Aah, offside I think.

Palace are moments away, but I do think Henderson was very lucky not to be red carded for pushing the ball away from Haaland when he was outside his box. People say Haaland was going away from goal - yes because Henderson pushed the ball wide from goal, without Henderson’s touch Haaland is round him with an open goal albeit from an angle. But no matter the angle or even if there is a defender on the line that is a clear goal scoring opportunity

Ha ha. *%^@ City.

Brilliant. Loved that.

Great result for me - and for Wrighty - and for Eddie. It's the result I wanted.

Having said that, Palace were on the right side of one of the worst decisions I've ever seen. How can VAR agree with a Ref's decision that was so obviously and blatantly wrong? Not for the first time, we ask just what is VAR there for if not to bring a logical and scientific overview to swiftly made decisions?

Like *%^@*** whatever, if we’re going to get robbed all season City can stick up their pipe sideways. Once we start getting some even handed refereeing I’ll shed a tear for the integrity of the cup.

If that happened to us we’d just add it to the *%^@*** pile!

One of my closest friends is a Palace fan. He was in tears. I've always had a soft spot for Palace.

And ya, the VAR call was unbelievable...but feck City and their 115

Pep got that badly wrong today. He spoke before the game about playing a team good on transitions so he picked a central midfield of Bernardo and De Bruyne, neither can run and neither are powerful now. Meanwhile his £60m defensive mid Rodri replacement sits on the bench.

Pep said the only way to defend against Palace’s transitions and set piece strength was by ‘talent’ or putting his match winners and technical team out. Doesn’t say much for Grealish and Foden both on the bench. Grealish stayed there, Foden got 25 mins including added time and just hovered on the right wing and passed it inside every time. Both will still get a free pass from the media and exasperated calls why they aren’t front and centre for England next time we play.

Why on earth is Marmoush taking a penalty over the goal machine and robotic Haaland?

Haaland was holding the ball for a while, I thought they might have been trying the old switcheroo so Haaland takes all the putting off tactics and then Marmoush comes in as the unexpected taker. As it turns out Henderson said he wouldn’t have known where Haaland was going but knew which way Marmoush would go. Could be bs but makes it funnier

City have all the money but they also rarely missed in the transfer market - that’s changed. Look at the last few signings and how many are outright successes or have at least shown signs of being a success in time
Reis, Kushanov, Marmoush, Gonzalez, Savinho, Gundogan, gvardiol, Nunes, Kovacic, Doku

Only 2 of those have been a success for me in nearly half a billion of purchases.

Happy for Palace

Happy for Eddie

I watched Gyökeres goals this season, 39 in 34 in the league, there are a lot of penalties which pads it out a bit but one of the main things that struck me is that he has a lot of goals he makes for himself, when he gets the ball it isn’t a big chance, he has a slightly bulldozing uncompromising style - a ruthless determination to get the ball and get in to the best position to shoot at goal.

That I like a lot. A tireless workaholic who just thinks about what he can do to score a goal as soon as he gets the ball. Style wise he reminds me a bit of Kane (of course not as good), but the sort of striker where you don’t really see what they are exceptional at but equally there is no real weakness to their game.

That 'Athletic' video Gunfire posted likened him to Haaland (again obviously with the caveat 'not as good'): a power striker who is good a bullying defenders with his physical prowess and speed, and at finishing, but lacking a bit in finesse (questionable first touch and link up play). He also likes to cut in from wide, whereas we need someone who will occupy the central channels. They were of the view that the premier league defenders would be much better at nullifying him than the Portuguese ones--so overall not a huge improvement to Havertz in terms of goals added to our total tally.

I'm not so sure. As you say, he does have great mentality and stamina. A lot of our game is high turnovers, and he would add both to our press and our ability to covert those and to attack quickly. If teams just sit in a low block against us I think we normally eventually break it down.

It depends on fee and wages

He's almost 27. Thus resale value in 3 years is not going to be great.

I think he's a big gamble as Portugese league is mediocre. If his wages are not too bad then 50mill pounds would be ok. No way I'd go up to near 100mill.

The suggestion seems to be they will take 62M quid. Seems a decent player for that fee.

The sesko fee seems to be suggested to have grown to 85 million. That would be prohibitive considering the other areas of the team need reinforcements also. Outside of those 2 options Etitike? Apparently he would be 80 plus.

Not a cheap area to recruit

Wonder who the fixture computer will randomly draw to play the opening game v Everton at their new ground?

Also I think we can guarantee a Friday night game for one of the promoted teams at home against a big 6 side.

It's a really tricky market for forwards. You only have to look at the PL to see how numerous sides have spent big on forwards who have been mediocre at best (Beto, Jackson, Hojlund, Zirkzee etc).

Issue is partly that fans want the complete no9 who is mobile, can press, dominate in the air and score 30 a season. There aren't many of those.

Clearly we need mobility and pace with the ability to press, as that's how we play. However I don't think aerial power is quite as essential as we have much aerial power elsewhere in the team.

I think it would be useful if the player could play wide and centrally too.

I think aerial power is a necessity in our team but only because we struggle to create chances through the central areas of the pitch - or we choose not to. We often end up creating chances through our wide players going 1v1 or crossing, so the aerial power is required.
Bring more central creativity, up the technical level of the team, get Ødegaard in more central areas rather than having to come deeper to help build the press and wider right to find space then I think we can be less reliant on crosses.

Raya, White, Saliba, Kiwior, MLS, Partey, Rice, Ødegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Trossard.
Havertz makes the bench - no timber in the squad. Merino suspended

No Isak for Newcastle

Quite a strong side and bench, considering.

Not the best start, we look wide open on the counter

Whatever the right energy is for this game we haven’t got it.

A few on the beach here

Not sure it's energy, I think Newcastle have our number. Contain and break with purpose.

Whatever it is recently we just struggle to make a dent in them

We are playing in a tactical straight jacket. So frustrating.

Only listening on Arsenal radio but the commentators don’t seem impressed with our play. Newcastle could be out of sight. Need adjusts to our play and tactics.

Just a massive lack of intensity in anything we do.
Any time we have the ball we’re walking in possession, allowing them to get in a settled deep 4-5-1. No one making runs in behind, no one making runs from midfield, no one carrying the ball on a penetrating dribble and no forward passes in to central areas.

We did well to get through that without conceding. Saka, Rice and White don't seem to be themselves.

Yeah I’d take a point.

3 small guys up top and we’ve gone long far too often.
Plenty of teams don’t have a ‘big guy’ up top but manage to find their strikers by making runs behind and in the channels, or pinging sharp quick passes in to them as they come off 10 yards and play 1 touch wall passes.

Pedestrian.

That’s the word for us these days.

Raya with 3 good saves but the save of the match is Pope’s, he knows nothing about it but that doesn’t take anything away from the save.

I think it’s the most worrying part of this season. And it’s only really Gabriel and Havertz who come in to this side now.

The prem is all about pace, power, intensity and athleticism and we seem to have decided we’re not going to do any of those 4 things and try to win anyway

Calafiori coming on for Saliba!! Fuuuuuuudge

Saliba off injured. For gods sake can this season just end now

I wish Saka would decide he can do Dan Burn and *%^@*** do him.

I would take a point from this match. The team is so pedestrian

Rice. Cracking shot!

What? We speed the game up and we score?

Nah, that isn’t in the game plan.

Slow it down boys.