Hello and how are you? Saturday the 8th of November sees the Mighty Cannon again haul its Arsenal on the road, as we make a visit to Wearside and the Stadium of Light and play Sunderland AFC. Kick off is 18.30pm central European time (5.30pm UK time). Expected weather is 11° (feels like 6°) partly cloudy with 1% chance of rain.
The Black Cats have had a good season so far, and a haven’t been beaten at home (like us, Bournemouth Palace and Brighton) although Everton got close. Sunderland are currently in 4th (W5 D3 L2 F12 A8) and have got the better of Newcastle, the Spuds, ManU, Villa and Chelsea, no small achievement for Régis Le Bris’ side.
Big Vic is still out despite a good performance at Burnley, with muscular trouble, Martinelli will sit this one out too. Although Vic, Kai and Noni will be available for the clash with Tottenham. Jesus trained earlier than expected but I’m not sure if he’ll sit on the bench for this one.
The Zube will be back today, despite sitting out through suspension the Slavia Prague game, and also having picked up an injury at Turf Moor.
Aji Alese (shoulder), Dennis Cirkin (wrist), Romaine Mundle (thigh), Leo Fuhr Hjelde (Achilles) and Habib Diarra (groin) are all missing for Sunderland. Defender Omar Alderete is still crocked after becoming concussed against Everton.
Our best mates at Statto HQ have lit the beacons and sent over a message saying that Sunderland have been given an 11% chance of winning and Arsenal 68.4%. Next up the international break and then its Them at the Grove. So COYG!
Mills
Eight clean sheets in a row, wtf is that all about? I mean our defensive players and sat up are out of this world. It’s the best I’ve ever seen, from any team anywhere. If we keep these standards up we will win the league. Honestly is hard to think we wont, because not only are the back four unbelievably good, but we have another five players that can come in with no noticeable drop in standards. Our second choice bak four would still be the best in the country. Marvelous. Of course it goes farther than just the back four, the whole team puts it’s shoulder to the wheel and Arteta has set them up to do it. Some of us might want to be more entertained but we can’t argue with the result. It’s not like it’s unsustainable, in fact it looks anything but.
Mikel and Granit have been waxing lyrical about each other prior to us facing our former captain, and more key player, for the first time since his departure. It’s odd how I seemed to spend about 5 years defending him, only now for pundits to be calling him the best buy of the Summer.
Ok, that’s it , enjoy the game and COYG.
Pedantic George.
Positively Arsenal 
Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Zubimendi, Eze, Saka, Trossard, Merino.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, White, Hincapie, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman, Harriman-Annous
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Two ex Arsenal in the Sunderland team- Ballard and Xhaka
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Dang my fkn commentary’s gone down and I cant remember my blooming password etc for Arsenal.com. I can see theyve scored.
Whats happening Ed?
Too much bs about clean sheets makes too much pressure and jealous pundits happy when it goes down the drain. Still enough time to win though…COYG!
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Not playing well, Xhaka best player on the pitch. Can’t see where a goal is going to come from .
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COYG.
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Thanks George. COYG! Get in thereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!
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Number two!
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the Trossard goal
https://x.com/i/status/1987236728252604727
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they’ve just said that goal was Trossard’s first goal from outside the box since 2021 v Brentford
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Eze off, Mosquera on
Sunderland have had a couple of close ones in last 10 minutes or so, we really need to put them on the back foot but this sub is likely to try and close things up at the back.
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7 minutes of stoppage time to be played.
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ah for fucks sake, 2-2, stupid stupid stupid, only ourselves to blame, stopped going for it and sat back and now pay the price.
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shag.
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Ballard blocks a certain goal in the dying minutes
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two points needlessly dropped. Risk averse bullshit bites us in the ass once more. Will Arteta ever learn.
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Daylight Brobbery!
Actually it wasn’t bit its a better headline than any of media will think up.
The first half was awful, I wonder sometimes whether the scouting or the players comprehension of the opposition is off. Whatever it was we just wasn’t ready.
The way they set up the ball had to be moved quickly, the wingers had to keep the pitch wide and we had to get in behind and keep the ball low.
Instead we were slow, played in front of them and lobbed everything slow and high, absolutely playing into their strengths.
Defensively we weren’t accepting that we might lose the first ball and the press wasn’t one thing or the other.
Second half started with adjustments made in all areas and it paid off. Unfortunately as soon as we went ahead we regressed and slowed down instead of putting them to the sword.
Our flow wasn’t helped all game by a ref who played advantage when their was clearly none and in most cases we lost the ball. This encouraged the black cats to get to challenges later and later without fear of reprisal. The VAR lads had their feet up enjoying the game not looking into anything.
Dan Ballard should have been sent off twice but left the field without even a booking.
With six forward players out our attacking replacements were all young and we were back to previous seasons problem of Mikel not trusting his bench. Saka was again tired in the closing stages and should of come off especially as he lost the ball several times on the counter.
Game management was again lacking with the Sunderland corner flag never visited and decent periods of possession never materializing.
To make only one sub in a game of this intensity seems ludicrous especially as they made five attacking subs., legs at least should have been thought of but like I said Mikel didn’t trust his bench.
Ballad was given MOTM for his involment in important moments at both end of the pitch but actually the imperious Xhaka was the dictator here, but we all knew that anyway.
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Obviously a draw would be ideal for us today but actually anything but a city win would do.
COYG.
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bloody city winning 2-0. No draw, no injuries and no mass brawl with players getting banned and clubs getting points deducted. Seems like I didn’t get any of my football wishes today.
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So it seems we know our title rivals. A really dangerous rival who knows how to win titles. Its amazing how the narrative will change, all of a sudden it won’t be “oh its ARSENALS to lose” it will be about how great city are and will ARSENAL crack under pressure.
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FT: Man City 3-0 Liverpool
City now just 4 points behind Arsenal
Liverpool are 8 points behind us and have lost 5 of their 11 EPL games so far this season. That is one hell of a slump for the reigning champions, who spend half a billion in the summer to strengthen their title winning team.
Newcastle just the 2 points off the relegation places. Good good.
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former Arsenal player and youth coach Ryan Garry is now in interim charge of Norwich
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That was a proper hard game, fair play to the lads they were a few mins from getting the win.
Xhaka’s a massive influence on what ever team he plays for (Swiss, Basel, Arsenal, Leverkusen). A rea leader and proper pro.
Both goal we conceded was poor going by our recent standards, Raya should have stayed on his line but understandable he thought he could get there first.
Please no new injuries over international break and cant wait to get the injured players back.
I am worried about Man City. Doku Hallaand looking Dangerous, Cherki finding form and defence is looking better.
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with a last minute goal against us resulting in two points lost and previous four time winners just destroying last seasons champions, many ARSENAL fans may feel a little down this Monday.
However the cycle this season sees us away when city are at home and obviously vice versa. City have just come off a big victory but it was at there place. Their away form has not been so great so far with two defeats, a draw and two wins against bottom of the table Wolves and Brentford.
We all know our start has been really difficult with visits to manure, pool, Fulham, Newcastle and Sunderland. While we still have difficult away trips to face they are mostly in London and two of the most difficult are in the week after the interlull.
In the famous last ten game run in the only trips outside of London are Brighton, city and wolves.
City having started badly away from home, have all the top half of the table sides still to visit apart from us and villa, neither of which they beat.
The spud, bayern, chelsea week will obviously be massive but do well there and we will be well set up for the final two thirds of the season and the aim of going to city in April knowing a defeat would still leave us in front.
After the city game we finish with newcastle, fulham, and burnley at home and west ham and palace away.
We have done very well to cope without six forward players so although there is loads of city fanfare in the media we are still in a fantastic position.
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Agreed @Ian. I am ignoring the media and the narratives.
When Liverpool were a few points ahead this season and threatened to extend their lead, the next game for Arsenal became a must win and all sort of negative scenarios were contemplated,generating more talking points and clicks with fan channels panicking and some meltdowns.
Got very tiresome for me so I ignored it and tried to look at the situation rationally.
This team plays for the badge, the shirt, the club, the manager and the fans.
I see a tight group with a focus and vision and I see they all believe in Mikel and his vision.
That alone can get us to our goals this season.
We might not do it, anything is possible but I am not going to throw toys out the pram if they don’t.
Winning any league is hard and you need things to go your way also but consistency is key and so far that’s what we are doing.
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our U21’s play away at Cardiff tonight and there are rumors that a couple of our senior forwards who are returning from injury might get some game time. Jesus, Havertz and Madueke are being mentioned as possible returnees
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the rumors were false no senior players in the U21 line up tonight.
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Rojas plays his first U21 game in over a year. Harriman-Annous is up front.
Rojas
King, Onyekachukwu, Sweet, Washington
Ibriham, Dudziak, Copley
Kamara, Harriman-Annous, Sagoe Jr
Subs: Mitchell, Nicholls, Julienne, Stevens, Ogunnaike, Owusi-Gyasi, Bailey-Joseph
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HT: 1-1
Washington gave AFC the lead but 2 minutes later it was level again. AFC the better side in that half.
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Arsenal goalkeeper Alexei Rojas sent off for foul
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sub goalkeeper Mitchell comes on with Dudziak going off, Bailey-Joseph comes on for his U21 debut with Kamara going off
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Cardiff take the lead, and if it remains that way Arsenal are going out of the EFL Trophy
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3-1 now
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defeat and cup exit for the U21’s
Now 13 games without a win across U21, U19 and U18 levels
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Ed,
13 games without a win across all levels sounds horrendous but I don’t think we need to panic yet.
The U16s have just won the recent Premier League National Tournament and have lots of players who are considered prospects.
All of academies go through bare spells unless you are throwing billions at it like chelsie. We have had players sold or refusing contracts and moving on.
This season we have had more players than usual playing up in age groups or first team. The use of schoolboys and first year scholars has been widespread. The difference between first and second years can be massive.
At the moment I wouldn’t be to concerned especially with the new coaching staff as well. If it stays the same for a while then decisions will have to be made.
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Maurizio Micheli has agreed to join Arsenal from Napoli as part of recruitment team under director Andrea Berta
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Maxim Afonin a 15-year-old centre-back who plays for Shamrock Rovers and the Republic of Ireland at youth level is currently on trial with Arsenal, he played for the U16’s this weekend. This is his second time over with Arsenal.
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in the last few days Arsenal have had a goalkeeper start for England at three different youth levels –
Setford (U21s),
Ranson (U19s)
Porter (U17s).
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Gabriel subbed off injured playing for Brazil at the Emirates today
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just seen that another Shamrock Rovers player, 16 year old midfielder Joel McPhail also played for the Arsenal U16’s this weekend.
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Joel is the son of former Leeds and Cardiff midfielder Stephen McPhail, who was born in England but played for the Republic of Ireland having moved to Ireland at a young age. This might be significant for the prospects of Joel signing for AFC as it might open up the path for him to sign as a scholar and not have to wait till he turns 18.
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It is typical that ahead of our most important and difficult week of the season one of our most influential players gets injured.
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Arsenal ladies fucked up again, third game in a row that they failed to win, 0-0 v spurs. Man Utd and Chelsea had both dropped points so this was a great chance to get right back in it but once again they failed to fire.
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Republic of Ireland pulled off a great result v Hungary, winning 3-2 away, getting the winner in stoppage time, to book a place in the play offs in March.
Former spurs player Troy Parrot got all three goals for Ireland today, he scored the two goals v Portugal on Thursday so this was an International break he will never forget.
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Can’t believe the ladies didn’t win. I watched the game and they were in total control. They just couldn’t create the massive chances needed. It was all nearly stuff, there were chances that should have been at least shots on target but they were blazed over.
They remind me of Brighton a few seasons ago, who played excellent football, could control games even against the best but scored very few goals. However when that team starting scoring they shot up the table. I’m sure the ARSENAL women click they will be excellent.
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Gabriel could be out for 2 months with thigh strain.
Havertz has had a set back and will be out for another month or so.
Gyokeres a doubt for the spurs game.
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the Republic of Ireland will play one of
Poland
Wales
Slovakia
Czechia
in the World Cup play off semi finals. The Draw in on Thursday, and the game will be in March.
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George, a sketch of a preview sent to you. COYG!
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Its up.
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