Legend
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17K
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almost 17 years
paulm
I hope the atmosphere against Leeds is pumping this weekend.
The home crowds have been nice and loud for a lot of this season, the fans have been pretty on board with Arteta and this team for the most part (first month of the season aside). I have been pleasantly surprised at how the roar goes up even after we've conceded, the fans know this team can turn things around during games, they don't deflate so much after conceding any longer. 
There's an air about this of the way Klopp got his team to really re-engage Anfield in his first couple of seasons. That was key to them becoming a successful team I feel. 


That roar, sort of a "COME ON!!!" after we concede is absolutely massive. It shows the renewed energy and passion inside the Emirates this season and i agree in that i think it has gone a long way towards us fighting back against adversity to be where we are right now.
Marquee
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8.1K
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over 16 years
Arteta and Eidvell sign contract extensions as rewards for decent seasons. Both well earned in my book. Glad it’s resolved before the season ends, and of course before the transfer window kicks off!

Eidvell is a no brainer given they could still win the title! I think it’s the right call on Arteta, even if we finish are you finish with Europa league qualification. Manager contracts are different to players. You want to keep extending your manager knowing full well you can sack them and agree an exit package - especially given it’s just one person on the big money. Where as with a squad of 25+ you can’t afford to sack players with any regularity!
Legend
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17K
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almost 17 years
All eyes on Anfield tomorrow morning then. Surely Spurs won't get anything from that.
Marquee
1.7K
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over 16 years
Cracking if nervous win. Good to see the boys get the 3 points and extend the lead over Spuds. A draw or better on Thursday please to all but seal the deal.
Gutted for the Arsenal Women too, did the job against West Ham. United were twice up against Chelsea only to collapse to a couple of incredible Sam Kerr finishes.
Legend
8K
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14K
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over 16 years
2-0 up early - thought we could have pushed on after the read and made it more but Leeds defended well and took their chances.
Win is a win and it gives us 4 points over Spurs (crucially) meaning we have 4th pretty much locked in. 
Legend
2.3K
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17K
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almost 17 years
theprof
2-0 up early - thought we could have pushed on after the read and made it more but Leeds defended well and took their chances.
Win is a win and it gives us 4 points over Spurs (crucially) meaning we have 4th pretty much locked in. 


Don’t say that. Three massive games left in the season starting Friday morning.
Legend
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17K
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almost 17 years
Some atmosphere this morning though.
Legend
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15K
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almost 17 years
You scare me with such statements theprof ;) 
But yes, it's so close we can touch it. 
Takes a lot of the nervousness out of Friday morning's game. We can go there and play with freedom. Win and we celebrate top 4 at their ground, draw or lose and we switch to full focus on two wins, away to Newcastle and home to Everton. 
Tomiyasu at LB was a god-send this morning, I didn't know he could play that side. Shows how unlucky we were losing him and Tierney for long periods. Those two and the Partey injury all but derailed our performances, what spirit from the team to pick back up and win 4 on the trot like this. 
Also massive shout-out to Cedric. We have suffered this calendar year at fullback, without him it would've been worse. Yes he's no world-beater but he gets out there and gives it his all, every time, and his errors have dramatically reduced this season. I would be happy to roll his contract as an important squad member for us, I think he's earned it, as long as he is prepared not to play for long period if others stay fit. Same goes for Elneny and Holding. Those three have really saved our bacon at some critical times during this run-in. 
And final shout-out to Xhaka. Quietly led this team without the armband I reckon. He may have his issues but his mental strength is something else. 
Legend
8K
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14K
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over 16 years
Buffon II
theprof
2-0 up early - thought we could have pushed on after the read and made it more but Leeds defended well and took their chances.
Win is a win and it gives us 4 points over Spurs (crucially) meaning we have 4th pretty much locked in. 


Don’t say that. Three massive games left in the season starting Friday morning.

not wanting to jinx anything but we have to go into the Spurs game with confidence now. 
then Newcastle on Tuesday, Everton the following Monday (both winnable).

Tottenham have Burnley and Norwich - after us, 

Legend
3.6K
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15K
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almost 17 years
Decent piece ranking all our post-Wenger signings;
https://www.football365.com/news/arsenal-ranking-every-signing-made-by-arteta-and-emery-since-wenger-left-in-2018
Our current starting eleven when fit is comprised of Saka and Nketiah from the academy, Xhaka from the Wenger days, and the top 8 of this list. Pretty good spot to be in. 
Re-sign Nketiah please. 
Let Laca go, sell Pepe. 
Retain Cedric and Elneny as squad players. 
Buy ready-made starters in the striker and midfield positions. 
Ready for 22/23. 
Starting XI
2.1K
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4.3K
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over 11 years
We all would have taken that result beforehand, but the 2nd half definitely got a bit more nervy than it needed to be. Was thinking at half time that it only takes a goal from a corner or a lucky deflection to make this stressful and that's what happened. Anyway, good win and leaves things still in our own hands. Another good thing about this morning's results is that Everton may end up already safe before we play them.

I do hope we go for the win on Friday morning. Sitting back and playing for a draw and letting Son and co run at us would be a recipe for disaster. I'm particularly worried about Cedric against Son. Let's go for the win and end their season. Let them all complain about us "celebrating like we have won the league" again.

Watched the women's game too and disappointing they just missed out. Can't be much closer than losing the title by 1 point. Was a brief moment when Chelsea were behind that it looked promising but not to be this time.



Legend
3.6K
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15K
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almost 17 years
Good thing is that sitting back isn't much of an option against the way Conte sets up. He is not bothered with having the ball, a slightly more modern Mourinho, nothing more. He plays to transitions and that's where they will be a huge danger. 
So much will hinge on our scrambling and ball recoveries, and our ability to unlock the wall they will put up. 
Marquee
1.5K
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5.2K
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over 16 years
theprof
Buffon II
theprof
2-0 up early - thought we could have pushed on after the read and made it more but Leeds defended well and took their chances.
Win is a win and it gives us 4 points over Spurs (crucially) meaning we have 4th pretty much locked in. 


Don’t say that. Three massive games left in the season starting Friday morning.

not wanting to jinx anything but we have to go into the Spurs game with confidence now. 
then Newcastle on Tuesday, Everton the following Monday (both winnable).

Tottenham have Burnley and Norwich - after us, 


I think I'd much rather be playing Burnley and Norwich than Newcastle and Everton. You have to assume that Spurs are going to win both their games. I'm not so confident about ours.
Legend
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17K
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almost 17 years
Everton on the final day could be really tricky if they're still fighting for survival.
Marquee
1.7K
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8.1K
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over 16 years
Mahooooosive game Thursday.

Given how much they have to win to put the pressure on I am intrigued to see how they’ll play.

If they sit back and try to hit us on the counter I hope we are conservative enough in our attacks to not lose the ball with both full backs in the final third….

Good shout on Tomiyasu, him and Xhaka played really interestingly. In the build up they swapped places to put a left footer on the side line with Tomi in field facing the opposite side. This meant both Tomi and Xhaka could play one touch passes off their preferred foot and meant we didn’t cough up possession under pressure as easily. Then in the final third Tomi went back to the sideline and Xhaka channeled his Ramsey third man runs with Gabi holding width too, was fascinating to watch!!
Legend
3.6K
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15K
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almost 17 years
Nice analysis there brumbys. I didnt quite pick up on those interchanges but now you mention it, I recall Tomiyasu appearing in that spot and wondering how he got there. 
And Xhaka's forays forward have become a feature of late, he's been popping up in the box. He has an amazing left foot so if it continues, I wouldn't be surprised to see him pick up another goal or two. 
Legend
3.6K
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15K
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almost 17 years
One thing is for sure, we are quite fascinating to watch in terms of structure and strategy these days. Arteta's methods are clearly a hell of a lot more technical than Emery or Wenger, there is all sorts going on everywhere, all the time. 
Marquee
1.7K
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8.1K
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over 16 years
Thanks Paulm. I'm really enjoying watching this side for that reason, there is a lot of really interesting interplay happening. I remember early on Hector/AMN playing as an extra CM when the ball was coming down the left and we overloaded the wing. Lots of different nuances to follow and try understand which must change player to player each game.

Anyone doing anything for the game Friday morning? I'm back in the UK now and have booked a pub with a mate, cannae wait!
Legend
3.6K
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15K
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almost 17 years
Just the usual for me for the biggest games like this one:
Alone in my lounge, rocking back and forth, head in hands like an absolute lunatic
Legend
2.3K
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17K
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almost 17 years
Can't get work off for it sadly so will have to watch it on the sly there.
Marquee
3.1K
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6.7K
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over 16 years
I’ll be driving to turangi so wont get the result until I pull up. Unless there is an online radio commentary somewhere
Marquee
1.7K
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8.1K
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over 16 years
We really need the ACC equivalent for the PL.
kwlap
I’ll be driving to turangi so wont get the result until I pull up. Unless there is an online radio commentary somewhere
Starting XI
2.1K
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4.3K
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over 11 years
Don't know about radio commentary but assuming you have Spark Sport and a reasonable amount of mobile data, could it be an option to have the stream running so you can listen to the commentary?
Probably dangerous though as too tempting to set the phone somewhere you can see the screen. And I guess you'll have decent stretches of road with no signal too.
Talksport might have radio commentary but not sure whether it will work in NZ. My Dad listens to Talksport all the time on an internet radio device but I think match commentary often gets geoblocked.
Marquee
1.7K
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8.1K
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over 16 years
Is TalkSport the same as the old RadioSport? They sometimes came out golden. Could also try BBC Sounds app or some of the other global radio APP's - they might have something.

Good luck sleeping gents, I don't think I'd be able to do it...
Legend
6.8K
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14K
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over 16 years
Eh, thought I’d broken my bad luck in FF. Had a head to head cup game and brought in Nketiah. Golden. Was ahead at the halfway point and then had Foden and my opponent had de Bruyne. Ffs. But my Arsenal pick came through this time! 

…I think I could win if both Nketiah and Kane score hatties so 4-3, whichever way you can choose…
Legend
2.3K
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17K
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almost 17 years
Legend
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17K
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almost 17 years
Fudgeing idiot holding. Ffs.
Marquee
1.7K
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over 16 years
Tierney is an utter cod. Giving cards and penalties for nothing fouls. Sky sports paying him.
Legend
3.6K
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15K
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almost 17 years
What a clusterfudge.
Well if we're gona do this, we're gona do it the hard way. 


Legend
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15K
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almost 17 years
Holding suspended for next game, now Gabriel with a niggle.
Looks like Ben White should be ready for next game at least. 
This is dark lads. We're going to have to dig f*cking deep to hold this spot. 
Legend
8K
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14K
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over 16 years
jebus! that was horrid from all angles.
We looked ok early on but never managed to take the early chances we had. .
went downhill fast after the pen, which was a tough call but Soares definitely nudges Song, it wasnt a clear error on the refs part. Really should be looking at Soares and asking why? He wasnt getting the ball Song may have gotten a header away but the shot was covered.
Holding earning a red card! WTF Again the question has to be asked why? Song was never getting to that ball, track back with him and Ramsey collects it in his box, play on!
Just some really stupid errors by our defenders, Gabriel was lucky not to pick up a couple of cards for his feisty encounters.
Huge pressure now on the next two games, Spurs are gonna pick up points so we need to as well to stay ahead of them. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll drop a couple of points with a shock draw.
Marquee
1.7K
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8.1K
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over 16 years
I’m more annoyed at the refereeing playing such a big part than losing. That had all the hall marks of a 4-3 (either team winning) or a 2-2. Tierney will be the next Mike Dean, making himself the star of big events instead of facilitating a cracking game of football.
Starting XI
2.1K
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4.3K
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over 11 years
In typical fashion we hit the self-destruct button when things were in our hands. Felt like we just started the game like we knew a draw was ok and that was never going to work. Was very worried about Cedric against Son and that’s probably why Holding felt he needed to be out on the right defending against him which led to the first yellow. The second yellow was just ridiculously dumb.
 
Tyring to find some positives which I know is unlike me, but having finished outside European places for several seasons, after losing the first 3 games and being an absolute shambles, Europa is still a good result and most of us would probably have taken it at the start of the season. And it possibly represents a chance of a trophy without having to get humiliated by Bayern again. I know technically 4th is still in our hands with 2 games left but they both look very tough compared to the games Spurs have and it’s difficult to see any sort of comeback from this. And looks like we might have no centre back available either.
 
Haven’t verified it but Arseblog said the other day that no team has ever lost the first 3 games and finished in the top 6 in the Premier League. Also saw yesterday that we have spent more days in the relegation zone this season than Leeds who are now 18th and look likely to go down.
Marquee
3.1K
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6.7K
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over 16 years
Kinda glad I missed that massacre. 
First Team Squad
1K
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1.7K
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over 15 years
Holding's 33 minutes was truly bizarre... like he totally worked himself into a pickle trying to rattle Son. Could've been carded for kicking Son, holding him on the ground, as well as the two fouls he was carded for.

Like a guy that picked a fight and ended up punching himself in the face.
Starting XI
2.1K
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4.3K
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over 11 years
It's got a bit lost in the disappointment of the other day but Saka has been nominated for both Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season while Ramsdale is also up for young player. They won't win over the players from the top two but it's deserved recognition for great seasons. Especially for Saka who as a 20 year old has now been the best player at the club for 2 years and has essentially carried us to the brink of the top 4.
Marquee
1.7K
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over 16 years
Farrrrrrk Sp*rs only just got past Burnley thanks to a VAR penalty call. Thought they might just do us a favour there. 
Legend
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17K
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almost 17 years
We know exactly what we have to do now. No excuses.
Legend
3.6K
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15K
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almost 17 years
Massive. I dont even know if I can watch. Ugh
Legend
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17K
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almost 17 years
I feel like i'm already more nervous about this than i was for the derby. 

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