Europa league performances still count to co-efficient points, so actually our runs to the final and semi final in all likelihood achieved us more co-efficient points than teams getting knocked out early in the champions league.

We're not ranked as the 16th best team in europe by co-efficient, only 16th based on teams that qualified for this years CL

Imagine him up front?

Sorry Rich, the Europa league is a lesser competition. Our league position is far worse. The old European cup method is the best, where it was only league champions. I understand money comes into play but if we are going to be honest, lets just be honest and admit its rigged to favor the bigger, more popular clubs.

So John Hollins has fallen off the perch.

Never really understood why we signed him because he seemed to be at the end of his career (or so I thought) and he was sooo Chelsea. However he was a very solid performer who became a first team regular. He actually turned into something of a crowd favourite.

He's a brilliant player but that ego ...

We’re reported by David Ornstein to be very interested in Kai Havertz and are preparing a proposal! That’s very interesting if true.

I’m sure that won’t be met with universal glee from Arsenal fans. But to look at the positives, he played in and out of a basket case Chelsea team - what might he do in our clear and defined structure? He’s still only 24, before his move to Chelsea he was one of the most sought after young talents in world football.

The downside is his premier league form, giving any money to Chelsea and what actually is his best position?

On Havertz it’s also worth noting Chelsea really need to sell players before June 30 to meet all sorts of financial regulations. Maybe Arsenal spot a chance to get a bargain as nobody is going to do chelsea any favours and over pay for their players as they are desperate to sell before they can buy. The squad is hugely bloated.

I find that a really bizarre link. Would the intention to be to play him xhakas role? At Chelsea he’s mostly started up front.

It would be as much of a shock for us to sign him as would chelsea to let him go.

Pretty much chimes with my memory of him, some players you develop a grudging respect for after they make the move, somehow with him it was just impossible to dislike him. Probably because he came across as a very likeable individual with no ego. Completely different to the majority of that Chelsea vintage.

If we’re going to have a sweepstake regarding when the Rice deal is announced I’m going to plump for 1st July.

I think that’s a very decent punt because nothing will happen before Monday because of the England friendlies then you have the period where everyone knows he’s signed but there’s no announcement because of marketing.

If we are still negotiating with a bunch of spivs like Karen Brady and David Sullivan does it make sense chucking offers at Chelsea for havertz if it’s not yet been agreed so they know we have more money to spend. Wishful thinking but they must know the framework of the deal surely to do that.

Mikel obviously really rates him.

Thanks DHD and Top Gun for your advice regarding season ticket renewals. In the end I decided to take a chance with the auto renewal system (I was worried I would be charged twice if I bought them directly) and lo and behold, I've just received an email saying my tickets have succesfully been renewed. Now they have my cash the Rice and Caciedo deals can finally be paid for.

Anytime bored. Enjoy the new season

Hey if we don’t get Rice we can’t even throw our season ticket books at the dugout in disdain anymore and lobbing my iPhone 14 pro max is less attractive and doesn’t carry the symbolic message !

Just saw this …. Getting 3 out of the 5 may not be great

Top 5 xG Underperformers

Premier League worst finishers:

1 Kai Havertz - 7 Goals (12.78 xG)
2 Patrick Bamford - 4 Goals (9.77 xG)
2 Eddie Nketiah- 4 Goals (9.22 xG)
4 Darwin Nunez - 9 Goals (14.37 xG)
5 Gabriel Jesus - 11 Goals (16.17 xG

Fixtures out tomorrow.
We’ve been away from home in the last 4 seasons. But before that we went 7 years straight home games on the first day.

Always rumours on leaked fixtures. The one I’ve seen has is away to Brighton on the opening day as the 5:30pm kick off

Decent read on why we might be after havertz

https://www.101greatgoals.com/features/ ... d-arsenal/

Some mistake - surely we are in for Joe Haverty?

By the way, on cricket, remarkably Surrey score over 500 in the fourth innings to beat Kent. Forget Bazball against Kangarooshire; Domball is the way to go.

Fixtures are about to be announced

Rumour is our first game is forest at home on the Saturday at 1230

5-0...........Mbappe with a hat-trick and Havertz with a couple.

I have it on good authority that these are next seasons EPL fixtures. Dates to be confirmed.

Seems about right.

Forest - Home
Manchester City - Away
Liverpool - Away
RB Leipzig - Away
Benfica - Home
PSG - Away
Barcelona - Away
Napoli - Away
Real Madrid - Home
Bayern Munich - Away
RB Leipzig - Home
Liverpool - Away
Benfica - Away
PSG - Away
Barcelona - Home
Napoli - Away
Real Madrid - Away
Bayern Munich - Home
Manchester City - Away
RB Leipzig - Away
Liverpool - Away
Benfica - Home
PSG - Away
Barcelona - Away
Napoli - Away
Real Madrid - Home
Bayern Munich - Away
Manchester City - Away
RB Leipzig - Home
Liverpool - Away
Benfica - Away
PSG - Away
Barcelona - Home
Napoli - Away
Real Madrid - Away
Bayern Munich - Home
Manchester City - Away
AFC Richmond - Home

Quite a good set of opening fixtures for us, fully expecting maximum points from the first six games COYRs

A stroll ....

West Ham have turned down our initial bid for Rice according to Jacob Steinberg and City now in for him according to Ornstein.

Full set of fixtures.

Looks pretty good to me. Nice first 3 games, home finish.

The only tough part is having to play 4 of our toughest away games of the season in the last 9 games!

Easy start to the year but Spurs and Man U away in our last 4 games.

Supposed offer was £80m plus £10m add ons - West Ham want at least £100m

Don't like the idea of City getting involved. Lots of talk that Rice wants to stay in London. Is that enough to persuade him not to go to City?

Get it done lads this is going to be such a *%^@*** pain if this gets mudrykd

If you want an understanding of how West Ham do business I would urge you to read the book ‘legacy”by Michael Gillard. Details the tactics employed to ensure West Ham got the London stadium deal also their links to some seriously ‘proper” people.

You’ll need to move quickly and not dwell because those people are born spivs and will want to create an auction.

Each of our champions league games is followed by a home match. That’s quite good because we’ll be more fatigued and although there are no easy games in the league there are some that the best teams can win even if they’re at 80% or need to rotate a bit

Be careful of Richmond. A dangerous team.Their captain is that bloke we never managed to sign - Tot Ali Uzelez. How Arsene tried but could never convince The Bored to splash the cash on him.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... city-offer

The scythe takes its daily toll, but news of Glenda Jackson's passing will be sad for "My Generation." Women in Love - she was magnificent.

You won't hear Sky Sports or ESPN say this

We've pulled out of the Caicedo race. He's off to Chelsea.

*Edit - Although Fabrizio Romano says nothing fully agreed yet.

What an actress she was. Very sad news.

What the hell does Mikel and Edu see that the rest of us are missing regarding Havertz that is worth at least 70 mil?

Who chooses these songs? Still looking through Mikel tinted glasses, still not seeing the 'it' factor. 24 is a good age. Play where?