Hello and how are you?
Sunday the 16th March sees a visit to Ashburton Grove from our west London neighbours, Chelsea FC. Kick off is at 1.30pm, western European time.
Years ago an artist called Hokusai (pron: Hock-sigh) made lots of small interesting sketches, these were know as whimsical pictures, or translated into Japanese: ‘manga’. There’s much debate about the linage of manga though, some think it comes down through old Buddhist didactic anthropomorphic scrolls from the 12th Century, others from the influence of the magazine Punch in the later 19th century.
Anyway, however the system evolved, contemporary manga publications are now banging out 13,000 editions a year. Manga covers all range of genres; nookie, romance, cooking, sports, fighting, and manga is for old or young and in-between and it has many different styles (including Gekiga which translates as dramatic pictures).
Manga is sometimes a collaborative effort split between artist and writer and even sometimes many assistants. In Japan Fine Art is less of a big deal than it is in the west with animé and manga being basically less elitist and really for everyone and there’s none of the shame that persists in the west of image and text being coupled together, although the French/Belgians are pretty accepting of Bande dessinée (translates: drawn strips) as they name it with their own particular invention, Ligne Claire (clear line), for examples of which, see Joost Swaarte.
Western art has been controlled for a long time by theory and theory is only just starting to seep in manga now, but you can imagine, publisher restriction aside, that artists (mangaka) are often more libertine in that which they can explore and create.
Fine art looks uncomfortably over its shoulder at manga, knowing its technically more advanced and is more and more challenging its intellectual hegemony too, but its bouncers are still keep it out, but for how long? Already some blue-chip galleries are allowing artists who blend the two (Perrotin)…with interesting results, see the video animation ‘rebirth of the world’ by Chiho Aoshima.
Yet the life of a mangaka isn’t easy, long hours, hard work and anti big-wad at the end of it. Of course it has its stars and an underground just like any other system. But we humans are hungry consumers like never before, hence 13,000 manga publications a year, all jostling for attention and its a tough thing to deal with. Which is no different from our beloved football, for which we are so hungry and want to watch it like never before, eager to listen and absorb all aspects of the game. Will Newcastle re-vamp their new stadium plans in the light of the new stadium proposals in Manchester? As the great oracle ‘mystic Mills’ (translates: the tool) predicted in midweek, talk of the expansion of the Emirates was revived. I’m sure all sorts of news like this will come pouring out over the international break…115 looming too…
Its amazing how stadiums have changed, accommodating a different populous, often without regard for them. Was that our old pal Archibald Leitch’s fault, he seems to have designed a incredible number of stadiums, now being razed to the ground and replaced with state of the art structures?
With the visit of Chelsea, it makes me think how the old Stamford Bridge looked. Its original massive earth-work diggings like a remnant from some early pre-historical forgotten ambition, the crowd far away from the pitch due to the old track on the outside. Of course there was the infamous Shed but that other oddball stand that was built in the 30s (the North Stand) and looked like it was always going to topple over and cause great injury was an eccentric addition to the mostly open-plan of SB?
But the Chelsea of the old Stamford Bridge is far away from todays outfit, long gone is the world of Alan Hudson and the workman’s ballet.This is Billionaire owned football played by millionaires. Ok, Chelsea are not what they were under the heavy financial doping years but are still a tough team on their day and full of pride when it comes to playing the Arsenal.
Currently resting in fourth, I can’t see this lot lying down and thinking of enabling a victory-through-harmony for the Guns. Yet they boast a team packed full of talent and I’m sure will be challenging with more intensity next season. Next season, despite all, it already feels like the collective Arsenal eyes are on next year? This February and March has felt like being trapped on a hamsters wheel, and I wondered if you felt the same toward the Arsenal this season: an endless ride on the hamster-wheel of fortune of almost achieving? Could be worse, we could be mid-table or snaffling around the old Hades end of the table like other clubs. No thanks.
I phoned up statto HQ and they’ve quoted me the stats and the Mighty Cannon has been given us a 52.7% chance of winning, and Chelsea, 21.8%. So statto thinks we have a spring in our step. May the stars be with you too statto.
Well that’s it, time to catch up on our hobbies during the international break. Take care. COYG!
Mills
Positively Arsenal 
Gabriel back early from Brazil duty cos he got booked and will miss their next match or two, and Timber back early cos he is ill and won’t be well enough to play in their upcoming game.
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I take it Martinelli didn’t go to the Brazil squad?
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one week till Arsenal play Fulham
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Ed, apart from Calafiori is everyone else back safe and well.
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think they all came through ok, Timber was sick but is expected to be ok by Tuesday
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FT: Arsenal Women 3-0 Real Madrid Women
AGG: 3-2 and Arsenal advance to the semi finals of the womens champions league
Russo x2 and Mariona with our goals, Russon also had 2 goals ruled out for offside, seemingly both extremely close calls
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The EPL have revealed there will be 2 separate transfer windows this summer.
The new regulations will come into place ahead of the 2025-26 season and they were agreed at a meeting of club owners and executives in London.
The new 2 part transfer window is happening due to the FIFA Club World Cup
The first window opens between June 1 and June 10
The window will resume on June 16 to September 1.
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I can’t see the point in only closing the window for six days seems a bit of a waste.
Also is the first window only for clubs in the club world cup or is it for everyone.
Back over to you Ed,
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seems to be for everyone, I like you found it odd that it closes for a week, especially cos the club world cup goes on for much longer than that, but from any article I’ve seen the window closes for the week.
Also don’t like that the season will be 2 weeks in before the window closes.
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Yeah see they voted on the window closing before the season but it didn’t make the numbers, probably big clubs didn’t want it as I would imagine the small clubs wouldn’t have wanted all over early
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think ian it has more to do with other major leagues transfer window still being open so EPL did not want to have players unsettled or sold out of their squads with no ability to replace
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Arsenal today confirmed that Andrea Berta is joining the club as Sporting Director
David Ornstein says that Berta has identified Viktor Gyokeres as our main striker target this summer. A more gettable target than Isak
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Arsenal Women won again today, and with Chelsea drawing the gap is now down to 6 points, man utd are level on points with Arsenal, only a few games to go so very unlikely to get above unbeaten chelsea
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Arsenal U21’s are away to Norwich U21’s tomorrow evening, kick off 7pm. the game is live on Arsenal.com
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on Viktor Gyokeres I was shocked that he was not snapped up by an EPL club when he was at Coventry, he stood out as a class above the championship and was clearly a very good goal scorer.
on a similar note I really think if Arsenal want to take a punt on a championship player this summer it should be Middlesboro Ireland international Finn Azaz, he is one of those players who always looks like he has time, and he sees the opening, would be a good back up option to odegaard, and he can play other forward positions too.
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Ed, spot on he is a good player but he’s not high profile enough for Mikel. If Real Madrid sign him we might pick him up in a few years.
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FT: Norwich City U21’s 0-3 Arsenal U21’s
Rosiak, Gower and Sweet with his first goal at his level, give AFC a good win.
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George, sent the preview over. COYG!
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EXPECTANCY AND FULHAM, IN APRIL
Hello and how are you?
Tuesday the 1st of April will see the Mighty Cannon back in action playing the second of our two matches this season against Fulham FC of wild western London. Kick off at the Emirates is at 7.45 pm western European time.
Spring has sprung! Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote, the droght of March hath perces to the roote and bathed every veyne in swich licóur of which vertú engendred is the flour etc.
Yet the spring-weather lore of our time bears little resemblance to that of Chaucers day. March (where I am) came in like a lamb and went out like a lamb, I don’t expect any April showers as I haven’t seen any for ten years. That’s the way of things for good or bad; all things change…
Well, we’re back again after the longest international ‘break’ ever. When it started I was 24 and now I’m 55. Can you hear the Kinks in the background singing: “where did all the good times go”..?
Everyone seems to be back without injury, phew. But perhaps any relief on that front is with an eye on the looming Madrid game rather than this encounter with Fulham or the up-coming game against Everton?
Mr. Saka looks like he will be returning, and the outlets I’ve been keeping a corner eye on, seem to think he will be the new messiah. How do you feel? I feel a bit sceptical about messiahs who are supposed to suddenly change the whole dynamic of the team and save everyone not just from sin but from poor play.
Do you think this perspective creates too much expectancy and too much pressure? The Selector warned us about too much pressure back in 1980. Seriously though, its unnecessary, if a players been out for a while it doesn’t mean they are coming in better than before, Martins been struggling since his injury and hasn’t hit the form we were used to seeing, and once noticed the Queen of Hearts of mob rule seems to pop up and start shouting “off with his head!”, which, in my mind is way too extreme. But who cares for my bat-squeak of an opinion, loud voices rule the day, even if they are carried away and forgotten by tomorrow’s breeze.
Yet telling us all its raining when all you have to do is look out of the window and see for yourself is poor punditry to me. Whats more interesting is the suggestion of umbrellas, boots and raincoats and where some shelter is? Don’t get me wrong, Saka is a fabulous player and makes us much, much more exciting, but consciousness is a nightmare in football and being self aware messes up everything, and pressure of expectancy makes it even worse? But hopefully he will do the business and leave me with egg on my mush and a scolding for being too angsty.
It seems at his point in the season a cloud of melancholy floats in? Eleven games to go, the baseballs already started, the seasons winding down, sunshine is back again and we will all soon be overwhelmed by the competition of the transfer market.
What a long grind of a journey its often been this year, only because I feel we’ve been underachieving, however I still hope we can keep second, build on it and enjoy St. Totteringham’s day soon. And there’s always next season…
“shut up you Brooklyn bum”
The mighty Cannon has been given a 64% chance (by Statto HQ) of securing a victory, whilst Wolfie Smith’s favourite team have been given a meagre 12%. So come on you Gunners, can we please have five or more.
Take care of yourselves, and power to the people!
Mills
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He’s not the Messiah he’s a very naughty boy.
Excellent again Mills,
The boys with the cannons need to be accurate with the pirates from the cottage and everything will be fine COYG.
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LOL!
Thanks Ian, means a lot. Hope youre doing well mate.
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