Congratulations Rich!

Hindsight is 20/20 and there was no way to know the future but had we stayed with Martinez, we would have saved ourselves time and money, no? Well, maybe not money since we presumably got a fee as well.

Funny how things work out. Can't see Leno staying.

Fury vs Wilder III. I have always been a boxing fan. Philly is known in America or at least in boxing circles as a 'boxing town' with some of the best boxers in history. In modern times, Bernard Hopkins, Joe Frazier, Meldrick Taylor, and many others. Sylvester Stallone wrote Rocky being from Philly for that very reason. All of us boxed as teens. Most of us, including myself giving up the sport fairly quickly haha...it was just what you did. But you learned a lot about yourself.

Anyway, Fury is a fairly heavy favorite and deserves to be so. The way I see it Fury should win. Comfortably, if I'm honest. Wilder has 2 things going for him. The undefinable hunger for redeeming himself. Frazier beat Ali the first time on hate. Yes, Ali was off for 3 years but Frazier was going to die in the ring before letting Ali win because of how Ali talked about him, calling him a gorilla in the wake of the '60s. Wilder may have some of that drive in him that may help him overcome deficiencies to redeem himself at all costs. He has a great punch. He only needs to connect squarely once as in the first fight. How Fury got up, I have no idea.

Anyway, in the comment section I notice that most Americans are cheering for Fury. It's puzzling. In a country that is very nationalistic to the point its a detriment, I find it odd. If both fighters were fighting in the Olympic final they would all be cheering for Wilder. Same thing when Mayweather fought McGregor, most American fans were cheering for McGregor. Again, a head scratcher.

I cheer for anyone I have a connection to. If they are from Philadelphia, American, an Arsenal fan, whatever, I cheer for them.

Congratulations Rich! That’s fantastic news.

On the Football London website, I see that Arteta is concerned about Tomiyasu facing a 24-hour flight back from Australia after Japan plays a World Cup qualifier here on Tuesday. I suspect that Mikel is aware - and perhaps someone should tell Football London - that the game is being played in Japan. That's some incisive journalism there.

https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/ ... u-21810571

Thanks everyone for the best wishes and congratulations on our new arrival. I’m planning to stick Andorra v Wngland on the rb tonight to help me catch up on some sleep

Ah those were good old days you’re making me remember. First one we had no idea what we’re doing. Zero *%^@*** sleep for weeks.

Iron mate get lots of Iron. Lots of liver and spinach and Stout ! Loads and loads of stout. Keep that energy up

Southgate loves Saka doesn’t he. Struggles to pick a side without him.

Congratulations Rich to you and your Partner on your new arrival.
Enjoy!

https://www.justarsenal.com/guendouzi-c ... how/292984

Poor guy can do no right

https://www.ghanafa.org/kudus-partey-sc ... t-zimbabwe

Well done Partey, time to score for Arsenal too

https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/ ... e-21811591

Would be funny, not, should Saliba snub us and go elsewhere

https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/ ... e-21811591

Would be funny, not, should Saliba snub us and go elsewhere

Congratulations to Arteta for winning Manager of the Month. Hope you keep it up!

It’s strange that he’s been called up to the French squad for their World Cup qualifiers, if he’s really been so poor for Marseille. France are probably many people’s idea for the best national team in world football. Why has the French equivalent of Gareth Southgate (I don’t follow international football closely enough to know his name) done that?

EDIT: Just looked up who France’s head coach is. It’s Didier Deschamps, himself a former midfielder who can only be described as having a great playing career at club and international level. Odd if he’s useless at judging midfielders. Theoretically not impossible, but seems a bit unlikely. Especially considering the current job he has been given to do.

I think Guendouzi now has that reputation where a lot of people will end up coming out with a negative opinion of whatever he does. Plenty of much more high profile players have this as well, Pogba and Luiz are two examples I can think of.
There are things pundits are using as examples to criticise Guendouzi which would be loudly prized of it were a different player with a different reputation.
That said I think it was the right time for him to move on from Arsenal, there was clearly a clash with Arteta and he was not the direction he wanted to take.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football ... a-25176405

IMO, Martinelli is a star waiting to flourish. Why he hasn't done so is a big surprise.

I think you’ve summed things up nicely Rich. Some people appear to have an agenda with Guendouzi. If his personality is as flawed as some suggest, why has he been made captain of the French Under 23 team?

The report linked above criticises him for covering all four corners of the pitch. There have been some Arsenal performances with our midfield lacking energy and work rate when my own feeling is we could have done with somebody doing that. In short, I agree with you that he gets criticism for attributes other players would get praise for.

I also agree that it’s probably time for her m to move on. The only thing that could feasibly change my mind on that is if Arteta is sacked.

Congratulations Rich.

Always great to hear good news.

Fury vs. Wilder III was a great spectacle. Not boring at all. Fury, deserved winner. Congratulations to him.
However....truth is both did well in a weak boxing era. The heavyweight division is weak and has been for some time. Neither figher (and I'll include Joshua, Klitschko, and others) wouldn't have survived against the best heavyweights of the '90s.

None of the aforementioned would have gotten past a prime, Lewis, Tyson, Bowe, Moorer, Holeyfield and possibly against the old 90s versions of Foreman and Holmes and certainly no chance of either in their prime.

I consider the 70s the greatest heavyweight era, ever. There were guys in that decade who were never champion would have been even in the '90s possibly and certainly in the new century.

People could forgive his attitude if he was a great or even a good player. He can be...at times...but no where consistent enough to be called a great player.

Keane was a piece of work but at least he backed it up on the pitch.

Look at #10 of this graphic of richest club owners.

Poor old Spurs. Have all football websites given their proofreaders/subeditors a holiday during the international break? In a similar pie chart Rich posted a few days ago, the names of three clubs were spelled incorrectly, including (which was quite weird, given their prominence in relation to the current topic) 'Newcaslte'.

My one came courtesy of The Sun so it's probably to be expected.

Pronunciation of Newcaslte is quite tricky. :)

Can’t get my head around the decision to allow France’s winning goal v Spain in the nations cup final last night. Through ball is played to Mbappe who is clearly a yard offside, the ball is only played for him, the Spain defender doesn’t know Mbappe is offside and stretches to try to cut the ball out, he gets a touch but not enough to clear the ball and it keeps rolling through to Mbappe who scored. The official line is the defenders touch registers a second phase of play and plays Mbappe onside. Utter nonsense. The only reason the defender tried to play the ball is to stop it getting to an offside Mbappe - he’s completely effecting the game and gaining an advantage from being offside.

There is an easy explanation for this.....the match officials including VAR were PL refs.

Are you joking?

Heartiest congratulations, Rich.

Yes, agree with all that. Can't help liking Fury though - brings something interesting to the ring every time he fights.

VAR is excellent. If only the PL officials were of the same standard. The nonsense that they trot out to explain the inexplicable is depressingly routine.

There would have been no controversy whatsoever if the goal had been disallowed for offside and everyone would have understood it.

It's a tongue in cheek comment for sure but we have seen the absolute mess the PL refs made of VAR.

Yep. The Euros were a great example of how well VAR can work. There were still incorrect or debatable calls but nothing like the circus of "controversy" we see in the PL. The offside rule involving the defender playing the ball is quite obviously there to cover the situation of a backpass being intercepted, but Anthony Taylor and his buddies had to intervene with their own daft interpretation last night which just might be technically arguable but has feck all to do with what the rule is intended for.

He's a showman and decent at it, but the singing was cheesy. He seems a good sort though, best of luck to him. Not sure if he can get to Marciano's record at his age. Maybe he's not thought of it, but he's dangerously close and nothing a few easy fights can't fix.

International goals for Aubameyang, Pépé, Saka, Partey, Smith Rowe and Tavares this week

I see a report Mike Dean has our Palace game. So what could go wrong.

What could go wrong?
It is when we play like we did against BHA.
We need to take initiative of our own destiny.
Play like we did against Spurs and put Palace on the defensive from the start.

Tomiyasu playing CB for Japan against Australia in world cup qualifier.

Interestingly playing on left side of central defence.

Matt Ryan with some very fine saves for Australia.

Exiled knows a lot about Arsenal history irrespective of the fact he trolled me mercilessly...lol..Someone, who knows him, may want to contact him to help Philip Jelf out. Good luck in finding the information Philip.

It will be very interesting how Newcastle's new sugar daddy will affect the league. If recent history is any evidence, they will likely eventually be champions at some point (within 10 years is how its usually been shaping up). And a CL win as well (City still waiting for theres but I doubt anyone thinks they won't ever achieve it).


They'll likely start out like City did. Throwing money at whomever with quality who will come for it. Bruce will eventually get sacked I'm guessing if he can't produce right away. Unfair but I'm guessing that will be the scenario after a huge amount of spending on a hodge podge of players.

This won't bode well for us. After seeing the docu on Sunderland, I'd be a little bit happier if they were ones with the sugar daddy. But can't help but feel a wee bit for the long suffering toon fans.

The football I first became a fan of is pretty much dead. We'll likely see City, Chelsea, Newcastle as permanent fixtures in the top 4-6, Liverpool, Man Utd somewhere among them...might as well throw in Leicester. They have proven they are resiliant and I have a wee bit more respect for them despite their being owned by big money.

I think Tottenham's run is going to wind down. Kane is 28, Son is 29, Lloris is 34. They'll need replacing. I thin Tottenham will be up and down in a few years.


So, where does this all leave us? Probably not good. Unless Mikel can get all these moving parts working together.