Battle 17/17: Overcoming the Toffees And Hoping for the Canaries

TotalArsenal

Arsenal’s last game of the season is against Everton and we need a win to have any chance of getting into the top four. We also need a little miracle at Carrow Road. Norwich have been urine poor this season but they can still spring a surprise.

It’s going to be 20 degrees in Norwich this afternoon with plenty of sunshine. The Spuds thrive like thieves when it is dark and dank, but struggle in sunny conditions. Furthermore, the Norwich team will want to thank the home crowd and do their part in the PL. They are a proud bunch and will surely want to give the self-celebrating, ultra-slappable Conte and his silly Spuds one on the nose. Our North London neighbours are of course the favourites but it’s certainly not a done deal.

Everton have survived by the skin of their teeth and are likely to either relax or give us a proper game. It all depends on their mindset….. And ours of course. We need to believe it is still possible and play hard for the win.

Who is going to play? Not entirely sure who is fit to play. I think Tomiyasu is a doubt but others are fit enough to start?!

Against Newcastle we didn’t click up front and Arteta will need to get the balance right. Not easy with key players almost out of contract or out of form/not fully fit.

Here’s my preferred lineup:

Ramsdale

Tomi-Ben-Gab-Tava

Elneny-Xhaka

Saka-Ode-ESR

Martinelli

Com On You Rip Roaring Gunners.

By TotalArsenal

108 thoughts on “Battle 17/17: Overcoming the Toffees And Hoping for the Canaries”

  • TA Sunday afternoon siesta or general apathy :). Iam at my badminton game and saw your new post. Just expecting a win to end the season no expectations of chnage in position.

  • 32 Ramsdale
    17 Cedric
    16 Holding
    6 Gabriel
    20 Tavares
    25 Elneny
    34 Xhaka
    35 Martinelli
    8 Odegaard (c)
    7 Saka
    30 Nketiah
    Substitutes
    1 Leno
    4 White
    69 Swanson
    23 Lokonga
    87 Patino
    65 Oulad M’Hand
    19 Pepe
    10 Smith Rowe
    9 Lacazette

  • Everton seem to have put out a bit of a weak squad which is nice. I still sort of expect dele to score against us as he hates us as much as we hate him.

    Sadly the spurs food poisoning seems to not be so bad but hopefully it affects the fitness. Let’s cross everything and hope for the best. Worst thing to do would be to not get the win and do our part.

  • Hi Total,

    We had a terrible thunder storm pass though yesterday – the worst I’ve experienced in my life. Fortunately we were tucked away safely at home. Our son was not so lucky as he was driving back from a visit to Toronto and got caught in the storm – he was forced to pull onto the soft shoulder of the highway until the storm passed. He said that several large semi’s were not so lucky and got blown over.

  • Hey! Only the most positive Arsenal fan would believe Norwich would be giving that game a right go. They were relegated ages ago and won’t give a rat’s ass how it affects the table.

    The important thing is the team gave the fans a good game, gave potentially departing players in Pepe, Laca and Tierney minutes; and improved to return to Europe.

    We now have to get in the players willing to join us, ensure a good depth with back-ups of similar quality then see how we do next season. It will be a test of Arteta’s mettle to handle domestic games and European distractions. I think Conte joining Spurs was a key event that made the difference for the Spuds. Let’s see how he holds out next season.

    Been a long hard season of ups and downs but its been thrilling all the way; and our lads played a part.

  • GN5, happy to hear you are good after that bad thunderstorm. My home is still off the grid with no power; I am told there were a few trees falling over to damage power lines and a three person’s reported dead.

    My folks are having to go out to get food; today and have to heat up their meals in the home of friends who haven’t been affected by the outage. Hopefully, this is sorted out today.

  • We finished 5th and a whole 11 points ahead of utd. That’s a very positive way to look at the table.

    Still very disappointed with the way we lost 4th. I am hoping that if I write the above statement enough times I will eventually get over it.

  • You and me both, Wedge. Spurs had no business catching up with us and finishing above us. Painful! But you feel we are getting close to bucking that recent trend soon enough.

  • Ona mother note….
    Congratulations to Olivier Giroud. Now won the Scudetto with AC Milan, in addition to 1 EPL, 1 UCL, 1 Europa league, 4 FA Cups, 1 UEFA nations league, 4 Charity Shields and 1 world cup. Great man!

  • Goonereris you are forgetting about his French national team achievements. He was another in the long list of players that we should have kept.

  • Wedge, the UEFA nations league and World Cup were with his national team. Can’t recall any other. I have always liked Giroud, even when most fans didn’t see beyond his lack of pace and awkward ball skills. We should have kept him but I guess Wenger thought he deserved to be playing more regularly, with Laca and Auba taking up more game time.

  • Busy day at work yesterday, 12 hours in the saddle, nothing on the radio unsurprisingly except Man City and/or Liverpool, there was the odd report but I followed the score on the BBC website as and when I could, but a good performance to end a season of improvement but with a tinge of regret.

    I was quite disappointed that with 12 minutes left to play and Arsenal comfortably on top by 4-1 that Mikel couldn’t have shown a bit more imagination with his subs, I mean Pepe ffs, why not give Salah-Eddine his debut?

  • There is in my view an exciting prospect, if we get favourable draws in both the Europa League and League Cup, for a golden opportunity to give some of our most talented Hale End graduates the kind of invaluable experience that they will need to see their development accelerated and to potentially save the club needing to spend millions on big time signings, but that can only happen if Mikel, under the right circumstances, gives them the opportunity to show their talent.

    I’d like to think that he would but I do wonder if he will?

  • Well, one thing you did win, Total is the 10 quid bet on Xhaka not getting another red card. Congratulations. I thought my money was safe but the fellow certainly responded to whatever guidance the club gave him, becoming one of our most dependable performers over the those last 17 games. E mail me your bank deets, or I’ll put it on the bar when we hopefully catch up later in the summer.

  • The latter sounds great to me, Stu.

    I am pleased with Granit’s conduct and was not sure at all whether I would win this bet. He did me proud.

  • Agreed Eris. Giroud is a football fairytale. Auba had a couple of good seasons, Laca tried hard but never really broke through, but Ollie was good consistently, and also for others.

  • Two hours commuting Total, but it’s fine really, plenty of breaks by sitting on ranks at stations and hotels when the brain needs a breather.

    I know I had a grumble about the subs but it’s because I want a squad with 30% or 40% made up from Academy lads (as long as they are of the required level of course) they’re the lads that buy into the club emotionally and there’s nothing better than playing football with your mates. That’s the vision I have but they need to be encouraged by the Coach.

    I loved that picture during the mid-season sunshine break in the Middle East when Arteta took the players away for some warm weather training, of Mikel sitting on a football surrounded by the five Academy boys he’d taken with the senior squad seemingly chatting football.

    I get the feeling that Arteta doesn’t ‘give’ minutes willy nilly and that the youngsters have to really work hard to earn an opportunity but sometimes you have to dangle the carrot and I felt that an opportunity was lost yesterday.

  • Totally get your point, Kev.

    Let’s see who will be sold and let go in the next few weeks. Arteta may have given a few players the opportunity to say goodbye to the fans. Next season the youngsters should get good chances to play first team football.

  • Here we go chaps the final scores of the season:-
    1st Madhu with 5/6 plus the most correct predictions = 9 points
    2nd Total, Eris & OX10 with 4/6 = 4 points
    5th Stuart & GN5 with 3/6 = 3 points
    “””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””
    For the 2022/23 season:-

    1st Eris 187.39
    2nd OX10 173.06
    3rd Madhu 161.46
    4th Total 147.56
    5th GN5 144.03
    6th Kev 124.93
    “””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””
    Hearty congratulations to Eris he built up such a big lead that he became almost unbeatable OX10 made a great attempt but ran out of time. Thank you all for participating from around the world – it’s been fun for me and kept an old man busy.

  • GN5, thanks for the great work you put into these, once again. And, your analysis of the way things went is spot on.
    With more time/games, OX10 may have caught up as I seemed to lose steam while he built up a good head of steam. It was fun while it lasted too. Cheers, Y’all!

  • Oops that of course was the 2021/22 season results – put it down to another senior moment.

    Well now we start the long countdown to the start of the 2022/23 EPL season which starts on August 2nd – only 72 days to go. CL Final between Liverpool & Real Madrid on May 28th to look forward to and then we wait for pre season games.

  • Finally here are the results of our 2021/22 Arsenal game predictions.

    1st Eris 24/38 = 63.2%
    2nd Kev & GN5 21/38 = 55.3%
    4th Madhu & OX10 18/38 = 47.4%
    6th Total 17/38 = 44.7%
    Our late starter Stuart 6/11 – 54.5%
    “””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””

    Eris make a clean sweep of our two contests – marvelous job of predicting Eris and you show a fine knowledge of our team and the game of football.

  • Eris it will be interesting to see how Canada do in their first World Cup for 37 years, so I get two teams to watch – I hope that fate does not put them in the same group as England.- it all kicks off from Nov 21st to Dec 18th.

  • Thanks for the update and the great work you do for the blog, GN5. You are a top geezer and we are lucky to have you. I raise my glass to you 🍸 🍸

  • Eris, I don’t read goal.com ‘articles’. 🙂

    GN5, good end of season statement by Kroenke. It reflects what we have been saying here for the last two years. Not a stat or target mentioned but values, values, values. First we build then we move properly forwards.

  • I noticed that Total and also the positivity he showed in both of his managers, knowing that their opinions are respected must mean a lot to them.

    This will be the most important transfer window for many seasons, who we retain and how we sign (both current and new players) will set the tone for many years ahead.

  • Thank you, GN5 for the comp. I also raise my glass to a diamond geezer.
    And, congratulations to Eris, Prognosticator of the season. The Beeb are looking for a replacement for Mark Lawrenson, mate…

  • Wow! A clean sweep it, indeed, was; thanks GN5 for the reporting.

    Frankly, I am firmly positive about Canada’s chance at the World Cup this time out. It can’t be a fluke that they edged the Mexico and the USA to top spot in the CONCACAF WC qualifiers. Canada has some promising forwards in Jonathan David and Cyle Larin, while Atiba Hutchinson and Junior Hoilett (the old men of the team) still have a thing or two to prove. Canada will do well; hopefully, you get your wish and they don’t get to be in the same group as England.

  • TA, didn’t know that (re goal.com). Let me not bother you with the natural follow up question: why?

    Thanks for the kind words, Stuart. Mark Lawrenson is a legend with boots too big to fill. I will admit he has gone off the boil a bit the last couple of seasons, though. Hardly gets two correct predictions in any weekend. 😄😝

  • GN5 amazing dedication from you to keep the comp going. Week in week out you keep us posted on the progress. Thanks for an exciting comp and indeed it was a pleasure to part of the comp.
    Eris congrats on the clean sweep mate. Iam proud of my own showing and this marks my first season with TAs blog.
    Thanks Ta for providing this platform to vent my feelings. Love you all and hope we can continue this into the new season. COYG.
    I might be in England by the time new season starts will keep you all posted.

  • GN5 amazing dedication from you to keep the comp going. Week in week out you keep us posted on the progress. Thanks for an exciting comp and indeed it was a pleasure to part of the comp.
    Eris congrats on the clean sweep mate. Iam proud of my own showing and this marks my first season with TAs blog.
    Thanks Ta for providing this platform to vent my feelings. Love you all and hope we can continue this into the new season. COYG.
    I might be in England by the time new season starts will keep you all posted.

  • GN5, thank you for running the competitions and congratulations to Eris!

  • That won’t stop vacuous rumours coming out of Turkey but yes, good news, very cost effective and you know what your getting, maybe not top top quality but reliability but a player who can come in and perform immediately.

    It’s a shame that clubs’ who take our players on loan and who we loan to them in good faith don’t afford Arsenal the respect we deserve.

    Both Fiorentina and Real Betis knew the financials when they loaned Lucas Torrieira and Hector Bellerin back last summer and both players have performed regularly and well in their starting XI’s so it’s rather disingenuous of both clubs to take advantage of Torrieira and Bellerin feeling settled to try and low-ball Arsenal over the fee etc.

    Fiorentina received a big fee for Vlahovic and Betis qualified for european competition so it’s a bit rich pleading poverty now and shows both those clubs in a bad light, a lack of class I’d say.

    I’m sure that Arsenal have already lowered their expectations fee wise for the pair but it seems that we’re expected to give all our players away, which I guess is a symptom of being stuck with the likes of Ozil, Mustafi, Aubameyang, Kolasinac, Willian and other such overpaid luminaries who’ve cost us a small fortune but have been less than as valuable as they might think of themselves given the fac5 tha5 nobody but nobody wanted to pay a fee for them.

  • Good stuff, Kev. I guess it is all about negotiation. Time consuming crap but if they are careful Arsenal will sell them to another club. I would happily keep Torreira BTW. He may have toughened up a bit.

  • Yes, the Conference Final is on YouTube in case anyone is interested…

    That’s it TA, let’s see if any other clubs come in for Lucas and Hector.

  • Elneny and Xhaka were both improved in a noticeable way by Arteta this season. Rumours of Eddie staying are good news because that’s one less spot to fill with a lot of resources we can put towards 2 more forwards and a true cm #8, who can get into the box and be a scoring threat.

    That.. we have been missing, and it’s held back our talented forwards. Next season Ødegaard needs to attack the goal more also. There is no way talents like Saka, ESR, and Martinelli should have to fight through packed defenses without help.

    Edu and the owners will have a tough job this summer without champions league, but I believe Arteta can integrate the players he’s identified.

  • I don’t agree re Granit and Mo, J. They were just as good as they always have been. The trust they get is doing them good, but they have always been good players.

  • Oh yes, Granit has always been a solid player, but a lot of podcasters and pundits also noticed he’s gone up a level… quicker progression but still a battling team player.

    ElNeny has been unleashed … the sideways and backpasses are now forward and his movement also more adventurous. Big credit to Arteta.. no coaches before him were able to bring this out of him.. A bonus is that he’s a leader in the squad and doesn’t complain or sulk if not playing. For me to change my opinion on him means he’s a lot better now lol.

  • I guess J/TA that in the case of Xhaka it’s possible that Arteta has deliberately played him in a more advanced position so that he isn’t doing ‘his thing’ in a more combative and deeper area of the pitch where his nature of trying to firefight gets him into situations where he’s making last ditch and potentially card warranting challenges. Less challenges means less cards which equates to less of Granit being suspended and us missing his influence.

    Arteta it seems has also worked wonders on bringing the more adventurous side out of Elneny’s play and thus we have a more progressive (and I use that word in its more productive term) and rounded player.

    Now fit Tielemans into that recipe and we could be cooking up a storm.

  • All good points, Kev. I am not too keen on Tielemans, though. Technically very good but something is missing. Can’t put my finger on what that is..

    New Post 🙂

  • Seems that my boy Kev is seeing a lot of things the same way as me. What a surprise ….

    I think we need a player who can do things Ramsey used to do for us. The faith I have in Arteta as a teacher makes me think he could get so much out of a guy like Tielemans. He could be our younger version of what Gundogan does for Man City. I’m not assuming we can get Tielemans without CL football, so Edu will have to be creative.

    Granit was good for us, but we need more from that position. I’d love him to be with us still, but have a more dangerous CM in front of Partey.

  • Apparently Tielemans has had Total, quite an average season for Leicester but before then he was almost Carzorlaesque in his influence on the Foxes so maybe he needs a fresh challenge?
    Like you I wasn’t sure initially when Tielemans was linked to us but I’ve warmed to the idea – I still think that we need a top alternative to key man Thomas Partey as he’s shown a worrying habit of breaking down but maybe the brand new Elneny is the answer for the short term?

  • J, it never worries me when we have too many players because as long as they have the right attitude and are of the required quality then the more the merrier.

    Take Saliba, it doesn’t have to either/or when it comes to Ben White or even Gabriel, it just means that Mikel rotates and we see no drop in the level of the team and nobody suffer injuries through being overplayed, happy days…

  • Tielemans comes across a little bit lazy to me, or as a man who switches on and off. But if Arteta picks him then I trust his decision as he knows his midfielders.

    Granit is key to the team and needs good back up. He is our leader; see how he also features in the new shirt video. I agree with Kev that Partey is the man to worry about. Like Ramsey, when he is good he is very good but he’s injury prone and then it takes ages to get back to form. Elneny is good back up but after a while we start to suffer without Thomas. So a Partey back up is key for me. Ideally somebody who can play in both positions, Granit’s and Thomas’s.

  • Arteta’s biggest challenge in midfield is getting ESR and Ode work together in the team. So I rather we get an extra deep-midfielder.

  • I am Coming a few days late, but I have read some brilliant comments on here. On my part, I agree Arteta’s changed the way Xhaka and Elneny were known to play. I did make that observation after TA and Stuart had that bet on Xhaka; he seemed to play a bit more further forward and would pull out of the urge to tackle recklessly. His creative side was also on the rise, for Arsenal, much like it is for his national side.

    Elneny, on the other hand, had it in him to pass forward a bit more. My guess is he had been playing to instruction to stay conservative and leave creativity to others who are better gifted in that respect. Maybe, Arteta gave him a bit of license to explore his forward play a bit more.

    Tielemans, at his best, can add value to our squad and will not be a huge drop in quality (height, maybe) if he were to replace say Partey, or Odegaard. He has the ability to be something of a Tiger in winning back possession and is capable of the odd clever pass or a pin-point cross-field pass. He also has a good shot on him and can score goals to help the team. He is not the major upgrade we seek, if that’s the matter in view.

  • Such a crying shame how the Liverpool supporters were treated by the French Police in Paris. Least UEFA can do is set up an enquiry into the matter and let due recompense be had to get redress for the aggrieved.

  • Total and I actually made the bet before the tactical change was in place. I figure he colluded with Mikel and will be splitting the tenner, a Lady Godiva for each of them.

  • Eris, Kev, Total,

    It seems we all see the same things about Tielemans. I agree with all the criticism because I think he does switch off defensively and I read a scouting report that says especially happens late in games. Now, with 5 subs, that can be less of a problem.

    I’m all for Mikel to lead us,, but If we pick up a couple forwards and midfielders from here… look forward to my complaining all next season that Arteta doesn’t rotate enough and subs too infrequently and late.

  • Jync, I’m hoping that Arteta will rotate more when he has more subs who he can really trust and know that they will be more likely to make an impact. It should also make his substitutions less predictable.

  • Morning all.

    I am travelling to the Netherlands today as my poor dad is in a hospice and has not much longer to live.

    Hence the reason I have not posted much and will not do so for a while.

    Take good care and till soon. 🙂

  • Hi J, I don’t think that Arsenal are going to be spending anywhere near as much this summer as last, even if we cash in on a few players, nobody has it seems any dough in europe and they in turn seriously overcharge English clubs when we enquire so I dismiss probably 90% of the rumours I read.

    Tielemans seems logical as does Hickey and Jesus and Marquinos all the rest is I feel agent inspired or journalistic mendacity.

  • Total,
    Your friends are thinking about you and your family is in my prayers.

    You come back whenever it feels right. Much love.

  • Total, I’m so sorry to hear about your Dad. Best wishes to you and your family.

  • Total I join all of your friends on BK and offer my heart felt sympathy for you and your family. Stay strong my friend.

  • Here’s a thought teaser for you all to ponder.

    What do all of these gentlemen have in common.

    C. Alcock, C Stephenson, J. Giffard, M Betts, D. Allport,, Cpt. Marindon, A Stair,

  • Total, may your time with your Dad be precious, mate. Gospel of John 14:1-4.

  • I cannot work it out, GN5. An interesting bunch of men, some sporting, some military, some great first names…

  • Thank you for the fine, supportive comments and emails. I am with my dad tonight. He is hanging on and I am grateful to have seen him alive again. He cannot talk anymore but I can sense his happiness at my presence. He is not in much pain, just discomfort. He really is living out his life till the end. My hero who indeed deserves a celestial mansion, Stu.

  • Mesut Ozil’s agent insists midfielder will not be leaving Fenerbahce.

    Mesut Ozil will not be leaving Fenerbahce this summer, despite his ongoing exclusion from the club’s first team.

    Ozil has not played for the Turkish Superlig outfit since March 20, after he was excluded from the squad following a row with interim head coach Ismail Kartal over his fitness.

    However, the 33-year-old’s agent Dr Erkut Sogut insists that the former Arsenal midfielder is going nowhere, having only just moved into his custom-built ‘dream home’ in Turkey.

    ‘He’s more mature now, more relaxed in that sense,’ said Sogut of Ozil. ‘He has two more years on his contract, he wants to stay at Fenerbahce, he doesn’t want to go anywhere.

    ‘He was always on and off [the field at Fenerbahce]. Mesut wants 90 minutes, like any player.

    ‘The coach didn’t give him that much time, they had an argument and fell out. But he’s professional, he knows what’s happening and he’s not stupid.’

    Kartal’s contract has expired at Fenerbahce, but it is not initially clear whether he will vacate the role of head coach.

    Ozil joined Fenerbahce in January 2021 but has not played for the club since March 20

    The 60-year-old impressed during his short-term stay, lifting the club from fifth to second in the league.

    Kartal is not the only individual to take umbridge with Ozil at the club. At the end of last season, the club’s president Ali Koc also took aim at the former Germany international.

    ‘Ozil wants to play more. From now on, he needs to focus on his game and keep his commercial interests out of it,’ he told Fenerbahce TV. ‘He needs to think about contributing to Fenerbahce.’

    Ozil joined Fenerbahce in January 2021, after his £350,000-a-week contract at Arsenal was terminated.

    (Who would have thought it?)

  • Sorry about your Dad’s state, TA. Our prayers are with you, at this time, as well as with the rest of your family. Stay strong and make the most of the precious time with him….

  • Kev, Ozil just seems to love nicking a living as he enters the twilight of his career. Same scenario at Arsenal playing out here; still under contract and so, can relax and get his salary even when not playing. He does need to look at himself.

  • I agree Eris, he was probably worth his first contract at Arsenal, but following the departure of Alexis and him signing that mammoth deal he just went through the motions, played when he felt like it or had a bad back when he didn’t fancy it.

    I know he still has his supporters and admirers but I’m not one of them.

  • Head of referees for the Premier League Mike Riley is ‘fighting for his job’

    Mike Riley, the head of Premier League referees, is reportedly fighting to save his job after several top-flight clubs complained about his competency.

    A host of Premier League clubs are pushing for a change of command as they believe too many mistakes were made during the 2021-2022 campaign under the 57-year-old.

    According to The Telegraph, the Premier League are looking at bringing Howard Webb – who retired from on-field duties in 2014 – back into the English game in a referees’ management role.

    The Premier League are reportedly looking to speak with Webb about a senior position to the Professional Game Match Officials [PGMOL].

    They would then offer the top-flight clubs a ‘viable succession plan’ which would see Webb take over seamlessly from Riley.

    The decision regarding Riley’s future will be made at next month’s Premier League AGM in Harrogate. They will also discuss refereeing and the application of VAR.

    Riley was in charge when the new technology came in at the start of the 2018-2019 season and has helped guide the Premier League through the transition.

    However, clubs have not always been happy with the application of the new technology and have called the system out after several Premier League games.

    As a result, Riley – PGMOL managing director – is under significant pressure and could be forced out from his job which requires him to oversee officials in the Football League.

    Therefore, Webb – who refereed the 2010 World Cup final and worked for PGMOL as a performance director after retiring from on-field duties in 2014 – could step up to the plate.

    Additionally, the Premier League is looking to make serval other changes ahead of the 2022-2023 campaign.

    They are introducing the Elite Referee Development Plan, which aims to enhance the standards of officiating across the English game.

    PGMOL are set to bring in a training supremo, a psychologist and a sports scientist as part of a major plan to improve standards.

    In a wide-ranging move likely to cost in excess of £500,000 a year, 12 new roles have been created, amid strong criticism of performance levels across the English men’s and women’s game.

    The organisation is also seeking a coaching director, who will lead the training of the 600 officials operating in the Premier League, EFL and women’s game.

    The move comes following the retirements of long-standing whistle-blowers Jon Moss and Martin Atkinson, who will take up roles of Select Group 1 (Premier League) Manager & Coach respectively from next season, fulfilling two of the 12 roles.

  • Stuart, I agree they were all very interesting gentlemen.

    The one thing they all had in common was that they formed the FA Committee who on July 20th, 1871 unanimously agreed that it would be desirable to hold a Challenge Cup that all members of the association would compete in – thus the FA Cup was born.

    Captain Francis Marindin played for the Royal Engineers who lost 0-1 to The Wanderers in the very first FA Cup Final which was played at The Kennington Oval on March 16th, 1872.

    C.W Allock and Morton Betts both played for The Wanderers and Betts scored the only goal of the game

    The referee was Alfred Stair and one of his assistants was J.F. Gittard -so fiver members of the FA Committee were involved in the game. Another interesting fact was that under the rules of the game the players changed ends after a goal was scored.

  • T A
    Really sorry to hear your news. My thoughts are with you and your family

  • Thanks GN5. Nice words from Laca. I hadn’t realized he was an Arsenal supporter as a boy. And, neither had I known that ends were changed after each goal in the early FA Cup. Tough on keepers in high scoring games. I like the colourful fact that penalty kicks were originally called, “kick of death”.

  • Sorry to hear about your father TA. Hope you can spend quality time with him. All the best

  • Terribly sorry to read about your Pa, Frank.
    He gave you the strength to walk like a man, and his footprints in the sand will always be there for you to trace them.

  • Saliba is good news. I think an extension is a must to insure we don’t lose miney on him,, and end up frustrated… again.

  • Usual speculative rubbish in the media/press/online put to bed by the player himself, in fact all the stuff he said about Marseilles was the standard stuff you say to keep everyone on board whilst at the club, whilst no doubt his agent has been in discussions with Arsenal and letting everyone else talk the talk.and so the ‘price is right’ and it’s full steam ahead for a contract extension and no more mischief on NewsNow.

  • Dear friends

    Thank you so much for the warm, supportive messages. Really nice to hear from Legall and Retsub too. 🙂

    My dad passed away peacefully on Friday. I was able to sleep in the same room for two days and that seemed to have settled him. Everyone had a chance to say goodbye and the support we gave each other was brilliant. He will be well missed but also fondly remembered by us all. My pap taught me the love of the beautiful game from very early on. He took me to my first home game and away game. He was loyal mostly to those who played the game the most beautifully. He loved life and people and was always looking out for us.

    Rust vredig vader. 🙏🐦🙏

  • Oh dear, TA. Be consoled by the knowledge that you had a chance to say your goodbyes. May God rest his soul and strengthen the family he’s left behind.

  • T, thank you for sharing with us. I believe that our loved ones continue to watch over us in spirit, and always take comfort in that.

  • Kev,
    I never like to get my hopes up on possible transfers, but I have felt all along that if Pepe can leave, we would need 2 forwards aside from retaining Eddie.

    I think in midfield Tielemans would give us what Xhaka doesn’t, and I have always liked the look of Zinchenko, another rumoured interest.

  • Zinchenko is an interesting option Johnno, although Man City use him at left-back he plays midfield for Ukraine and could fill in that spot for us, we can’t expect Xhaka and Yakubu to play every game so having a couple of options like Tielemans and Zinchenko would make sense and be cost-effective.

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