Clattenburg has gone in hard on Howard Webb today. I certainly wouldn't take everything Clattenburg says as gospel as he's very clear on furthering his own agenda and career.

Also, it has been extreme intelligently assembled. Proper cover in every position. Can't say the same for others who have spent as much. If anything, we have a surfeit of 8/10 type creative attacking players, and that is exactly the kind of problem I can live with!

Webb deserves a kicking, so much of what he has done in VAR implementation is bad

Arne Slot doubling down on his claim that Liverpool are a 'very fair team'

"It’s not about luck or bad luck and it’s not about the set-piece goals scored or against, that we’re just better than that. It doesn’t matter if Hugo Ekitike goes 1v1 with the goalkeeper, gets a pull on the shoulder twice or three times but does everything to stay on his feet, like our players mainly do. And one minute later in the other 18-yard box, a player goes to the ground as if it was the worst hit he ever had and the referee gives a penalty.

"By the way, if we had the same referee we had against Galatasaray, we wouldn’t have lost against Palace because this one blew his whistle exactly after eight minutes."

What would the reaction be if Arteta said something like this? What Arteta says vs what people think he says are massively different. Ask the average rival fan and they'll tell you Arteta makes an excuse every time Arsenal drop points, never taking responsibility its always something or someone else. If you were to ask for examples they'll give you falsehoods peddled by the media rather than what was actually said

West Ham are the worst team in the league defending corners and for conceded headed goals......we're the best set piece team in the league. No reason for our wingers to not drive to the byline at every opportunity, primarily to look for the cutback and score but the chances of winning a corner from that move is high. Rice and Saka to put them in. I'm backing another Gabriel goal from a corner

Don't jinx it, Rich!

Games that look this straightforward have a nasty way of turning into Banana skins.

Arsenal are in contract extension talks with Jurrien Timber - well deserved. It is easy to forget the ACL injury he suffered 2 years ago, some players never get back to anywhere near where they were, Timber has got better!

Arteta on benching big players: “Well, I mean with the schedule that we have, we have to play Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday.

“So the last time we played three games in seven days is a while ago. Some of the players haven't played ever three games in seven days.

“So we need to manage that because they come from a period of a lot of load. We had two very very high games. So if the schedule continue to that and they don't give us an extra day, we're going to have to do that. Yeah.”

It is an interesting point for a player like Eze for example, he's never played in european competition so has never had to play 3 games a week and he's 27. Eze didn't start midweek so I hope he starts v West Ham.

so another consortium confirms they aren’t bidding for the totts. There seems to be an awful lot of people not buying tottenham right now doesn’t there.

just waiting for the saudis now

Has the ship sailed? It has been four years since the takeover at Newcastle and while they are better, they haven’t even established themselves as a nailed on top 4 side, let alone a serious challenger for the league title.

just wait

Saudis or Qataris …

it’s going to be a disaster

There were rumours in the summer of Trossard and Martinelli leaving, and I think if he'd been fit there would have been more noise around Jesus leaving......but if I was to go out on a limb I wonder if a departure no one is currently calling for that might happen soon ish is Ben White? I definitely dont want him sold but for no real reason it just feels like it might happen in the next couple of years

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/667976 ... liverpool/

The spotlight is firmly on Wirtz. He's getting known as 007. 0 goals 0 assist in 7 games. His price tag always meant he would get scrutinised more than any other player outside arguably of manure.

https://x.com/its_esjay/status/19741095 ... -j6VVZXEoA

This is quite good snippet on what Arteta planned v Newcastle and why it worked well

Exactly Decaf ... just typing the names you think Geez have we really got all this talent .?

The bonus is the players we've invested in Gyökeres , Eze , Modueke are so attack minded there is no excuse for that
mind numbing f***^^%%#** around at the back that has been so prevalent over the last few years

Just watching the Bournemouth v Fulham ...could we buy Semenyo is the summer ?
then we really would have an attack that knows no reverse gear

Yeah, they do look like gems. The bulldozer, the magician, and the speed-merchant. They change us from a horizontal to a vertical team. And it certainly affects the others. Look at the Martinelli goal against Olympiakos.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Yckh-mj4Bw8

Merino gets it and plays a really sharp pass up the middle to Ode, who skips past the Newcastle midfield and unleashes Gyökeres brilliantly, who is already on his bike and barges through the defenders like a panzer tank through a wooden outhouse. Martinelli has also made a great run and is on hand to tuck in the rebound. Joyous.

I worry slightly about Gyökeres' fitness. He's putting in so much work and getting so many knocks.

Yes. People underestimate how good Trossard is tactically. Rice is also a very intelligent player.

Precisely ... two things in play ; Arsenal haven't had someone regularly taking up such promising positions and have yet to get a handle on finding him

...and secondly desperate to prove himself a success Viktor is probably trying a bit too hard . Once a few goals flow I think he'll relax and score for fun .

Martinelli said in an interview post Olympiacos ; the team needed to find Gyökeres more often .

3am tomorrow 4-0

Not going today but apparently there’s anti touting measures in place meaning it will take longer to get in so go early.

Not sure how the digital system has made this worse. I do wonder if ticket exchange is an enabler for the touts being blue to access last minute tickets

Declan, Eze Ødegaard midfield 3 ! The one I’ve been dying to watch

Arsenal XI vs. West Ham: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Ødegaard, Eze; Saka, Trossard, Gyökeres.

Wow. I'd be surprised if this turns out to be a dull game!

I think they’re starting to gel quite nicely but it’s the missed opportunities to bury it when through on goal or not taking a shot first time and trying to take an extra touch, wiggle, layoff etc.

Only player missing is Madueke in what I’d say is our strongest attacking 11 and predicting a 4-0.

big miss from Eze, must score that

Late winner from Martinelli again?

Ode down. Just perfect ...

Saka - but off side ...

Ødegaard injured again. Getting to be a big concern.

Ødegaard has started 4 prem games this season and has gone of injured in 3 of them in the 37th minute, 17th minute and 27th minute.

630 possible prem minutes and Ødegaard hasn't made it to 200 yet

Zubimendi on

Rice !!!!!!!!

1-0 good to score before the break

Rice 1-0 The pressure told

Declan the Magnificent. How good is he?

Cali using a towel - Isn't that a straight red ?

Lovely controlled finish from Rice. Zubimendi made it with the incisive through ball to Eze who's shot was pamled out to Rice near the penalty spot who finished it first time.

Much needed before half time. 13 shots this half.

Should be 4-5 or so minutes added for a couple of lengthy stoppages

Calafiori hits the post
HT 1-0

Ref blew for half-time when we are attacking so close to their goal ??????

Unlucky to be only 1-0 ahead. That was quite a hit from Calafiori.