Any news on Danny Mills?

Excellent. A much better performance. Improved throughout the game. Super result.

PS RVP unimpressed though.

It'll do.

Full time. The disappointment in the commentators voice in comparison to when Sheff Utd got their equaliser. Unbelievable.

Talksport making the whole narrative about officials being under scrutiny, Sheff utd rightly had 2 goals disallowed from VAR - why is that controversial?

The pundits were scratching their heads about it. An error perhaps. Which makes you wonder what else they get wrong.

I'm hoping for the best obviously but its probable we won't be in Europe at all next season.

That was probably the best performance that I’ve seen from Pépé for us. Which is hugely encouraging.

There is some light in there

I think Tierney and Pépé are decent players. Just need to find their vocation and play regularly. Maitland Niles did well and whilst willock is clumsy he gets in decent positions.

If only we had better give and go midfielders it would make such a difference. Paying Özil that huge contract and letting Ramsey go on a free was devastating for us in hindsight

With AMN behind him rather than Bellerin. I'd read an article questioning why the link up between bellerin and Pépé hadn't and doesnt work as well as the link ups on the left side. One theory was most of our centre-mids like to naturally drift left which leaves a gap on the right-centre mid to link between Bellerin/Pépé

That was welcome. We could have lost but we won. It wasn’t a great performance but again, I thought we were the better team.

2 away wins in a row. This one without Aubamayang. Hope we avoid City in the semi final draw (assuming they win their QF) I think we have an inferiority complex against City (and Liverpool) that makes it very difficult for us to beat them. In the same way I don't see that same mental block against Chelsea and Man U

Watch Saka for our winner, nice turn half way in our own half, drives 30 yards right through their midfield, picks the right pass for Nketiah and then keeps running to drag their entire defence with him and leave the switch ball to Pépé wide open. Pépé nearly messed it up but Ceballos was there to finish it

Wooohooo we're on a run maybe evn two runs............

8 goals and 8 assists from Pépé now for the season, If he could get in double figures for both by the end of the year there wouldn't be many others in the league who could say the same.

I also had the misfortune of hearing a bit of Danny Mills on the radio and as usual he was his chippy self about us. I agree with Rich that it probably stems from his playing career when unfortunately for him he had to face dominant Arsenal teams who often showed him up to be a journeyman footballer. As for the match, it wasn't a great spectacle and it showed up some of our weaknesses such as a lack of midfield creativity and vulnerability from balls lofted into the area. But on the plus side you can see the players are trying to be patient, solid and keeping control of the ball. I would be amazed if we won the FA cup this season given the teams still left in it, but I think there are some green shoots of recovery.

Not a single yellow car for Arsenal today, going by the league average we would have had 3 cards for our 13 fouls. Makes a difference when you don't have Atkinson and Dean reffing every game we play!

We have a very promising prospect - let's keep him!

Semi final draw is at half time of Newcastle v Man City on BBC1

Choices are Man Utd, Chelsea or Man City, poss Newcastle.

I'd rather face Chelsea in the final than the other two, so that's my choice.

*%^@ we get Man City.......................

Come on Newcastle......

The league campaign is done. We aren't going to do much better in the league than we already have been doing.
I am hoping we go for it all in the cup. if we can get to a final that would be fantastic obviously. Either Man Utd or Chelsea. I'd take a lot of joy in beating either. Tough to say who I'd prefer. I'd 'looov it, really looov it' if we beat ta Lampard managed Chelsea. But beating Man Utd in the final would be sheer joy. '79, '05, am I missing any others?

4 away games in 11 days. That’s a tough schedule.
Wilder complained about sheff Utd having to play 3 away games after his home game against us, said ‘I’ll leave you to work our why that is‘ it annoys me when managers hint at some sort of conspiracy against their team, the fixtures were set at the start of the season and the extra away game was due to a postponed game due to the league cup final. Why doesn’t the interviewer challenge them on it? Ask them to explain what they mean.

8th place will get a europa league spot this season if City’s van from Europe still stands.
Top 5 minus city will be champions league
6th will get europa due to city winning the league cup
7th or arsenal winning the fa cup will get the Fa cup europa spot
8th will then get the europa spot usually for 5th place

We can’t afford to sack off the league, we’re more likely to get a europa space via the league than the fa cup considering who we need to beat.

David Ornstein is suggesting Folarin Balogun could leave Arsenal this summer. He only has 12 months left on his current deal. Was only given an 18 month contract when he signed pro terms. The kids has scored bags and bags of goals for the youth teams. We turned down a £5m bid from Brentford in the winter.

Arsenal can't seem to work out what position the club sees themselves in. An absolute eleite level club who wouldn't let contracts constantly run down, or a second tier club who realise they won't always be able to keep hold or match the ambitions of their best players so ensures they are moved on at the right time for good money.

Malen, Gnabry, Reine-Adelaide would be worth a combined £150m at an estimate right now. Not one of them had a buy back or sell on clause.

Thanks. Hadn't realized it went that deep into 8th place. We should be able to squeak by the Blades but you never know.

Morning Rich. Many seem to see Ornstein in the context of whatever he says, happens. I’m a member of the AST. I didn’t go to many of their meetings before the lockdown (they’ve been done via zoom since, which I also haven’t bothered with).

Anyway, one I did go to in person had Ornstein as the guest speaker. I can’t recall the terminology used to introduce him, but it was something along those very lines. Little short of what he says about Arsenal is a guaranteed fact. This and other praise I’d seen of him made me do some research on his record for accuracy concerning Arsenal.

Assuming the stuff I read highlighting where he’d got things badly wrong were true, his reputation isn’t quite as deserved as some seem to automatically accept. I saw examples given where what he said had turned out to be completely off course from what did eventually transpire. Sadly I don’t recall these specific cases, but as long as what I’d read on his reports were right, it struck me that he is more than capable of getting things hopelessly wrong.

Look, it could well be that his record on Arsenal is better, even way better, than many journalists. My guess would be that he is, as surely his reputation must be based on something valid? But having said that, I saw enough from what I did read about him to strongly indicate that what he says isn’t always trustworthy. Maybe he isn’t as infallible as many appear to think?

Morning Rich

8th or 7th look the likeliest options and neither fills me with anything other than dread.

We'd be starting in the preliminary rounds so 2 or 3 weeks before the Prem kicks off. I think there are 2 or 3 Home & Away qualifier rounds before the proper Group games. We'd be schlepping around the poxiest backwaters of Europe - or bloody Asia - playing in empty stadiums with the barest of TV interest. Where's the financial incentive? What's the point?

I honestly think 9th or 10th would be far better for us.

I suppose it comes down to whether the guaranteed payday from being in the Europa League (£20-30m) is offset by any extra boost we get from not being in Europe at all? I doubt it considering each prem league spot only earns an extra £1-2m Then there is the factor of not being able to offer any European football at all.

I didn't watch all of the Newcastle v City game but I remember one completely uneventful moment that showed me the level of detail and discipline needed to get to the top. The Newcastle GK had the ball at his feet and Jesus closed him down to ensure he had to pick it up. Jesus stayed by the GK to ensure he had to kick it from his hands rather than the usual more accurate place kick, as soon as the ball left the GK Jesus sprinted 25 yards to get himself back onside so if City won the ball back he would be able to be immediately played through a high line. Nothing came of it but how many times do you see a striker jog back onside so that the first pass couldn't go to them as they still trundle back.

I read another piece about Liverpool and set-pieces when Klopp got his feet under the table. They worked out with Trent's delivery and Van Dijk's aerial threat they could and should be doing more. I think they now lead the league for set piece goals. Arsenal are 2nd only to Villa for set piece goals conceded.

https://www.goal.com/en/news/arsenal-to ... y2dpc3tcca
Arsenal to sell Folarin Balogun after contract talks break down with teenage striker

We have Martinelli, Nketiah and Nelson already in the first team squad with Smith-Rowe on loan and John-Jules also on the fringes. Yoh can throw Saka in there too as he looks like his future is as an attacker. Willock and Guendouzi are both very young. There are only so many you can keep, and if Balogun doesn't want to sign a contract, there's not much we can do about it.

We should finish ahead of Sheffield United, but the way we look these days, I am marginally confident. I want to for Arteta as much as I want for the club and us fans.
I was very skeptical of him during the search that got us Emery. However, i can see why Pep valued him so much.

Then play a reserve team. Give the young ones some experience.

But it isn't just about the strain on the players GF. Even if it's only the Kids, the Club's travelling party is enormous with management, coaches, physios, kit-men...the list goes on and they'd all be gone maybe twice in the pre-season period in some faraway town for 3 or 4 days . It's an unnecessary and pointless distraction to the whole club and it risks screwing up up the preparations for the season.

6 games before the Group stages (3 before the Prem kick-off in recent seasons) and then another 6 games up to Christmas - 12 games in all and there won't be one that's worth crossing the road for.

I personally hate the whole Europa Cup competition. I have nothing against the minnows of European football - good luck to 'em - but I do not want to watch 'em. And I'm not alone. Regardless of Covid 19, the stadium will be empty for the pre-qualifying games and at best half full for the Group games (assuming we qualify). I object to those games being part of my season ticket.

Each age group will have a player to get excited about, a player who is not only the best at the club but is comparable to any talent at any club at the same age. From what I've read from those who watch a lot more youth football than me is Balogun was that player. Plenty of non strikers listed above which shouldn't have any bearing on whether we keep Balogun. We potentially have Aubamayang and lacazette leaving this summer. Of course you can't force a young player to sign a new deal but when you have special talent you do everything possible, perhaps a longer initial deal that the standard 18 month first pro contract or more involvement in first team training.
We turned down £5m for him in the winter I don't know if we would get that much more for him now. For someone with his talent it is poor money and due to another contract being run down.

Seen a lot of praise for Tierney over the past few games. Such an injury hit interrupted first season with us but there is a lot to admire about the raw attributes and attitude Tierney displays on the pitch. Strange to think there were rumours linking him with a transfer to Leicester if Chilwell was sold. I think Tierney could be a big player for us next season. Strikes me as a consistent competitor with very few weaknesses in his game.

If Aubameyang or Lacazette leave, we will need to buy a replacement, not hand their place in the squad to a kid who has never played for the first team. We already have a very young squad, which is why those young players I mentioned are relevant. You need a mix. We all, naturally, want to see our academy players make the first team, but for various reasons it doesn't work out for most of them. The reports indicate that he isn't prepared to sign the contract on offer. So he's not prepared to even give it more time to try to break into the first team squad at Arsenal. Fair enough. It is his decision. Also, it's worth pointing out that Martinelli is only two weeks older than Balogun.

Arsenal supposedly lining up Brazilian physio Bruno Mazziotti from PSG to replace Chris Morgan who is returning to Liverpool. If you google Bruno Mazziotti he doesn't look like someone who is going to tolerate any sitting out due to small niggles or players not going the extra mile!

Presumably the away league game at Villa will be played sometime like Wed 22 then? Arsenal site not showing the match in their fixture list yet.