Decided to check in here on a whim to see what the general mood was before such a strange week. Nice to see Dad is still mentioned and that Old Man of Hoy remains the forum's resident historian.

By Wednesday night Arsenal could be facing another season out of the European Cup. By Saturday night Tottenham might be champions of that very same competition. I can safely say Dad's pessimism would have gone into overdrive this week. There would be no "might" or "could" about these two finals though. In his mind Emery would be sullenly taking off his runners up medal. Harry Kane and Dele Alli would already be revelling in the sort of lap of honour the likes of Bergkamp, Vieira and Pires somehow never managed.

As a Liverpool fan, this is not an enjoyable build up in the slightest. However confident I am in the club's general direction, a craving remains for a defining success after so many near misses. That Tottenham of all teams could deny such a moment is going to make this an agonisingly long week. There's an "anyone but Liverpool" sentiment amongst a lot of fans that (often correctly) predicts an unbearable few years of gloating in the wake of any success. I assure you there aren't enough ex-Liverpool pundits in the world to compete with the racket that will be made if Spurs win on Saturday though. They have all the posterboys of Southgate's PR-friendly national team, they can do no wrong. You won't be able to escape the media adulation if the unthinkable happens.

(If you hadn't already guessed, pessimism is inherited)

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11678/11729695/bin-zayed-group-agree-terms-to-buy-newcastle-from-mike-ashley

Looks like the Newcastle story is for real, oh great more oil money in the pantomime of the premier league, no doubt they are soon to be sponsored by some mysterious middle eastern business at a rate 20x the market value, yet as usual UEFA, the FA etc. will just ignore it.

That's pretty much it. I recall at the time, I kept saying on here, Kroenke will be a disaster. I knew what kind of owner he was in America. There are some owners who buy a team to win things. The NFL is a very, very exclusive group. America has a lot of billionaires but only 30 get to own a team so its sort of the most exclusive billionaires club in America it has been said. Forbes has 400 on its famous list. The NFL, America's biggest league and sport, has only 30. NBA and MLB (baseball) has 30 but its not seen as exclusive as American football for cultural reasons, the NFL is seen as the higher profile.

Anyway, Kroenke bought his team simply for investment. Because of its exclusivity, the value of teams often go up far more than most other large investments like stocks, hedge funds, commercial properties/high rises. I recall the arguments by some on here at the time like 'look at this team he has' or 'this team' and 'that team' he has as some harbinger of the future, without knowing what kind of owner he is seen as. Usmanov also had his negatives but at least he knew the sport and he would have spent. I'm not saying Usmanov is a savior but would he really have been worse than Kroenke? We'd have to hold our noses for him.

Kroenke's main project are the Rams. There is no doubt about it. It's where his energy....an alas his money is going. They got into the Super Bowl last year. Their best season for years. He turned around a team that couldn't win more than half their games into a final contender in a few short years. So, the notion he doesn't know how to build a winner is BS. He just lacks the desire with us. I've said this before, the reason he was granted the Los Angeles franchise to host a team was because it is the 2nd biggest media market in America, and the NFL wanted a winner there because a winner would reap big money in advertising, shirt sales, etc. The NFL shares merchandising revenue with all clubs, so the other owners wanted a winner there as well. Different than the EPL obviously where you keep your own merchandising revenue.

The only possible upside for the future is if Josh gives a damn about winning. We are stuck with the Kroenke's for decades, unless they decide to sell and right now I can't see where that is going to happen unless the family's fortune falls on hard times.

Basically we are f*cked.

PS:
..and I still blame Dein. He left the board with 2 bad choices. He brought the only 2 choices to the club. All for is own ego of running the club the way he wants it.

I can't really call tomorrows game. Two flawed sides with soft underbellies but who have proven matchwinners.

If Hazard decides to turn it on he can be unplayable, whilst Aubameyang and Lacazette have been in blistering form of late.

It could be decided by which team is less crap.

Basically we are f*cked.

PS:
..and I still blame Dein. He left the board with 2 bad choices. He brought the only 2 choices to the club. All for is own ego of running the club the way he wants it.

You keep saying that but surely the primary blame has to rest with Fiszman. It was him that took the decision, on his deathbed, to make Kroenke the majority shareholder, thus giving him control of the club.

To me your blame of Dein sounds conceptually similar to not blaming Mustafi for Palace's second goal at the Emirates, but laying the prime blame on whichever Arsenal player gave the ball away to Palace up the other end of the pitch.

I have seen a report that SBS will show our final live starting 4.15am - for those in Oz

Hey Bernard - are you in Baku yet or what are your travel plans? Any accomodation?

I'm still in the UK. I've booked a cab for 3.30 am tomorrow morning...

I'm still in the UK. I've booked a cab for 3.30 am tomorrow morning to take me to Stansted Airport. Should get me there around 4.15 am to 4.30 am.

I looked at the first train of the day to Stansted Airport but that only gets to Stansted Airport station at 5.39 am, just 21 minutes before the check-in desk closes (it's open from 3.00 am to 6.00 am, as the plane departs at 7.00 am).

Even if the train leaves and gets there on time, I have to find and get from the station to the check-in desk. Just too tight. Also, the way trains run late or even get cancelled, I just didn't see going by train as a realistic option.

No accomodation as the Thomas Cook charter flights arranged with the club gets to the airport in Baku 1.00 pm English time (4.00 pm local time). The return flight leaves Thursday at 7.00 am local time and 4.00 am English time.

The match kicks off 11.00 pm local time (8.00 pm English time). The coaches taking you from the stadium to the airport leave shortly after the game, so booking a hotel room somewhere wasn't really on.

I'm taking my phone fully charged but turned off as using it expires the battery and I'm not taking the charger. Hence I have no intention of using it unless there's some sort of emergency, which hopefully there won't be. So no posts from me until I'm back.

I have seen a report that SBS will show our final live starting 4.15am - for those in Oz

Good Luck and God Speed, Bernard and all other Arsenal Supporters making the trip.

#BernExit !

Thanks to everyone who has sent me good wishes. Much appreciated.

I am in awe of Bernard’s efforts to get to the final. Dedication above and beyond.

If only our owner cared half as much.

All the very best to you Bernard.

Wow. Amazing effort, Bernard. Us Aussies have to get up at 4am or so for the match, but at least we'll be watching from home, from the comfort of electric blankets and silken sheets, with cocoa at hand and a soothing slice of Vegemite on toast to see us through the pre-dawn, so you've totally put us to shame...

I'm still in the UK. I've booked a cab for 3.30 am tomorrow morning to take me to Stansted Airport. Should get me there around 4.15 am to 4.30 am.

I looked at the first train of the day to Stansted Airport but that only gets to Stansted Airport station at 5.39 am, just 21 minutes before the check-in desk closes (it's open from 3.00 am to 6.00 am, as the plane departs at 7.00 am).

Even if the train leaves and gets there on time, I have to find and get from the station to the check-in desk. Just too tight. Also, the way trains run late or even get cancelled, I just didn't see going by train as a realistic option.

No accomodation as the Thomas Cook charter flights arranged with the club gets to the airport in Baku 1.00 pm English time (4.00 pm local time). The return flight leaves Thursday at 7.00 am local time and 4.00 am English time.

The match kicks off 11.00 pm local time (8.00 pm English time). The coaches taking you from the stadium to the airport leave shortly after the game, so booking a hotel room somewhere wasn't really on.

I'm taking my phone fully charged but turned off as using it expires the battery. Hence I have no intention of using it unless there's some sort of emergency, which hopefully there won't be. So no posts from me until I'm back.

Yeah they will factor in extra time and penalties Zed. Must admit, I don't have a portable phone charger.

Not particular excited about the game. I'm expecting the worst. Bracing myself for disappointment this week. Could be my worst week as a fan since April of 2004. We could see ourselves out of the CL and Tottenham lift the CL. Perish the thought but it could happen.

Us Aussies have to get up at 4am or so for the match, but at least we'll be watching from home, from the comfort of electric blankets and silken sheets, with cocoa at hand and a soothing slice of Vegemite on toast to see us through the pre-dawn...

Čech to play according to a few reports. I usually support us keeping the player who was given the cup duties if we make a final. But not in this case where future employment with the opposition is on the table.

That sort of take on things ; shows you are too used to dealing with slippery underhand Aussies .

I'd say future employment would be the last thing on Čech's mind ...... he'll be out there to do the best for Arsenal .
His allegiances will only change once he takes up his new position .

It's like saying Giroud will spurn the opportunity to score against us because of his former affiliations .

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/chelsea-manager-maurizio-sarri-storms-out-of-europa-league-training-session-1.3907631

Hopefully a good omen.

I think I read that BT sport will be showing both European finals on their YouTube channel for free.....not sure of this is true

Im getting up for a 5am kickoff on the basis it will be on'but like you I am not 100% sure. But it may be on my Optus phone as a default.

I'll get up anyway and trawl about for a link if its not, beats going to bed and having nightmares about a Giroud hat trick!

What's the Optus stream quality like Gaz, been thinking of switching from Telstra to get the PL?