Hmmn looks perfect for the kitchen but do I just pull the trigger without consulting the mrs

https://arsenaldirect.arsenal.com/Gifts ... k/p/N05235

Bollocks it doesn’t come in a super king

https://arsenaldirect.arsenal.com/Gifts ... t/p/N03552

I find it painful to watch. Likewise, playing the ball back from promising position all the way to the goalie, then fannying around with it in our own half. I understand that's what possession football requires and that possession football gives best odds at the moment, but that doesn't make it any less tedious and stress inducing. It feels negative even if the intent is positive.

Its even more tedious that endless recycling of possession rugby. Its about as enjoyable as grappling in boxing.

The clock is nice ... one would almost say tasteful. I doubt that would induce unhappiness. The bedding I think is another matter.

Despite the typos (which I am the last person who should have an issue with it), the sentiment of this post I found says it all. Interesting of what pre-Arsenal Alan Ball meant to Everton.

Everton’s Iconic Alan Ball ,Who cost the Merseyside Club a British Record £112,000 to bring the World Cup Winner to Goodison Park from Blackpool ,In the summer of 1966 .After him turning down Don Revies Leeds United who were prepared to match any fee that Everton offered ,But Sir John Moore’s owner of the Littlewoods Pools Empire told his Manager Harry Catterick in no uncertain terms..
“Don’t come back here without having signed “Alan Ball” we must sign him for our fans ,only the Best is good enough I will not accept any excuses if you haven’t brought back to Everton”
Everton Boss Harry Catterick indeed bought Alan back to Goodison,and he made his Everton Debut away to Fulham at Craven Cottage where both he and fellow World Cup Winners George Cohen and team mate posed for photographs before kick off.
Bally enjoyed Five Incredible seasons at Everton playing in Europe an FA Cup Final and won a league title medal ,But he was more than trophies for his worshipping Everton fans who averaged 49,000 over the time he played for the Club ,to give you an idea of that Crowd average ,Everton we’re the second best supported club in the Country behind only to Manchester United who with Best Law and Charlton pulled in a average of 58,000 over that period even neighbours Liverpool came in at third on 42,000 and Everton at that time were even ahead in the Merseyside Derby Head to Heads.
(Unlike these days with the Gap now becoming so huge)
Yes Alan Ball Jnr was simply Box Office! He was not only Everton’s Star Player ,But after his Skipper and fellow England International Brian Labone retired through Injury also became the Everton Captain.
But After continually being disenchanted with the Everton Manager ,Board and now even some of the players who he felt he was carrying )with the Everton’s stubborn refusal to add the Five or so players Bally said the Club needed to kick on after winning the League Title ,But seemed to be more focused on completing the new. £900,000 main stand .
Within 18 months after a string of poor results and what was a title winning team who the previous season were knocked out of the European Cup and FA Cup Semi Final in the same week .
And the team now languishing in mid table despite yet another Merseyside Derby Win 1-0 (David Johnson) November 1971 in front of another huge crowd of 58,000
Former Liverpool Manager the late Great Bill Shankly who Alan even played In his testimonial for him at a sold out Anfield .Always said to his players “You stop the Wee Man Ball and you Stop Everton and Win the Game with ease” Probably the Best example of what Bill said .was in March 1970 when Ball was supreme in front of the 10,000 Everton fans packed on the Anfield Rd end. As he Everton tens surged into a 0-2 lead but after a few changes by the Anfield Bench Liverpool stormed back to win the game 3-2 (Toshack Heighway ,Lawler which I have to say is one of the Best Matches I have ever seen the game had absolutely everything ..In fact Match of the Day Presenter Jimmy Hill that evening said he wanted to end the show with the spotlight being on the masses of Everton Fans behind the Anfield Road Goal (In the days when the whole end was given to the Merseyside Derby sold Out All Ticket Games)
Shortly after a training session in the late December of 1971 which Bally always he enjoyed despite the freezing Conditions ,when he was returning back to the Bellefield dressing rooms along with teammates Roger Kenyon and John Hurst ,He was called into the managers office..When he was told he was being sold “A stunned and tearful Bally said but why Boss? I love it here” The Reply came “The officer is too good to turn down ,We have had 5 great seasons out of you and the record fee is too good an offer to turn down that’s business Son now go and collect your boots and get down to London “ a
Sold against his wishes and with not being given the opportunity to say his Goodbyes to his fans who adored him,After speaking with his Dad Alan Snr (There were no agents back then )Alan’s preferred destination if he was going to be sold was to go to Manchester United ,
But at the time Man Utd we’re not only in decline did not want to pay such a Big Fee ,and indeed just a few years later we’re going to be relegated from the Top flight for the first time since the end of World War 1
And so Arsenals Bertie Mee and Chairman Sir Dennis Hillwood signed the huge cheque and brought him to the Marble Halls of Arsenal for a British Record Fee (For a second time )of £225,000 just days before the Christmas of 1971 .Where he arrived at Highbury in a Blaze of publicity..which even made that evenings news and the front and back pages of the National Newspapers…
To this day his many fans at Everton who saw him play have still not got over him being transferred ,and the Club immediately lost an average of 15,000 per match such was Ballys huge following at the Club ,it’s been said some fans ,would often travel down to London to still watch him play rather than their own team at Goodison such was the magnitude of him meanwhile many stopped going all together ..
Sadly Alan died at the age of just 61 years of age from a heart attack while trying to put out a fire in his Back Garden in 2007 On a night he had just came off the phone to his Son James discussing that nights England Game…
May Alan James Ball always R.I.P

All interesting points. On the question on whether Man U or Liverpool were considered 'lucky' in their periods of dominance (I'm too young to really remember Liverpool's period) but plenty of fans used to call Man U lucky - all that added time, all those dodgy penalties, was it 10 seasons they went without a penalty being given at Old Trafford? It never fed in to the media narrative but I'm sure plenty of fans considered them lucky.

I still do in fact. Fergie won 2 Champions Leagues both by extreme luck. Outplayed for 90 minutes then nick two goals from set pieces at the end and possibly even worse v Chelsea they were a John Terry slip away from losing it - it wasn't really even in their hands at that point. Very small margins and huge slices of luck.

Unforgivable what Ivan Toney did if true.
I could never bet against my team , not even a goal for the other team but a positive result for us.
To bet against your own team is disgusting. What are his team mates going to think of him.
No wonder he wants to leave.
I am surprised more of a bigger deal hasn’t been made of this.
Truly shocking but he seems to be coming out of this as if its just been brushed under the carpet.
Yes he got the ban and i wouldn’t give a *%^@ if it was to bet on other matches or for Brentford to win but to lose. Just totally wrong.

Brighton can manage a result against any side, any ground. Hoping they catch City feeling down. Everyone is expecting us to win, not easily, but I'd assume most pundits are, given both sides are going in different directions. That said, Chelsea away, is never an easy game no matter the form.

... and Chelsea are finding form. A point would be a decent result today.

Jeez , I hope the team don’t think the same way as you. Let’s put down a marker.

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1762062374264499

But to be fair, we've done similar cringe at the time, but funny now in America as well.

I suppose you need to cling to something after Australia's piteous RWC exit. At least they are beginning to show signs of life in the cricket!

I'm moderately confident that we'll beat Chelsea if we can select our strongest team. I'm just saying that a draw wouldn't be a bad result.

Can’t make it to the bridge today so it’s going to have to be Top Guns special homemade lasagne, a nice red and watching us spanking the filth at national front headquarters on the telly.

I wouldn’t be shocked if you saw an odd team selection for this one that catches them off guard. Tommy starting or even Havertz starting up front.

On the betting thing it is ridiculous. The punishment should be a blanket 2 year ban across Europe if you are caught betting on a game involving you with the club not having to pay wages to the player for the period.

For Toney the FA wanted longer and really he should have been given it. I find it absurd all these players are claiming to be gambling addicts. It’s just greed and boredom.

I have to say it’s slightly off putting that we might be contemplating signing a player with this consideration however I think we are in such need of a different option up top we might need to disregard it. I’m sure if one of our current players got caught doing it and got banned it would be beyond Artetas acceptable foggin standards and he would be offed pretty sharpish.

Merseyside derby, anything is possible in derbies as everyone knows. On paper, Liverpool win but we've seen derbies go pear side before. Same with us. Cautiously optimistic. Somehow a point would seem a bad result. Has been a very, very long time when I considered a point at Stamford Bridge a possible bad result. It isn't at all. But I guess having a team that hasn't been this good since the '08 season thereabouts makes me think that. Wrongly, I might add. Even City wouldn't go to SB and think its a 3 pointer.

London derby for Tottenham on Monday. Don't expect them to drop points to Fulham at home but they are due for a disappointment. They are playing way above what they should be capable of after losing Kane. Their midfield is very good though. Sperz can't keep this pace the whole season. They'll likely do well in the cups. One off games they tend to do better.

Personally I don’t see Toney as an Arsenal player.

First leg of the treble isn’t going well.

Well I don’t think it would be the biggest shock in the world if the guy turned up in January. There’s contact between the 2 clubs about Raya and in many matches this season we look devoid of structure up front. (Please mikel no Eddie today)

Many people in the know seem to be suggesting it could be possible and he was superb against us last year and was everything we don’t have in the side. Don’t like the betting thing though

If Saka is still unfit, hopefully we'll see Jesus on the right and Havertz in the middle.

Raya, White, Gabriel, Saliba, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Rice, Ødegaard, Martinelli, Jesus, Saka.

RIP Sir Bobby Charlton, everything I've ever heard and read about you was class.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62989801

No Ramsdale today. Bench is looking very strong though

He plays

Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Rice, Ødegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Jesus.
Subs: Hein, Tomiyasu, Kiwior, Partey, Havertz, Smith Rowe, Trossard, Nelson, Nketiah.

Great player. Class act. Travel well,Bob.

That's a good no-nonsense team selection.

Brighton were nowhere in the first half but a giving City a good run now.

Ramsdale missing because his wife gave birth to their child recently.

Tough start they are up for it.

Correct yellow for studs down Jesus achilles by Palmer, dirty tackle with no chance to win the ball

Poch has them up for it, they are the better team so far.

Ref books zinchenko cause the crowd wanted him too

Nonsense booking for a simple trip. Crowd baying the ref for the one by a rice earlier and the ref caved to the crowd pressure

Nonsense penalty about to be awarded

Decided football matches with this type of nonsense

Seems it.

Oh great - Pen now for that.

I had a bad feeling before this game.

Terrible decision. Came off the attackers head.