimes.
Think commentator said they’re playing again tomorrow, which is a tough ask as they gave all and many looked knackered at end. Red Zone city.
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Eduardo,
Thank you so much for that footage, mate! I absolutely love that view. Arsenal player really ought to provide us with such a view of our games at the Emirates. Its literally like a completely different game from up there. Amazing.
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good podcast george,
would say that this coming summer we will see AFC make at least one Bosman signing, and a few cheaper options or punts on up and coming players from across Europe. We might even see someone like Evans join for £3M if WBA relegated.
Timo Horn of Koln, is said to be a target, at something like £6M relegation clause. For me the whole £80M for Obalak is pie in the sky stuff, there is more chance we won’t spend £80M in total than there is of us signing a keeper for £80M
AMN will need to get more game time next season, other youths like Nelson and Nketiah and others will too, if not loaned out. Players brought back from loan too will need game time.
Wenger explained when Mislinat and the other back room new guys brought in, is so that we work with a 4 pronged plan
1. keep those we want to keep by giving them what we can afford like Ozil etc
2. buy the odd big name player when possible, like Aubameyang etc
3. find the up and coming gem before their value soars or quality players on Bosman frees, like Kolasinac etc
4. promote from within, AMN etc being just the latest, and we currently have our best run of academy results across all under age teams, than we have had for many a long year.
as you state in the podcast, Arsenal fans are very snobbish about new signings(something Wenger has stated many times) as the great man says, they only look at the fee, not the quality, they turn their nose up at the prospect of us singing Alli, or Kante etc before they prove themselves, then when they do, its why didn’t we sign them.
When you see some of the names being touted as being on Mislinat’s wanted list or should that be recommended list, I can see a lot of our fan base go mad about “Everton out spending Arsenal” etc etc.
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santi my only complaint about the view of that game from way up there, is that its so damn hard to figure out exactly who is who. Of course that would be easier with a first team game, as we know them so well, and I will admit as the game went on I quicker knew which lad was which.
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just a little point on the arsenal youth game today, when I seen the squad I could not help but remember comments by Liam Brady a few years ago, when he said that he expected more and more lads of immigrant parents to come through at the Academy, as they had the application, work ethic and desire to make it in the game, that is so sadly lacking in the wasp lads, who come from a more affluent back ground. I think AFC had six lads of Nigerian heritage play for us today
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We await to see how far it will go, where it will end, and how genuine it is, but refreshing to see the Aus establishment turn on their cheating cricketers, if they mean it, i say without bias, good on them.
Can you imagine theresa may, the FA, Scudamore turning on Kane Vardy Sterling Young Rooney and last but by no means least ,Divey Alli?
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One for Fins: waiting to board a flight to Antigua i got talking to an IOC official on his way home after a doping conference in Switzerland. They are always a step ahead he said but we do our best. Does doping extend to other sports like.football, I asked. Of course he replied with a sort of pittying look.
Had the mixed experience of watching my 12 year old play at the Viv Richards stadium today. Run out for nothing but what struck me was how sick i felt turning up at the ground and how much i was in Per’s camp and how i had forgotten until today how much it all churned me up. Id have been shit at german aircraft too. But id have given it my best all the same.
Will ask AS tomorrow on his view of the latest down under row. He had mixed memories of the VR stadium: the last Test he played there being abandoned as unfit for human consumption.
And of course i never was asked to take a bottle top onto the field to give to a prominent politician when i was 12th man one day in Hove actually.
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Tim was tthis amicable gentleman from the IOC covered by a sinister consipiratorial cloud shading his tin foil hat whilst he was merrily chatting away to you in a que?
Asking for a friend.
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Somehow I have the impression that the spectacle of the ACB wringing their hands in public and sacking their captain md-test will not go on to be as damaging to the ACB or their teams as their conduct in the past regarding cheating officials whom they stupidly supported, we don’t care why but we don’t forget their record either (please refer to Riley and the 5oth game), supporting a cheating official was actually worse for the sport then the crowds at the MCG chanting ‘No Ball’ to every ball bowled by certain teams, the board/association are actually repsonsible for the conduct and standard of their officials.
Hopefully the upcoming increase in officials means that we get some from the part of the country that prodices most professional footballers and professional football coaches and indeed contains most registered clubs and players.
After twenty years anyone willing to give the proven cheat Riley the benefit of the doubt, ignoring the fiasco in several other matters not forgetting the ridiculous and risible and utterly discreddted 98% accuracy figure (with figues like that you don’t need VARS – all together now: L.O.L.), they have a generous soul, to their credit.
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Riley’s select group may get the benefit of the doubt in some quarters, I’d like to see more decisions that give the benefit of the doubt to teams (that translates to mean: not just the Arsenal) that are less important to the Brand.
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Run out for nought – that is a bit rough
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Elneny has signed a new long term contract
https://www.arsenal.com/news/mo-elneny-signs-contract-extension
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good news, Ramsey was in training today
as was Lacazette
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our contract guy huss fahmy with elneny after the new contract signing
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That must have been a traumtic run out.
Yet everbody is different. Perhaps it is easier to be run out for naught at age twelve then at age eight or eighteen. I don’t know but for some inexplicable reason that makes sense to me.
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Tyreece John-Jules scored for England U17s in their 1-1 draw with Brazil
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afcstuff
@afcstuff
17m17 minutes ago
Mohamed Elneny has a 93.1% passing accuracy in the PL since 2015/16, a higher percentage than any other player in the league (minimum 20 games started). [@WhoScored] #afc
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Craig Pawson has been appointed the referee for Sundays match against Stoke City
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Pawson has developed a lot in the past 18 months – one of the good crop of young PL whistlers – good choice.
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Really pleased to see the Elneny extension. Its not impossible that he might become a hugely important man for us. Still flabbergasted but not really surprised that the likes of John Cross arent commenting positively on what is quite clearly a vigorous period of carefullyplanned change.
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Gallos Blancos De Queretaro0-0 Arsenal
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