72 points enough for top 4 as Arsenal rivals to drop points this weekend

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Another weekened. Another important game. This time at home to Leicester City.

Looking at the league table, 72 points should be enough for top 4 this season.

To reach 72, Arsenal need another 24 points. 7 wins and 3 draws from our last 13 games. It will not be easy.

We have tricky run in – still needing to face Liverpool, Chelsea, West Ham United , Manchester United and Tottenham.

We also have tough away games to Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Southampton and Newcastle United.

We have also home games against Leicester City, Brighton, Leeds and Everton.

To get the 7 wins we think are needed to finish 4th, victory in those 4 “easier” home games is a most. Starting with Leiecester City tomorrow. That would leave us needing victories in just 3 of those 9 trickier victories.

With Manchester United hosting Tottenham later today, victory over Leicester will see us extend our lead over at least one of our rivals.

I never want Tottenham to win. Ever. And whilst Manchester United are currently closer to us, Spurs quickly leapfrog them with their games in hand. A draw is probably the best result for us.

A point a piece in that game and a victory for us tomorrow would see us open up a 3 point gap ahead of Man U, and 5 points to Tottenham.

Then we embark on that tricky run of games of hosting Liverpool, before trips to Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.

Hopefully the positivity around the club right now continues, and with Leicester having played Thursday, we should be too fresh, too strong for them.

But this is the Premier League and often things do not go to plan.

Enjoy your Saturday. enjoy the continual breaking news about Chelsea (they really could run out of money!) and enjoy the game tomorrow.

Keenos

Chelsea fans were happy to celebrate the success bought by dirty money; now they must suffer the consequences

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Care free wherever you may be, dirty money bought Chelsea history.

My take on Chelsea is their fans were happy to take Roman’s grubby money as he bank rolled them to success, without a care where that money came from.

Now they have the consequence of losing everything.

For all those saying “we must think of the fans” and that it is “unfair on them”. Well it was unfair on the fans of every other club in England when they were being bank rolled as a money laundering exercise.

It has been well known for over a decade that Abramovich made his billions in very questionable ways.

Chelsea fans continually turned a blind eye to where that money came from as long as the success rolled in. They laughed when other fans said it could all end in tears, and now they are crying for their dear leader in twitter.

They are saying the UK government has stolen the club from Roman, whilst celebrating success bought with money stolen from the Russian people.

In buying Chelsea Football Club and gifting them £1.5bn, Abramovich bought himself millions of supporters from around the globe. They have become his own personal on army, defending him on social media.

It is all very grubby indeed.

I am just glad that when Alisher Usmanov came calling, he was rejected by the majority of the Arsenal fans.

‘Love Arsenal; Hate Usmanov’ was once displayed in the Emirates Stadium during his early association with the club.

In the 2010s, when the club was struggling for success, Usmanov rode in with his open letters and offers to bank roll the club.

Whilst the likes of Piers Morgan supported Abramovich-style investment, it was rejected by the board. We stood firm. We wanted to build a successful team the right way.

And here we are now, watching an exciting young time grow together. Arsenal is great place to be right now. Fresh hope is on the horizon.

Chelsea fans were happy to cheer the name of a man who has done some atrocious things to get rich. Now they will suffer the consequences.

Keenos

The Arsenal youngster that will keep Cedric Soares at the club

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Arsenal fans always need a scapegoat.

For as long as I remember, there has always been a player in the team who everyone grumbles about. Who they blame for defeats regardless of if they were at thought.

This is not a new thing. But has been going on for decades. Pre-social media attention seeking. And even when we are successful.

The baton seems to have been passed from Granit Xhaka to Cedric Soares in recent weeks.

People have been going a bit OTT about the quality of our 2nd choice right back – everytime he plays, people moan. They say he will cost us. Some go as far as saying they “won’t bother watching the game” – although this is probably just social media postering.

Cedric being the scapegoat was highlighted in Watford’s first goal last Sunday.

Watford engineered an overload on our left hand side with Emmanuel Dennis drifting out to create a 3 on 2 in Watford’s favour. It was a good move which gave them the space to whip in a cross, which was actually a poor cross.

The ball in went behind Cucho Hernandez, who twisted his body to score a stunning overhead kick.

Rather than respect a brilliant piece of play by Watford, and by Cucho Hernandez, fans needed someone to blame.

The finger of blame was pointed at Cedric, who fans blamed for not being tight enough and slow to react.

Sometimes you need to applaud the opponent rather than go out of your way to blame someone in your team.

People have listed Cedric as deadwood, but this is unfair consider he is a back-up right back. He was a cheap transfer, is not on high wages, and actually does do a job.

Those who are calling for Cedric to be shipped out this summer and a new right back purchased will be in for a shock. He will likely remain at the club for the rest of his contract – set to expire in 2 years.

The reason for this is a young man currently out on loan – Brooke Norton-Cuffy.

Norton-Cuffy joined Lincoln City on loan in January and has quickly established himself as the League One’s side first choice right back – starting their last 6 games.

The young Englishman is on the fast track. He was loaned out just a few days after turning 18, highlighting that those at Arsenal already felt he was ready for senior football.

He will follow a tried and tested path. 6 months on loan in League One, and then next season he will likely join a Championship or Premier League team.

In 18 months time, he will be a teenager with close to 50 senior games under his belt. If all goes well he will then be promoted to Arsenal’s first team.

At this point Cedric will have 12 months left on his contract.

Arsenal will keep Cedric around giving Mikel Arteta the choice between youth or experience to back up Takehiro Tomiyasu depending on opponent.

If Norton-Cuffy then continues his progress, we can expect him to be competing with Tomiyasu for a first team spot from 2024 onwards.

Of course, there is a lot of ifs, buts and maybes over the next 2 and a half years, and he might not progress how the club expects him to.

But the knowledge of him coming through is enough to stop Arsenal going out into the transfer market this summer to replace Cedric.

Why spend money on a back-up right back, to replace someone who does an adequate job there, when you know you have got such a talented kid coming through who can take that position in 18 months.

Better to keep Cedric, funnel those funds into other positions, and continue developing Norton-Cuffy.

Brooke Norton-Cuffy is one to watch.

Keenos