Arsenal 2024/2025

Very good team. Expectations are high. 
Perhaps it's all about how we start. 
Despite how shark they've been, going to Old Trafford is always hard. 
Lose and we're on a doom and gloom path from the outset, win and it's all positivity. 

Yeah it's not an opening fixture i'm looking forward to at all.

Even a draw will probably be considered a poor result given how bad United have been recently.

If we don't win the title then so be it, but i expect a far far better challenge this season, a greater points tally, and i would like to see us reach one final minimum either domestically or in Europe.

You can not guarantee anything in football and we are up against some very strong sides, but after years of building and near misses, if we don't win anything this season then realistically when will we?

Buffon II

Yeah it's not an opening fixture i'm looking forward to at all.

Even a draw will probably be considered a poor result given how bad United have been recently.

If we don't win the title then so be it, but i expect a far far better challenge this season, a greater points tally, and i would like to see us reach one final minimum either domestically or in Europe.

You can not guarantee anything in football and we are up against some very strong sides, but after years of building and near misses, if we don't win anything this season then realistically when will we?

I think this post pretty much sums up my expectations as well. 

We really are at that point of needing to get something in the trophy cabinet - can only be 'unlucky' and 'so close' for so long before it becomes a trend

Pretty much. There's been a lot of progress but for the money spent there needs to be some reward now. If we manage a 90 point season like 23/24 and still come 2nd then fair enough, there's not much more we could have done and we've lost to a machine. But another early/mid 70s point season and finishing miles off again then questions need to be asked. Another couple of years without winning then players in their peak will start looking at all the medals their mates in rival teams have and will be wanting some of it.

There need to be some cup runs too. We've maybe been unlucky with the early round draw in recent FA Cups but it's been too long since we made a cup final. Even Man United over the last few years in their downward slide have made multiple domestic and European cup finals and won some. 

I’m excited to see how the team evolves. Gyokeres is an obvious upgrade and suspect it will change how our forward line evolves, however watching how Zubimendi changes the pace of ball progression will be exciting too.

Been some interesting chat on podcasts etc if Isak goes to Liverpool if we have done enough to boost our attack. Eze links have died down post Nwaneri’s new contract, but I do think we need to show some more ambition out on the left. Martinelli has had 2 average seasons now, and Trossard is almost out of contract. Being bold and pushing on with a ruthless upgrade as we have seen Arteta do could be the difference maker.

Predicting a 3-1 win.

Pity about the kickoff time. I’ll be watching highlights later in the day.

Good win. Awful performance.

I thought the combos on our left look the best I’ve seen for awhile, by Gyokeres looked rust in the 1 on 1’s and Odegaard et al couldn’t find a final pass on the counter attack to save themselves. Zubimendi looks like he hasn’t quite understood the pattern of play from that role yet. 3 points is all that matters.

not our best for sure but I'll take a dirty win at Ol' Trafford.
Saka and Rice quiet today.
Raya solid as always, Saliba and Gabriel looked good.

Not sold on Madueke, Nwaneri would have been the better option or Trossard.

Performance definitely a concern. Never felt like we got control and always felt like them scoring was inevitable. But a win is a win and all that and we barely ever win there so always feels a bit special to do so.

Little early to be concerned, first game of the season will always have some work ons. Like the panel said, not a game Arsenal will want to review too hard, take the win, move on to next week.

United however have some major issues to figure out, big money spent up front and only 7 shots on target, from 22 chances. Thye drop Onana and still have major issues in goal.

Glad I missed that one, but also I’m happy our away trip to United is done and dusted for the season. Nothing worse than being at the business end of the season with injuries and suspensions piling up and having to do that fixture. Great start all things considered.

Last season we went there and played them off the park for a 1-1 draw. Nice to be on the right side of the result vs performance argument. 

Trossard has re-signed and hearing loud Eze noises. Will be very excited about that. 
Also see reports that Kai is out for a while with a knee injury. I hope it's not serious and can come back quickly

Eze has got the “here we go” from Romano which usually means it’s happening doesn't it?

Very exciting news to wake up to. Yesterday he was going to Spurs! Every time I watched him last season I wished we had him. Literally punched the air on the train to work this morning reading it. Think the last time I did that for a signing was Arteta of all people. He was a player I’d wanted for years at the time.

 

Wonder if the Havertz injury pushed us into pulling the trigger, or maybe we were always waiting for the release clause to expire. Apparently he’s still playing the Conference League playoff tomorrow before it can be finalised. I guess unlike Gyokeres (and Isak!) he’s had a full pre-season and would be coming immediately match ready. Also unlike Isak he didn’t go on strike and continued professionally, playing for his existing club until the end. How Arsenal would it be for him to do his ACL tomorrow morning though?

Mugging Spurs off in the best possible way.

Love to see it.

My first thought yesterday when the injury hit was if we’d move for Eze. But on reflection that was as much about getting one over Spuds than anything else so concluded we’d go for Watkins, assuming rational thinking would come into it. Fudge me am I buzzing, this feels a bit like when we got Ozil out of the blue.

ajc28

Eze has got the “here we go” from Romano which usually means it’s happening doesn't it?

Very exciting news to wake up to. Yesterday he was going to Spurs! Every time I watched him last season I wished we had him. Literally punched the air on the train to work this morning reading it. Think the last time I did that for a signing was Arteta of all people. He was a player I’d wanted for years at the time.

 

Wonder if the Havertz injury pushed us into pulling the trigger, or maybe we were always waiting for the release clause to expire. Apparently he’s still playing the Conference League playoff tomorrow before it can be finalised. I guess unlike Gyokeres (and Isak!) he’s had a full pre-season and would be coming immediately match ready. Also unlike Isak he didn’t go on strike and continued professionally, playing for his existing club until the end. How Arsenal would it be for him to do his ACL tomorrow morning though?

Rumours we are in for Morgan Rogers as well.

Big fan of him, great player.

Thanks Arsenal, we just got 15 Million as part of the "sell on" clause with Palace.

Who is we? 

QPR. when we sold him to Palace, we had a sell on clause. He is an awesome player

Oh awesome. Glad to hear that. That's a fair chunk of change for QPR these days. 

Bit of a shame he didn't get to play this morning and have a proper farewell, but I guess it is a results based business and all 3 parties couldn't risk him doing an ACL or something and a 67 million pound deal collapsing. Admire the professionalism, doing the full pre-season and giving his all in the first game for his current club compared to someone like Isak. He should leave Palace recognised as a club legend who scored the goal that won their only ever trophy.

What a good game. Eze unveiled before kick off. Dowman getting on. A couple more set piece goals and Gyokeres bagging a brace. Only downsides are that Martin and Saka were taken off early. I hope for both of them it's nothing major.

Happy with that, just the way you treat a newly promoted team. 
Thogt we were a little too respectful early on but after the second (Saka) goal we looked to take charge. I think also Leeds heads dropped a bit.
Minor concerns re Oodegaard and Saka's induries, hopefully they are not too serious, but we do no have decent cover for them.
Stoked to see Spurs beat City.

When Gyokeres missed that early opportunity I was worried he’d be a bit like Henry and slow to get going. He put that to bed in style! Nice to have a striker who can run the channel, cut in, and score. Haven’t really had that since Aubameyang.

So good to see Eze at the stadium. Very excited to have him. With Odegaard and Saka out there's no time to ease in as we already probably need him to start straight away. But that's the point if all the signings, so the whole house doesn't fall down with a couple of injuries. Feels so Arsenal for 3 starters to already be out by game 2.

Celebrated the first Gyokeres goal more than I have for a while. Felt a big moment for the big money striker to do that on his home debut. The pundits and other club fans have already decided he's a flop after half a pre-season game and 60 minutes of the first game so maybe we can see how the season goes now.

That is how you take a penalty. None of this stupid stutter step. Just smash it

Great result this morning and good to see our front man get off the mark.

If we beat Liverpool next weekend I’ll start to dream.

Good to see City lose too.

We've bit a wee bit wobbly on defense at set pieces and playing out from the back, have to crack that this week ahead of Anfield. If we can get a clean sheet there I'd be us to get 3 points, they're dodgy as at the back. 

On the Eze signing I've seen he called Arteta when he was on the verge of signing for Sp*rs. What a bloody legend for having the balls to know what he wanted and chasing it. There's something emotional watching that unveiling and his club video with the song playing "it'll all work out" for a lad who's been fighting to make it back here for so long. Fair play to him.

Rumours that the Saka and Odegaard injuries are not as bad as first feared

Saka looks like he'll be ok for this weekend. 

theprof

Saka looks like he'll be ok for this weekend. 

Where have you seen that?

BBC now reporting he is set to be out for a month.

Looks like Kiwior and Zinchenko on the way out with a Sp*rs targeted defender coming in. Would love a double trumping to a player to give  the season an edge. Would love the magpies to get a point at Anfield and secure an almost perfect weekend for us.

Where are kiwi and zinc going? I've been wondering a out them but haven't seen them linked to anyone. 

Buffon II

theprof

Saka looks like he'll be ok for this weekend. 

Where have you seen that?

BBC now reporting he is set to be out for a month.

was a link on fakebook, maybe i got suckered

Porto and Fenerbahce respectively. Apparently if you do a loan with obligation to buy you count those sale proceeds in this financial year, which will be the key for us!

kwlap

Where are kiwi and zinc going? I've been wondering a out them but haven't seen them linked to anyone. 

Geez we aint mucking about this window. Sounds like weve paid big bucks for this centreback Hincapie, supposedly an upgrade on kiwior, and hijacked spurs again lol
Also being linked with a RB from Girona. Wasnt expecting either of these, particularly the RB when we have timber and white, but loving the ambition. 

Ben Waine to face Arsenal in 3rd round of the Carabao Cup

That United result is just delicious; 
✅ Sesko missing a chance to win it at the death + not taking a penalty
✅ Cunha missing the 5th penalty to win it and going to sudden death
✅ Mbuemo missing the 12th penalty to lose it.

Hopefully that puts the Sesko vs Gyokeres debate to bed.