Hello and how are you? Saturday the 18th of October will see The Arsenal haul its artillery over to Craven Cottage, west London and play against Fulham FC. Kick off is 18.30pm Central European time (5.30pm local time). Expected weather is 14°C, partly cloudy and 1% chance of rain.

Well its great to be back!

Fulham have an air of grollen about them with their manager Marco Silva unhappy with the manner in which the club did its transfer business in the summer (deadline day supermarket sweep?) and feels the team still haven’t clicked- something exacerbated perhaps by the stop start nature of international and club football clashing? However knowing the talent Fulham are facing Mr. Silva might well start with three centre-backs against us?

At the time of writing (Thursday eve) Zubimendi and Ben White aren’t looking too healthy, either watching from the sidelines or missing in training but who knows come Saturday? We haven’t won on our last two visits to the Cottage, and now we’ve nudged ahead as league leaders, games like this one are a must win (which game isn’t?). However, our last three games have banished a few lingering curses…time for a fourth.

This time last year we had a point extra and were in third, yet the later autumn has often proved difficult with many potential league challenges falling apart as the clocks change (we only took two points from twelve from this point last season) and we head into the darkness. But with a new strong squad we go into this match having lost only one in ten and have only let in three goals, and our winning streak is four games.

Calafiori is on three yellows already and is hovering around a potential suspension, so maybe Hincapie might play (having recovered from his groin injury) in his place, and perhaps Gabriel might even be rested for this one?

Havertz (knee) and Jesus (knee) are expected back in December. Noni’s (knee) also out for the long-term. Martin Ø’s out for about a month (also knee) after coming off against West Ham. 

The Cottagers are missing Sasa Lukic (groin), Samuel Chukwueze, Raul Jimenez (hip) Kenny Tete (knee) and Rodrigo Muniz (thigh), but ex-Gunners Emile Smith Rowe, Alex Iwobi and Bernd Leno are all fit.

Fulham FC this season are: 14th  W 2 D 2  L 3 F 8 A 11. They lost 3-1 to Bournemouth last time out in the PL (despite leading) but are still going strong in the League Cup. Fulham are unbeaten at the Cottage this season.

The Statto boys sent over a carrier pigeon from the frontlines with the following note attached: Fulham have been given 16.4% win probability and Arsenal 61.1% chance. Next up Atletico in the CL. So COYG!

Mills

A nice little sprint to the next International break will do us nicely. By then our players missing with knobbed knees will be back, giving us even more depth and options.

I believe our defence is the best in the league, the attack , when the hardly walking brigade reeturn, is more than adequate but I thought our midfield was lacking. However, that was before I realised just how good Zubimendi is and Merino is also better than the average player I had him down as.

So as things stand, that can change because I’m a fickle old git, I’m really looking forward to what come next.

Enjoy the game folks.

Pedantic George.

Hello and how are you? Saturday 4th of October, will see the Might Cannon host a visit at Ashburton Grove from our East End neighbours, West Ham. Kick off is at 16.00pm (3.00pm UK time). Expected weather is 15° and windy and 24% chance of rain. This is Arteta’s 300 game in charge (58% win rate) and Saka’s 200 game. Milestones! “Great track” (1958) said Miles Davis, “have a listen”…

A poor start for West Ham this year, currently sitting in 19th position ( W 1 D 1 L 4 F 6 A 14) meant that last week they said adieu to their manager Graham Potter, and after his (odd) departure from Nottingham Forest three games into the season they now have hope of rekindling their winning ways with new manager and ex-goalkeeper Nuno Espírito Santo. Nuno’s average win rate is 48.4%. He did well at Wolves and at Forest but had a terrible time at the Spuds (which we didn’t complain about), but from what I’ve seen, many a West Ham fan seem pleased he’s at the club, having helped them to 1-1 draw with Everton on the 29th of September.

West Ham might consider themselves a bogey team for the Arsenal as we have lost only four of our last 42 home games and two of those was against West Ham. Losses in Feb 2025 and Dec 2023. “So what?” said Miles Davis. However head to head its: P 153 W 74 D 41 L 38. Our first match with them was on the 13th January 1906 and a draw at the Manor ground (att.18,000) and eventually a victory on the 18th of January at Upton Park (att.12,000) for the replay in the FAC.

George Earthy is out for the Hammers (hamstring, four four weeks at least), Soucek is still suspended following his red card against Tottenham. Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham’s player of the year 2024/5, following his 15million quid move from Manchester United) will be returning.

Gabriel will face a late fitness test for Arsenal, after colliding with David Raya in the no problem 2-0 victory against Olympiacos, but even if not playing we have (now) a decent squad and decent coverage. Phew! Hincapi will be back after the International break…

Statto HQ sent over a marconigram and they dot and dashed out the message that Arsenal have a 79.7 % chance of victory, and West Ham are 6.6%. COYG!

Mills

Apparently the bookies hve made us favorites to win the league. That can bring unwanted pressure and bad memories from recent times where we briefly went favorite and as we didn’t win anything, that could go down as a failure. Still, bookies do know a thing or two, even if it’s only how to fleece gullible punters.

Salina signing a new deal is great news for the club, fans and Mikel. Although many fans doubt him, this signing indicates to me that the players don’t, and if the board feel that he is a major reason why they can keep their big assets, that’s more power to his elbow. Also, if the players truly believe in him ( I believe they do), that increases our chances of winning, because team spirit is huge.

Our captain is back and looks like he is back to his best, all be it only in one game, but his return will tell us if Mikel is prepared to be bold and pair him in the middle with Eze or will our new shiny signing be moved back to the left wing? We will see.

Until next time, enjoy the game and life.

Pedantic George.

Hello and how are you? Wednesday the 1st of October will see the Mighty Cannon host a visit from Olympiacos FC at Ashburton Grove, for the CL second match of the 2025/6 season. Kick off is at 21.00pm Central European time (20.00pm UK time). Expected weather is partial cloud and 15°C.

We head into this match with the winds of euphoria at our tails after the epic battle in Newcastle. Olympiacos are currently 1st in the Greek Super league( W4 L0  D1 F13 A3), and have had a fairly decent run against us in days and clashes of yore.

Head to head we are: MP 12  AFC W 6 OP W 6 D 0.  AFC Goals 10, OP goals 8. Our last encounter was relatively recent, back in 2021 in the Europa League, having won the first leg 1-3 we lost 0-1 at the Emirates in the return match. 

But lets not be deceived by those results, we are now fielding a totally different line-up from then, and the only survivors from that home defeat are Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Ødegaard, both of whom only featured as subs.

Olympiacos were founded in 1925, and are the most successful team in Greek footballing history and have notched up (selected): 48 titles, 29 cups (19 doubles) and 4 super cups and the UEFA Conference League in 2023/24.

The Erythroleykoi (red and whites) have a vastly experienced manager/coach in José Luis Mendilibar, both on and off the field, who has winners medals from victories in the Europa and Conference Leagues.

In the CL we are ranked 7th and the Thrylos (Legend) are placed at 21st. 

Statto HQ telegrammed to say that the Arsenal are 80.2% favoured to win and Olympiacos 6.3%. So COYG!

Mills

We have the wind in our sails and Mikel has a renewed confidence from the online base. Tonight is a great oppertunity to display our attacking intent.

Does the captain come straight back in and Eze move left, leaving the inform Trossard on the bench with Martinelli playing third fiddle? Does Saliba start? Does Ben give Timber a rest? The team is harder to predict this season, which means there are more interchangeable parts, which confirms our greater strength in depth. This is before Havartz and Jesus enter the fray.

It’s all hunky-dory folks. Enjoy the game.

Pedantic George.

Hello, and how are you?

 As both sides of the online political spectrum wrestle with the problem of ‘freedom from’ and ‘freedom to’, and neither seeming to be aware of what ye be if you hold both those perspectives at the same time, Arsenal take on Port Vale, at Vale Park, Stoke on Trent, on the 24th of September. KO is at 21.00pm central European time, or 20.00pm UK time. Weather expected 12° and cloudy.

I’m sure after the frustrated teeth gnashing at our draw with City there will be a sense of fear going into this game, having seen what Grimsby did to Manchester United. And that’s why these competitions exist!

Everyone except Arsenal fans will be rooting for Port Vale, who are in 19th position in league 1. Vale are so far this season: W2 D2 L5, and played in a tough scrap against Mansfield at the weekend, with Darren Moore’s lads eventually winning 2-1.

Vale Park sits 525 feet above sea level and was originally built to be the ‘Wembley of the North’ when construction started in 1944 (completed in 1950) and now has a 15,695 capacity and I’m sure it will be sold out. At its peak, Vale Park could hold 42,000, and their club record is 49,76, in a 1960 FA Cup fifth round fixture against Aston Villa.

Vale park is one of the widest pitches in the football leagues, and it has a very spacious feeling, under the pitch is clay (the stadium was built on the site of an old clay pit and also has a coal seam running underneath it) rather than sand which makes the surface(apparently) hard to pass on, but having watched the Mansfield tie, it floods badly too, and the whole pitch seemed to be really sodden, which I’m sure has caused many a problem in the past.

Head to head, its PV: W 4 D 5 L13. Our last match with them you might remember back in 1998, in the FAC; 0-0 at Highbury and then 1-1 at VP, with the Mighty Cannon coming out on top in penalties. Before that the most recent clash was in the FAC back in 1927 on the road to that infamous FAC final.

Statto HQ have sent a message to say that Port Vale have a 4% chance of winning and Arsenal 86.1%. COYG!

Mills

Thanks Mills, I suspect Statto HQ are Arsenal fans.

We will field a team that is unrecognisable to the first 11. I like that, I love some of our “reserve” players and it will be a real test of just how deep our squad is.

There is a hangover among the online fans from our draw with City, why that is might be understandable, but I think it’s all a bit over the top, and appears orchestrated by pundits who have found a new way to put Arsenal down. Whether you agree with Mikel’s team selection or not (I didn’t), he has built a squad that is so strong it put the fear of God into Pep, forcing him to , for the first time ever, betray is most cherished principles and playing style.

In the end a draw wasn’t the worst result and a silver lining might be that Arteta adopts a more progressive starting 11 going forward. One can but hope?

I’m looking forward to this game, so I hope we get a good show and are royally entertained.

Pedantic Gearge.

Hello one and all.

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.

Pedantic George.