The post Arsenal Title Win Musings – it’s been a long road! first appeared on Gunners Town.

An Arsenal blog from a coach’s perspective

There are a handful of sleeping giants in world football. Juventus, Man United, AC Milan and probably others. There are those that win frequently. Barcelona, Porto, PSG, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Celtic, Man City and probably others. There are those that can’t cope with not winning and their fans and owners lose their minds way too soon and often. I can think of Real Madrid and Chelsea right now.

Some of these 12 teams could claim to believe that their team will be the dominant giant in world football. Many of them have fine players. Many have much more silverware than Arsenal. Certainly in the last 20 years. The thing is though, that even though trophies might be the number one on their list of what is important to most fans, they can’t celebrate much beyond that. They don’t feel proud of anything else because the rest is expendable.

Football, and sports in general, offer many ways to feel proud of the team you chose to support. It’s just that Arsenal have a list far longer than any other team in football.

In no particular order;

• Tens of thousands of people showed up at the Emirates in an unscheduled, organic celebration of joy. They stayed until 4am. There would’ve been millions if they could’ve got there. This wasn’t even the trophy parade which might exceed 1 million people, especially if we win the Champions League the night before.
• Go on the internet/social media and see how many people from all corners of the world were on the streets celebrating. We have a global family. Other clubs have a collection of tourists and glory hunters.

• Our coach played for the club
• Our coach has a genuine love for the club, much like we do.
• Our coach is perhaps the first modern football coach who inherited a derelict stately home and didn’t call the painter first. He called ‘Bob’s Bulldozers’ and went to work on a brand new version of what used to be a beautiful stately home, but needed a new foundation.
• We have Hale End players who are regular starters. This might seem normal, but imagine how difficult it must be for an Academy player at Arsenal to break into one of the top two teams in the world.
• Arteta was smart. He built a team that was NEEDED to win the league. A team of units. I’m sure he would like to offer more flair but the league is more physical than ever and so you have to cede your wishes if you want to win.
• Many consider that Max Dowman might end up being the best player in Europe.
• We have the best goalkeeper in the world.
• We have the best centre back pairing in the world and individually possibly the best two centre backs, also. They will likely end up being the best pair in the history of British football, alongside Vidic and Ferdinand.
• We have the best midfielder in Europe in Declan Rice.
• Would you swap our full backs for anyone else? I wouldn’t.
• We have one of the best back 6’s in the history of the game.
• This is Mikel’s first job
• No other club has a coach that has the same gift of persuasion as Mikel has.

• Alongside Yamal, we have the world’s best right winger
• I’d love to say that we have the world’s best in every position, but no team has ever had that. We have between 4 and 7 who can argue this case which must be close to the best Barcelona team of 15 years ago.
• The vast majority of our players are arriving into their prime and will do so with their new contracts.
• Arsenal don’t have to convince the best talent to come. They don’t need to take a player who is just there for the money. Mbappe might be the perfect fit for our left wing, but he would need to convince us, not the other way round.

• We have owners who are now in tune with the fans desires for the club. A rare thing for a top club.
• We are revolutionizing the game on the field. Fans of our opponents are criticizing, but their team is copying.
• Opponents coach’s and players all say the same thing, ‘Arsenal are so difficult to play against.’ This is normally an unprompted thought. They just have too much respect not to talk about what they’ve just seen.
• How many players that have played for Arsenal are now Arsenal fans? I’ve never seen this kind of genuine draw from any other club. Have you seen players that play for a club currently, show up at 5am to walk around?

• We have a season ticket waiting list large enough to have a stadium for 100,000.
• We are so massive that What’s App did this and changed the colour of their logo….

• We have the best anthem in the history of football. Also, organic not organized and contrived.
• We might be solely responsible for multiple media pundits having to apologize for constantly picking on the wrong team. I expect Arteta to feel more freedom to allow his players more freedom as their shoulders will now be looser. The monkey has gone, so he isn’t coaching a team of players so tightly wound because they haven’t won yet. I’m hoping that we shut down some shows.
• Our podcasts are so good (Arsenal Vision and Arsecast) that Arteta showed the players their Union Chapel celebration in the changing room
• We are no longer seen as the ‘AFTV club.’ Our image (if you ignore the angry heads) is changing to massive respect. The ‘bottlers’ tag might have been fair, but the bottle has changed.

You may not be impressed by that list. If you feel that way, it’s likely because you haven’t learnt anything you didn’t already know. Look at it from the perspective of one of the 12 clubs above. Read the list again and ask yourself if they have or could accomplish what we have.

Those who are objective enough to see with a clear lens are concerned that the giant at N5 hasn’t just woken up, but the monkey has jumped off their back and because of the list (above), are best placed to dominate for years.

The reality of what is likely to happen is that Arsenal are now going to get maximum respect. If they win the CL, then they will be seen as the kings of football. Players will be dying to come. The fanbase will grow much like it did during Wenger’s early years. The stadium will have to expand. The sponsorships will be more $$$$$$. Companies will want their brand associated with Arsenal more than any other team. They will have to create pop-up stores to feed the demand.  Our revenue will grow significantly. If we win the Champions League on May 30th, Arteta will get a statue commissioned and rightly so.

Most of the list above is directly or indirectly thanks to one man who had the balls to do it the right way when other coaches either skip multiple steps or don’t have the talent to build a club from very foundation. Thank you to the genuine Arsenal legend, Mikel Arteta. He may go down as one of the most consequential of all time.

Way back you had a big choice to make.

Choosing Arsenal was the best decision you’ve made.

The post The monkey jumps off and the giant roars first appeared on Gunners Town.

Then louder, bolder, until it rolled through pubs, group chats, and North London streets like a familiar drumbeat rediscovered:

It’s coming home.

North London’s throne. Reclaimed.

Not the old joke.

Not the meme.

Not the yearly setup for the fall.

This time it arrived with purpose, with control, with a team that didn’t just believe—but knew.

You could see it in the way Ødegaard slowed the game to his tempo, like a conductor who’d read the ending months in advance.

In Saka, still smiling, still gliding past defenders who already knew they were beaten.

In Gabriel, calm as ever, turning chaos into routine.

In Rice, covering grass like it owed him money.

There was no panic this time. No late-season wobble written into the script.

Just a steady accumulation of proof.

Week after week, doubt quietly replaced by inevitability.

And the noise changed.

The same voices that once laughed now searched for reasons.

Injuries.

Luck.

Timing.

Anything but the truth sitting right in front of them: Arsenal weren’t visiting the top of the table anymore.

They lived there.

Arteta stood on the touchline, not as the hopeful apprentice, but as the architect.

Every press, every rotation, every moment without the ball—it all meant something.

This wasn’t a run. It was a design.

And when it finally happened, when the table froze and the maths said what the fans already felt.

It didn’t feel like chaos.

It felt like release.

Years of “almost.” Years of being the punchline.

Years of waiting for something real to hold onto again.

Now they have it.

So yeah—sing it properly this time.

No irony.

No hesitation.

It’s coming home.

North London’s throne. Reclaimed.

The post It’s coming home. North London’s throne. Reclaimed. first appeared on Gunners Town.

Mission accomplished for Renée Slegers, her staff and her players, who finished the season on a high and registered better numbers, compared to last season: Arsenal Women finished the season with more points (51 versus 48), less goals conceded (14 versus 26), less defeats (1 versus 4) and a better goal difference (+39 versus +36), yet it was not enough to pip Manchester City to the title.

The only indicator going the opposite way is the number of goals scored, with the team scoring 53 goals only, compared to 62 the previous campaign, and that’s perhaps an area of interest for next season.

With both Beth Mead and Caitlin Foord underperforming in front of goal compared to the previous campaign, the Arsenal Women team suffered a sever lack of spark and improvisation, something that the coach will surely look into as she prepares the team to challenge for the WSL and UWCL.

This was very apparent in the final home game of the season, against Everton, when the Gunners had to wait until the 92^nd minutes before finding the winning goal. As usual, a mix of bad luck and lack of composure almost costed them, but this time their perseverance was rewarded when Stina Blackstenius found the back of the next with a well-taken shot with her left foot. Goals were easier to come against Liverpool, and Alessia Russo made sure she finished the season with 25 goal contributions in 22 games, a new record for the England forward.

CAPTAIN ALESSIA

There is one thing that might have gone unnoticed, as the Arsenal Women team sealed the second place and prepared to bid farewell to several players. That little thing was Alessia Russo being given the armband in the penultimate game of the season and the last outing at the Emirates Stadium: the England forward led the team out despite both Lotte Wubben-Moy and Katie McCabe being in the starting XI. Renée Slegers later explained that she spoke to Lotte Wubben-Moy and Alessia Russo about the choice of the captain for that specific game (she didn’t mention the Ireland international, though, which says a lot…) and the choice can be seen as a reward for the performances and overall growth of Alessia Russo. More interestingly, though, it signals a new status for the former Manchester United forward, after she made it into the leadership group earlier this season, who seems ready to become a leader within the dressing room.

As much as like a leadership group built around Kim Little, Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Alessia Russo and Steph Catley, I cannot say I am entirely confident having a group made of very similar characters, especially as many of the more vocal and energetic personalities (Beth Mead, Katie McCabe, Manuela Zinsberger, Victoria Pelova…) will be leaving this summer.

Thankfully other players will take a leap and make themselves a place in the changing room, bring their own energy, perhaps a different kind of energy, because sometimes you need more than a role model or the “quiet and reliable” type of leader.

Of course, experienced players expected to join such as Battle, Reuteler and Stanway will help setting high standards in the changing room, but I would like to see younger players take on more responsibilities, especially the likes of Olivia Smith or Kyra Cooney-Cross, who could really grow into their roles on and off the pitch.

The Canadian showed great promise in her debut season and has shown the type of boldness and self-confidence that could be beneficial for her teammates, while the Australian – who endured some difficult times, on a personal level – looks ready to blossom into the deep playmaker role she is wonderfully built for.

A TACTICAL SHIFT ON THE HORIZON?

Alessia Russo and Stina Blackstenius finished the season with 13 and 10 league goals, respectively, so perhaps Renée Slegers could work on a system that accommodates both and makes the best of their strengths. She did that already, at times, but it was mostly Alessia Russo team, through the season, with the Sweden international limited to a supporting role.

With so many changes expected this summer and the club targeting box-to-box midfielders such as Geraldine Reuteler and Georgia Stanway, perhaps the coach is leaning towards a system with two strikers and no attacking midfielders. Over the campaign that just ended, we’ve seen Alessia Russo pairing up with Stina Blackstenius upfront, and the England forward was a false nine more than a ten, while other combinations saw Frida Maanum play in midfield with one striker at the top. We rarely saw Frida Maanum, Alessia Russo and Stina Blackstenius simultaneously on the pitch, and when we did Alessia Russo was deployed as a winger.

What if Renée Slegers was thinking about a midfield diamond?

With so much talent in midfield, this system could be perfect to accommodate Mariona Caldentey, Georgia Stanway and Geraldine Reuteler in the same lineup, with Kim Little or Kyra Cooney-Cross sitting at the base of midfield. High-intensity runners such as Emily Fox, Smilla Holmberg and Ona Battle could cover the flanks and provide the width, and most importantly we would have two wonderful strikers upfront, keeping defenders busy with the relentless movement and combinations.

Let’s not forget that Michelle Agyemang, currently sidelined with an injury, will soon be banging at the door for a place in the team, and playing a two-forwards system would multiply the opportunities to integrate her.

For sure, Chloe Kelly might find it hard to fit into the system, and to some extent Olivia Smith too, but the Canadian could shine upfront, both through her runs in behind or via her mazy runs from between the lines, while the England international has the experience and touch to thrive in a more central role, between two strikers.

In a season that saw Caitlin Foord and Beth Mead struggle in front of goal, perhaps it is time to consider other tactical options, and spring a few surprises while they are at it. Chelsea are in decline (although signing Shaw might change that) and Manchester City might struggle to replicate their performances with the UWCL to contend with, so there is a window for the Gunners to leave their mark.

NEXT UP

That’s all, folks. Season 2025/26 is officially over, so no more Arsenal Women Journal on the horizon, at least not in its original format.

With the club expected to announce the high-profile signings of Georgia Stanway, Geraldine Reuteler and Ona Battle, there will be plenty to write about in the coming weeks, and who know what else the future will bring.

Have a lovely summer, enjoy some well-deserved rest and let’s all get ready and pumped up for another season, and another rollercoaster road with our below Arsenal Women team.

Speak to you soon!

The post The Arsenal Women Journal – Another Season Goes [ARS 1-0 EVE, LFC 1-3 ARS] first appeared on Gunners Town.

Another 5 against Burnley please! (Photo Credit: Arsenal.com)

Arsenal have an important opportunity tonight to secure three points, build goal difference, and apply even more pressure on Manchester City ahead of their potential banana skin trip to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

On paper, Arsenal should comfortably dispatch this already relegated Burnley side.

But as we’ve seen throughout this title race, nothing feels comfortable or as nailed on as expected.

Margins are razor-thin, nerves are impossible to suppress, and every fixture suddenly carries the emotional weight of a cup final.

That is exactly how Arsenal need to approach tonight.

One game at a time.

There are effectively three cup finals remaining, but before any focus shifts toward Crystal Palace and final-day scenarios, the job against Burnley simply has to be completed first.

The fans will certainly play their part.

The club have listened to our requests to welcome the team into the stadium and create the most positive atmosphere possible ahead of what is our final home game of the season. That connection between supporters and players has become one of the defining aspects of this Arsenal side under Mikel Arteta.

It is frustrating, though, that the greed of Sky Sports has placed our final home game on a Monday night just to satisfy their needs.

For many fans, it robs them of the opportunity to properly show appreciation to the players after the match without the burden of worrying about long journeys home, missing last trains, early work starts, or children needing to be up for school the next morning.

For most of us fans, tonight will be our final chance to see this team live this season apart from those who are fortunate enough to have tickets for Crystal Palace or the Champions League final in Budapest.

The players deserve an incredible and deserved send-off.

And yet, despite all the positivity surrounding the club, I can’t pretend the nerves are not festering inside me.

I’ll be there tonight giving everything from the stands to get behind the team, but memories of Southampton at home back in 2023 are still difficult to shake.

Back then, Arsenal were closing in on the title with their destiny in their hands. Southampton arrived bottom of the table and on course for relegation, everyone expected us to beat them comfortably, yet before I had even settled into my seat, we were already behind after 30 seconds.

Then came the second goal after only 12 minutes.

Shock quickly turned into panic.

Despite eventually fighting back from 3-1 down through late goals from Saka and Odegaard to salvage a draw, the overwhelming feeling leaving the stadium that night was emptiness. It felt like the defining moment the title slipped away.

That is why tonight carries nerves despite Burnley’s league position.

Football does not care about scripts or expectations.

I’m certain Arteta will remember that Southampton match too, and I highly doubt there will be any complacency from this Arsenal team.

An early goal tonight could completely settle those nerves.

Take the shackles off. Play with freedom. Score as many as possible because goal difference could yet become crucial next week.

Sometimes specific matches become linked to the rise of certain players, and when I think about the reverse fixture against Burnley, I immediately think about Viktor Gyokeres.

That felt like one of his true breakout performances in an Arsenal shirt.

He scored the opener, bullied defenders physically, linked play brilliantly, and looked levels above Burnley throughout the first half. It felt like the beginning of something huge for him.

Ironically, the frustrating part was seeing him forced off injured at half-time just when it looked like he was ready to dominate the second half and stroll home with the man of the match award.

At the time, I genuinely believed that could be the turning point in his fortunes with the club after that performance, but instead the injury disrupted his momentum and forced him to restart the progress he had built as he missed the next few weeks.

Even so, that match still sticks in my mind.

And tonight feels like another opportunity for our number 14 to make a statement again.

If I were a betting man, I’d certainly fancy Gyokeres to get himself on the scoresheet.

Ultimately though, Arsenal simply need to focus on what they can control.

Win the game.

Secure the three points.

Maybe Bournemouth can do us a favour against City on Tuesday night, especially given their current form under Andoni Iraola, but Arsenal cannot afford to rely on anyone else if they want to secure our first league title in over 20 years.

Control the destiny yourselves.

I genuinely believe this team can do it.

So let’s start tonight.

Score the goals.

Keep the clean sheet.

Deliver the performance.

And show everybody watching that Arsenal are ready and prepared to finish the job this time.

The post Burnley Up Next For Arsenal — The Pressure Is Only Growing first appeared on Gunners Town.

There is no football to talk about today. This is a special feature of the Arsenal Women Journal, dedicated to two very special players who will be leaving the club in the summer. Arsenal website broke the news and our hearts a few days ago, and the wound is still open: Beth Mead and Katie McCabe are leaving.

Both players are expected to join elected-champions Manchester City, on a free transfer, and put an end to their stay in North London. The fact that they are joining a direct competitor really hurts, but what hurts more is losing two experienced leaders, strong characters and veterans at a key moment in the short and medium term of the Arsenal Women team. Obviously, the club has no say about which club a player can join when her contract expires, so if both end up in a Manchester City shirt we will all have to suck it up.

Anyways, the point of this special feature is to pay a tribute to two fantastic players and two great servants of this team, so let’s dig into that and stop dwelling about their future whereabouts.

Thank you, Katie. Thank you, Beth.

Each in her own way, they left a mark on the club and helped writing some of the most important pages on the Arsenal Women’s history book, which is already such a great accomplishment per se, given the pedigree of the club and the amazing players that wore the shirt over the years.

Beth Mead arrived at the club as one of the most sought-after young strikers in Europe, in January 2017, on the back of a ridiculous debut campaign in the top division, when she won the Golden Boot. Yet, she was almost immediately presented with a huge challenge, as the club recruited Vivianne Miedema from Bayern Munich. If Beth Mead was one of the hottest prospects around, the Dutch forward was THE ONE, a generational player who was already shaking the world of women’s football in England and in Europe.

Beth Mead responded to the challenge in what we all learned to be “The Beth Way”: she fought back. Moved at right wing to accommodate Vivianne Miedema, Beth Mead went from a fantastic striker to a fantastic winger in a very short period of time and grew in the role to become one of the finest wide forwards in Europe. She would rack up assist and goals, be the nuisance we learnt to love, chase every ball and close down every opponent until the final whistle, game after game. Besides her obvious skills, Beth Mead had this edge about her, this ability to turn challenges and adversities into fuel for her next game – and that really sets her apart from anyone else.

We all enjoyed the Beth Mead Revenge Tour after she was inexplicably left out of the Great Britain team that went to the 2021 Olympic Games and saw her raise her levels once more to become – in my humble opinion – the best player in the world during the 2021/22 campaign. She went on to win the Euros with England, she was named Player of the Tournament and won the Golden Boot, yet that wasn’t enough to win a well-deserved Ballon d’Or. What a shame.

At that point in time, the Arsenal team was any combination of Beth Mead and another ten (very good) players, until her anterior cruciate ligament snapped late in 2022. That episode felt terrible because Beth Mead was at the peak of her powers, and everyone could anticipate that the recovery and return to fitness would be complicate for a player that lived off explosiveness and repeated high intensity runs.

New challenge, new energy for Beth Mead, who came back and left an indelible mark on the UWCL triumph, last season, with the clever assist for Stina Blackstenius in Lisbon.

I really hope that someone within the current group of players absorbed Beth Mead’s superpower to turn anything bad coming her way into energy and determination to overcome it, because that separates good players from champions, and legends.

Photos courtesy of Arsenal.com

Another player who never shied away from a challenge in Katie McCabe, who appeared very emotional after the home game against Everton. The Ireland international and captain will end her association with the club, next summer, and will surely go down as one of the finest players to ever don the Arsenal Women shirt, and a club legend.

Left wing, right wing, left back, right back, central midfielder, centre-half, there is not a position she cannot play and she hasn’t played during her stay in North London. Ms. Reliable has been almost ever available, played through pain and injuries and showed a level of commitment and dedication that few players could ever match: her feistiness, competitive edge and character made it a nightmare to play against, and the ultimate teammate for anyone who crossed her path.

It would be too little and unkind to return a picture of Katie McCabe as the warrior, the fighter, because she has one of the most well-educated left foot in women’s football and a rare football intelligence, but it is true that her leadership was evident – armband or not.

In a team of technicians and lightweight players, she was there to make sure that no one would dare to bully the Arsenal Women and was ready to fight back those who believed they could use any form of brutality to stop the Gunners from playing their expansive brand of football. That came at a price, at times, and Katie McCabe picked up a few unnecessary red cards along the way, of was involved in incidents you wish she wasn’t involved in, but there is no denying that she always, always left it all on the pitch, and gave her all to the Arsenal Women cause.

Photos courtesy of Arsenal.com

Despite the turmoil and changes within the club, with head coaches being replaced too frequently for the Arsenal standard, she was always integral to any team, and the first name on the starting XI for each coach – no matters the tactical setup of the opponent on the day.

Her trademark long-distance goals will remain in our memories for a long time, and so will her singing at the UWCL trophy parade, when her sunglasses spoke a million words. Losing Katie McCabe means losing a part of the soul of this Arsenal Women team, a big chunk of what made this team so likeable and, I suspect, the main instigator behind the many comebacks and impossible escapes the team pulled off last season, during their unforgettable European campaign.

The harder the mission, the stronger the team, and I really think that Katie McCabe inspired the team’s resilience and hunger, even if she wasn’t part of the so-called leadership group anymore, because a leader remains a leader – and Katie McCabe has always been one.

It will feel weird not to see Katie McCabe in the team sheet, and on the pitch altogether, not to mention her playing in a different shirt.

Farewell, Legends.

The post An Arsenal Women Journal Special – Farewell, Legends first appeared on Gunners Town.

An Arsenal blog from a coach’s perspective

I’m taking a calculated risk by admitting this.

I’ve never thought that I’m mad or living in another reality but since the world went mad, I’ve thought about it. I’ve heard many people state that we are living in a scripted movie and this is how it felt after attempting to process that game. But that is not possible in football because the script that I’m about to share is far too complicated to make reality.

Anyway, it seemed like a movie. This movie (below). I suppose we all process differently.

The movie would be called, ‘Ecstasy, Terror and the Norwegian Prince.’

SYNOPSIS:

Two teams meet at a stadium with what sounds like a lame made up name from a Hallmark movie, ‘The London Stadium.’ Both teams have to win and if they do, one should win the shiny trophy and the other might fall off the wall and break their crown and tumble down the hill. That might be mixing two nursery rhymes, but it sounds right. The movie starts with much action and close calls. The Arteta character then loses his mind and subsequently his midfield, by making a bizarre change. Then he makes a second bizarre change taking off the player that looks like a hero on a white horse and was playing like he was the likely main character in the movie. The usual main character on the right wing was actually a barely seen cameo appearance. The actual hero becomes the small Belgian boy who not only looks like he has been beaten up and sent threw the ringer of family drama, but his hair is firm evidence of such, as I swear that it was blonder last week and greyer on Sunday. His hero status is clearly a sympathy move by the director who might just win an Oscar for ‘The most dramatic ending since The Usual Suspects.’ A Norwegian Prince saves the villain coach (who quite honestly looks like he could actually be a key player in the dark side of a famous movie series,’) by coming on with his shiny sword and showing the bravery that the other actors couldn’t muster. He sliced through the egg and pushed him off the wall. BUT…….. just when you think that the Norwegian prince was about to kiss the girl (or get kissed by the coach from the dark side), a man with a corny made up name, Darren England,  puts his foot on the egg, blows his whistle and puts his palm up in the air. We wait. We keep waiting.

Surely he needs to take his foot off the egg and let it continue falling down Relegation Hill, but the Darren England man wants to re-watch the movie before he decides how it will end. And so we wait. We keep waiting. And then we feel sick. And then Darren England lifts his foot up and West Hampty Dumpty tumbles down the hill to what looks like an inevitable end. 

That is how it felt.

To the point that I actually caught myself considering and actually pinching myself to check that I wasn’t in a dream. I’ve never done that before. It really didn’t help that for some reason I went onto Facebook and the first image was of a former students Dad who used to be bald and now looks like this….

I think I pinched myself again. I’m not sure if the Arsenal game or ‘Action Man to Weird Al’ is a stranger moment in time.

Everybody has their story that they will re-tell of how they coped with the last 13 minutes of that game. This is mine. I’m off for a nap now.

POSITIVES

Odegaard:

I don’t know how I feel about Odegaard. When a player performs to his ceiling should you be delighted or frustrated that he hasn’t been doing it for two seasons. If Odegaard moves on in the summer it will be sad on many levels. As a leader he has been excellent. His work ethic is unlike any other attacking midfielder in world football. His ability on the ball is his super power though, but he too often leaves his cape at home.

We can only hope that Mikel kept him in the changing room after everyone else got on the bus and told him that he needs to use his glorious left foot to play more through balls and his delicious feet and dribbling ability to penetrate. He has spent the largest part of two seasons showing us how incredible he is at being press resistant whilst dribbling sideways and backwards, but he can do more.

There is another possibility.

That Arteta is responsible for his style of play. In that case I hope that Martin sat Mikel down after the game and told him how he makes him feel. That he is capable of winning games before they absolutely have to be won.

Raya:

Arsenal are too busy getting repeatedly punched for anything that the media and fans can find for us to get any credit. Shortly, I plan on writing a piece about how Arteta and his team are revolutionizing football and Raya will be one of the headlines. His positioning, his feet, his reflexes and his reliability and confidence in his hands is not normal.

That foot save was one of the best I’ve ever seen. Up there and probably even better than Martinez v Kolo Muani because Fernandes was closer. Watch it again. It doesn’t just hit his foot, he moves it. He is positioned 3 yards from his line and Fernandes is 5 yards out. Unreal.

I remember David Seaman, who many consider to be the best Arsenal GK ever, being so reliable. That is a goal keepers most important adjective. David Raya Raya is at least equally reliable and reliably saves what other keepers see as unsavable shots. This is a step beyond Seaman.

As for the most talked about foul of the season here are my thoughts……

.;

It was a foul. Three times over. His jersey was being pulled. He had an elbow in his face from a player not even attempting to jump for the ball and his left arm was being held down. The fact that Myles and Kai were being assaulted as well as Rice and others assaulting West Ham players is a different conversation because VAR were asked to check one incident. What has become a complete trainwreck is that there were at least 6 obvious fouls going on. So, the referee needs to just give the players a vest and some boxing gloves at each corner and close his eyes or the FA has to do a serious clampdown. Much like Keir Starmer trying to resuscitate his career, it has gone too far already. What we will see next season is lots of penalties for holding, blocking and pushing in August and September, lots of  justified complaints from fans about ‘what about this foul?’ Then there will be a new rule because Arteta will have created the ‘mega-person’ in the box. It is where Calafiori sits on Gabriel’s shoulders who is standing on Saliba’s shoulders and Ricky Calafiori will have scored 17 headers in the first month of the season from Declan Rice’s new 30 foot chipped corner kicks.

Leo:

I’d decided that both Martinelli and Trossard needed to leave at the end of the season. I am now doubting myself. I wonder if his 2026 dip in form is related to his family life and that what we are just hearing about in regards to his divorce, is old news to him. If he can become the game winning winger that he has been for the majority of his Arsenal career then me, you and everyone else needs to at least be good with him staying as back up. He won’t be because his character doesn’t allow that. He will attempt and possibly succeed in holding down that left wing spot until he decides to leave himself.

Gabriel:

Does anyone have a compilation of his goal saving blocks? I know that all defenders are blocking shots, but he doesn’t flinch. The rest of the normal human defenders don’t square their body up and take hit after hit. His late block will get lost in the drama but he has done this consistently for the last 2 seasons. He is personally responsible for re-inventing aspects of football. His name will be repeated in video sessions and on training pitches worldwide because of his ability in both boxes.

NEEDS

Arteta:

Somebody needs  to show Mikel some footage of his bald buddy at City over complicating big games. Mikel is too young to be bored, like Pep. Let’s win a few trophies before we take out the best midfielder around out of the midfield and leave the direct replacement on the bench. His Odegaard substitution may well have saved him from an awful lot of grief.

Saka:

As Saka goes, so do Arsenal. This is not entirely true but it sure helps when he decides to be the difference. Perhaps he was sick? Perhaps West Hampty Dumpty were successful in shimmying us to the left? Either way, it was a bad day to have an off day.

HOPES

Fernandes:

I’m in agreement with this twitter legend.

Sickness and injury:

Apparently, we had a sickness bug in the camp. This might explain the slow paced second half if players were feeling sick. White and Calafiori may both be done for the season. It might be horse placenta time.

Start fast:

Arsenal must discourage Burnley early. Many relegated teams play with more freedom and looser shoulders. I’m also doubting that Burnley will park the bus because why would they? I’d appreciate an open game.

Palace clue:

Palace may feel like they have to be fair to City as well as Arsenal and play a weakened team in both. My best guess is that half of their starters start in each game.

TWEETS and THOUGHTS:

I love it when ‘normal everyday fans’ have the correct take vs ‘paid media’

But, but, but Arsenal are crap!!!!

Very impressive.

Just when it was needed.

But I really thought Arsenal were crap!!!

You know what…… this could be the media narrative, if they wanted. It’s rooted in fact. Not a single red card all season. Flowers from me is the best we might get.

Another potential ‘Tweet of the Year.’

If you don’t have social media, then this is a prime example of what Arsenal fans have to put up with.

Another example of what the narrative should be.

One of the best value for money signings in the clubs history. The goal on Sunday was worth the fee alone.

Would be fascinating if true. would mean that Kai or Viktor could be moved on.

FINAL THOUGHT:

I took my team to the Mercedes Benz Stadium on Saturday. Many of them haven’t been to a big city in their life. It was a blessing to bless them in this way.

Life is winding down as school is winding down for summer. Arsenal are winding up so that swimming pool in the backyard of the Airbnb that we’ve rented in the South Downs will be quite lovely in mid-June. If you know of any beautiful towns and villages we can visit whilst we are in the South, I’d appreciate the tips.

Let’s finish with two beautiful images. I think Rice is being too polite to the Hammers fans here.

And let this anxiety pill make you smile….

The post “The Pinch” (Positives Needs & Hopes) [WHA 0-1 ARS] first appeared on Gunners Town.

That’s it, folks. The away draw at Brighton handed Manchester City their first title in a decade, as the Gunners are left to rue the missed chances and the bad luck.

Despite the changes made by Renée Slegers, the team looked low on energy and not as sharp as we could have hoped. Things were way different over the weekend, when the Arsenal Women dispatched Aston Villa with a 3-0 at Villa Park, but it was too little, too late anyway.

Photo courtesy of Arsenal.com

The midweek away game saw Brighton took the lead in the closing minutes of the first half, when a reckless foul by Victoria Pelova resulted in a free kick; Brighton hoofed the ball in the box and, from the subsequent melee, Tsunoda found the back of the next thanks to an unlucky deflection from Kim Little. Daphne van Domselaar was quick to adjust her position but could not prevent the ball from going in, and from that moment onwards things became difficult for the visitors.

The reaction in the second half was encouraging but, despite the chances created by Alessia Russo, Caitlin Foord and Mariona Caldentey, the had to wait until the hour mark to score the equalizer. Shortly before that, the Gunners should have had a penalty when Frida Maanum was blatantly brought down in the box, but the referee inexplicably let the play go on. The Norwegian got her revenge and scored Arsenal’s only goal of the evening following a powerful run to latch onto Alessia Russo’s beautiful through-ball, but the Arsenal Women could not force a winner and eventually handed up the title to Manchester City.

Photo courtesy of Arsenal.com

Perhaps Alessia Russo, who scored a brace against Aston Villa on Saturday, could have saved one of them for the midweek game, but in all seriousness everyone knew that it would require something spectacular to snatch the title from under City nose, and also that the Arsenal Women team played a lot of high-intensity games, lately, and might run of out steam.

The three-nil away win at Aston Villa remains a very important result in the fight for UWCL spots, and those three points took the Gunners one point behind Chelsea in second, with one game in hand and a far superior goal difference. Wins against Everton and Liverpool between will take Arsenal Women to second, independent of Chelsea results, but four points could still be enough to grab the runners-up place.

THE RUSSANUUM COMBO

Often in direct competition of a place in the starting XI, Alessia Russo and Frida Maanum combined very well against Brighton and showed they can belong on the same pitch, exchanging positions and responsibilities between creating and finishing chances. The Norwegian might not be the most polished footballer, but her ability to crash the box, carry the ball and find the back of the net is second to none, at the Arsenal Women and in the WSL altogether. With Alessia Russo coming short to link-up play between midfield and attack, Frida Maanum found a lot of space in behind and twice found herself in the perfect position to strike: in one occasion she was clearly fouled in the box, with the referee the only person on the pitch to miss that episode, and in the other scored the only goal of the evening for the Gunners, as well-taken as it was insignificant.

Photo courtesy of Arsenal.com

The pair repeated the trick in Birmingham, on Saturday, when they dismantled Aston Villa with an array of quick passes, smart movement and great finishes. After Alessia Russo opened the score, Frida Maanum scored the second goal of the afternoon with a well-taken finish to make the most of Alessia Russo’s wonderful pass with the outside of the boot. In the second half, Frida Maanum returned the favor and released Alessia Russo in the box, and the England forward made no mistake once she rounded former-Gunner D’Angelo.

While it’s often been an either-or when talking about Alessia Russo and Frida Maanum, the game against Brighton helped many people to remember that those two players can play together and can create a lot of issues for the opponents, especially if the England forward is found between the lines. It is still unclear whether Frida Maanum will still be around next season, but she reminded everyone of her unique skillset and her ability to change the course of a game with her powerful runs and finishes.

Photo courtesy of Arsenal.com

Perhaps the next couple of games will provide more clarity over the long-term plan for Frida Maanum, and more broadly with the overall attacking setup for the new season, but the games against Brighton and Aston Villa showed that the Russo/Maanum combo has a lot to offer.

MORE DEPARTURES ANNOUNCED

As the season slowly comes to an end, with no silverware to show for, the club seems already focused on next season and specifically on building a competitive team for Renée Slegers. After announcing new contracts for Kim Little, Steph Catley, Leah Williamson and Stina Blackstenius, the Arsenal officially confirmed that both Laia Codina and Victoria Pelova will leave the club at the expiration of their contracts.

Both players were mostly on the fringes this season, although for different reasons, and their departures don’t necessarily come as a surprise: the former Barcelona defender will most likely return to Spain in search for regular football, while the Netherlands international won’t be short of suitors across Europe.

Photo courtesy of Arsenal.com

The likely arrivals of Stanway from Bayern Munich and Reuteler from Freiburg would have further reduced Victoria Pelova’s game time, so it makes sense to part ways and allow the former Ajax midfielder to reignite her career elsewhere. As for Laia Codina, I guess that her place in the squad will be taken up by Katie Reid, who was often picked ahead of the Spain international at the beginning of the season, when both players were fit. The young England centre-back will be still out for several months but Lotte Wubben-Moy, Leah Williamson and Steph Catley can hold the for while she recovers, not to mention that Taylor Hinds can fill in, if needed.

NEXT UP

Arsenal Women will host Everton on Wednesday night, at the Emirates Stadium, for the last home game of the season. It will be a perfect moment to wave goodbye to Manuela Zinsberger and the players who will leave the club in the summer, and also to thank the team for another very good season. Arsenal Women might be finishing the season empty-handed, but they were minutes away from another UWCL final and threatened to push Manchester City until the very last minute for the WSL trophy.

After that, the Gunners will travel to Liverpool for the final game of the campaign and hopefully seal the runners-up place in the standings, before the players are allowed to enjoy some well-deserved holidays.

Speak to you soon!

The post The Arsenal Women Journal – City crowned champions, but Gunners keep pushing [BHA 1-1 ARS, AVL 0-3 ARS] first appeared on Gunners Town.

But this Arsenal team has a way of pulling you back in.

As strange as it may sound considering what could still await us in Europe, I genuinely believe today’s game against West Ham is bigger than the upcoming Champions League final.

That might sound dramatic, but for me it’s simple: navigate a win against West Ham and Arsenal place one hand firmly on the Premier League trophy. Anything less hands momentum and psychological advantage straight back to Manchester City.

The reason this game feels so enormous is because of what we are trying to avoid as much as what we are trying to achieve.

The nightmare scenario would be losing control of the title race again and then walking into a Champions League final knowing it represents our only chance at silverware. That pressure changes everything. Football history is filled with teams who carried desperation into finals rather than belief. It can heavily affect the way you play and the deafening noise of the overused ‘Bottle’ term this season can infect the players focus.

Right now Arsenal have the chance to avoid that entirely.

This team is on course for something historic. A potential double. But even if it ends with “only” the Premier League title, it would still represent one of the greatest achievements of the modern era for Mikel Arteta and this football club considering the time since we were last crowned champions.

More importantly, it would finally break the psychological barrier.

For years Arsenal have carried the weight of nearly moments, collapses, banter, and question marks about their mentality to see it through. Winning the league would remove that fear permanently. Future title races become different once you’ve proven to yourselves you can get over the line.

That mental hurdle matters just as much as the trophy itself.

Of course, the wider noise around the club continues as always.

The discussion around Spurs potentially benefiting from an Arsenal win says everything about modern football discourse. Rival fans can hate-watch, debate outcomes, and obsess over Arsenal failing if they want to. That’s football tribalism.

But honestly, most Arsenal fans — certainly those not represented by the loudest reactionary social media accounts — only care about one thing: what is best for Arsenal Football Club.

Nothing else matters.

The same applies to the media narrative already beginning around Crystal Palace potentially resting players on the final day because of their upcoming Conference League final. The timing of those questions feels incredibly disrespectful considering that match is still weeks away and Palace still have important fixtures ahead, with European qualification still a possibility.

But if anything, that external noise only seems to unite Arsenal supporters more. The more the conversation shifts toward agendas and distractions, the tighter the fanbase seems to become around this team.

And maybe that unity is exactly what Arsenal need right now.

Emotionally, it’s been an unbelievable week already.

Everton taking points off City swung the title momentum back in our favour, and then came Tuesday night against Atletico Madrid — a night that honestly felt like the greatest Emirates experience I’ve had since the move from Highbury.

The feel-good factor is back.

Photo courtesy of Arsenal.com

For the first time in a long time, there’s a genuine sense that this club is ready rather than simply hopeful. That emotional lift, that psychological boost, could be massive going into the West Ham game.

There will obviously be nerves. There should be nerves. These are the moments supporters wait years for.

But more than ever, the players need the fans fully behind them.

That responsibility belongs to everybody — our loyal away supporters inside the London Stadium and the fans online. This is not the time for negativity, scapegoating, or digging out individuals after every misplaced pass.

This is the moment to create a protective wall around the team.

Positive energy matters. Belief matters. Backing every single player matters.

The noise from rivals and critics will always exist, but Arsenal have spent years fighting to get back into positions like this. Now that we’re here, the focus has to remain entirely on the team and the opportunity sitting directly in front of them.

One game at a time.

Everything rides on West Ham.

And if Arsenal can come through it, the dream suddenly becomes very, very real.

The post Arsenal vs West Ham Is Our Biggest Game of the Season first appeared on Gunners Town.

‘Arsenal and the waterpark’

An Arsenal blog from a coach’s perspective

Now don’t be jealous. I live near two of the world’s best water parks. In fact, if I was American, I would probably say I live near seven of the best. Over in the US, they don’t think that four hours away is really that far.

The two that are close to where I live are actually an hour away, which you probably think is cheating. Over here that is ‘just around the corner..’

The Smoky Mountains are beautiful and they host Dollywood Splash Country and Soaky Mountain waterpark. They are quite epic. The kids on my team see them as the prime part-time job to have. They have shuttle buses that pick you up from where you live as long as it is within 60 miles and pay you more than any other part-time job.

I was awake last night for a good while because of the beautiful adrenaline that was running through my veins. It was most certainly red and white yesterday. I was thinking of how to frame what I had just seen. I decided to frame it as a big middle finger to those people that have got Arsenal so wrong.

I was prompted by multiple tweets of highly respected players and managers, who once again would disagree with the media narrative. Personally, I pay more attention to a coach’s opinion than any ex player. Current players are more interesting because they’ve actually played in this modern football era, whereas somebody like Gary Neville sees everything through the lens of 2003.

These fancy water parks here in the USA are pretty spectacular because of the variety of different slides and ways to enjoy the water.

The rainbow funnel that you see in the picture is the Soaky Mountain waterpark where you are spat out into the funnel and much like the penny game at the shopping centre that you put a penny in and it goes around and around and disappears, you eventually plummet down the hole of the funnel.

This reminds me of the fan accounts who might have the most views, but their opinion is always extreme. If it wasn’t and it was based in reality, then they would have a similar amount of views as somebody like I do who tries to see a football team’s achievements as what they are, rather than what I need for them to be.

If you have ever experienced a funnel slide like this, then you will agree that for 60 seconds of your life you completely lose your mind as it has you constantly thrown in different directions and so you switch your brain off, much like fanning for followers.

Then there are football fans who go seven steps further and pretend to know something that they don’t. Pretend that their opinion is a fact when that’s not possible. They are the fans that go to the waterpark and refuse to go anywhere else but the most dangerous and fastest slide in the park.

They also have a lazy river. A really quite enjoyable laid-back experience on a pool float. Much like the more reasoned football fans who are smart enough to read, observe and not post ridiculous stuff in October like “Gyokeres needs to go back to Sporting.”

Dollywood Splash Country has a wave pool. A place where you are completely at the mercy of nature as you get tossed around by the waves. These are fans who don’t turn on their brain from August to May. They just repeat the narrative like sheep and are now frantically on their phones deleting tweets from October.

Then you have a small group of fans who see the enjoyment in all of the different activities at the waterpark, but just chill in the hot tub. The best place. They are people who always see the big picture when everybody else is looking at today’s headline.

The big picture at Arsenal Football Club is that the reign of Mikel Arteta has seen Arsenal turn from a laughing stock into arguably the most respected team in Europe, and certainly one of the best.

The story isn’t over, but whether it is this season or the next one or two, I only see one direction for Arsenal Football Club. The owners were very clever and ignored those at the top of the dangerous slide and those swirling in the funnel. They just chilled in the hot tub and knew that the direction of travel was north, even if it was too slow for some people.

Modern day players have responded to the continuous and steady growth of Arsenal Football Club by either wanting to join, or in the case of somebody like Zubimendi, rejected other more unstable projects for a club on a one-way road to the north.

For as scary as PSG and Bayern might be, there are different ways of winning football matches and there always will be. Arsenal are significantly better organized and reliable defensively, and now that the attack has found some level of groove then maybe that will be enough. The final doesn’t have to be a memorable high scoring match that amuses Gary Neville and his mates. It needs to be won. That’s all. If I was a bookmaker, I would have Arsenal as at least 50/50 to win the Champions League final because no team in world football – no matter the amount of attacking talent they have showed up with, has dominated Arsenal Football Club in many years. They find it very difficult. Very frustrating. They also know that they might have a really nice house, but the back door is far more accessible than ours and the trophy isn’t in the attic, it is in the kitchen.

POSITIVES:

Mikel Arteta:

I know that many people feel like he is trying to force the energy. Maybe there is some truth to it. I am more inclined to go back into my hot tub and look at it reasonably and see that the truth is that he is simply paying more attention to the soft factors than other clubs. Add that to the organic excitement of a fan base showing up for a game that they don’t always get to play in and you get the fire and lightning that happened at the Emirates last night.

Mikel was proven correct and picked the right team. Even though the focus was mostly on Lewis Skelly, it was Calafiori and his presence in the middle of the field that Atlético Madrid struggled with. Calafiori did not have one of his best games, but the simple fact that he was standing in certain areas moved certain opponents to areas that they didn’t want to be in. Even though the game was somewhat back-and-forth there was enough threat from Arsenal for Atletico to second-guess and have to change the defensive roles of some of their midfielders.

Ben White:

Firstly, picking him was a front footed decision which certainly benefited Saka. He could’ve gone with Mosquera and arguably had a more solid defensive right back, but we were bolder and White responded with a very good performance.

I wish he was more reliable, fitness-wise, because a fit Timber and a fit White are a hard duo to improve upon. With both of them having injury concerns Arsenal really have no choice in the summer but to find a full back who is more reliable. This is why I’m struggling to believe the Livramento rumors because he is more unreliable than they are.

Structure:

Simeone was so glowing in his praise. Consider how furious he was during and after the game and you consider that he must have so much respect for Arteta and Arsenal, if he can say this when his emotions probably want to flick a V sign.

I’m sure he felt that our defensive structure essentially shut down every single one of their high-level attacking players. Alvarez wasn’t fully fit, but was largely nullified once again. Lookman was a non-factor in both games. Griezmann is too good at football to be a non-factor but was martialed into feeding off scraps. I could pick out individual defenders but Arteta will tell you that it is the team’s defensive structure, positioning, and decision-making that shuts down a group of top class players. So that’s good enough for me.

VG:

Declan Rice won man of the match and that’s fine. He had yet another top game. There is every possibility that he wins the Balon d’Or, especially if we win one or both trophies but yet does not win Footballer of the Year in England.

I’d rather praise Viktor because he took a physical beating and hardly ever got favor from the referee. He should’ve been responsible for their centre back being sent off. He has improved exponentially as a holdup player, and this includes his movement down the channels and decision-making in these areas. It is getting to a point where he is as likely to set up a goal scoring opportunity as anybody else on the team, and this wasn’t happening in 2025.

 

Referee:

It doesn’t matter now, but referees have to realize that when a guy as large as Viktor goes to the ground there is a pretty darn good chance that he has been fouled. He doesn’t dive and he seems more determined to stay on his feet and so referees really need to look at him differently. He’s always reminded me of one of the Avengers. I think it’s Captain America. Sometimes it’s like watching the Hulk toss him around the city and the residents simply walking on by as if there is nothing to see here. “Don’t worry, It’s just a guy being thrown into a building which is about to crumble on my head..”

Gabriel, Saliba, Timber and Hincapie:

I remember back when the trend started. It got to the point where we were being fed the narrative that it was more important that your centre backs could pass than defend. I always thought that that was wrong, but I’m keeping that fairly quiet. Arteta is smarter than that. He knows that if you can shut the back door, then you have a foundation under your house and the players ahead of them feel like they can do their job and not have to be worried about the back door.

He found a group of players who could play with their feet and we are now at a point where they almost never give the ball away whilst playing out of the back.

More than that though, he has found these four defenders in particular who enjoy defending as much as I enjoy my wife’s crêpes with bacon, cheese and grilled onions. I have them every Saturday and then if Arsenal are playing, it is the perfect day.

Not only has there been great recruitment and fantastic coaching, but he has made Ben White tougher, Mosquera more reliable, Lewis Skelly an option in a position he had never played before and most impressively turned Calafiori from an excellent ball player but unreliable defender to having the ability to do both at a high-level.

Saka:

Arsenal cannot make a big thing about Saka’s achilles. He gets kicked in that area repeatedly, anyway. If Arsenal make a big thing of it, then defenders will go after that specific area and step on his heel.

I don’t want to over blow this because I don’t know the details and I don’t like heights and danger slides, but the achilles is arguably the worst injury you can get in football. It’s hard to fully repair and so I hope that he isn’t overplayed in the summer because that’s a real concern.

It might be that he has to have surgery and miss a chunk of next season, which is very unfortunate, but it could be either that or a career in the balance.

His influence yesterday was obvious. In a game of very few errors from either team he caused a few all by himself. His goal was so encouraging because it wasn’t something he normally does or that any Arsenal player does. You should never be flat footed in the box and watch a ball flying towards a goal. You should always stay in motion so you have a better chance of getting to the rebound.

Trossard:

He is returning to form at just the right time. I would’ve loved for it to have been earlier, but I’ll take it. His technical ability isn’t really talked about. By me either. He’s not really seen as a tricky wing because he’s not particularly quick or fast. He is highly deceptive, as well as being a very effective footballer though. It stands out in our team because we certainly have a tendency to be too predictable and he is absolutely not that. Being two-footed, he can go both ways and he’s intelligent enough to have learnt the art of faking a defender into committing to a challenge and then changing direction. I do wish that our right wing would attack the back post when Trossard is shooting though. So often his shots come really close and would be a tap in for the attacker on the right side.

Subs:

I know that perhaps a substitute shouldn’t be given a round of applause for putting full focus and maximum energy into such an important game, but let’s be honest, it doesn’t always happen and it’s not just Arsenal.

Madueke was more focused, energetic, and a threat, as was all the others that came on.

Recently, Arteta has been excellent at using his bench at the right time, also.

Rice:

What can you say. Perhaps the right thing to say is that the best footballer in your team is the one that performs at the highest level the most consistently. We are blessed at Arsenal because we have a large group that fight for this award.

His move to DM has given him the opportunity to appear occasionally on the right side. This adds a new dimension to our attacks with him on his best foot.

Lewis Skelly:

I don’t want to repeat myself, but it does require mentioning that not only does he look the part but he’s bringing something extra. He is unusually strong for somebody so small.

Got such unreal balance also. It’s not that Zubi doesn’t because he’s also a fine player, but what is currently separating the two of them is risk and ambition.

Almost every pass that Lewis Skelly made was forward. Maybe he’s a smart boy and knows that this is his route to being a starter because the competition isn’t so willing to do this. Maybe it is an instruction or maybe it is instinct. Either way, the fans don’t just love him because he’s an Arsenal boy. They can see a top level player, regardless of their childhood.

I know it will be tempting to sell and make profit on him and Ethan in the summer, but I really hope we don’t. Both of them could turn out to be the solution and right now it looks like Lewis Skelly isn’t just a player with fantastic potential but a different maker at the very highest level as a starting central midfielder.

NEEDS:

No need.

HOPES:

Celebrations:

I almost felt sorry for the players after the game. They really don’t have time and opportunity to fully celebrate. Such a wonderful evening. Celebrating a week later, doesn’t really have the same energy either. Maybe the celebrations in the dressing room will be enough for them and I hope that they stayed in there and made it their personal pub and nightclub and didn’t leave until midnight.

West Ham:

I think it’s really important that Arsenal start fast at the London Stadium. West Ham fans are now energized like ours are but it’s a different kind of energy. They stand on the edge of the cliff and a fast start and an early goal or two could push their fans into a mindset that that club has faced more often than not. Disappointment. That is our job. Create disappointment in the crowd and suck the energy out of the stadium. It’ll be hard to hear our loud away fans anyway because they are a solid country mile away from the pitch at that stadium.

TWEETS and THOUGHTS:

An incredible stat seeing as they have played in the vast majority of these games.

Equally impressive.

We weren’t at the stadium but EllieAnn, Max and I created our own fireworks. There will be many stories like this.

But the media in England spend all their time mocking us. I’m embarrassed for them.

I cannot fully express how much I love reading this.

If I was Arsenal, I would put this on sale now and while fans are in a really good mood, because I don’t think they will sell more than 6 of them next season. There is nothing about this that says Arsenal.

Too beautiful to consider, yet.

But ‘Arsenal are bottlers’ is the story.

FINAL THOUGHT:

Firstly, I have zero interest in any radio/TV show/social media account that talks about over celebrating. What it communicates to me is that you don’t have the modern game knowledge to talk about the game. We just watched a high level football match and these people want us to forget that and focus on the reality show. Society is reflected here. Political correctness didn’t help.

The best of football is nights like this. The pinnacle of a fans experience.

The post Arsenal and the waterpark (Positives Needs & Hopes) [ARS 1 (2)-(1) 0 ATL] first appeared on Gunners Town.