Arsenal are playing Chelsea on 5th November and Wolves on 12th November. Why not ask UEFA to let us and PSV play our final group game after the others by using either Tuesday the 8th or Wednesday the 9th? Not ideal to have the group finish but surely less damaging to the Europa League than to have the second biggest club in it this season (after Manchester United) forfeit the game or be dumped out of it.

EDIT: Just realised we’re playing the League Cup game against Brighton on 9th November.

They possibly weren’t that bothered. But it was UEFA who opted to make it forfeit.

Reduces it to the level of Worthing Sunday League.

Can we read anything into the fact that the League Cup game is not showing on the Arsenal site fixtures? Or is that just wishful thinking about a shuffle?

I dont understand.
Why would we have to be punished.
Are UEFA bloody stupid? Have they been living on another planet the last 5 or 6 days???
This is totally our of our control.
The Queens has died and this has had a knock on effect on policing etc.
Absolute nonsense for the subject of forfeiting to even be a consideration.

Fear not! This could all be a red herring as it seems that provided Arsenal and PSV can find an alternative match date then forfeiting will not come into it. There are a lot of days available before we reach the cut-off of 3 November. A solution will be found. This is Arsenal we are talking about.

Notice Spurs v Leicester game same day hasn't been affected. As to the Brighton v Palace match, If not for potential rail problems, it should go ahead. Game isn't being played anywhere near London.

David I concur. The Queen's death shouldn't impact sport. But it didn't surprise as it's a 10 day mourning period. What I don't get is why it's so necessary to have practically all police in the city be available for days leading up to a funeral, let alone on the day of the funeral? No doubt there'll be a huge crowd turnout on Monday, but not necessarily this week leading up to Monday as well. Really is a mystery. Unless, it's suspected that depending on the clubs playing, the antipation of which football fans are considered the most unruly as it were?Are traveling Dutch fans more unruly than say traveling Spanish, French or German fans? It really boggles the reasoning. Seems purposely selective by authorities.

The Rennes game. Players were here already at the hotel ready to go, then Spurs canceled. Apparently, Spurs were willing to have game played in Rennes, but it never went ahead. So Spurs had to forfeit.

I’ve noticed that too. The Brighton League Cup game is supposed to be 9th November. But it does not appear on Arsenal.com’s fixture list. Indeed nor has there been anything about selling tickets for the game on Arsenal.com.

Season tickets are not usable for home League Cup games but I’ve had no email about buying my own seat for it. They normally send those emails out promptly to give them time to sell the seat of any season ticket holders who choose not to go to someone else.

A cracking end to the Porto Tottenham game. Great fun.

I’ve read it is to do with the large away support PSV we’re bringing in comparison to Chelsea’s European opponents. Bigger away fans require all day policing when they come over from europe

PSV might not be so easy to convince to shuffle any of their plans to play the game considering they would stand to benefit a 3-0 away win if we had to forfeit.
We need to make sure we win our next 2 games and then we might be able to draw or win our away game with PSV and we already might have won the group

According to Charles Watts, the Nov 12, Wolves game time has been changed to 7:45 pm from 3pm.

The Nov 5, Chelsea 3pm game time has been changed to Sunday, Nov 6, at 12 noon from 3pm.

Somehow, somewhere the rescheduled PSV match may have been accommodated to fit in.

I read an (admittedly biased Arsenal fan) say about spurs that for a team that wins a lot of points and games it’s rare you watch them and think ‘wow, these lot are good’
Of course we are biased and I’ve seen Spurs tear some teams apart particularly at home but that’s more a one off than consistent and it tended to be gluts of goals rather than a dominant chance after chance game - the sort of thing you see from City or Liverpool.

They are an effective team but I don’t think they are a great team. The passive approach, playing on the counter and relying on a couple of world class strikers to bail you out really shouldn’t be sustainable

Hi Rich. I think Tottenham are much better than some give them credit for. They are not a two man team. They have a good number of fine players. Nor are they solely reliant on playing on the counter attack. You’ve seen games where they tear teams apart. So have I and one of those times was against Arsenal towards the end of last season. Even before Holding was sent off they were outplaying us. I also don’t see why what they’re doing is unsustainable. They’ve been consistent for a number of years.

I’m also hoping the days of Liverpool dominating teams is coming to an end. I’ll be surprised if City don’t win the Premier League this season. But I reckon a number of other teams might challenge them. I recall Hazuki saying words to the effect that if Aubameyang doesn’t score, he does little else. If Haaland only touches the ball ten times a game, perhaps the same thing will end up being said of him? If so, playing with a man who does relatively little may not help City in the games he doesn’t score in.

For me there are a number of teams with a realistic chance of a top four place. That includes City, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.

Morning Bernard,
I think if I stepped away from any bias then you’re right that Spurs are a better team than we give them credit for. I suppose it is what you like in teams. I enjoy and can appreciate City’s ability on the ball and suffocating possession and can also enjoy Liverpool’s high tempo gengenpress. Two teams that set out to dominate their opponent and create plenty of chances. They both have wonderfully creative and complete footballers. When I look at Spurs I see a much more functional side. I don’t see many technical players who can unlock a team or play one-twos or one touch around the opponents box. If spurs pin a team in they tend not to unlock them with brilliance to me it’s more a cross to Kane, efforts from range or something more fortunate caused by the chaos.
I’m also always sceptical of the true quality of defenders who play in a back 3 with two defensive minded midfielders. I read a piece that showed Sporting did to Spurs what Chelsea did by getting their 9 to drop in and overload on the two spurs sitting mids (imagine that being Jesus/Ødegaard/Xhaka in our current system)

I don’t know, maybe you see what you want or hope to see but when I see a team like spurs rarely dominate games but win it’s that part I think is unsustainable. Of course they will dominate games but maybe only 40% or less, the best teams dominate virtually every game. I’m worried about spurs in terms of top 4 but I’m not worried about them winning anything because I don’t think the set up or quality is there for that.

Morning Rich. I think ‘anything’ is an inappropriate word to use where you discuss their chances for the season. I would agree wholeheartedly that City are firm favourites for the League title. Having said that, I’d personally lose respect for any big club that writes City off as uncatchable. I’d include both North London clubs in that observation as well as Liverpool, Chelsea and, believe it or not, Manchester United. If you give up any hope of catching City, then you won’t do.

But my problem with ‘anything’ in your comment that you’re “not worried about them winning anything” is that the Premier League isn’t the only trophy we’re all in. We’ve seen worse teams beat better teams countless times in one off games, and I would say when the difference was even wider than the difference between City and Tottenham. Hence Tottenham are more than capable of winning one of the cups they’re in. Especially the two domestic cups.

You remind me of Mee. Fondly remembered, sadly missed.

Had email from the club. New date for the home tie against PSV is Thursday 20th October, kick off 6.00 pm. The home game against Manchester City on Wednesday 19th October has thus been postponed.

Nailed that Old Man ..... along with Buddy Holly , Fats , the Ventures , Duane Eddy ..... the Everly's were top of the pile in my rock n roll appreciation .
Late fifties early sixties Bye Bye Love , Wake Up little Suzie , Bird Dog , Lucille .
I too give them a rattle quite frequently .
Went on a camping trip with my cousins in 1958 ...some Cool hand Luke older kids a few tents over had booze , a record player and all the latest records .
I got them to play "Problems" about twenty five million times

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viS6szd ... Philosophy

The guitar riffs sounded so grunty in those days ... of course more lately Joan Jett and Aerosmith making them sound quite puny .

Gidday Bernard .... Old Man and I have got this thing we bat poor old Wilhelm Bungent back and forth as an example of a complete train wreck .

Looked him up ; he wasn't quite the one hit wonder I thought . Got to the semis one year and lost to the eventual winner Chuck Mc Kinley and next year lost to eventual winner Emerson . No 4 in the world at one stage ...... not to be sneezed at .

Steady Brom ... in this day and age some Thought Police will be analysing your comments . deeming them unacceptable ; short spell in clink to follow .

Had a slightly irritated throat this morning .

Remarked to Mrs Kiwi " think I might have a cold coming '' Ding Ding , sirens , hooters , klaxons go off in her head.. "Covid ""...she screams

She jumps in her car high tails it to the chemist buys two Covid check kits .

I felt better later ; didn't use the kit , tonight I've gargled with Listerine three times ...and now a third of the way thru a bottle of Mount Joy Rum Granty Boy bought over on a recent visit

Get past that you little Covid f*&*^&^%$# s

Top Gun ..... I've had a few volcanic disagreements with you regards your arse backwards thoughts on Ukraine but I've got to admit your take on domestic affairs are quite comical .

Been seeing a few doom and gloom posts about the UK lately .

From afar Liz Truss doesn't fill me with confidence , worse than Boris if that's possible

What is her accent ...'' sounds goddamn awful ..... mixture of Birmingham Cockney ...??

That is good news.

Fixture problems/congestion will loom. But not just for us fortunately.

You'd think they'd postpone the State Funeral as a mark of respect for the Queen.

Does the site have a smilie for blowing a raspberry?

Well that was some goal from our erstwhile target. Mudryk hammered it home.

Not watching the game. How has Mudryk looked?

Bernard. I only watched the first half and he looks a very good player. Took his goal really well ….smashed it home on the run….and a minute later made their second which was chalked off. Bright and lively.
That said I have no idea how he’d be for us in the cauldron of the EPL. I’ve seen too many highlight reels that flatter to deceive…..Pépé….

How do you stop Haaland ? Insane player

TG …..you think his boot was high for the winner? Dangerous play?
He does that move often,instead of going for the header.

Honestly with him I don’t think it matters. He’s so agile. He reminds me a bit of Tyson fury in that he’s a Viking giant but really quick.

The defenders are nowhere and just can’t deal with him, his movement, size or power. An average ball into the box for city is a world class ball for others. Toss it in the box and he’ll score.

Amazing striker and probably the best in Europe. He’s 22 and god knows what he will be like at 25

Last night's goal is similar to what Zlatan has done many times. Outstanding agility. It was an absolute peach of a cross from Cancelo.

I prefer Mbappe as he is more skilful, but Haaland is a beast of a forward. He and Mbappe might be shooting it out between them for years to come.

You don't. You just admire.

Just imagine having to mark him. For 90+ minutes. What a nightmare.

I don’t get all this defeatist talk about Haaland. Out of respect and admiration do people want us to step aside and let him walk the ball into the net a few times when we play them? You’d think he was ten times better than Messi at his peak the way some people are talking. He isn’t.

On the other hand, there are those who dismiss Haaland as some unproven youngster who's only played half-a-dozen games in the big leagues. Football fans sometimes talk in hyperbole (even those with excellent hair) - I wouldn't bother getting too agitated about it.

It’s not in any way hyperbole to say Haaland a special player. If you can’t identify this you don’t understand the sport and should watch Bowles or darts or something.

I can’t recall a player in that position looking so accomplished at such an age.

His movement is deadly. He doesn’t want the ball on the halfway line at all and always find space in the penalty area

An absolute nightmare to defend against and when we play them Gabriel needs to be on the ball and it definitely isn’t a game for Ben white.

Special he may be. But it is hyperbole to give up and think he’ll score loads against us. Show some backbone rather than be a wimp.