It is a £40m commitment to a top level striker, with an impeccable injury record and probably guarantees at least 60 goals over those 3 years.

You’d have to find a £20m striker, pay him £125k a year and expect the same output. £20m last season bought Sheff Utd Ollie McBurnie

It’s a problem that any small-ish nation with a large diaspora, as Ireland has, will have. I’m not sure how you get round it. I do feel for ireland though.

I'm guessing the mood in England of Liverpool winning the title is far more subdued had there not been a Covid -19 pandemic.

There is a sort of 'meh' about it. Maybe because it was a foregone conclusion but I have to think it would have been a much, much bigger event nationally otherwise.

I'm reading whisperings of Tottenham not happy with Mourinho. I can't believe I'm feeling sorry for him. Doesn't change the fact I get a thrill seeing Tottenham lose.

Yes Covid-19 has affected the response but another thing making it less than spectacular news is that Liverpool have won trophies since their last league title. Two European Cups, a UEFA Cup, four League Cups and three FA Cups. Although the league eluded them they never went away as a big club. Arsenal's complete lack of silverware from 1953 until 1970 was a far bigger story at the time. Such a massive club going all those years without any success was a real cross to bear for the fans. In comparison the Scousers have carried a light load.

Seems we are getting fined by FIFA for getting paid on sell on clauses.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football ... ZuizLGLqo4

omoh,
I wasn't following football when we won in '89, not having won it since '71, winning cups inbetween that time, Man Utd as well, not having won since '67 was it? Won 4 FA cups inbetween their title in '92.

I have to think both of us winning it after such a long time, even though both won trophies since then had to be a huge national event being among the 3 biggest clubs in the country.

Granted, Liverpool has won more trophies within that time than either us or Man Utd but still, without Covid 19, I'd imagine it to be national news that even non football fans would be hearing about in the media.

But maybe its as you say, they were winning things anyway, even though a league title was elusive for 30 years.

.....pushed to explain what his ”on the boat” comment meant, Arsenal head coach Arteta replied: “Players that respect the values we want to implement, that they are 100 per cent committed to our culture, and players that are accountable every day for what we demand from them.

“Players that are ready to help each other, fight for each other and enjoy playing together.

“That is what I mean by being on the boat. If you behave like this every day, you are very very welcome here and we want to get the best out of you and help you to enjoy your profession with us.”

I’m 100% on board with those standards for being in the arsenal squad

Hi AG - yes it is normal over here for any trophy gained by Liverpool or United to be highly lauded, much more so than the success of other clubs. It would be an interesting debate why that is so. It may have its roots in the way things northern became very vogueish in England back in the 60s which coincided with much greater exposure of the game on TV. United also had a reservoir of national sympathy over the Munich air crash, which was sort of replicated years later for Liverpool with the Hillsborough disaster. There is a romance surrounding both clubs which other English clubs can't match. Chelsea have probably been the most successful club over the last couple of decades but for all their success and great players they have never captured the national imagination.

I can't see Chelsea or Tottenham attaining that status. No matter how badly we are doing, we will be seen as one of the storied sides. And I imagine, guessing on my point, the one club from the south that Londoners, the home counties and the south in general can take pride in terms of history over the northerners.

Martinez, Mustafi, Luiz, Kolasinac, Soares, Ceballos, Xhaka, Tierney, Saka, Nketiah, Aubameyang.

No Özil or Guendouzi in the squad.

As time passes former reputations fade without success on the field. In my lifetime Everton and Wolves were considered very big clubs. Newcastle, Tottenham and Leeds perhaps a little less, but still significant. All of them are searching for the big time again, and personally I am chuffed to see Wolves doing so well. So well in fact they can afford to help us later today. From earlier days of the game Preston, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Huddersfield were all big noises, but not now.

I like your description of Arsenal as a storied club, and agree we may always be so both for our fascinating history and every now and then, wonderful teams.

Pépé not in the squad as his wife’s having a baby. Great for him, not for us as he’s an important player on the counter.
Looking forward to seeing Cédric properly.
Seems like it might be 3-5-2, or perhaps Saka or Aubameyang playing wide right, hopefully the former to match up with wolves as they have a very strong middle 5

Man U are flying going forward. Greenwood looks as good as any 18 year old in world football at the moment. Rashford and Martial adding bags of pace. Bruno Fernandes has totally transformed an awful midfield. Looks like a central mid who is good for 15 goals and 15 assists a season.

Sakaaaaaaaaaa

Wow what a strike from Saka 1-0!

Decent first half. Very few times we looked under pressure. Controlled a lot of the ball but mainly with safe possession.
Nketiah hit a snap shot on the post, hardly any other chances other than a fantastic finish from Saka. Aubameyang with the hold up to bring Tierney in to play and Arsenal had 3 players in the box.
Saka has played left back, left mid, left wing and now right wing. He’s a special player

Pleasing because up till then I didn’t think he’d had one of his better games.

Not sure he and Cédric are on the same wavelength yet

Wolves putting the pressure on. Getting all the 50/50ms from the ref as well. Never helps

Xhaka toed the ball first on that foul, and then clear holding on Saka. Booo, need to get out and relieve this pressure and if decisions start going against us we're going to find that increasingly difficult. we need to stamp some authority back on the game. They're bypassing the midfield and finding Jota et al pretty well.

What he said

Brilliant hold up play from Aubameyang to relieve the pressure, draw the foul and the yellow card

Amn was clearly fouled, not given he then wins the ball and is booked. It was an aggressive tackle but Michael Oliver is turning the tide here

Great energy and pressing to force that mistake. Exactly the attitude we need

Yeah I agree you can be strong but Traore just barged into him with no attempt to play the ball. Annoying.

YESSS!! That is so satisfying!!! Get in!!

Lacazette! 2-0 excellent goal

What a first touch from Lacazette there! Really good news for us if he can start to contribute again. Ooooh, nearly three!! 3 points anyway, what a turnaround from the club.

Shame Willock didn’t put his laces through that one

Wolves have been kings of the legal barge this game. Right on the edge and never penalised

One minute to hold on... I think we can do it..

Great result.

Well done boys - I don’t think anyone had a bad game.

Credit to Mustafi for the brilliant clearing header that set up the second. He and Luiz played very well.

So did Xhaka and Ceballos. For once we looked solid through the middle.

Really really good. I’ve seen us play with verve and swagger and beat some poor teams 4/5-0 in the last 2-3 years. But that performance is something we just haven’t seen from us.
2-0 and it could have been more. I can’t remember Martinez making a save.
The discipline and positioning of the whole team was brilliant. The work rate and closing down also went 90 minutes.
I loved how even in the last 15 minutes when you expect an avalanche of pressure it was us with the press, us forcing the mistakes and creating chances.
It was the most mature performance I’ve seen from an Arsenal team for years. Wolves are a damn good settled team and are chasing champions league on merit. That is a fantastic away victory

Couldn’t agree more. The set up suits them all. Masks the weaknesses. Mustafi was absolutely huge in the air tonight, the height and distance he was getting on his clearing headers were brilliant.

Loved the fight in the team tonight

A few unsung players with big performances.
AMN has such fight in him and pocketed Traore.
Martinez excellent again, loved his calm claiming of crosses.
Mustafi very very good again

We’re still in a huge battle just for Europa League places so I can’t go overboard but we kept a very good wolves team totally quiet today

Any outside chance of champions league (including 5th place) are very very slim. Man U are steamrollering teams, have an easy run in and are 5 points ahead.
Chelsea might be stuttering but I can see them beating watford and Norwich at home which would put them 11 points in front and we only have 5 to play.
Leicester are too far ahead. There’s your top 5.

The outcome of City’s appeal on their European ban could be very interesting if it is Man U that finish 5th!

I think Europa League will go down to 8th if City’s ban is upheld. I’d be happy to snatch one of those places right now. Still another 3 really tough games coming up

What a great result.

It wasn't pretty but we got the job done.

I think we are too far adrift for top four now with a really tough run-in. We would have to more or less win every game and I can't see us doing that.

Shame we lost to Brighton, a win there might just have given us a fighting chance.

I think what really pleased me about today's performance was it does look as if the players are buying into Arteta's philosophy which is based on non negotiables and a more meritocratic approach to team selection. I think Wolves are better than Arsenal at the moment but we battled and played with an intelligence we haven't seen enough of in recent times.

I've been out for a pint. Thoroughly enjoyable and even better with that great result. Sounds like we deserved it too.