Xhaka will be our next captain when Koscielny eventually leaves. Not sure if that's a good thing for us though.

Interesting and thoughtful analysis. And yet, you've kind of made this up, haven't you?

Interesting and thoughtful analysis. And yet, you've kind of made this up, haven't you?

Going by Emery naming Kos, Čech, Özil, Ramsey and Xhaka as his captains at the start of the season. Likely Xhaka will outlast the other 4.

Just as some weekends are chock full of high class sport, this week is the opposite. Couple of poxy cup ties in which I have no interest whatever, so I watched the cricket.

Wow!

South Africa v Sri Lanka - what a last session. Needing 304 in the final innings, Sri Lanka were well placed on 206-6, but SA took quick wickets and had it all but wrapped up at 226-9. Then Perera took control, farming the bowling to knock off the 78 runs needed. He finished on 153 not out and his partner Fernando faced 28 balls to score 6, 4 of which came from overthrows! Amazing game.

Were you watching, Decaf?

I see Guendouzi being linked with PSG for £60m+.

As much as that sounds it's peanuts in the context of the player he could become.

I actually read on twitter comments from some Arsenal fans who genuinely don't rate him. I don't know what games they are watching but this kid is 19 years old with the potential to become an absolute superstar.

It would be strange if the all the big clubs in europe were not monitoring his progress and if someone gets him for £60m that could be an absolute steal.

I see Guendouzi being linked with PSG for £60m+.

As much as that sounds it's peanuts in the context of the player he could become.

I actually read on twitter comments from some Arsenal fans who genuinely don't rate him. I don't know what games they are watching but this kid is 19 years old with the potential to become an absolute superstar.

It would be strange if the all the big clubs in europe were not monitoring his progress and if someone gets him for £60m that could be an absolute steal.

:22encouragement:
The worrying thing in the report I saw was that the £60m price was being set by Arsenal. I reckon Guendouzi could be worth £150m in the not too distant future. If they let him go for £60m, I hope I'd be able to give up on Arsenal because I don't see it being reinvested in the team anyway. My bet is it will be used towards paying off the loans Kroenke took out to buy his 100% stake in the club.

I agree with you socrates about any Arsenal fans who don't rate Guendouzi. They're beyond help. Still a teenager and he's already our best player, however good the likes of older and more experienced players including Torreira, Aubameyang and Lacazette might be.

Goonermen, lend me your ears!

Watching Guendouzi now is like watching Brady when he started
Watching Guendouzi now is like watching Robson when he started
Watching Guendouzi now is like watching Vieira when he started
Watching Guendouzi now is like watching Fabregas when he started

Goonermen, lend me your ears!

4th place is the target, top 3 has gone
Napoli and Sevilla would be favourites on form
Man U are favourites on short-term form, Chelsea are not
The most likely scenario is 5th behind Man U, and a lacklustre 2 legged defeat somewhere in Europe
Wenger could have achieved that

Our form is inconsistent, but at anything even approaching our best we can beat Napoli or Sevilla. I'd still just about make us favourites to beat them. And if Wenger was still here I'd have seen sixth as a lot more likely than fifth, and closer to the likes of Wolves and Watford than we are.

Why do you start posts with 'Goonermen, lend me your ears!' We read your posts, we don't listen to them.

Our form is inconsistent, but at anything even approaching our best we can beat Napoli or Sevilla. I'd still just about make us favourites to beat them. And if Wenger was still here I'd have seen sixth as a lot more likely than fifth, and closer to the likes of Wolves and Watford than we are.

Why do you start posts with 'Goonermen, lend me your ears!' We read your posts, we don't listen to them.

If the Saudi royal family buy man united will any of it even matter anymore ? Would it even be worth debating.

I mean it’s literally over as a competitive sport at that point and it’s looking increasingly likely according to rumours

Yeah it basically means a City and United duopoly, Chelsea will probably be sold in the next few years so they may or may not drop out depending on who they get, Liverpool have done well this season but long term will struggle to compete with the wealth of the two Manchester clubs, no point even talking about Arsenal really, we don't even bother to try and compete, Spurs might attract the vultures once they pay off some of their stadium debt, hopefully they get their own Kroenke.

It would be the final nail in the coffin for football but its always been on the cards. I mean what money-no-object potential buyer would not want to own United given the status and potential of the club.

They could dominate world football because lets face it they could afford to buy virtually any player at any price and few players would turn down a resurgent United even for Real or Barca. We've seen PSG outmuscle Barca so why couldn't United backed by the Saudi Royal Family.

The reality is that we are also-rans and have been for some time now. Our quickest way back to the top would realistically be a a new owner. Otherwise we could be on the outside looking in like Liverpool have been for the best part of 30 years.

I thought this was an interesting Twitter thread.

Petr Čech takes Arsenal Women for dinner to congratulate achievement

https://www.skysports.com/football/news ... chievement

Hey Rog - how the hell are you?

Quite often recently, it's been quite difficult to get on here. I get this message:

I predict the lowest ever attandence at a first team fixture tomorrow night - maybe as low as the 4544 at Highbury in 1966 vs Leeds. I was just out of this picture on the right.

I predict the lowest ever attandence at a first team fixture tomorrow night - maybe as low as the 4544 at Highbury in 1966 vs Leeds. I was just out of this picture on the right.

I predict the lowest ever attandence at a first team fixture tomorrow night - maybe as low as the 4544 at Highbury in 1966 vs Leeds. I was just out of this picture on the right.

No chance DHD. I can see there being around ten times that as there's so much to play for.

Interesting picture.

You might find this interesting. I'm inclined to say that Gatting's innings shades it ... the SA attack at Kingmead was formidable but not nearly as fearsome at THAT Windies attack. I'd also put a couple of Lara innings above it. But its up there ...

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... nings-ever

You have to feel a bit sorry for Roy Pack, DHD. As a young local lad joining Arsenal in the early '60s, he must have dreamed of donning the shirt at Highbury for a couple of decades to come, before fifty or sixty thousand excited fans week in, week out. Instead, his one and only appearance for the club in 1966 was in front of a crowd that Enfield FC wouldn't have been thrilled about. And that was it. Weeks later, he was transferred to Portsmouth. A cruel sport.

Certainly was a stunning knock, not least for the way he farmed the bowling. I thought your guys missed a trick or two but that takes very little away from Perera.

Blimey - that's some shout, McQ. I don't recall Roy Pack at all. Stoke Newington boy as well. I must've seen him in the stiffs - I went to all those as well.

I have the Leeds programme somewhere - but I've no idea where.

I'd never heard of Roy Pack either, DHD, but your post got me into research mode! Players who only started one league game for Arsenal - now there's an elite group.

We'll never know what tonight's crowd is. The attendance that's announced will include 40,000 season tickets but I'd guess that only 10% will actually be there.