What a hard-fought victory that was yesterday, I must say, and I think we all knew that before a ball was kicked. This is a defensively organised Sunderland team. It's a strong and physical Sunderland team. It's a side who go direct, long and want a battle, which is evidenced by Dan Ballard's post-match comments [...]
If last season taught us anything, it's that Sunderland are a side not to be taken lightly. That 2-2 up at the Stadium of light come over my birthday weekend in November, I was up in the North East, funnily enough, but on the black and white side, and Arsenal were gut-punched late on to [...]
Happy Friday, boys and girls. I hope wherever you are, you enjoy the end of the working week, or if you still have to work tomorrow anyway, you at least get the 'Friday vibes'. Not least because The Arsenal play tomorrow. It's a trip up to the Stadium of Light to play Sunderland, who last [...]
The boy is well and truly back. Martin Odegaard, captain extrodinaire, leader, goalscorer, the metronome through which our creative play flows, showed everyone watching last night just what you get when he is fully fit, in form, and able to deliver in the final third of the pitch. 121 touches in total, drifting over to that right-hand [...]
We're back with Champions League football tonight, and it's a visit to Napoli in my favourite city in Italy for those travelling Arsenal players and fans. Of course the problem with Naples is that it's also a dodgy as hell in parts, and I've seen warnings about sticking to hotel bars if you're English, but [...]
I have to tell you, I am LOVING the hypocrisy of some of the online Chelsea fandom right now, LOVING it I tells ya. 10 months ago we went to Stamford Bridge, and we saw Cucurella go in on Saka time and time again. We saw Fofana leave one or two in on Arsenal players. [...]
Before a ball was kicked yesterday, I went for a walk with The Management, and she asked, "How are you feeling about this one? The usual nerves?" My response was that no, I actually felt fine. I did. It was a strange feeling not to have the butterflies in my stomach as I wrote the [...]
This is a big one today. This is a match that is probably going to be one of the big two or three home games this season. The Scum is a derby, but they are clearly inferior. Liverpool still can't work out what they are yet I don't think, but City and Chelsea feel like [...]
It's the third match week in a row in which we find ourselves NOT playing on a Saturday and, if I'm honest, I don't like it. I enjoy change. I work in marketing and 'doing new stuff' is something I always try to adhere to as a work principle. Not when it comes to football, [...]
I think even before the news broke of the Al Hilal deal for Gabriel Martinelli, we all knew it was going to happen. He hadn't been in the squad for the Community Shield, he'd looked a bit sheepish and reluctant to take part in the dancing and frivolity that day. He hadn't made any squads, [...]