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 
reports that Arsenal are showing strong interest in Cardiff City teenager Axel Donczew. The 16-year-old midfielder last season became the youngest player in Cardiff’s history
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Arsenal Women being linked with a move for Spanish goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez after her contract ran down at Real Madrid
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reports from Sweden say Arsenal loanee Charles Sagoe Jr has emerged as a target for a permanent move to AIK this summer, he has impressed on loan at Kalmar, he will soon be 22 and does not have a future at Arsenal.
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Reports that Arsenal and Aston Villa in talks for the signing of Morgan Rogers, with a deal for £100M (about £10M more than Arsenal intended to spend) on the cards, but structured to suit Arsenal to get the extra fee for Aston Villa.
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18 years old defender Josh Ogunnaike has signed professional terms with Arsenal, he normally played left CB or left back for our u18’s
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seems Elijah Upson has completed his move to Arsenal after his contract at Spurs ran out. Arsenal would have paid a compensation fee as spurs offered him a pro deal.
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Arsenal now being linked with a move for Real Sociedad right sided CB Jon Martin, the 20 year old has one cap for Spain.
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Arsenal U21’s play Boreham Wood in their first friendly of this preseason, its live on Arsenal.com at 7.
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Ranson, Julienne, Murisa, Ogunnaike, Washington, Ibrahim, Agustien, Copley, O’Neill, Mooney, Harriman-Annous
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Danish goalkeeper Isabella Damm(18) has joined Arsenal Women from Bronby on a permanent transfer.
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Do you think hes worth it, or even Alverez for that matter? 100 million is a lot of geld.
Arsenal women look like they really are going for the WSL title this season. London Liionesses have also bought in a few players, if they click they could be a team to look out for.
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Christos Tzolis is due to complete his medical and move to Arsenal over the weekend
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honestly Mills I really can’t say I’ve watched Villa enough to make a judgement on Rogers, especially as it seems we want him for left wing, while he played a lot of last season as a no.10 for villa. He clearly has talent, and with City inflating the market again a £50M player is now going for £100M
One thing I will say is that I really hope we are not splashing £100m on Alvarez from Atletico, I really have not been impressed by him any time I’ve watched him, both for his club and for country. If we are to stump up a massive fee for a striker I would much rather we sign Kroupi from Bournemouth, for me he has that something special, instant control, can shoot instantly.
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seems arsenal have missed out on Morgan Rogers, as Aston Villa have accepted a verbal offer of £117M from Chelsea, and Rogers happy to sign for them. The fee is a bit steep.
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Elijah Upson has signed his professional contract with Arsenal, he was in attendance at yesterday evenings U21 friendly v Boreham Wood.
that means he follows his father, Matthew Upson in being a professional players at Arsenal, first duo to do so.
Which got me thinking, isn’t it a bit odd how few sons follow their dads as professional footballers. In other sports lots of fathers and sons make it to the top of their sport.
Johann Cruyff once said of his son Jordi, who played for Barcelona, Ajax and Man Utd among others, that Jordi had a good career considering he inherited his footballing ability from his mother.
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West Ham looking to sign Jaden Dixon on loan from Arsenal for the season, would be a good move for the lad to gain experience. He played one first team game for Arsenal after his mid season move from Stoke.
Maybe Arsenal are in for West Ham right back Wan-Bissaka
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Arsenal now being linked with Morgan Gibbs-White, seems if we can’t get one Morgan we will just go for another Morgan. ha ha ha
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Rice and Saka start for England in the 3rd/4th place play off
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Arsenal now linked with a move for Yan Diomande of Leipzig, but PSG seem in pole position for his signing.
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I’m a little bit worried about the some of the players we seem to be going for this window, so far.
Alvarez has said he wants to stay in Spain, Bruno will be difficult to get out of Newcastle as they have received lots of money recently, Rogers was always going to be an auction and getting any players out of Forrest with their money and the politics there will be extremely hard.
Last season we wrapped up signings early and got who we wanted. This time we seem to be struggling. The World cup obviously complicates things and upgrading a league winning side is also difficult. I just hope we don’t tie ourselves in knots.
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ian we all want deals done as soon as possible, but as you say the world cup affects it a bit. I do laugh at the amount of whinging about Rogers going to Chelsea, especially from so many who were saying even £90M would be way too much for him, but now seem to think we should have splashed out £115M for him, a full £25M more than Arsenal were said to value him at. These same people would whinge if we had signed him for £115M and then found out at close of the window that we hadn’t the funds to buy an extra player or some other top option cos we over spent on Rogers.
For me I’d rather have Eze in our team any day over Rogers. And as I’ve said many times this summer, I really want us to sign Kourpi, if we want to over spend on any player, let it be him, he is a special talent.
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Arsenal being linked with the bosman signing of John Stones, he only played in 9 EPL games for Man City last season, he has a poor injury record, so would be an odd signing to be a possible replacement for Saliba if he is to be out for a few months. Imagine having to rely on Timber, White, Stones and Calafiori to stay fit.
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Wenger predicted at the start of the World Cup that Spain would win it as they were the best technical team and had the best team game, he also said they were the best tactically, had the ability to nullify opponents. He has been proven so right.
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England the only World Cup winners who have only won it on one occasion. They have only played in one final, as have Sweden and Croatia. Hungary and Czechoslovakia have both lost two finals, but poor old Netherlands have lost 3.
Spain have won both finals they have played, as have Uruguay
Brazil have 5 wins from 7 finals
Germany have 4 wins from 8
Italy have 4 wins from 6
Argentina have 3 wins from 7
France hace 2 wins from 4
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fucking gobshite Trump staying in the photo with the spain team at the trophy lift
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Arsenal confirmed today that Elijah Upson has signed a pro deal with us.
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seems William Saliba has decided against surgery on his injured back, and instead will under go a long period of rest, how long is anybodys guess
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Raul Asencio of Real Madrid the latest CB to be linked to Arsenal
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from Jeorge Bird
Arsenal now have four players in their U21 squad who are related to former Premier League players.
Demiane Agustien (son of Kemy Agustien)
Brayden Clarke (son of Nigel Quashie)
Elijah Upson (son of Matthew Upson)
Marcell Washington (step-son of Ryan Bertrand)
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Arsenal confirm that Saliba has a back injury, but no surgery recommended, but that he will be out for an “extended period”
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the Tzolis signing photos have been leaked, so expect his announcement tomorrow.
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the signing of Christos Tzolis has been confirmed by Arsenal, he will wear the no.17 shirt.
seen a report that he picked the no.17 as it is the number of the team mate at Brugge who he was friendliest with, seems that he picked his number at Brugge in regards to his best friend at his previous club. Nice gesture.
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BBC reporting that Arsenal will bid £70M for Bruno Guimarães, this follows reports that Bruno has agreed personal terms with Arsenal in full.
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Quantum of Tzolis
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The massive news today, no no not the links to Vinicius Junior, the massive news is that Arsenal were back in action, our first team played a behind closed doors friendly v MK Dons, Arsenal won 3-0 with goals from Reiss Nelson(assist from Tzolis) Ethan Nwaneri and Ceadach O’Neill.
first half team
Arrizabalaga, Copley, Mosquera, Salmon, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, Nelson, Dowman, Tzolis, Jesus
second half team
Arrizabalaga (Meslier 59′), Ogunnaike, Salmon (Julienne 59′), Clarke, Copley (Washington 59′), Ibrahim, Agustien, O’Neill, Harriman-Annous, Kabia, Mooney
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With just 26 days until the first game of the season, it looks like we won’t be ready for the first Friday.
Obviously you don’t win the league in the first six games, but they are very important in establishing a structure and not losing games.
We have not got long to bed in partnerships with new players and those covering for players who played the latter stages of the world cup. Seven players, played in the last weekend of the cup and with the mandatory three weeks rest, trying to get the balance of giving them some sort of pre-season and assimilating into the side at the correct time will be very difficult.
Defending the league is difficult enough but it seems we are hamstrung by being officially the club most affected by the world cup.
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White, Timber, Hincapie, Gyokeres and Havertz all part of our squad who have travelled to Spain for a training camp and will play Real Betis on Saturday.
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16 year old midfielder Axel Donczew is signing for Arsenal from Cardiff, where he holds their record for youngest ever first team player. Lets hope he is as good as the last young lad we signed from Cardiff, Aaron Ramsey.
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from Next Generation Arsenal
Academy players in the preseason squad that has flown to spain
Josh Ogunnaike LB/CB
Louie Copley CM
Ceadach O’Neill W/CF
Marli Salmon RB/CB
Ismael Kabia RB/RW
Brayden Clarke CB
Khari Ranson GK
Ife Ibrahim CM
Demiane Agustien AM
Theo Julienne CM/RB
Andre Harriman-Annous LW/CF
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Chelsea are in for Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson, many opposing fans are lapping this up, but you know what, these two might be exactly the type of characters Chelsea need, massive experience, level headed and honest professionals, all things Chelsea have lacked for some time
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off topic, just bought a 2018 Peugeot 3008 GT Line, with only 53000kms on it. I’m getting the rims refurbished, as they have lots of scuff marks. I’m getting them done in Black Gloss, the car is Red so has lots of black on it. So the rims should set it off well. I’ll be getting a detachable towbar on it too, as I use a trailer only a few times a year.
I’ve spent the last few weeks trying to get a good used car, and oh my god its a difficult job when on a limited budget. Some of the cars for sale by dealers are of poor quality and the dealers are crooks. For example I arranged to see a Qashqai last week, set 2.30 to view it and test drive, arrived on time, the dealer not there. the car was, the drivers door was unlocked. So I had a good look round it, and under it. There was oil dripping from the four corners of it, as the suspension had been oiled up that day, then I could see lots of rust on the under body, and then I noticed the real douzy, a six inch crack in the windscreen, up behind the rear view mirror. So I left before the dealer arrived.
Four hours later the dealer rang me and said I thought you said you were coming to test drive the Nissan. I said I was there at the agreed time. He said oh i had to go away. Are you coming up. I said about the crack in the windscreen. His reply “I wouldn’t worry about that”. Then I mentioned the oiled up suspension joints, and he said “that’s nothing”. Then when I mentioned the rust his reply “you won’t get a car of its age without rust” My reply was “my car is 3 years older and has no rust. He wasn’t at all pleased that I told him I wouldn’t touch that car with someone else’s bargepole.
The sad this is that I see a Ford Focus the week before at a main ford dealer and they hadn’t even cleaned the car, inside or out. And while on the test drive the oil service light came on, as did the fill the wash wipe container. But the real kicker was the state of the under side of the car, it only had 50000kms on it, but it was rotten with rust, can only assume it was owned beside the sea, and the saltwater destroyed it.
one last incident, rang about another ford focus, it was an imported car from Northern Ireland. when I rang they told me, not sure which the said, “its still in a container unit in Northern Ireland” or “its still in a containment unit in Northern Ireland” and they’d send me notification when they had it at the dealer. Now this is a car they have up on their website for sale.
I had so many more failed efforts, all on the sellers end.
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I once tried a wooden car, with a wooden engine……
It wooden go!
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at least it wouldn’t have any rust, and look at all the money you saved on fuel
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