Hello and how are you? So, for the second time in our history as a football club, I’m happy to say, the Mighty Cannon will play in the Champions League Final, as we take on the French champions, PSG. KO 6.00pm local ( 5pm UK) in the Puskas arena in Budapest. Expected weather in the Hungarian capital is 24° (feels like 28°) with humidity at 45%, dew point at 12°. There are some thunder storm warnings (yellow).
In many respects, such was the intense slog and grind of our last matches and then the eruption of utter euphoric celebration in reaction to winning the Premier League, that the CL and our run in it, seem to have been put on a back burner?
Perhaps(?) for many of our fans, this is just something of a novelty as the PL reigns supreme. For me it isn’t so.
Our last outing to me, was beyond my expectations as an Arsenal fan, not since I started watching in 77/78 had we reached such a personally exciting moment. It really seemed audacious and ambitious.
At that point we had become such a force, that winning domestic titles and cups was almost normal? But the Champions League was something else, a chance to take our place amongst the elite of the game, in a golden age of football and footballers.
To me Arsène brought a different perspective to Euro competitions, in the same way, from my perspective, he changed Arsenal into a cosmopolitan club. To see his face at the end of the loss to Barcelona, trying to hide such bitter pain, knowing we could have won the game, was almost too much to take. I’ve only watched the highlights once since that night. It was one of two games I couldn’t(can’t) watch, the other being game fifty, a match that leaves me still unable to look at again.
For two seasons we have a good run in the CL, played some good football, and have beaten some great sides. Sometimes we seemed able to breathe more easily as a unit than in the PL? In many ways the CL has been a lot of fun, to play in and for me to write about, more than the PL. Looking back at all the games I feel a bit melancholic, it’s a tough metaphorical mountain to climb, and we’ve quietly and efficiently gone about our business, all those games and here we are at the final of it all.
Saturday’s opponents, narrowly ejected us last season at the semi-final stage, but anything can happen this 30th of May, anything. And that’s why I’m not going to even attempt at predicting at any aspect of this match.
I’m grateful to be back and I hope we can take this one in our stride, and lay aside the ghosts of twenty years ago.
For the last time this season I called up Statto HQ, and they stopped looking on Instagram and blurted out that Arsenal (Champions of England) have a 30.2% chance of winning. PSG ( champions of France) have a 40.7%. Next up, the world cup and the excitement of transfer (mostly fake) news! Have a safe and enjoyable summer.
So COYG!
Mills.
Thanks Mills. a fine season you have had.
It’s fair tom say that this game is the biggest for 20 years, and maybe ever? I say “ever” because we are a target of mockery from other fans because we are the only , what people might call, super club, that hasn’t won it. 20 years ago City and Chelsea hadn’t won it either, but now they have and it’s now go to banter for others to claim we can’t be a super club.
Wining it will make this squad and their manager immortals.
For once I don’t really care how we go about wining as long as we don’t simply try to stop them playing and hope for smash and grab.
Good luck lads, may the force be with you.
Pedantic George.
Positively Arsenal 
Jurrien Timber will miss the World Cup as his groin injury has not recovered well enough for him to be part of the Netherland squad.
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would be delighted if we were to appoint either Cazorla or Ramsey as the new U21 head coach.
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Former Olympic sprinter Arnaldo Abrantes is the favourite to replace Zafar Iqbal become Arsenal’s new first-team doctor. Abrantes is understood to have left his most recent post as the head of medical services at Aston Villa at the end of the season
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Caitlin Foord has signed a new contract with Arsenal Women
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Nottingham Forest have reportedly submitted a €28m bid for Fabio Vieira
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Arsenal being linked with 2 PSG forwards, Bradley Barcola and Lee Kang-In
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Real Sociedad left winger Ander Barrenetxea being linked with a move to Arsenal
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Arsenal scouts have been tracking Club Brugge’s 24 year old Greek winger Christos Tzolis. he scored17 goals, and had 23 assists for the last season in the league
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David Ornstein now reporting that Arsenal are trying to sign Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, and that it does not impact on Arsenal’s pursuit of other forward targets such as Morgan Rodgers
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an interesting link to arsenal is Nico Paz of Como, he has had an outstanding season.
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an unusual rumor put out about Arsenal’s interest in Morgan Rodgers is that Arsenal did not identify him as a target for a specific slot in the team, but that the scouting reports where so glowing about him that they decided he was too good to miss out on and that he should be signed and then figure out the best way to use him, even if that means altering tactics. Some suggestion that it was even mooted that he could take the place of our captain in the starting 11.
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rumor that Trossard is off to Besitkas for a £20M fee
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as expected Beth Mead has joined Man City Women after leaving Arsenal
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Over a season, in most games Morgan is better than Martin. While we know our captain can be devastating on his day, his impact on games is getting less and less.
Odegaards sale and release of wages would also raise considerable funds to upgrade the team and therefore the squad.
I’m not sure Mikel is ruthless and bold enough to make sutch a move but I do believe it would be in the best interests of the club.
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Real Madrid reach agreement with Chelsea to sign Marc Cucurella. 27yo left-back for €60m – €55m fixed + €5m bonuses.
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according to the Belfast Telegraph Arsenal will sign goalkeeper Phoenix Blayney from Larne, he turns 16 in November. He was on trial at Liverpool and Arsenal several times in the last year, and at his Dad’s former club Nottingham Forest, but it seems Arsenal have won the race to sign him.
The Belfast Telegraph also says Riley McCreery of Cliftonville FC will spend time on trial with Arsenal later this year, he is in the U15 age group.
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some reliable reports that Morgan Rodgers has given Arsenal the green light for his signing, and that he has told Aston Villa of his desire to join Arsenal, also that he has informed other interested clubs that Arsenal is his preferred choice. Some reports suggest it will be done during the world cup as Aston Villa want the fee on this seasons accounts and not next years.
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Borussia Dortmund Frauen have announced the signing of former Gunners goalkeeper Manu Zinsberger, whose Arsenal contract expires at the end of this month.
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Arsenal are set to make a pre-contract offer to sign Andria Bartishvili (17) from Gerogian side FC Kolkheti, he is currently on loan at Iberia 1999 Tbilisi
some reports that our move for Jermy Monga is gathering pace, with an official bid made.
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I haven’t watched much of the World Cup but all I will say is that if these new rules for corner kicks are implemented in the epl then unlike what many claimed, in that it would be the downfall of Arsenal, I think we will be at another level on them, our attackers won’t be blocked and dragged like they were last season and with the good headers we have and the great deliveries we have we should score even more.
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arsenal once again being linked with Parma’s Japan goalie Zion Suzuki
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