It looks like I’ll be doing the post game blogs this year, so I’m going to assume that everyone has seen the game, therefore I wont be going through the action because who am I to te
ll you what you have seen. So I will just let you know my thinking and in the comments you can all put me right.
There is much to be happy about and some to be less so happy about.
5-0 and top of the league after game day 2 is about as good as the numbers get. No complaints there then.
Gyokeres scored his first goal and it looked like a typical Gyokeres goal. He made a run into the left channel, cut in, kept good close control and slotted in through a now quit crowded box, into .the near post. The lad looks vey quick, strong and composed. Once his team mate learn to put early ball into the spaces, he could be just the ticket. He also lashed a penalty in with a confidence built on successfully scoring 28 of 29 previous attempts. I hope he take on, and is given, the responsibility of spot kick going forward.
Noni Madueke had a decent game on the left, for me doing better than Martinelli normally does, but the little spell when he moved to the right, he looked much more comfortable and dangerous. Which is good news because with the Saka injury that’s where he will be playing. The Saka injury is a worry, because if it’s the same Hammy, it migh indicate things to come. Let’s hope not, because he’s a bobby dazzler, the goal he lashed in yesterday, with his right foot no less, was a thing to behold.
Timber got MOTM for a good glancing header, a scruffy poke in and a great little through ball assits, on top of a very competent defending display. He’s quite the player too, Ben White has a job on to disloge him.
Max Dowman made his ELP debut and my wood, what a talent. There is no “over hype” with this lad, he’s incredible. 15 years old, hasn’t had his first shave, a year away from his GCSEs and playing like he owns the gaff. He won the penalty too. He’s my new favourite Arsenal player. I’ve never seen a lad anywhere near his level at that age. So exciting.
The defence and Raya look so good and with Zubimendi sitting in front of them, I can’t imagine there is a better defence in world football. Zubimendi looks quck and composed, gets passes away under pressure and I’m sure he will soon me more adventurous once he feels establish in the team.
Right, now the less good stuff. 3 of the 5 goal were from set pieces, so although they count exactly the same as open play goals, and are hugely important, it does indicate that we were not as free flowing and dominate as the 5-0 suggests. In fact until injury time in the first half, it was a tiresome game to watch. We scored of ever attempt on target, that is totally unsustainable. So I don’t think all is rosy on the carpet. But the early signs are encouraging.
Saturday the 23rd of August sees game number two of the 2025/6 season for the Arsenal and our first home game at the Emirates will be against newly promoted Leeds Utd, at 5.30pm UK time.
Old timey rivals of ours from the 1970s and the 1990s, with a rich historical pedigree, we are sure will be excited to make the journey south in hope of another PL victory as they try to get a foothold in the PL.
Leeds beat Everton in their first game, and were awarded a controversial penalty. They have a strong fan base and their team knows about ball control and had 63% of it against the Toffee’s. Our friends at Statto HQ(at the time of writing) have given the Arsenal a 74.7% chance of winning and Leeds have 9.5%.
Mills.
Well if it isn’t all fun and games this week? We got the horrible news that our new beefed up Havertz was out for the season, and now the word is that he will only be out for a few weeks. If ever “Expect the worst and hope for the best” has worked in our favour, this is it. I think we paid £65m for him to replace Xhaka, but that was horrible, so we moved him to CF when Jesus broke down, and it has to be said, there was some success. It worked better than expected, and he certainly brings something to that position. So even although we have a shiny new CF, it would have been a blow to lose the lad for an extended period.
It would appear that the danger of Havertz having a long team injury , caused us to revive our interest in Eze. Not only revive it, but steal him from right under the chicken’s nose. At 27, he is at his peek, can play from the left or the middle, he’s a very good player and raises the high water mark of the squad. His willingness to run with the ball, shoot on sight and pass with risk in the final third, is something we have been woefully short of. I for one am excited about this signing. Well played Arsenal.
Arteta has been backed once again with an absolute fortune, and to be fair, I think the squad is complete. Of course professional moaners will find something to grumble about, but I think we couldn’t realistically asked for much more. I’m not a big fan of Arteta’s vision of how football should be played, but he’s the boss and the club has given him the opportunity to put his ideas into action, and that’s a good thing. No excuses, as they say.
Unless someone is sold that detracts from the strength of the squad, we’re good to go. Let’s hope this is the year and these are the players to go all the way. I think we have a chance. Our defence is top class and our forward line looks much more dynamic and threatening, my only worry is the midfield, but if Martin plays at his best and Rice can better assimilate to the 8 position, it could be good enough.
Right friends, that’s it for our first edition of the new formula for the blog. Let me know how you feel and give any ideas about how to make it better. As ever, if any of you wish to write an article, either regularly, semi-regularly or as a one off, just raise a hand.
The season is off and running with a win in the Old Toilet. Three points and “only the result matters” as the desperate say.
So, let’s start with the positives. Err?!?! we won? Raya made more saves than any keeper in the league this week? We restricted them to only 60% possession? Only let them have twice as many attempts and shots on target? No one got injured or sent off? We seem to have perfected the old “up and under” attack/clearances. Oh yes, plenty of positives.
Now, to our shiny new toy, Victor Gyokeres on his debut, perhaps the least said the better? He looks big, strong and fast. But let’s be fair, with the service he got from our midfield and wingers, even peek Henry would have struggled. I mean we had an extra man in midfield and should have dominated, but we did anything but. Saka and Martinelli were poor and without any excuses.
Look, it was the first game of the season and I’m sure it will get better. It will have too, because that was a painful watch. But all the excuses and wishful thinking in the world, won’t allow me to see any way that we have made considerable steps forward.
Anyway, time will tell and if we have to stink the place out, getting 3 points disguises the stench?
Well, here we are again in the languid dog-days of August, where winter isn’t even a rumour but a more a fantasy, and at the start of a brand new shiny Premier League season. The grass is clipped and the seats are mended; the toilets are clean and everyone ones ready as they can be.
I hope you been having a good summer and if you’re English enjoyed the Lionesses winning the Euros (with Arsenal Women playing a major part), and if not, just enjoyed the Euros. It already seems far away? If not I hope you enjoyed the scene in Happy Gilmore 2 when Happy and his sons beat the $%’!§ out of the dummy of Hal L. One of the funniest things I’ve seen in ages,which maybe shows how sad I am?
” that’s something we’ve known for ages”
As you all well know being studious, long-time, long-beard Arsenal fans of the media both established and social, players have gone or are going and others have come in, (no need for me to get into it) which has brought much scrutiny during the pre-season friendlies and discourse on You Tube where the vlog remains a good way of wasting your precious life, although I do still miss George and Shotta’s vlog as it had a lot of humour as well as insight. Except when I was on it.
Of course from this point until the nights start drawing in, every aspect of Arsenal’s game will be under the microscope. Will the Arsenal fall foul of some new rules by pedantic refs, only to watch them be more lenient as the season progresses, as we have witnessed in times gone by? Expectancy is high and the pressure with it. I’m glad I’m not a footballer! Apparently we are 9/4 to win the PL.
Friendlies and pre-season predictions mean little to me at this moment, as we have such a long way to go and who can really tell, in fairness maybe some can and they have super 24hr footballing minds and crystal balls. I don’t. Obviously I have an eye on things, and was willing Havertz to score and not make a mess against Bilbao as he would have already had the mob on his back, and I like to personally see all our players with a high level of confidence, as I’m sure you do, going into a season.
But lets face it, its great to have it the Arsenal back! John Fowles wrote in his book the Aristos that ‘sport is a receptacle for energy, and holds our attention as it has endless possible permeations’, and I’m happy to put any energy Arsenals way rather than trawling though videos on YT about political skulduggery and fear-mongering speculation. It seems odd that politic is the main source of entertainment these days? But horses for courses, some people like that, and that’s fair enough. I just wished I didn’t have to bloody fact check all the time!
Anyway, the Mighty Cannon will make a trip up to the northern marches and take on our best chums Manchester United on Sunday the 17th of August, KO at 4.30pm.
United had an appalling season last season in the PL and to an extent the EL. This must be the first time in nearly thirty years that it actually feels like we could go up to OT and hammer them. But I’m sure they will be keen and peachy to make a good start too and many eyes will be on their new boy from RB Leipzig, Benjamin Šeško. Anyway, apart from Bernie Rhodes, who knows?
I phoned our pals at statto HQ and they were over joyed to hear from me and quickly gave me their predictions: United have a 27./% chance of winning and the good ol’ Arsenal 45.%
I am also really interested what the outcome of Manchester Citys 115 charges, as this will have a big affect on many aspects of the coming season. What do you think might play out?
Well that’s it, here’s to a great season and hoping that Isak doesn’t go to Liverpool (he hasn’t at the time of writing this) and that the Mighty Cannon wins all four trophies and that pigs might fly, why I have no idea, but maybe it would be a cheap airline?
Anyway, come fly with me and wish the Gunners the best. But please, next year can we have the yellow away kit back? You know, She likes to wear it in the merry month of May. Grrrr!
Cheers to Ian and Ed for keeping the blog going this summer break, always interesting to read what you guys write.
Take care of yourselves. See you for the opener at the Emirates against newly promoted Leeds Utd.
Well the season be over (for good and bad) and now we’re headed off to the beach to be baked by the sun-hot speculation of the transfer- market arrivals, whilst surfing the waves whilst wondering who will barrel-over and depart.
The fixtures for the new season will be released on the 18 of June at 10am (WET). The Mighty Cannon is back in action on the 23rd of July against AC Milan, kick off 12.30pm western European time, we then play Newcastle and the Spuds in the following days.
The Charity shield between Palace and Liverpool is on the 9th of August.
Take care of yourselves and have a great summer. Its odd that we don’t wish each other any kind of happiness/greatness in any other season?
Sunday the 25th of May, will see the Mighty Cannon make its last manoeuvres of the 2024/25 season as we head south to St. Marys and play Southampton FC for the final game of the season. Kick off is at 4.00pm western European time.
For the last assessment this season our chums at Statto HQ have given the Arsenal 69.3% chance of winning and Southampton 12.6 %.
I’m sure Southampton will be glad to see the back of this season with just two wins and six draws.Of course its even more strange to have a quick butchers at the league table and seeing the Spuds fourth from bottom and ManUre one place above. Yet one of them will have some silverware very soon and their followers will be handing out the banter on that one and not care about the league positions at all?
Same at the top, does anyone care about the final pecking order of merit or just trying to qualifying for the champions league? And Arsènes words of along ago that were so often ridiculed, seem more honest and observant more than ever?
At this moment in the world of football blogging seems to be similar to being a silent film actor trapped in a world of films with sound?
The vlog has superseded the blog, and so the soft power of passive non-written creativity has won for the moment and the typed word put away on the high shelf at the footballing Sunset Boulevard address, along with the dreck, dust, goalkeepers roll-neck jumpers, rattles and unwanted periodicals and erotic etchings from the 19th C.
Like a lot of my last (bland) articles, I find most Arsenal outlets are merely saying: “it’s raining today, it could be sunny, and it was mixed in the past”? I’m not sure where that leads us, how many outlets do we need, as truthfully relative as they might be, to tell us the same thing; that which we already know or have already thought about?
Personally I still think there’s a lot of ground to be covered in blogs, for example the whole idea of counter- support structures in an unwanted sense hasn’t been talked about much ( I meant to do it for the Newcastle game, and it completely slipped my mind), but often teams/fans will latch onto another and try to create a rivalry that isn’t there (Newcastle and Stoke come to mind), even if it sounds a bit woo, it does exist, just needs thrashing out a bit and articulated at another time.
I tried this season to write about how supporting Arsenal (and the hope of Arsenal success) weaves its way into our lives, how it affects anniversaries, our dispositions, our insecurities, friendships, our memories, how we are persuaded in an utterly illogically way to be prejudiced. How the process of supporting, holds your hand or drops it even when your loved ones die. How it affects you physically as well as psychologically, day after night after day. Perhaps much of this is delusion, but even so any delusion is concrete and not an illusion?
Supporting is (perhaps) the oddest relationship we can ever have, married, non-adulterous, yet with the same spectrum of emotions, yet its unconsummated and abstract to say the least, no single connection but an ongoing stream of events, and identities that ironically isn’t even separate from anything else?
In a lesser manner has been like that on PA? Witnessing its vintage years and what a intricate, complex and full bodied brew they were,
Mr.Black each week taking you somewhere new, or to helping you to revisit places you’d partially forgotten. I used to love to wake up on Saturday mornings to see what he’d written, for me his words were as much a part of the matchday as any of the physics and emotions that played out on the pitch. That probably won’t happen again in my life. If anyone pushed blogging into new pastures it was him, certainly not me, and it was PA that supported such works. And without any kind of support structure any experiment or different perspective collapses and is quickly brushed away.
Of course Stew might have been the Messi of the blog, but he wasn’t he only excellent writer, the list was long and the standard was high for a long time, not just articles but posts too, there are utter gems hidden in the archives, especially when it came to Arsène Wenger apologetics.
Gone now, the raison d’être for the blog, and (most) of the people we ever swapped words with on what was a daily basis. How quickly times change?
It was always interesting how you could get to know people by the tone and feeling in their posts, almost as if you could hear them speaking? People also became their avatars, as you tried to create an idea of who they were, even more sad is that they were part of your life, then that’s it, they’ve gone and the memories of it all becomes a kind of spectre fading into the mist? Where have they gone and what are they doing now?
I hoped I might be able to pull some of them back but I failed on that one, or perhaps a less ego-centric viewpoint might be that the times have just simply changed, as stated before the vlog superseded the blog, plus peoples feelings change towards Arsenal? Plus we all have different ideas of what a blog might be?
The fight for Wengers art (in German art means ‘way or style’) even at a much-needed group therapy level has gone and here we are a couple of mangers down the line, grappling with new dilemmas, new thought’s and reactions. All systems (possibly) are conservative at heart and that always causes a problem as all life is changing. How to deal with that?
At the time of writing this we can still achieve second and reaching the CL semi was no mean feat, but something still felt like it was missing this season? Of course the Real Madrid game will stay with us till that which we call the end, so for all the feeling on having not really challenged in the league, who knows if this season might be the springboard for something a bit more glorious in the next? Hopes spring eternal?
Its ok, I’m not a conservative or republican for many reasons but one reason is that at the most basic level all life is change, certainly not in the way wanted, as life remains unfair and unjust to say the least, but to go against flux is a going against nature? But I do feel sentimental.
More practical, materialistic-minded people I’m sure would feel critical of me and see it as a weakness (and in many cases I would agree with them) and that’s fine, it might be a flaw but there’s also an element of compassion and agape that’s coupled with it? I miss how it was on PA. All those faces and names, some you become acquainted with and others, friends and here we are in the perhaps in the twilight of the blog.
“who do you think you are Uncle Monty?”
In 1947 Jack Lewis’s brother Warnie wrote in his diary how ‘nobody turned up’ which spelt the end of the Thursday night Inklings meetings that witnessed( whether they are to you taste or not) some critical evaluation of works that both added and changed the world of literature/human lives, that’s where we are now at PA, or close to it?
A blog isn’t only about the articles, those are introductions, but really its about its forum?
I want to personally thank Ian and Ed for being our backbone and being a perfect foil to my bits and pieces and keeping it all in check with football analytics. You guys have a vast knowledge of football and its been great when you’ve shared your recollections and times spent with the Mighty Cannon. And thank you for the support you gave me this season. You’ve kept the blog alive week after week, not me.
Words we could perceive through one lens are either black or white magic, some may curse and destroy, but others support and nurture and I was really grateful to everyone who said kind things, and also many thanks to Stew and Heady for their words of support and encouragement , especially as I tried to stretch the blog into other directions earlier in the season and your thoughts and presence have been much missed as the season progressed.
And thanks to all those at statto HQ for your % ratings, to Archibald Leitch for popping up time and time again and to Gee, Markyb, Arsenal Andrew, and all apologies to anyone I forgotten, and to all the people who clicked like on the blog but don’t comment, including those who were probably were bots. Merci!
Of course none of this is possible without George, who kindly tolerated me and the things I wrote, some of which maybe stretched things a bit far, but I’m not writer and trying to scratch together (sometimes) three pieces a week I found almost impossible, I’m just not that skilled. I only meant to write previews for the first three matches or so just to get things going.
Plus writing about that which you guys already know is insulting…which means scrabbling for another angle that’s hopefully interesting, isn’t easy at all. I’ve forgotten lots too, often recalling being at matches but nothing of the game itself, but of being in pubs before and afterwards, which isn’t a help to anyone.
I know I failed many times, but its ok to, failure rises with success maybe the place to aim for is beyond those two, and that’s closer to that where I was trying to get to.
After the ManUre cup game, George kindly stepped in without a complaint or word of criticism to me and held the torch, as he has done for this place since its inception. THANK YOU GEORGE! For this season and all the others and for your support and encouragement, and of course for PA.
Well that’s it. I don’t how we can keep the blog going next season I’m not sure I have much left in the artillery room. Perhaps we could get our heads together and work something out before the end of July when the Arsenal are back in action against AC Milan?
If that’s it and we can’t go any further, then know this, it was my pleasure to be acquainted/friends with you, and I will miss having somewhere to go and swap perspectives on the Mighty Cannon and sometimes more and enjoying reading that which you’ve written.
Its been a real Dance to the Music of Arsenal Time both this season and all the others that we’ve witnessed together, to sometimes talk about wider connected fields; all those teams, all those matches, misunderstandings, understandings, all those emotions, all those hopes.All those draws.
Sunday the 18th of May sees the last game for the Mighty Cannon at the Emirates barracks this season and our visitors are the boys from the Toon, as we play Newcastle United. Kick off is at 4.40pm western European time.
Well, like you I’m hoping we won’t go 10 ply in this one. It looked against Liverpool that we might utterly collapse and let in six, but the lads came out grabbed hold of some dignity and got back in it, and perhaps could have won it at the end? The kings of the draw.
I’m sure having won the League Cup, and desperate for a stats facts and figures finish for the history books, the Geordies will be feeling very confident about their trip down south. I’m not so sure Arsenal will be willing partners in that configuration, there’s plenty of fight left in the Gun yet. A draw?
Yet this season it felt good (etc) that Newcastle and Palace won the pots instead of the same old same olds, of course like any biased fan I would have been irritated by a loss if it had been us in the final, but we don’t seem good enough to get to one at the moment. Must have felt good for both Palace and Newcastle fans to win, and they deserve it, and at the same time surely it can only do the game good as a whole?
Statto HQ phoned through to say that we have a 48.2% chance of winning and Newcastle 25.8%.
That’s it, see you next week for the grand finale against the Sotonists. COYG!
Sunday the 11th of May will see the Mighty Cannon make our last trip north this season, this time to Merseyside and play against Liverpool FC. Kick off 4.30pm at Anfield.
Liverpool are champions and the Arsenal having made for the exit in the Champions League are now literally fighting for second in the PL, having been in that position for most of the season. This has the whiff of Crisp in the 1973 Grand National?
Aided slightly tonight by Man City (oddly) drawing against relegated Southampton, we shall wait to see the outcome( hopefully a draw) between Chelsea and Newcastle. Arsenal have been the kings of draws at the top end of the table and now we hope for others to do the same! If we would have won seven of the draws then this would be one heck of a show down, similar but not the same as ’89.
The points and positions are tight at the top, and Arsenal are going to have to dig deep after the bitter psychological cud that’s swilling around after the PSG game, and after this we face Newcastle. Lets hope revenge is served cold in these games and we can retain some dignity?
I think Liverpool will not lie back like they did last week against Chelsea, and will be up for this because we are ‘nasty Arsenal’ the team to hate, shame and gain victory over. And Anfield is usually a horror trip for us.
I think Newcastle will also feel sense of high esteem going into the game against us (more sulphurous guff on that next time) so I hope we can show some fight and get something out of these matches. I don’t expect it though, it feels like the whole season has collapsed and I’m sure half the players are looking forward to getting on the beach?
Our pals at Statto HQ have given Liverpool a 47.3% chance of winning and the poor old Guns only 26.6%. Grrr! to them! Probably fair enough though…that’s it until the one before the last.
Wednesday the 7th of May will see the Mighty Cannon back in action, this time in the second leg of the CL semi-final against Paris Saint Germain at the Parc des Princes. Kick off is 8.00pm western European time.
Well, we need a cheer. We need some skilful, cunning football. We need a concerted effort. We need every spark of intelligence, every last joule of energy. We need utter commitment, we need utter concentration, we need, we need….we need.
One of the main problems since the Real game, has been us witnessing the opposite? Punch-drunk our minds are confused, sang Ed Collins back in the Orange Juice days, certain seems that way Stanley?
Obviously we’ve dissected the lot, each and every game and as a fan/follower and it still doesn’t help. The helplessness of the long distance football fan.
The lads know what to do, whether they can, only they will know, once they are out there soaking up all the pressure, to set up and dictate, to react in a positive way, even if PSG make a second goal, only they can find a way. They can do it.
As for all this season; victory is utterly possible, but we could lose, and sadly a draw won’t hep us now. If we lose having played a 100% committed game, I don’t care, if we don’t turn up, the loud voices will be yelling in fear for sometime to come, wanting heads and for the named scapegoats to have a time in the stocks, and the last of the season will be little more than a damp squib.
Lets hope for a good and fair but controlled game for the ref, what with his historical activities, any poor judgement could see wrathful attitudes and the game losing all kind of meaning?
There all sorts of gossip about whose coming back from injury to boost us or whether Dembélé is playing, better just to wait and see, we will know soon enough.
Its odd, as many might say this is the most important game of the season, but it isn’t, every game so far has been important, otherwise we couldn’t have got here?
Whatever happens, its going to be an emotive night, ecstasy or humiliation or some kind of mixture of the two.At this point of time in writing, the tension feels like its starting to build.
It seems such a long way away looking back down the tunnel of time, to when I first scribbled some pieces for our first encounter with Bleu this season, when we beat them 2-0 in the league stage of this competition and now we are here facing our final hope of the campaign….like all life these days, how quickly it slips through our fingers?
Our mates at Statto HQ have quoted me PSG at a 45.7% chance of winning and the Mighty Cannon at 28.3%, but that’s 8.3% more than expected against the Real Mads…
Saturday the 3rd of May, sees the Mighty Cannon back in action, this time against Bournemouth FC. Kick of at the Emirates is a 5.30pm western European time.
As we enter May, the season slowly seems to start winding down and all eyes looking to final fixtures and beyond to their summer holidays, and further on to the excitement of seeing who will win the transfer market. Can’t wait!
Liverpool having been way out in front, deservedly picked up the number one spot, and congrats to them. It’s a shame we didn’t really get close to challenge them though.
Due to our conservative but steady system, I’m still hoping that the Arsenal can still be in the banter-line from Brentford fans, and stay second. But Newcastle and City look hungry? 115 looks as if its going to take a long time to come to the fore, but at least it claimed plenty of time from the lives of the click-baited during the international breaks? City seemed to have weathered that storm, and look like picking up the FAC, despite the rest of the football-interested country who will be rooting for CP. 4-0 City.
I’m worried about Arsenal though, and not other teams ( well maybe the Spuds potentially winning the Europa league, grrr!) as the loss to PSG seems to have created the worst hangover I can recall since we lost the 1980 Cup final. I understand the euphoria around beating RM, but really PSG sat us on our arses, and we deserved it. I still believe we can win, but not by reacting to other teams? When we played RM we basically took them on, often, though not always our more disappointing results this season seem to have come from playing a more adaptive rather than dictating game? Enrique seemed to spy this?
Perhaps Heady’s observation about the CP draw having an affect was true, so one wonders about this fixture? What does Arteta do; call up the academy? Why not? We can drop thee points and still claim 2nd. But the past dictates in some form or other (reaction/ continuation) so I think we will see many of the players expected to play in Paris run out against the Cherries. And we will hold our breath.
Not to great for the already season- shredded nerves eh?
Bournemouth will sniff a chance on this one, it won’t affect things league-wise too much for them, but will boost their self-esteem should they win.
I think we will grab a win though, we need it. Would be great to see some of the youngsters get a run out and a chance to prove themselves?
The Mathematical heads at statto HQ have given the Gunners a 44% chance of wining, and Bournemouth 28.8%, so looks like it will be a draw?
That’s it, see you in Paris for a cup touristic cliché and Croissant’s to discuss Existentialism and Post Structuralism, and hopefully a win for Arsenal.Til then…
Positively Arsenal 