Are Liverpool going to be a big threat to Arsenal in next season’s title hunt?

For the better part of the season, Arsenal have been the real deal. Prior to this season. For at least the last five seasons, Liverpool and Manchester City have fought for the league title. Though Liverpool have only lifted the league once, twice they’ve missed out on the league title to the Citizens by a point.

This season Liverpool were out of the picture; they’ve been poor most of the season. Arsenal took part in the title race in their. With the Gunners giving the Manchester Blues a run for their money, at one point even being 8 points clear of them.

However, after a poor run in April, Arsenal lost all the favour they had in taking the PL title home. Just like Liverpool failed four other times in the last five seasons, Arsenal will not manage to get the better of City unless something special happens between now and May 28th.

All Arsenal may have to do is take what they learned this season, go in the summer, recruit well, and come next season, find a way to win the title race. While the thought next season is that the battle for the league will be between Arteta and Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp has hinted he is returning his side to the title race conversation. Speaking to the media on Friday (for the clash against Leicester), Klopp described why teams shouldn’t be dismissive of his team next season.

“There are two games a season, maybe with cups three, four, or five, when you play City, Arsenal, and the others,” he said as quoted by the Independent.

“There are five million ways to win a football game; you only have to find one. A successful season is you are ready for all the games, that you can win 25-odd games.

“If City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Tottenham, Man United are all involved in that 25 then it is even better.

“But it is about: can we create a team who can win the majority of the games? Yes, we can. It was never about what the other teams do.

“We didn’t become champions by a point twice, and there will be some people who say it was because we didn’t have this player in that moment.

“Getting 90-odd points is absolutely insane, pretty special, and no one should take these things for granted.

“The top seven get even closer together, it will be more difficult and more competitive.

“It doesn’t make it easier, but everyone with a good idea has a chance to be part of it. If you are part of the battle up there, then you can win it as well.”

Liverpool have, in recent weeks, found their brilliance. They are on a run of six wins out of six. Many had ruled them out of Champions League football, but if they win the rest of their games and either Newcastle or Manchester United lose two of their remaining games, they’ll finish in the top 4 and play Champions League football.

Liverpool could be a threat next season; should Gooners be scared?

Peter Mac

Sean Dyche promises to make life hard for Man City as they hold Arsenal’s last hope of title

Sometime back, Pep Guardiola described Brighton as one of the best teams in the world, saying, “The best team at making the buildup in the world is Brighton.

“There is no team better that make the process to get the goalkeeper to bring the ball into to the last quarter.”

Everton easily defeated them (Brighton) last Monday, winning 5-1, and Arsenal might do the same this weekend. Notably, Everton’s next game after beating the best team in the world, Brighton, is against Manchester City. Given that strong win (against Brighton), the Goodison Park home ground advantage, and the reality that Everton must win all of their games to stay up, could City drop three points this weekend, increasing Arsenal’s chances of taking the league title from the Citizens?

Guardiola knows this Sean Dyche side shouldn’t be taken lightly, admitting in his press conference, “My thought is just Everton—no more than that.

“It’s 11 months working for the Premier League. We don’t have much time to Madrid because we play Sunday—thank you so much—but it’s a real, real priority, Goodison Park.”

On his part, Sean Dyche, as per bbw awesome free dating siye, has some good news for Arsenal. The Everton boss promises a rough game for Manchester City, saying he’ll tell his boys, “The message will be simple: just take it on. It’s a big challenge, obviously. I’m sure the Evertonians will back us as they do; it’ll be a really good atmosphere for us to go and play in.

“But it’s about taking it on with the mentality we showed at Brighton. All the details have got to be right against Manchester City. You might need them to have a soft one, and your key players play well, all of them things go in the melting pot.

“Yet, it’s still about us taking the game on.”

I am for an Everton win this weekend; what about you?

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Facts you need to know before the North London derby

Mikel Arteta takes his young Arsenal team to the Totten*am Hotspur Stadium on Thursday evening knowing that a win would guarantee their ticket to the Champions League.

With just three games to play for, the Gunners find themselves four points clear of their arch-rivals. Even if they lose, they will still have the destiny of finishing in the Champions League spot in their own hands.

But losing against Antonio Conte’s men won’t be in the minds of the club’s faithful. Majority of them must be looking forward to slicing their throats in their own garden.

Here are some facts that are worth knowing ahead of the blockbuster clash:

  • Antonio Conte has won just one of his eight meetings with Arsenal in all competitions (Drawn 4, Lost 3).
  • Spu*s have won just one of their past four league matches (Drawn 2, Lost 1)
  • Arsenal can complete a first league double over their North London rivals since the 2013/14 campaign.
  • A win will secure our highest position in the Premier League since 2015/16, when we finished second.

https://twitter.com/octavian10i/status/1524471636006772739

  • Totten*am are unbeaten in their last seven home games against the Gunners (Won 5, Drawn 2)

Talking about current form, Mikel Arteta’s men find themselves positioned slightly better, as they have claimed 12 points from the last 16. Totten*am’s points tally from the last 16 stands at 11.

Arsenal have won the league at Spu*s’ old stadium twice, first in 1971 and then again in their Invincible season in 2004.

Maybe it’s time to win a Champions League ticket in 2022. COYG!

Arsenal-Tottenham combined XI makes grim reading for Gooners

I have been thinking about which Arsenal players might actually get into an Arsenal/Tottenham combined XI on this season’s form, and it looks like I have found a reliable source to give me the answers.

Whoscored.com are a respected stats and rating website, which has given their average rating for all players this season, as long as they have played at least ten games, and this is their verdict on our combined XI….

I am sure we all expected Bukayo Saka to be in the frame, but it would appear that our only other consistent performer this season has been Gabriel Magalhaes in defence, and he hasn’t even played in any of Arsenal’s last three League games!

Our big sumer signing Thomas Partey doesn’t make it due to the 10-game rule, and of course none of our strikers can compare in form to Tottenham’s Son, Kane and Bale.

Even Kieran Tierney, who has had some brilliant performances for the Gunners this year, loses out to Sergio Reguilon.

So, do you think that any other Arsenal players deserve to be included in this combined XI?

Should Arsenal even be travelling to Austria?

Are Arsenal endangering themselves by traveling to Austria?

The Sun has reported that a Rapid Vienna player has recently tested positive for coronavirus and although the player who is unnamed is isolating at home. we are still expected to travel to play as there is no risk posed to anyone else.

Although it has been revealed that “Routine tests uncovered a single case of coronavirus with additional checks set to take place ahead of Thursday’s game.” what I fail to understand is that if the player has already tested positive, it won’t take two days to get out of his system will it! And so, Arsenal are still expected to travel to Austria and are still expected to take part in the game even though he has more than likely come into close contact with his teammates.

This again defeats the object of close contact and no risk of contracting the virus because if the play is a first teamer and has tested positive then surely he will have given his teammates a bigger risk of catching the virus when he came into close contact with them right?

Not going ahead with the game will surely add to our already congested fixture list going into the winter period but surely it is better to be safe than sorry and surely it isn’t worth risking all of our players and staff contracting the virus just for the sake of getting the game done and dusted.

How this decision is logical and fair is beyond me. I am sure that if it was an Arsenal player that contracted the virus and tested positive (god forbid) the whole of the opponent’s team would refuse to play let alone travel. Arteta tested positive back in March and the whole league was put on hold, and as cases are rising surely the most logical thing to do would be to postpone the game and play at a more safer date when all players have negative results. Just a thought, hey Gooners?

 

Shenel Osman

With five fit central defenders, Arsenal are good to go!

Hello Gooners. How do you do?

The good news I heard today is that Mustafi and Soares are back in training. I am so excited about this news because it means we can now concentrate on building our defence for now and for the future. With five fit central defenders, we can now enjoy the luxury of choosing our most inform players. Mustafi most especially, is why I am so happy. He has been playing so well in recent games and I feared a lengthy lay off caused by injury, may derail his good form.

A team without a good defence is not a team. Such a team will concede cheap goals and lose vital points. Great teams of yore succeeded with the help of a solid defence line. At Arsenal, we have been struggling with our defence for a while now; but with Arteta’s arrival, the team is starting to play like a good defensive unit, which is such a good thing. However with the availability of five fit central defenders, Arteta can have the right players to call to play defence. No more using midfielders as defenders, as he would have more than enough players to choose from. If Arteta can bring out the best in all the defenders at his disposal this season, we may not be in desperate need of defensive reinforcement next summer.

Arteta’s obvious choice against West Ham will be Mustafi pairing Luiz at the back but in case he may wish to tinker with his choice of players and try other players, he would have Mari, Sokratis and Holdings to choose from. Any of these players can do a good job if called upon because they are good defenders who just need the motivation to play with all hearts. Who can remember how Holdings was our most inform defender sometime last season? If he was that good then, he can still be good again; all he needs is regular play time and self believe. His long injury lay off may affect his game as expected, but with regular playing time and adequate and healthy training, he will be back. If the manager feels Mustafi is not ready yet to play against the Hammers, he may just decide to make use of Holdings or even Pablo Mari.

From all indications, our players are starting to come back from injuries and with their presence, the team can be competitive again and push themselves to succeed. We are Arsenal and we are proud.

Sylvester Kwentua

It’s about time Arsenal beat Crystal Palace – Let’s do it today

Another 3 points today will be good by Lagos Gooner

Hello Arsenal family. Today is another match day and we are looking forward to another Premiership victory against Crystal Palace, to further aid our movement up the table. So, here we are as Arsenal fans, waiting patiently for another 3 points. I smell confidence in the air.

Last season we played Crystal Palace in the Premier league twice, drawing one and losing one at home. Crystal Palace in the last two or more seasons ago, have been difficult opponents for big clubs to beat. Last season, they beat Manchester City at the Etihad and beat Arsenal at the Emirates to confirm their Premiership survival. This season, Arsenal played them in October and drew 2-2 to them. We have found it not easy playing Crystal Palace recently, and when we consider how poor we have been away, it won’t be out of place to nurse negative thoughts in your mind.

However, there is one thing I have learnt in football, and that is never to predict the scores of a game based on previous games. Football is dynamic; things change rapidly in football and a defeat against a team today does not mean another victory for the team tomorrow. Yes we are going to be playing them away, but who says we can’t beat them in front of their fans? We have beaten them in the past in front of their own fans, and it won’t be new if we do so again. What we need at this time is to be positive and play them like we are out to devour them.

They have big, physical players who can trouble any defence at will, but then we always have big players who can also be physical if properly motivated too. The players need to realize that Arsenal has lost a lot and need to start recovering lost points and move us further up the league table. During Emery’s time at Arsenal, we played so poorly anytime we played away and as expected, many fans lost the believe in the team to win a game away from the Emirates. However, with the renewed spirit and passion in the team right now, there is nothing stopping us from acquiring the full three points against Crystal Palace. We are Arsenal and we are proud.

Sylvester Kwentua

Arsenal should not be scared of any team in the Europa League


It is with great worry I write this; I am worried because a lots of Arsenal fans around me are scared that we may be paired against Ajax or Inter-Milan in the forthcoming rounds of the Europa League. They feel we don’t stand a chance against any of these teams in Europe.

Now, I have a question to ask; do we think these teams are also not scared of playing us? Do we think they will feel like we are a bonus to them? A team like Ajax may have young and exciting footballers but then we also have young and exciting players, in addition to world class strikers. A team with players like Aubameyang, Pepe, Lacazette and Martinelli, should strike fear into the hearts of any football team. Now, why should we be scared of playing them, when they should be the one scared of playing us?

I keep telling people that Arsenal has no business playing in the Europa league, but since we find ourselves playing there right now, then we should be the number one team in that competition. Our last two seasons in this competition has been two seasons of constant progress; we got to the semi finals in our first outing, got to the final in our second outing. This season, we should be aiming to lift the trophy and get done with playing in this competition for good.

I remember how people got scared when we were to play Napoli and Valencia last season. We all know how those games ended; we won against those teams like they were nothing. Yes, we are Arsenal and we play and win the interesting way. Should we be scared of meeting Ajax at any time? No! Should we be scared of meeting Inter-Milan? No! Then who should we be scared of playing against? Nobody!

I still can’t explain how we lost so woefully to Chelsea in the final of the Europa last season. We had no business losing to Chelsea, we needed that game more than them; they had already qualified for the Champions league by virtue of their league position while we had not. We lost the opportunity to announce ourselves as big boys in Europe then, this season should be different. This season we are going for the trophy and no team is stopping us. We are Arsenal and we are proud!

The new football season is well underway, so there is no better time to give your betting bank a boost! Whether that’s through a free bet from your favourite bookmaker or by taking advantage of a bunch of no deposit free spins from a new casino licensed by the UKGC (UK Gambling Commission). The recent seismic shift in the online betting industry brought about by increased regulations, and anti-money laundering measures from the UK Gambling Commission has seen a wave of new online casinos coming to market with a sports betting platform attached.

Allowing you to sign up and claim no deposit free spins on the latest slot machines for your troubles, all you have to do is complete the wagering requirements, and you can use any winnings as a free bet to back your favourite team in the big match! With a busy Christmas schedule and an action-packed Boxing Day football card in the pipelines, it’s worth putting the leg work in now! With Arsenal going through a slump and Unai Emery’s sacking, the odds on an Arsenal revival over the Christmas period are mighty tempting! It may even be worth backing Arsenal to win the Europa League!

Arsenal set for tough September schedule in the Premier League

September could be an informative month for Arsenal as they aim to prove they are genuine challengers for this season’s Premier League title.

The Gunners started the campaign with victories over Newcastle United and Burnley to spark talk that they can get themselves into the mix this term.

The latest football betting odds have Arsenal hovering around the 33/1 mark to claim the trophy, but a strong run of results in September would see that price come tumbling down.

Arsenal kick-off the month with a potential blockbuster as they go head-to-head with Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium.

Spurs have started the new campaign impressively, winning 3-1 at home to Aston Villa before picking up a 2-2 draw at Manchester City.

However, their recent league record at the Emirates is poor, with Arsenal racking up an eight-game unbeaten run.

Unai Emery’s side were excellent in last season’s corresponding fixture, as goals by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2), Alexandre Lacazette and Lucas Torreira sealed a 4-2 victory.

Games between these two sides are rarely dull and Arsenal are fancied to edge what could be another high-scoring encounter.

Arsenal return to action after the international break with a tricky-looking trip to face Watford on September 15.

The Hornets lost their first two games of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton, but they are expected to be a top-half team this season.

Arsenal triumphed 1-0 on their last visit to Vicarage Road back in April and will fancy their chances of picking up another three points from this one.

Newly-promoted Aston Villa are next on the agenda the following Saturday and this should be a banker home victory for the Gunners.

In addition to their defeat at Spurs, the Midlands club have also lost against Bournemouth this term and are struggling to get to grips with the Premier League.

Arsenal have reeled off six wins in a row against Villa in all competitions and are strongly fancied expected to make it seven here.

The North London outfit complete their September schedule with a visit to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on the final day of the month.

The Red Devils have looked much-improved this season, thumping Chelsea 4-0 before recording a 1-1 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Arsenal took four points off United in 2018/19, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side appear to have stepped things up this term and could be a tough nut to crack.

Having started the season with a pair of wins, an 8-10 point return from their September fixtures would represent a decent return for Arsenal and set them up nicely for the rest of the campaign.

Three early predictions for the Watford v Arsenal match

I have been doing very well with my predictions in recent weeks, I called the correct score 2-0 in the win over Napoli here and also called it right here when I said Arsenal would win by two goals against the Italians, in fact, I also suggested you back Arsenal at 5/1 to win the Europa League outright as the price would drop after the game and that is exactly what happened.

Now that I have done my boasting and set myself up for a fall, I am going to make three early predictions for the game against Watford, a game we bloody must win.

I know, I know, our away form is crap, but I refuse to believe it will stay that way with every game that we have left to play on the road in the Premier League and I am confident that we will win and collect all three points.

If we play with the same intensity and control that we did against Napoli then all well and good, and a positive result will follow, if we play as we did against Everton then the opposite will happen.

I have confidence in Unai Emery to get the team selection right this time and I fully expect the players to step up to the player and be counted.

Watford will of course, be tough to beat, they are on a high after the win over Wolves, especially following the manner of the victory, but they will be no match for us if we play like what we are truly capable of.

However, I do think it will be tight and that the first half is likely to be a draw and so I am going with a draw at half time and us winning at full-time.

Draw/Arsenal half time full time @ 5/1

My next predictions is on the correct score market and it fits in perfectly with my half-time full-time prediction and that is us winning the game 2-1

Arsenal 2-1 correct score @ 9/1

And my final early prediction is another one that compliments both the correct score and the half-time full-time prediction and that is for both teams to score and for us to win.

Both teams to score and Arsenal win @ 13/5

That is it, for now, I will return with my final two predictions on the day of the match and as usual, these are my opinions only and not recommendations.

Odds sourced from oddschecker