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.
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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Once again we start on a Fucking Friday night. You would think by now that the powers that be would give the fans a little bit of thought. The cov fans probably aren’t happy either.
The run in doesn’t look too bad, although I suppose you can’t tell until the games are upon you and the season and current form of the teams you are playing are known.
Three games in March and April and five in May seems a bit strange as well, especially when you consider the most successful sides will still be in other competitions.
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ian the lack of games in march and april is probably to do with fa cup games and or international football.
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non Arsenal fans saying its already fixed in Arsenal’s favor as Arsenal are the only team who don’t have to play the reigning champions.
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seems Arsenal are very close to announcing the new head of the academy
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on this day in 1995 Arsenal signed Dennis Bergkamp for £7.5M form Inter Milan.
It was one of those moments that I will never forget. I with my family were on our way to Knock Shrine in Co. Mayo, Ireland, and just before I set off I checked Ceefax on BBC and Teletex on ITV, and both had the headline that Bergkamp was joining Aston Villa for £7M, with one of them mentioning that Arsenal had enquired for him but Aston Villa had won the transfer battle.
I was a massive fan of Bergkamp, right from his Ajax days. Anyway on the two and an a half hour car journey to Knock I tried a few times to get the sports news on BBC Radio 5, as RTE radio seldom if ever at that time would include sports news with their hourly news bulletin, but my first tune in had such a bad signal I barely got the words Bergkamp has signed for,
the second time around an hour later it was Dennis Bergkamp has signed for Arsenal in a £7.5m record transfer deal. I could barely believe it, in fact I really didn’t believe it.
By time the third hourly news bulletin came around I was in Knock, on the pilgrimage, but I ducked out and back to the car and could just about hear enough of it through the bad signal to have it confirmed.
Now that was one pilgrimage I really did give thanks to God. And how many times during his time at Arsenal did we all give thanks to God for God playing for Arsenal.
Dennis Bergkamp my favorite ever Arsenal player, just ahead of Mesut Ozil and Liam Brady.
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My favourite when I was a kid was Terry Mancini. He certainly wasn’t in the same class technically as my later favourites but he certainly was a character.
Then came the king Brady, then the humble but brilliant David Rocastle and then the iceman. After that it had to be the ever smiling Kolo.
In every team I have slight favourites but even in this squad no-one who could live up to those greats.
Mentioning Terry as a character then I have to include mooning Sammy Nelson (I actually named one of my sons after him without my Mrs realising he was an ARSENAL player. Eboooooe who was always funny and of course, the master of the dark arts, Big bad Ben White
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Arsenal are one of a number of clubs in pursuit of West Ham’s 15 year old midfielder Isaac Allen
Elijah Upson (spurs), Samuel Amissah (Fulham) and Emmanuel Fejokwu (West Ham) are all targets for our U21 squad, all 3 are out of contract with their current clubs at the end of the month, but compensation fees would need to be agreed.
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some reports in Georgia that Arsenal have agreed a £4.5M fee for 17 year old forward Andria Bartishvili, and he would join us next March when he turns 18
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reports that Arsenal have stepped up their pursuit of Morgan Rodgers and that it could be completed while he is still at the World Cup
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there are many rumors that Arsenal are willing to sell Martin Odegaard this summer, with Bayern Munich, PSG, Atletico Madrid and a few clubs in Italy interested in him, and that Nico Paz the 21 year old Argentine who has had an outstanding season with Como the man we want to replace him with. The interesting thing is that reports in Spain are that Real Madrid will be activating a buy back clause of £10M for him and then selling him for about £60M, with AFC main contenders.
Other players seeing lots of rumors about leaving AFC are Vieira, Jesus, Trossard, Martinelli, White and Norgaard. With Reiss Nelson wanted by West Ham. the Nelson rumor suggests he might be a make weight in an AFC move for Crysencio Summerville with the Dutch winger wanting to leave WHU after their relegation
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Halmstads BK has made contact with Arsenal to sign our 19 year old Danish goalkeeper Lucas Martin Nygaard.
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just one thing on the Odegaard rumors, maybe we do want him out as he missed so many games last season, he only played in 36 of our 63 games last season, and only 24 of our 38 EPL games.
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It’s not only about the games he has missed, his form and all round game have also been questionable as well.
He cannot tackle, often gives away free kicks in dangerous areas and when he does try to tackle he tackles from the wrong side.
His main assets are breaking down packed defences and his ability to lead the press. But that hasn’t happened much this season.
We all know when he is good, he is really good, but that again has been rare.
For both club and manager it is very important to know when is the right time to let quality players leave.
Personally I believe we have reached that point and we should cash in while he still will command a high fee and reinvest his high wages in a player who will contribute more for many seasons to come.
This has some similarities with the Leno, Martinez situation. This time we need to jump the right way.
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Aaron Ramsey set to become the new Oxford United manager.
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Arsenal defender Laia Codina has signed for WSL club West Ham United on a free transfer after Arsenal agreed to not extend her contract by a year, so that she could get more playing time elsewhere.
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Ed, is Issac Allen any relation to the football family that played for the spuds and West Ham and Clive, who was an ARSENAL player for 30 seconds in the strange transfer business that saw Kenny Sampson arrive at Highbury.
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Ian I haven’t see it mentioned in connection to him so I doubt it.
it seems Kyran Thompson the 16 year old forward who we signed from West Ham two years ago for £1M is leaving us for Spurs, he was offered a scholarship and pro deal by Arsenal but seems he is getting a much bigger deal from spurs so will be leaving when his contract runs out next week. Arsenal would get some compensation.
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a young player Arsenal were one of a whole host of clubs chasing was JOSHUA HOLME (2012) – ST, Shamrock Rovers Academy — 122 goals & 92 assists in 147 academy games, as he is only 14 it complicated any move, but the way around the transfer rules that has been used for him to move to England is that his family have moved to England. Not confirmed yet which club he has signed for, but its rumored to be Liverpool, as his dad is a lifelong Liverpool fan and there are some reports that he has a very highly rated cousin already in the Liverpool academy.
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Oxford United confirm Aaron Ramsey as their new first team head coach.
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Arsenal looking to play BVB Dortmund and Como in the home pre season friendlies, with one of them likely to be the Emirates Cup game.
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reports in Ireland that Arsenal are tracking Cork City’s 16 year old attacking midfielder Cillian Murphy, the Limerick lad turns 17 in July, he has been a regular for Cork City this season. He is an Republic of Ireland U17 International. Cork city are top of the League of Ireland First Division (second tier of the league)
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Javier Alonso will leave Granada to join Andrea Berta’s technical team at Arsenal
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Bruno Guimaraes being linked with Arsenal once again, some rumors that due to Newcastle not making the CL he has a release clause of €60m, he is 28 but at that price he would be worth it.
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Piero Hincapie move to Arsenal has been made permanent.
reports that Emerson Nwaneri has become the latest hale end schoolboy to turn down a scholarship deal with Arsenal and has left the club. Many reports that Ethan Nwaneri will be leaving this summer too.
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Elliot Anderson is joining Man City for a fee of up to £130m, he will be under going his medical at the England training camp in the USA
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Arsenal U21s have been drawn in Group F of the EFL Trophy, where they will face AFC Wimbledon, Leyton Orient and Barnet
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Pascal de Maesschalck the Technical Director at Strasburg FC is the leading candidate to become the new Head of the Arsenal Academy. He formerly had that role at both Monaco and Club Brugge, he was also Head of youth development at Club Brugge for a time too.
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Arsenal have had a verbal offer for Bruno Guimaraes rejected by Newcastle, it is reported to have been £55M, and its expected Arsenal will increase the bid to £60M plus up to another £10M in add ons. It might need Guimaraes to put in a transfer request.
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a new link is Pablo Barrios of Atletico Madrid, the 23 year old spanish midfielder.
there are rumors that Zubimendi will be heading back to Spain this summer and is why Arsenal are so actively seeking new midfielder signings.
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