Hi AG,

Barca can't afford him, nor can Bayern, City have Haaland which really leaves on Real. He's always been a target for them anyway.

I will have to eat humble pie if this Rice deal goes through, I didn't think we would be in at the kind of numbers being talked about.

Kroenke has won all he can in America. Now its time for England.

Hi Soc,

I think Man Utd would be in the mix if the Qataris take over. There’s probably not enough time for that though, thankfully. Let’s hope he goes to Madrid. It would make next year’s La Liga really interesting too.

Yep. Looking good. Fantastic signing. Our biggest one since Sanchez.

We could take a shot at him.

It keeps him up every night.

He sits on his ranch in Texas every night pounding rare whisky in tears about the lack of silverware in N7

RM has always been the one most strongly linked to him. I wanted to use him as a generalization that there are only 5 clubs the best of the best consider these days. If Man Utd get back to challenging they'll re-enter that group. They were for a while, now they aren't.

Liverpool aren't quite there. I don't see them winning a fight for the next Ronaldo or Messi over either Spanish giants and if they matched an offer, I am not sure they wry anyone from going to PSG or BM.

More anxious on Saliba's extension than Rice's. Come on, get it over the line

Forgot about Kroenke's football team in Colorado that won the title about 15 years or so ago. Arsenal is the only thing left.

Bayern have pulled out of the race for Rice. Supposedly the increased cost has made them pull out but I also think Rice has decided he wants us. This one really does look like it’s happening

He's from Greater London, right? We're the best team in London. I'm sure Wilshere has been chatting him up. His family can come to see him play, CL football. Title contenders. It's just what WH will demand, the player has to be very keen on a move anyone would guess.

I wasn't sure about something and I looked it up to confirm. This is the longest spell we have gone without winning the title since our first title in 1930. The previous longest spells were '53 to '71 to '80.

Does this spell seem worse with regards to light at the end of the title or did '71 to '89 seem longer? Or perhaps'53 to '71?

We haven't been in the CL since 2016. Celtic has won 9 of the most recent 10 SPLs and we're 2 pots higher than they are. We are beneficiaries of a corrupt system.

It's hard to complain why the governing bodies aren't doing more to curb abuses when they are inherently unfair. If our governments was this blatant we'd be up in arms.

There is a transparent seeding system that takes into account that the Scottish league is very weak. So what exactly is corrupt about it?

Your last sentence is mind-boggling considering that the state of US politics and the continuing attraction of Trump!

Can't stand him.

Europa league performances still count to co-efficient points, so actually our runs to the final and semi final in all likelihood achieved us more co-efficient points than teams getting knocked out early in the champions league.

We're not ranked as the 16th best team in europe by co-efficient, only 16th based on teams that qualified for this years CL

Imagine him up front?

Sorry Rich, the Europa league is a lesser competition. Our league position is far worse. The old European cup method is the best, where it was only league champions. I understand money comes into play but if we are going to be honest, lets just be honest and admit its rigged to favor the bigger, more popular clubs.

So John Hollins has fallen off the perch.

Never really understood why we signed him because he seemed to be at the end of his career (or so I thought) and he was sooo Chelsea. However he was a very solid performer who became a first team regular. He actually turned into something of a crowd favourite.

He's a brilliant player but that ego ...

We’re reported by David Ornstein to be very interested in Kai Havertz and are preparing a proposal! That’s very interesting if true.

I’m sure that won’t be met with universal glee from Arsenal fans. But to look at the positives, he played in and out of a basket case Chelsea team - what might he do in our clear and defined structure? He’s still only 24, before his move to Chelsea he was one of the most sought after young talents in world football.

The downside is his premier league form, giving any money to Chelsea and what actually is his best position?

On Havertz it’s also worth noting Chelsea really need to sell players before June 30 to meet all sorts of financial regulations. Maybe Arsenal spot a chance to get a bargain as nobody is going to do chelsea any favours and over pay for their players as they are desperate to sell before they can buy. The squad is hugely bloated.

I find that a really bizarre link. Would the intention to be to play him xhakas role? At Chelsea he’s mostly started up front.

It would be as much of a shock for us to sign him as would chelsea to let him go.

Pretty much chimes with my memory of him, some players you develop a grudging respect for after they make the move, somehow with him it was just impossible to dislike him. Probably because he came across as a very likeable individual with no ego. Completely different to the majority of that Chelsea vintage.

If we’re going to have a sweepstake regarding when the Rice deal is announced I’m going to plump for 1st July.

I think that’s a very decent punt because nothing will happen before Monday because of the England friendlies then you have the period where everyone knows he’s signed but there’s no announcement because of marketing.

If we are still negotiating with a bunch of spivs like Karen Brady and David Sullivan does it make sense chucking offers at Chelsea for havertz if it’s not yet been agreed so they know we have more money to spend. Wishful thinking but they must know the framework of the deal surely to do that.

Mikel obviously really rates him.

Thanks DHD and Top Gun for your advice regarding season ticket renewals. In the end I decided to take a chance with the auto renewal system (I was worried I would be charged twice if I bought them directly) and lo and behold, I've just received an email saying my tickets have succesfully been renewed. Now they have my cash the Rice and Caciedo deals can finally be paid for.

Anytime bored. Enjoy the new season

Hey if we don’t get Rice we can’t even throw our season ticket books at the dugout in disdain anymore and lobbing my iPhone 14 pro max is less attractive and doesn’t carry the symbolic message !

Just saw this …. Getting 3 out of the 5 may not be great

Top 5 xG Underperformers

Premier League worst finishers:

1 Kai Havertz - 7 Goals (12.78 xG)
2 Patrick Bamford - 4 Goals (9.77 xG)
2 Eddie Nketiah- 4 Goals (9.22 xG)
4 Darwin Nunez - 9 Goals (14.37 xG)
5 Gabriel Jesus - 11 Goals (16.17 xG

Fixtures out tomorrow.
We’ve been away from home in the last 4 seasons. But before that we went 7 years straight home games on the first day.

Always rumours on leaked fixtures. The one I’ve seen has is away to Brighton on the opening day as the 5:30pm kick off

Decent read on why we might be after havertz

https://www.101greatgoals.com/features/ ... d-arsenal/

Some mistake - surely we are in for Joe Haverty?

By the way, on cricket, remarkably Surrey score over 500 in the fourth innings to beat Kent. Forget Bazball against Kangarooshire; Domball is the way to go.

Fixtures are about to be announced

Rumour is our first game is forest at home on the Saturday at 1230

5-0...........Mbappe with a hat-trick and Havertz with a couple.

I have it on good authority that these are next seasons EPL fixtures. Dates to be confirmed.

Seems about right.

Forest - Home
Manchester City - Away
Liverpool - Away
RB Leipzig - Away
Benfica - Home
PSG - Away
Barcelona - Away
Napoli - Away
Real Madrid - Home
Bayern Munich - Away
RB Leipzig - Home
Liverpool - Away
Benfica - Away
PSG - Away
Barcelona - Home
Napoli - Away
Real Madrid - Away
Bayern Munich - Home
Manchester City - Away
RB Leipzig - Away
Liverpool - Away
Benfica - Home
PSG - Away
Barcelona - Away
Napoli - Away
Real Madrid - Home
Bayern Munich - Away
Manchester City - Away
RB Leipzig - Home
Liverpool - Away
Benfica - Away
PSG - Away
Barcelona - Home
Napoli - Away
Real Madrid - Away
Bayern Munich - Home
Manchester City - Away
AFC Richmond - Home

Quite a good set of opening fixtures for us, fully expecting maximum points from the first six games COYRs