Tag Archives: soccer

Arsenal forever – Declan Rice and the ironic dream

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As a die-hard Arsenal fan, the thought of my beloved team winning the Premier League
sends shivers down my spine, I still hold the memories of past years winning the league.

The passion, the emotions, the sheer excitement of watching the Gunners lift the trophy is a dream that every Arsenal supporter cherishes at this moment in time. But is this dream really possible? Can Arsenal overcome the odds and emerge victorious in
the highly competitive world of English football?

The Irony of Fate could possibly come true?

Picture this: it’s the last day of the season, and Arsenal find themselves still in a
neck-to-neck race with Manchester City for the title.

The Gunners need to win their last game and hope Man City come un stuck, that’s if both teams keep winning till the last day, hoping, praying they do and our Arsenal clinch the premiership on the last day, and that’s where fate steps in….

West Ham, a team often overshadowed by the big guns of English football, is set to face off against City at their home ground. The irony lies in the fact that West Ham, a team with a loyal following but not known for its consistent performance, could be the unlikely heroes in Arsenal’s quest for glory.

A Gift to Remember

If West Ham manages to pull off a stunning victory or draw against City, it would be
nothing short of a gift to Arsenal. The scenes of jubilation at the Emirates Stadium would be unparalleled as fans celebrate the long-awaited triumph. But the irony doesn’t end there.

Declan Rice, a former West Ham player turned Arsenal star, and his former club would be the one delivering the final blow to City.

A gift from West ham or fate that it would end like this?

West Ham getting the result for our Arsenal and Declan Rice scoring the winner against
Everton?

The same team that had once sold Declan Rice to Arsenal and helped no end in performances week in week out had now unintentionally propelled them towards
Premiership glory.

Could it be a beautiful display of irony in the world of football, where allegiances and
outcomes can change in the blink of an eye.

Where a team’s victory against all odds turned out to be a blessing in disguise for their
former player’s current club. And amidst the chaos of the final day of the season to unfold, the true magic of the beautiful game may just shine through in all its ironic glory.

It would be a poetic end to a season filled with drama and suspense.

It’s also ironic that after the game with Spurs and The failed attempt in derailing our season their fans are hoping for their own team to lose against Man City, oblivious to the fact that our Arsenal will also have to play Man Utd.

And with Man U out of the Champions League spots, do their fans really want Man City to win the league? Can you see them doing a favour for their rivals, I highly doubt it! So that’s ironic within itself.

Typical Spurs fans, living in their own bubble of delusion and pity.

The Power of Belief

For Arsenal to win the Premier League, belief is essential. The players, the manager, the
fans – everyone must believe that the impossible is possible. It requires sheer determination, unwavering commitment, and a never-say-die attitude. The journey to the top is never easy, but with the right mindset and a bit of luck, Arsenal can rewrite history and claim their rightful place as champions.


In the world of football, anything can happen. The underdogs can emerge victorious, dreams can turn into reality, and heroes can be born. As an Arsenal fan, the thought of my team winning the Premier League again fills me with hope and excitement.

The irony of fate, the gift of victory, and the power of belief – these are the ingredients
needed for Arsenal to lift the trophy and etch their name in footballing folklore. So, is Arsenal winning the Premier League a dream to come true?

Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure – as long as there’s hope, there’s a chance for
glory.

No matter the result – whether we win the premiership or come in second place – one thing remains true: our team has instilled in us belief, passion, love, and a sense of winning and loyalty that we truly cherish. So, from the depths of my heart, I want to express my gratitude to Arsenal for the incredible journey you have taken us on this season. Thank you for everything.

North London forever, forever RED

Oh yeah .what do you think of Tottenham!

PcB

Jorginho, Declan Rice, Arsenal WAGs and More

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Jorginho

I for one am delighted that we are offering Jorginho a new contract.

Jorginho is a leader on and off the pitch in this squad, and it is important we keep these sort of players around.

Where I sit in the Emirates is behind where the subs warm up. Whenever we are chasing the game, Jorginho “warms up” when in truth he is actually coaching close to the opposition box. This is a tactic that has been used by Mikel Arteta a few times, and one which goes relatively unseen.

On the pitch, Jorginho has had accusations that his “legs have gone”, but can your legs go if you never had them to begin with?

He is like a Xabi Alonso or Luka Modric. Never been blessed with pace or physical ability, but blessed with a brilliant footballing brain. The first 5-yards are in your head and all that.

Jorginho offers an alternative option to the hustle and bustle of Thomas Partey and Declan Rice. His calming effect in the ball is a positive from both an attacking and defensive stand point.

I expected one of either Jorginho or Partey to leave this summer, with a new central midfielder to come in. My expectation was that it would be Partey to go, with Jorginho staying on for an another year.

A new 12-month contract with an option for another 12-months. That feels fair for a man who is still only 32. Jorginho could be at Arsenal for some time to come (and I would not be surprised to see him managing or coaching us at some point in his life).

Declan Rice

There is a fabulous interview in The Athletic with Declan Rice. For those without a subscription, just search his name on Twitter and you will get almost every quote.

The interview really highlights how much Rice has grown as a player and man in the short time he has been at Arsenal.

No longer does he look to just play long balls to the wings in the hope a team mate gets on the end of it. He talks about learning that playing a great diagonal ball is pointless if it will leave his team mate isolated. And this is the difference between a good player playing for an average team and a top player in a top team.

A poor player plays the Hollywood ball and then thinks his job is done. A top player realises that the pass might look good on his showreel, but it does not benefit the team.

To highlight further, you often see on Match of the Day a player for a lower team put an aimless cross into the box. Commentators then celebrate the ball in and then criticise the strikers for not getting on the end of it. When you watch a top team, their wingers (such as Bukayo Saka), recognise that an attacker will be unable to get on the end of the cross so look to keep hold of the ball and recycle rather than play it into the box and lose position.

Rice has now realised it is not all about him. That top teams get to the top by recognising what their team mate will be able to do with the ball when they get it.

The interview is a worthwhile read to understand just how much Mikel Arteta’s coaching has influenced his thinking, and just how much he has grown as a player.

Arsenal WAGs

It had not gone unnoticed how Arsenal players wives and girlfriends were socialising together. And not the “falling out of nightclubs” and wanting to be famous themselves socialising of England’s Baden Baden era.

Partners of the players watch games together in eachothers houses, look after eachothers dogs and are often seen dancing in a box at the Emirates together.

Arteta has built a squad of players who are all in and around the same age, which in turn means their partners are. His players are humble and not interested in the celebratory life, and they have wives and girlfriends to match.

A happy wife means a happy life. And if a player’s partner is comfortable in the presence of a teammates partner, then it will naturally lead to less anomoisity on the field and players also getting on better.

Arteta has spoken in the past about how the “Arsenal family” is more than just the players. It is the coaches, the backroom staff, the guys and girls that work in Highbury House, players partners, children and parents.

I have never known an Arsenal squad to be so much as one and with no cliques. Arteta should take credit for that.

Five players to leave Arsenal

Just read a clickbaity article from the Express (sorry, I know I should do better) which talked about 5 players that might never play for Arsenal again.

Four of those 5 players were Mo Elneny, Kieran Tierney, Nuno Tavaras and Cedric Soares. Two players with their contracts ending and two players out on loan. It really is not a hard hitting piece of investigative journalism and just highlights that the media now care more for clicks than actual stories.

The fifth player oddly was Fabio Vieira. I would be surprised if the Portuguese midfielder is going anywhere.

The journalist clearly does not realise Vieira has been injured for much of the season (he fails to mention any injury). Vieira is a technically very good player in the same mould as Bernardo Silva. He will grow with more playing time, and if he does not get that playing time it just means other players are performing (Martin Odegaard is an unbreakable force. He never seems to be injured or fatigued. A blog for another day).

Enjoy your Wednesday.

Keenos

Champions League football secured – now for the title (and finishing above that lot)

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Well here we are.

Had we been offered at the start of the season that we would be heading to Edmonton with 4 games to go and in the title race, we all would have taken in.

Our little wobble over Christmas saw us go 5 points behind Liverpool, level on points with Manchester City (with them having a game in hand) and 1 point above Tottenham who were 5th. At this point there were worries that we might not even make the top 4.

Our form in 2024 has been nothing short of remarkable.

14 games played, 12 wins, 1 draw and just 1 defeat. It is title winning form and no other side has more points this calendar year.

That form has seen us leapfrog City (who still have their game in hand), and swing the gap behind to Liverpool from 5 behind to 2 in hand, with us having a game in hand.

Meanwhile, that lot from Middlesex have shown mid-table form and gone from a point behind us to 17. They have only won 1 more point than Chelsea in 2024, which is incredible when you consider how poor the team from West London have been and how great Ange Postiwhatshisname has been.

Following results over the weekend, Champions League football is now guaranteed for The Arsenal next season.

What has made me happy so much this season is not only the way we have fought our way back in the title race, but how we have maintained title chasing form whilst also playing in the Champions League. Many pundits expected us to struggle with the higher intensity games.

It also makes Tottenham’s position more laughable – they have had no mid week football and have played just 3 cup games. They look knackered despite being set for a 41 game season – just one more than the minimum. But they will always have thrashing the Lion City Sailors 5-1 in pre-season.

If we avoid defeat today, then we will secure finishing above Tottenham for the 23rd time in 29 seasons. Has their ever been a “hotly contested local derby” where one side has been so dominant?

However, as Everton showed a week ago against Liverpool, form can go out of the window in these local derbies, and Tottenham only need to play for a draw to spoil our party.

We basically need to win all of our last 4 games. We can not afford to drop any more points. Spurs will know that and set up accordingly.

In a little more than 8 hours time, we will either be ecstatic or miserable whilst waiting to get on a train at Northumberland Park.

Get the win, than it is head back to Islington to catch the Man City game. I do not expect them to drop points this weekend. Lose and it is head back to drown our sorrows.

And then it is a weekend off (for once) before Bournemouth.

UTA.

Keenos