Hello and how are you? Wednesday the 1st of October will see the Mighty Cannon host a visit from Olympiacos FC at Ashburton Grove, for the CL second match of the 2025/6 season. Kick off is at 21.00pm Central European time (20.00pm UK time). Expected weather is partial cloud and 15°C.
We head into this match with the winds of euphoria at our tails after the epic battle in Newcastle. Olympiacos are currently 1st in the Greek Super league( W4 L0 D1 F13 A3), and have had a fairly decent run against us in days and clashes of yore.
Head to head we are: MP 12 AFC W 6 OP W 6 D 0. AFC Goals 10, OP goals 8. Our last encounter was relatively recent, back in 2021 in the Europa League, having won the first leg 1-3 we lost 0-1 at the Emirates in the return match.
But lets not be deceived by those results, we are now fielding a totally different line-up from then, and the only survivors from that home defeat are Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Ødegaard, both of whom only featured as subs.
Olympiacos were founded in 1925, and are the most successful team in Greek footballing history and have notched up (selected): 48 titles, 29 cups (19 doubles) and 4 super cups and the UEFA Conference League in 2023/24.
The Erythroleykoi (red and whites) have a vastly experienced manager/coach in José Luis Mendilibar, both on and off the field, who has winners medals from victories in the Europa and Conference Leagues.
In the CL we are ranked 7th and the Thrylos (Legend) are placed at 21st.
Statto HQ telegrammed to say that the Arsenal are 80.2% favoured to win and Olympiacos 6.3%. So COYG!
Mills
We have the wind in our sails and Mikel has a renewed confidence from the online base. Tonight is a great oppertunity to display our attacking intent.
Does the captain come straight back in and Eze move left, leaving the inform Trossard on the bench with Martinelli playing third fiddle? Does Saliba start? Does Ben give Timber a rest? The team is harder to predict this season, which means there are more interchangeable parts, which confirms our greater strength in depth. This is before Havartz and Jesus enter the fray.
It’s all hunky-dory folks. Enjoy the game.
Pedantic George.
Positively Arsenal 
Has the makings of an epic season, doesn’t it?
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Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Zubimendi, Merino, Odegaard; Martinelli, Gyokeres, Trossard
Subs: Kepa, Setford, Mosquera, Saka, Eze, Timber, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Calafiori, Rice, Dowman
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Olympiakos team news
Tzolakis; Costinha, Restos, Pirola, Ortega; Dani Garcia, Hezze, Gelson Martins; Podence, Chiquinho, El Kaabi
Subs: Paschalakis, Kouraklis, Biancone, Kalogeropoulos, Nascimento, Scipioni, Strefezza, Onyemaechi, Pnevmonidis, Mouzakitis, Taremi
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our U19’s lost 2-1 at home to olympiakos earlier today, not helped by having Copley sent off early, a straight red.
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COYG.
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Martinelli misses an open goal with a header after a great ball in by MLS
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Martinelliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii makes it 1-0 to the Arsenal, a tap in after Gyokeres bustled his way through and his shot was parried by the keeper on to the post and Martinelli was there to tap home
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Raya with a brilliant save
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Martinelli just fucked up a great 2 on 1 breakaway, he never seen Gyokeres was totally free in the middle and he tried and failed to take on the fullback on the wing
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Gyokeres down, he was bodychecked near the half way line, looks winded
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now its Gyokeres turn to feck up a 2 on 1, this time he didn’t see Martinelli
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HT: 1-0 to the Arsenal
game could be out of sight by now, we’ve had a few good chances that we have fecked up, they have had one great shot that Raya did well to save. Think both Martinelli and Gyokeres are trying too hard to score, they need to relax a little.
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Ed: do you think Martinelli didnt see Gyokeres, or didn’t want to see him?
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White and Merino off
Timber and Rice on
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foreverheady I think Martinelli didn’t see him, mainly cos he never looked, lacks that bit of awareness, that is why he hasn’t become elite, as he has the materials to be elite, but lacks that awareness and cool head.
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Zubimendi booked
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we could do with getting a second goal to be comfortable
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they have a goal ruled out for offside. We need to step this up and put the game to bed
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Martinelli and Trossard off
Eze and Saka on
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Mosquera on for Gabriel who took a knock when he was the meat in the sandwich between Raya and an attacker
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Rice booked for a high foot
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Odegaard misses after great work from Saka
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5 minutes of stoppage time to be played
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Saka fires home from the left hand side to make it 2-0 to the Arsenal
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FT: 2-0 to the Arsenal
Martinelli and Saka with the goals, we really should have scored more, we played some good football, we gave them a few chances too. Despite no goal Gyokeres was my man of the match,
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think there will be a few games in the near future where we score lots!
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saka scoring means that for the first time in 21 years we have had in five games in a row a sub score a goal.
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I think Rays was MOTM, not just for the saves, keeping us in it, but the clean catches taking the pressure off the defence. His distribution was excellent too and probably should have been rewarded by an assist.
This was a strange game, lots of periods where we were in control bit they always looked dangerous. Towards the end of the game they were getting better and better.
We need to learn to break quickly and effectively. When we do have the chance to break our decision making is awful, no matter who the player is.
Another game, another win and another impact from the bench. The squad looks very good at the moment.
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TBH Martinelli has never seen anyone. He needs “look up” painted on his boots.
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Again sky sports news finally catch up with Ed, and announce the 16yr old lad from Shamrock Rovers has signed for usvand will join us when he is 18.
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George, sent the preview over. COYG!
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Agreement reached for Victor OzhianvunaShare
Arsenal Media03 Oct 2025
We have reached an agreement for Victor Ozhianvuna to join us from League of Ireland Premier Division side Shamrock Rovers in January 2027, when he turns 18.
The 16-year-old forward has already excelled at the senior level, making 16 first-team appearances for Shamrock Rovers in all competitions following his debut earlier this year.
In February, Victor became the second-youngest player to ever feature in the UEFA Conference League, coming on as a substitute in Rovers’ second-leg intermediate stage fixture against Molde. His first goal came just a few months later in an FAI Cup second round victory against Wexford FC.
Victor is a Republic of Ireland youth international and has made nine appearances between the under-15 and under-18 levels for his country.
Everyone at Arsenal is excited to welcome Victor to the club in the near future.
The transfer is subject to the completion of regulatory processes
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New post is up.
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