Good morning and happy Easter weekend to everyone. What are your plans?
Me? I am pulling up some carpets and repairing the floor boards ahead of laying new carpets next week. Will take the opportunity of no carpets to do some painting. Also got some grass to cut, garden to sweep and begin getting things ready for the summer.
If I get the time, the garden bar will be re-opened, de-cobwebbed and cleaned. I may even treat myself to a couple of new sets of Arsenal beer mates. Our friends at Kick Off Merchants are currently offering 2 for 1 on their Arsenal beer mats. Just use the code TopTheLeague at check out to claim your discount.
So on to the football…
Not much really happening in the world of Arsenal today. We did not play mid-week, and we do not play until Sunday.
The only real news is that the Brighton home fixture has been moved to 4:30 on Sunday. Manchester City’s game at Everton has been moved to 2pm the same day. Sky really are going to be hyping up this title race.
4:30 Sunday games are probably my second least favourite after Monday night games. They just do not give you much time for a few beers after, home for dinner, and wake up the next morning without a fuzzy head or feeling bloated. Probably shows I am getting old.
Gone are the days when I would arrive back from Newcastle away at 1am having been drinking since the 10am train up there, and get up at 5am for work. Just can not do it anymore.
We are still waiting for the TV companies to confirm when the Nottingham Forest game is. I expect this to be announced next week. And will probably also be on the Sunday.
At least next year, with no Europa League football, we should see more Saturday games.
News of Arsenal in talks to extend Reiss Nelson’s contract. I am not sure that is a good idea.
Nelson has played just 103 minutes of Premier League football this season, and his 10 seconds of greatness really does not change the fact that Mikel Arteta does not fancy him.
Last weekend, when Bukayo Saka was ill, it was Leandro Trossard that played on the right.
With Emile Smith Rowe on the return from injury, Nelson is, at best, 5th choice right winger. I would also expect Gabriel Jesus to be pushed outwide ahead of Nelson in an emergancy.
This summer I hope we sign a right winger in similar mould to Saka that can come in if he is ill or injured. Personally I would go for Michael Olise.
A new signing would see Nelson as 6th choice striker. He would not see any game time.
Let him leave on a free, get the compensation (if he joins a Premier League club) and allow him to flourish elsewhere. Like Joe Willock has done at Newcastle.
I would also question Nelson’s desire to play football if he signs on for another 5 years. He has played just 192 minutes of Premier League football in the last 3 years. Surely, at the age of 23, he wants to get on with his career and play football. Even if it is away from his boyhood club.
Liverpool Sunday, and the big question who is the front 5? Do we start Leandro Trossard – who score a hat trick at Anfield earlier in the season for Brighton – and if we do, is it Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli that is dropped for him?
Will expand on this tomorrow.
Have a good Good Friday. Buy those beer mats!
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
It’s funny you think it’s not a good idea to sign Nelson to a new contract. You don’t have as much information to make the decision as much as Mikel and Edu has—they are not stupid to offer him a contract based on a 10-minutes cameo as you say. You called out some fans who said Arteta doesn’t fancy Martinelli and you’re doing the same without any definite proof.
If you would question Nelson’s desire then you should with any player coming to understudy Saka because Saka will be playing all the games (excluding cup games) as long as he’s fit.
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