'69 League cup final versus Swindon was my first time at Wembley and first Arsenal nightmare. The Jeff Blockley semi-final back-pass was next, and then probably the loss to Ipswich in the FA cup final.

Worst moment by a huge margin. Lehmann being sent off in the Champions League Final. I really believed that we would win that one.

Nico Williams with 2 goals for Athletic Club v Roma tonight.

We certainly have been through some pain together…. Makes the good times so sweet I guess ..

Oh that was horrible. The Bergkamp penalty miss in the last minute, then were playing 10 men then Giggs’ goal. I feel like we’d have won the double if we’d won that game

The Lehmann one was awful. Agree. Soft red card and we were deserving of that CL. I wasn't at the game so it didn't hurt as much as the Giggs one, was at that game.

These days don't go to many games as I'd prefer to do things myself with my family, boring middle aged git I've become.

Worst memory, I have two, losing to Ipswich in 78 and losing to Chelsea 04. Cried like an 11 year old baby when we got hammered in the 78 final. And in 04 it was the most depressing loss.

Welcome back LTG - Hope you're well ...

So many key moments when it felt we were finally going to assert our superiority yet somehow failed to land the killer blow and instead shot ourselves in the foot. Very Arsenal.

The Bergkamp miss followed by Vieira's uncharacteristic assist for Giggs is probably the worst of the lot. We were better than United that season and through the early 2000s, but somehow let it slip on all fronts, and that was the key game. Schmeichel was *&$ing brilliant though.

Switching off after Walcott's brilliant goal against Liverpool in ECL. Similarly somehow contriving to lose to an inferior Chelsea side in the ECL in the same epoque.

And Lehman's SIW in the ECL final against Barcelona.

The failures of the Arteta era have been less devastatingly uncecessary and self-inflicted

On the basis the ref ruled out the goal I think the red card for Lehmann was fair, denial of a clear goal scoring opportunity BUT the ref should have just played advantage let Barca score and we can play 75 mins 11v11. I felt we would have still had a better chance of beating them that way than going down to 10 men.
And if var was in place back then we’d have won because their first goal was offside. Same as the Liverpool cup final in 2001, var would have made sure we won that trophy. I wonder how var would have handled the battle of old Trafford game. Rooney’s penalty would have been cancelled and definitely Van nistlerooy would have been sent off for his studs in to Cole’s knee, would Rio have been sent off for the last man barge on Freddie? Not convinced it would have been overturned but it was another clear red

So for me I’ve only been in Paris 3 times in my life and 2 of them were to see Arsenal lose cup finals. I’ve never been back since.

So worse moments in order

1. Zaragoza final (nayim). yeah this one burnt the most for some reason but I was on the other side of the ground when he hit that shot and saw the whole loop. It was hard to believe at the time and after the game

2. Barca Paris. The reason this is second is because I was kinda of pleased we just got there. It was a decent effort but painful and I’ll never forget the madness around the event.

3. Luton 88. What a cock up

4. Giggs semi goal. An absolute disaster we kind of had them on the ropes a but then he does that. I still say we should have defended that better Dixon just falls over

5. Owen’s robbery final in the cup. Literal theft

Watching Zubimendi I can't help but wonder what all the fuss is about. He's very good technically but looks very one paced (slow) and not really a physical powerhouse either. Best suited to the Spanish league really.

I've seen him a few times now and with the exception of his appearance against England I've not really been that impressed.

Can't help but feel that that there are better options in the PL (Baleba, Wharton etc). Not to mention Guimaraes if available.

Always felt Seaman should have done better for the Giggs goal as well. If he stood up instead of falling backwards it just hits him. Giggs should never have got there in the first place, terrible ball from Vieira but then dreadful defending. Tiredness maybe.

To be fair in the Liverpool final I seem to recall their keeper Stephane Henchoz made a series of fine saves.

Hi Rich,

Looking back, the number of games in history that would have been changed by VAR. Maradona's goal being one of the biggest and most obvious.

I'm not sure the outcome of that match would have been too different. Five minutes after the handball he waltzed past half your team to score one of the great world cup goals.

MLS looks like he'll be included in Tuchel's first England squad. A meteoric rise for him, a huge achievement. England are struggling for left-backs, Shaw is perma-injured, Chillwell frozen out at Chelsea and I think went on loan to Palace, Hall is now injured.

Chelsea agree a deal to sign Geovany Quenda for a fee close to €50m. He'll stay at Sporting next season. Medical already done. 7+1-year contract.

This kid seemed certain to be a priority signing for Amorim at Man U. He only turns 18 at the end of April.

Ayyoub Bouaddi is another young star in the making to keep an eye on, plays for Lille, only 17 and is running central midfield in games. We obviously need some oven ready pieces but I'd like us to start bulking out the squad with these ridiculously high potential youngsters. You get them before they really break out and they can be quite low risk transfers as you should be able to get a return on your money even if they don't work out even if due to transfer fee inflation year on year

To be honest Rich, I am not sure he's a great LB. Defensively he's a bit wayward, positionally suspect and a bit rash in the tackle.

None of that is his fault as he's a midfielder by trade.

Luton 1988. Poor old Gus Caesar. He was totally out of his depth.

How are Chelsea able to keep making these signings? I thought those creative accounting methods they are using were being outlawed.

Worst one for me too

He has one advantage, he is Spanish

Yep. It's a big gamble as they are losing a lot of money, the only reason they haven't fallen foul of FFP is selling things to their holding company and amortisation.

Let’s let nutty take the penalty ! Come on lads sort yourself out. Hayes, rocky and smith all on the pitch.

Good morning Soc,

I guess you can still amortise over 5 years but sales count immediately. I think sales are key and they have sold an awful lot. But also I’ve got no *%^@*** idea and it’s really annoying. They just keep kicking the can down the road and keep finding a solution when they get there.

I guess inflation of tv money and prize money means money paid now is effectively worth less down the road, so buy now pay later is always a winner, but that only works if there is continued growth. They could get saddled with “negative equity” like those 80s houses if there’s a contraction in the football market, but they’re probably looking at the Club World Cup rightfully as the cash cow it is.

Financially I think it is a bit risky but I can see it coming off for them because financial markets are bent as all hell, so there’s always some way for the rich to move money around.

But football wise I think it’s a destabilising thing to do and Chelsea will continue to be inconsistent on the pitch.

Not totally enamoured with Tuchel picking MLS I have to say.

I said on here when he played at left back a few games just you watch Tuchel pick him now. Quell surprise.

It’s one thing being selected by Arteta in the position which is not his natural to him for certain games whilst being phased in but another to start getting slagged of by United, Tottenham and chelsea fans the moment he makes a mistake for the national side.

To be honest though I’m more relieved he didn’t pick Ethan. Would have been a disaster

I had totally forgotten about the peno. DHD is right. That competition is not for us (although 87 was brilliant)

The competition is a disaster.

The Birmingham final when we hadn’t won a trophy in ages! Played like absolute dickheads ! Defending like morons. Wenger should have been sacked after that debacle. Chesney and Kosielny comedy routine.

I honestly didn't blame Wenger too much for that. Koscielny and Szczesny were very good players (Szczesny was Juve No.1 for several years) but they had a collective brain melt that day. It felt inevitable at the time.

Being a cup half-full type I'll go for a few of my unforgettable great Arsenal moments, all at Highbury:

- Jackie Henderson's goalscoring debut in a win v WBA in 1958
- the Fairs Cup glory in the pouring rain, especially Big John's goal
- Jon Sammels 40+ yarder against United
- Tony Adams tackle on Marcelo Salas v Lazio 2000
- Kanu leaving the Depo goalie in tatters
- Dennis destroying Everton 7-0
- Dennis to Freddie goal v Juve

You certainly started something McQ …lot of tough memories residing in our forum colleagues hearts’

You just reminded me of Kanu Hattrick v Chelsea. That finish for the third from the most ridiculous angle you’ve ever seen was just pure talent and confidence. Beautiful.

Kanu was a wonderful talent - he made me smile so often. He was one of Arsene's inspired signings - giving us an option at a time when Dennis couldn't play away in Europe.

Three more bad ones
1972 back to Highbury 2:1 down in the European Cup for second leg quarter final vs Ajax … the great Ajax …reigning European champions with Cruyff Neeskens Krol Haan et al.
Big Ray had scored an away goal so a 1:0 would have done it but George G put through his own goal early on and we lost 1:0
Ajax went on to win it and also did so the following year

Chippy and Rix penalty misses in the final… lost two finals in four days …. Actually I guess that counts as two bad ones.
Brooking never headed the ball in his life !!

Jon Carew header for Valencia that knocked us out the CL…2003ish…?. Was it Porto won it that year … think if we got through we would have played Leeds in the Semis… although they were decent we would have prevailed… and beaten Porto in final Aaah

That's a pretty good overview of how they are doing it. The longer contracts spread fees out over the length of the contract but that is wholly reliant on always managing to sell players as well. I don't necessarily see a long queue lining up to hand chelsea money for their players right now. I cant think of many Chelsea signings in the Bohley era that are a fully fledged success.
They are somewhat reliant on general football inflation, and certainly on the riches from the club world cup - but no champions league is harming them quite a lot, and would also hugely harm both villa and newcastle if they don't get CL next season.
And to be honest there haven't been many players chelsea have signed where I've thought, "hello, here's a title winning squad being built"

Agreed, which is why despite seemingly having a tonne of left backs at the club I'd look to make a left full back (a proper full back) a requirement this summer - on the assumption that Tierney, Zinchenko and Kiwior move on we'd be down to Calafiori and MLS, neither are specialists there, and I think Calafirori should be able to be used more as a CB and MSL as a midfielder as you suggest. Hato at Ajax we've been linked with - but again a little bit CB/LB hybrid. Kerkez at Bournemouth is having a fine season, Robinson at Fulham as well.
That said, I think in the biggest matches if everyone is fit and the opponents have a top class right winger then I think Arteta will play Timber at LB and White at RB.

Amortisation of contracts is limited to 5 years now so the 7 & 8 year contracts that Chelsea have used are no longer useful in terms of abiding by the financial rules. I suspect they may yet run into a fair bit of difficulty, especially if they miss out on CL. The longer contracts clearly have downsides. They don't seem to have many academy graduates who can be sold at "pure profit" and substantial transfer fee inflation is not a given. We've seen Everton, Leicester and Forest run into trouble while Villa look to be in a very precarious position. Even Manchester Utd need to be quite constrained in their spending and that's before you look at European clubs where only Madrid are big spenders now (even PSG have pulled back). Hopefully, Chelsea will crash and burn.

18.3 date real tickets go on sale. One for the diary goldies

Yep - Just as well I secured my seats early for the PSV Home tickets. £400+ of tickets donated to fukwit relatives whose only attribute is to live on Hornsey Rd.

How about the most influential bad refereeing decisions?

Up there for me-

Eto'o offside goal in CL final for Barca

RVP red card in Nou Camp

Rooney dive penalty at Old Trafford

Liverpool handball goal in cup final

Let's be negstive.....