Benzema has to get a mention here. Top scorer in both La Liga and the CL last season, winning both. 44 goals in 46 games including goals against PSG, Chelsea, Man City and the winning goal in the final against Liverpool. It was an absolutely phenomenal season. He has been the best striker in the world in the past 12.months.

Yes, another player that has aged very well. He really took his game to another level after Ronaldo left and he became the main man for Real, he's hit 20+ league goals every season since.

It is far easier scoring goals for Bayern than it is for Tottenham. Kane is better than Lewandowski.

Not sure that's true at all. Playing for a better team also means more players will be able to share the goalscoring load; for Tottenham everything revolves around Kane and Son.

I firmly believe it’s true.

If I had the choice of having either Kane or Benzema at Arsenal this season, Kane would get my vote.

I'm hoping one of the few things that the squad may take from the loss is that they have a ways to go. Maybe...just maybe they might have started to think they were 'contenders' and farther ahead in progress than we really are. Hoping they lick their wounds and decide to double down and make sure that doesn't happen again.

It's going to be a tough next 4-6 weeks. We will be tested again. And that's a good thing.

Inclined, reluctantly, to agree. I think Benzema is a sensational goalscorer, but I would be more confident that Kane would fit Arsenal better. Still think he's a *%^@, but he's a very good *%^@.

Possibly, but for me only due to the fact that Benzema is 34 so could decline rapidly. If his form of last season was guaranteed, then he gets the nod without a doubt.

If I could magically transfer one striker to Arsenal right now, it would be Mbappe, with Haaland a close second.

Yeah. I’d settle for either of Bernard’s ‘rejects’ being Lewandowski or Haaland.

Ah Mbappe. Wouldn’t that be something special.

Lewandowski and Benzema are close to being past it has-beens. Maybe they already are. Give me Kane any day of the week who is five years younger.

The huge majority of outfield players retire in their thirties. Why is that? It’s because the human body and athletic fitness declines sharply during that decade. It’s a clinical inevitability. Lewandowski and Benzema are both 34 so have already waved their peak goodbye.

Agreed, Benzema's overall game clinches it for me if we're talking about one season only. However, if we're bringing age into the equation and looking long term then surely Haaland is the choice ahead of Kane as he's 7 years younger and already world class.

But that is inconsistent with you choosing Kane over Haaland.

PS Thanks for the description of athletic prowess diminishing with age. Been there, done that. My peak galloped over the horizon a long time ago.

What I’ve said is at this moment in time Kane is the best centre forward because Haaland still has it all to do, beyond shining in a competitive league for half a dozen games. If I had to choose between them to bring one to Arsenal, I would go for Haaland because of his age. But as of now I think Kane has nothing to prove whereas Haaland does.

Fair enough.

Haaland has done a bit more than shining in a competitive league for half a dozen games. Twenty-five goals in 20 games in the Champions League is rather impressive as well.

On strikers that Osimhen guy looks something. He terrorised the Liverpool defence and he wasn't fully fit..

So Potter has gone to Chelsea then. Ambitious. I wonder how long he will last. Not exactly Ostersunds is it?

It's a very interesting appointment. I think Potter has done a fantastic job at Brighton, considering how little they invest in the team and how they seem to lose key players every year. They've been one of my favorite teams to watch in the last few seasons. Chelsea is a different animal though, and what works at a small midtable side isn't certain to work at a team full of stars aiming for titles.

To say nothing of stars with attitude. Could be tricky.

I wish him well, but conversely I hope that the wheels come off for Chelsea.

Arsenal team: Turner, Tomiyasu, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Lokonga, Xhaka, Marquinhos, Vieira, Martinelli, Nketiah.

Thought Cédric might get a run at RB and Tomiyasu at CB but the rest is as expected. Elneny and Emile Smith Rowe would have started if fit in place of Xhaka and Martinelli I think.

Arteta doesn’t look like he’ll throw kids in to this competition.

Also worth noting although the top 2 in the group qualify, you play an extra knock out game if you finish 2nd and get a bye if you finish 1st

As opposed to mine. Which barely limped next door.

I read somewhere that Cédric is injured, along with Emile Smith Rowe and Partey

https://experimental361.com/2022/09/07/ ... -sep-2022/

It’s only 6 games but the metrics are showing us up with the big two of City and Liverpool.

Any kids on the bench?

Looking forward to seeing Marquinhos

The subs I’ve not seen, so am assuming are kids, are Cozier-Duberry, Hein, Cirjan and Smith (not Smith Rowe).

Zurich hit the post from a tight angle after Turber fluffs a back pass.

Seen a few people who’ve seen him more in the states say he’s not great with his feet. Makes you wonder why we bought him if so as that seems to be No.1 priority for an Arteta gk

Two good crosses by Marquinhos already, Martinelli probably should've scored there

Marquinhos! Excellent counter attack, Nketiah put it on a plate there

What a brilliant *%^@*** goal

Marquinhos 1-0!

I’m claiming that!!

Marquinhos !!!!!!

Nketiah did very well to create the goal

Vieira is tiny, but he sure can play football. His touch is excellent

Good lad.

And it’s Arsenal, Arsenal FC!

Do we reckon Babu is there? Or is he banned from approaching within 5000 yards of the stadium??