Hi All - long time no post! Trust you are all well.
We may have played better this season, but that was a statement win, eh?

Greetings Old Man.....hope Bernard and Mee could find a feed wherever they are !

G'Day Old Man

Released for good behaviour?

Hi Andy - yes, recalling Mee's general nervousness about The Gunners prospects at any time, (like me he was shaped by our drought years of mid 50s and 60s), we can easily imagine his thoughts if he had to watch that extra time and penalties! Surely though, he would have loved Ødegaard? An artist with a work ethic. B would also have rated Martin, but obviously not as highly as Steve Williams...

Long time in deed. The search party never came back.

Hello Andy,

Arsenal have a friendly against Liverpool in Philly on July 31st. I cousin in Norristown (you familiar?) I converted to a Gooner, many years back, went to the Brentford game. Had a wonderful time. Bought the ticket off some site and said he thought it was going to be 50/50 if it was legit. lol

Hi DHD - I have been keeping a low profile because if I show too much interest in the fortunes of our great club, it is a given the rot will set in. Forget Arteta, his coaching team, the quality of our players or the opposition, for in the end it has nothing to do with them, but all with me. If I hide behind the sofa (actual and virtual), and pretend not to be looking, perhaps good things will happen. It seems to be working so far, though worryingly not for The Darts, who are relegation bound.

Hi AG - you must be loving this Arsenal? So many likeable players, and a proper defence.

Yes it's all been a bit 'pinch me' since Christmas. Last night was quite special. It was a horrible game but that sort of team have been turning us over for years. They nearly did it again last night by stifling and suffocating our play but for once we didn't fold, we didn't react and we weren't intimidated. On the contrary, the crowd saw to it that if anyone was cowed, it was Porto. I really don't think they expected that intensity - and we fed off it.

Ødegaard was a shining light with his energy and endeavour. It wasn't easy for him against a very well organised midfield but he never dropped his head. He certainly led from the front.

I'm also becoming increasingly impressed with Havertz. He didn't have a great game last night - wasn't allowed to - but he put himself about and didn't hold back on challenges despite the jeopardy of an unpredictable Ref. Shouldn't admit to this but I particularly loved his shove on Conceicao who looked utterly bemused at this grievous insult to him, his family, his ancestors and his club. Hee hee....

Rice was a yellow card away from a suspension for the first leg of the QF. Rice and Havertz both remain a yellow card in either leg of the QF from missing the next game.
Jorginho, White, Kiwior, Saliba, Zinchenko, and Jesus would have to get booked in both legs of the QF (and we progress) to miss the semi

All yellows are wiped after the QF so only red cards would carry a suspension after this point

My Company has a box at the Linc...I'm hoping to get a couple of passes for the game. It'll be a full house...no doubt in my mind

Should be a good dress rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup games scheduled there

Noble self-sacrifice! The spirit of the blitz lives on.

I think this photo is taken as Porto made it 3-2 on penalties with the one Raya very nearly saved.
There’s one guy in that photo who isn’t reacting, because he’s taking the next penalty….

Conceicao is a serial clasher.

Yes indeed. Nice seeing Danny on here again.

Not a bad assessment Rich. Wouldn't mind PSG or Barca. Bayern, just to kick a smug Kane to the kerb. City just to show off they could be beaten.
Will be awaiting today's game results.

According to David Ornstein, Benny Blanco or as he is mainly known by, Ben White, has signed a new, improved, long term contract. Previous deal was till 2026. Announcement expected later this week.

Tomiyasu deal all but signed as well, and the best unkept secret is we’ll use the option to make Raya’s deal permanent this summer.

This summer will really be as much about the outgoings as those coming in. There are 5-6 first team squad players who will likely leave

Inter had won 13 games in a row, Atletico are having a poor season by their standards, just shows how hard CL knock out games are. Games can be decided by a small moment or a bit of luck.
The last 8 is now a who’s who of heavyweight European teams.

Ball was in play for less than 50% of the time played in the Porto game, yet only 1 minute of added time in the first half and 3 minutes in the second were added. None in extra time.

Weirdly we had a first leg ref where everything was a foul and a second leg ref who let so much go but both still managed to help create a stop start game that Porto craved

Showing that referees "letting things go" does not always create a free-flowing game. He wasn't playing advantage. He was allowing Porto players to get away with time-wasting and small niggly fouls, particularly pushing our players off the ball from all angles.

I feel badly for Wilshire. His manner of playing was sure to bring in more injuries than most pros.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Z8WWLrt8AWw

Really? Wow!

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1062535248181733

Wow - Some of them are paid more than I am !

Watching the highlights of the Porto match again, Raya was a tad fortunate to get away with his second save. He was off his line and had taken a full pace to his left before Galeno even got to the ball.

Also worthy of note was that Rice covered the most distance of any player in the match at 16.3km. No real surprise I suppose but second at 16.08km was Havertz. Ode was third at 15.8km.

As Galeno strikes the ball, Raya is already well into his dive.

Benny Blanco has made himself unavailable for England selection.

Nothing lucky or illegal about Raya there.

See Law 14. This is all that it says about the keeper. Raya met those conditions.

When the ball is kicked, the defending goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot touching, in line with, or behind, the goal line.

Nothing to see here, his right foot was touching the ground.

Fair enough Chaps. You may be correct. I formed a different opinion both on the night and when I saw the replay from which the stills are taken.

There may be other angles that make things clearer.

He’s also signed his new contract today. The announcement video is his team mates talking about him.
When everyone at Arsenal loves him - and I pressume he was also popular and had no issues at Brighton and on loan at Leeds (Leeds fans loved him, I live here) then the issue appears to be Southgate and his coaching staff rather than Ben White.
Southgate has come out and said White made himself unavailable for selection and he’d be in the squad otherwise, and there is ‘no issue’. If Southgate so desperately wants him in the squad as he says he does then he must find a way to fix things and build bridges. Players simply don’t decide to not represent their country on the eve of a major championship just because they feel like it

De Bruyne pulled out of international fixtures because of a ‘groin injury’. Just pull all our players now, have no shame doing it. City do this every single international break. They’ll have a fully fit 11 for our game no doubt

Tomiyasu's weekly wages gone up as well.
Most likely Raya in goal for the City game.

Ben White has excused himself from a call up for England during the break. After all, why be bothered with a meaningless friendly.

Charlie George, Rich?

Have to admit that when Benny pulled out the first time, our family group (multi-generation, mullti- ethnicity) thought it was because there was about to be a tell-all expose in the media. Some thought he was about to be ‘outed’, but we all agreed pretty quickly that would be a MASSIVE positive for him, the Club and for the massed ranks of the support.

Can’t believe Clubs haven’t spotted the potential. It will be HUGE for whoever gets there first.

I have to say I’ve only just watched Southgate’s press conference and that’s *%^@*** hysterical, blokes lying through his teeth.

Honestly Benny has gone up in my estimation. Thing is if Steve Holland tried to mug him off in front of the other players it must have been bad but for him to turn the call up down takes massive minerals. I think that’s proper class. I wonder why they made it public. Probably because it would have been inexplicable to the general public

What? DHD got it wrong, surely not!

Dog whistle Tel.

Good boy.

You are showing your age, being gay is no big deal for most of us. I very much doubt it would be MASSIVE or HUGE.