Liverpool were 6th and 8th respectively in '15 and '16. Since then no worse than 4th except than 5th last season.

We weren't better than 5th from '17 to '22 including back to back 8th place finishes '20 and '21. A few youtube pundits, ironically Man Utd supporting ones were saying back when we got 5th that 'Arsenal look scary'. And how we are potentially going to be back up there challenging.

Man Utd fans were calling a couple of them secret Arsenal fans. They were being objective and unbiased. They cheered for Man Utd a week or so ago against us, even if it meant City would be champions.

For whatever reason, a lot of clubs don't want to see us challenging. I don't think they'd feel the same were it Newcastle or Chelsea or Villa.

I didn't expect us to win this season. I was also worried Liverpool would be back to their previous form and that happened for much of the season. Next season for the first time I am feeling confident about winning as it stands now. This may change depending on who we buy, sell, etc. Going from the rumors of who we may be buying, I'm excited. We have a pre season game in Philadelphia (hat tipped to Andy Green) against Liverpool which will be interesting. Depending on the FA cup final, we'll probably play City again in the CS.

I think it’s simply down to insecurity over their own club. If City win it’s written off as cheating or that they always win and you can’t compete with them. If Arsenal win then you have to look at your own club and ask if Arsenal could do it from back to back 8th place finished then there was no reason why our club couldn’t do it

We earned 92m euros from the champions league this season. A WF exit in the Europa league earned 12m euros.

Maybe spurs fans need to hear this whilst they celebrate their club missing out on champions league. £1b stadium to finance, no European football at all last year, spent £250m in the summer, Ange getting fed up with the entire Spursy-ness that envelops the club. They’re not moving forward any time soon

Even when Mourinho was managing their glory years, I always thought we were the biggest club in London and the biggest 'southern' club. I'm not in London obviously but I do a fair bit of traveling internationally and the Chelsea growth was largely a generational thing , younger fans saw their rise first hand and wasn't around for our history. The other were new fans. Tons of American Chelsea fans. I have a good friend who is and he didn't get into football till maybe 2006, 2007.

Because of our history, I think we never really lost the biggest club in London label. And I think that's what really pisses of London fans of other clubs. They simply don't have our history or record. '98 to '04 stamped ourselves as biggest London club ad infinitum. And our new entry back to the top makes it now near impossible.

From what I have heard from a few northern fans over the years Arsenal represents southern arrogance. Chelsea, Tottenham don't really have the history to be like that but we do. The first big southern club and in the capital at that. We broke the northern club hegemony. And we haven't been 'forgiven' for that since. It was more than football, we represented London uppitiness looking at northerners as brutish, unrefined.

I have come to learn its more than football. Despite Manchester, Liverpool having built up to where they have great central areas, its still Arsenal, its still London.

Season tickets now on the membership portal to renew. Done for another year. There were times when it was a resentful and frustrating payment to make. Not at the moment

Pep is a great coach and the same can be said about their players.

Manchester City as a club, however, are the footballing equivalent of Milli Vanilli.

We say at Arsenal, the club is bigger than the players and the coach. For City, the opposite is the case.

Oh if you pay by a card manually rather than waiting for the auto renew you get an email saying your season ticket has been cancelled. Great eh. This is then followed by an email from fan services saying the earlier email was a mistake. Box office probably had about 30 thousand fans scrambling to call them this morning.

England squad is out folks and guess what? It contains 4 defenders not fit to lace Ben Whites boots ! HOORAY

Oh look Rashford has been left out but Grealish and Maddison are in.

Can we get rid of the librarian now ?

Pochettino has left Chelsea by mutual consent.

https://x.com/willbalsam/status/1792989 ... -j6VVZXEoA

Nwaneri for the Eng U17 just now

To be fair leaving out Rashford and Henderson are great decisions and overdue. And there was surprisingly refreshing decisions by bringing in form players like Eze and Wharton from Palace.

The White situation has more to it than Southgate not necessarily rating White as a player, it’s maybe that he doesn’t rate him highly enough. He’d be in the squad if the argument with his assistant was solved.

I think the slightly ‘meh’ ness about the squad is simply the lack of depth in key positions, defence and central midfield, and left back!

But from the 33 I can’t see any glaring omissions that you’re left scratching your head why on earth they’re not in

I know he’s had an average season because of the united shitshow but Rashford has scored 17 goals for England. Surely a better option off the left than Grealish. Seems daft. Henderson yes I agree

Poch out...not a shock

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/arti ... ww8xw8nywo

With the exception of la Liga, City would win every league at a canter. I got a bit caught up in our re-emergence and over expected at times. Too many Gooners, maybe those with long memories, are expecting Invincibles II. We are damn good team. Possibly top 5 in the world. We are the same enviable position as Liverpool a few years ago and that resulted in a back to back finals and one of them a win and an EPL trophy.

I am not saying or even dreaming that big but its not too difficult to see us no worse than 3rd for the foreseeable future and that is a lot in the richest league in the world. At any time, Man Utd, Chelsea can come good with Liverpool and if that happens at the same time, 3rd will be an accomplishment.

At the risk of being too optimistic I am excited about next season. I'm also very excited about the CL for the next few years. I can see a semi in there.

Southgate would probably argue he has plenty of on form options on the wings. I do agree that Grealish is maybe fortunate to be there - for me he's done nothing to justify his £100m fee but its brushed under the carpet because he's part of an all conquering City side of which there are easily 10-12 players who contribute more to every trophy they've won since he's been there.

If Southgate went by form in every position then I don't see how he can put Maguire in, he's been pretty wretched for a few years and often not even playing for Man U - but he has performed ok for England and we hardly ahve much depth in that position.

Arteta is the 5th longest serving manager in the entire 92 league clubs

I heard they want a young(modern) progressive manager. It is amusing when clubs look at what Arteta has done and just think they hire a young rookie manager with good ideas and they can simply achieve the same

If it’s on form then Ivan Toney can’t be picked either. 4 goals all season and hasn’t scored since February.

I don’t think it’s a vast injustice but Man united are a basket case this season and Rashford has scored goals at major tournaments like world cups. Can you honestly say Ivan Toney or Maddison are more logical options I can’t.

Warrior, moderators and Judith. Thank you very much for another season on this forum. I hope Judith believes that we try and honour Steve by not being too confrontational and keeping basically to our beloved team on the forum. There are often tense moments but people try and keep the peace: it is by far the best Arsenal forum out there. Thanks again.

Newcastle looking to sign Lloyd Kelly and Tosin Adarabioyo both on free transfers. This is FFP in action, no way would these two be Newcastle's first choice defenders to sign if they were free to abuse their limitless wealth

Agree, I would expect Toney and Maddison to be cut from the 33 man squad when its trimmed down to 26. In theory Rashford as a left-winger isn't directly competing with these two. He's got Saka, Foden, Palmer, Grealish, Gordon, Bowen all fighting for the wide positions. In a 26 man squad I think there is maybe only room for 5 players to play in the two wide positions. From the list above I think it will be Bowen who gets cut.
Saka + Palmer for RW
Grealish + Gordon for LW
Foden + Bellingham for No.10

The likely players to be cut for me would be: Trafford, Dunk, Quansah, Shaw (due to injury), Curtis Jones, Wharton, Bowen, Maddison, Toney - that's 9, so 2 of those will be on the plane

General Election called on 4th of July

time to give our kids a better future. A gooner is required in number 10.