Craig

BTW was chatting to a Gooner in the pub last night and he said it's almost certain Rice won't be playing on Sunday. They also won't have Merino.

What an arrogant, ignorant prick. Deluded Mikel Arteta dismisses Newcastle United with bitter 'top six' claim Arsenal boss Arteta overlooked three huge results ahead of United's Emirates clash next Sunday https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/deluded-mikel-arteta-dismisses-newcastle-31620242 Mikel Arteta claims that his Arsenal side haven't lost a single game against any of the top six teams in an astonishing dismissal of Newcastle United. The Gunners boss spoke emotionally after watching his team fight back from 2-0 down at Anfield to draw 2-2 with champions Liverpool. The point means Arsenal are now two points clear of Newcastle in second spot ahead of the game between the two sides on Sunday. Arteta wasn't happy with his side's performance, playing down the comeback as he admitted to being 'really really upset' with the way they started the game. And he felt that the fact the players managed to fight back to hold Liverpool - who have been streets ahead of the rest of the Premier League this season in terms of consistency - meant that it was actually 'worse'. However, in an astonishing dismissal of Newcastle, who are just two points behind his team in third position and who finished fourth two seasons ago, he claimed that Arsenal haven't lost against a top six side in two years. This is despite the Magpies having a strong record against Arteta under Eddie Howe. In May 2022, the Magpies produced a stunning 2-0 win at St James' Park to end Arsenal's title hopes. Fast forward to last season, and United again beat the Gunners thanks to Anthony Gordon's goal in front of the Gallowgate that prompted another Arteta meltdown and an FA charge after the ball was adjudged to have not gone out of play in the build-up. And then this season, Newcastle completed another 1-0 victory after Alexander Isak's thumping header sealed a November victory. Even discounting the Carabao Cup semi-finals, where United triumphed 4-0 on aggregate, that is still three Premier League defeats for Arteta in three years. Whether the Spaniard is bitter and doesn't count Newcastle as one of the 'top six' or has just forgotten those defeats, it is a bizarre statement to make. When asked after the game yesterday if their second-half comeback was a message to Liverpool for next season, Arteta said: “No, I think the message is to ourselves. I think it has to be about us, the things that we can control. We can never control what they are able to do or what they can do. That’s it. They won it, I think they fully deserved to win it. “They have been so consistent and that’s it. We are going to have to be better, smarter, be with the right ability. For sure, don’t play six times in the season with 10 men – because if that happens, we won’t win it next season, for sure. And we need to learn, a lot of learning. “When I look back at the two times (Arsenal played Liverpool this season), the game at home we probably should have won it and today, we shouldn’t have lost it. It could have been three or four, to be fair. “At the highest level, we can compete against any team and we have shown that now for the last two or three seasons. Against the top six, I think we haven’t lost any single game – so that tells you as a team we are very, very consistent and can compete with anybody. “But actually to win it, and win, win, win, we are going to need something else, apart from our ability as well, certain demands and make sure we don’t talk about reaction – because I hate that word.”

3 aubergines for dinner then? 🍆🍆🍆

30 second stop off then?

And yet there you are ... tramping it out in style on your patio couch.

I reckon it's a trucker's paradise up there.

Fuck me ewerk, don't feed the monster.

Well the electorate are in charge, and they made a clear point on 1st May of their feelings. The concern I have is Starmer is acting with appeasement in mind.

So which lay-by do you frequent, MF?

Valid point and reminds me of a comment made during the cup final when I was in the same box as a few Liverpool fans. One of them made a comment that in the 2nd half, Isak had a one on one with Andy Robertson and was out-sprinted. They consider Robertson to not be quick so in turn commented that Isak has no pace. That's not the Isak we know so wouldn't at all be surprised to hear that he's off for an op as soon as the season is over - no international football so nothing to 'manage' in the interim.

Yeah I don't see any efforts from him to engineer his way out of the club, I think he's pissed off, fatigued and possibly carrying an injury. Howe & Tindall have certainly been game managing him in recent months.

I don't think there's anything aside from perhaps fatigue and maybe carrying a small niggle. It's easy to lose sight that he had an absolutely mental 2-3 period where everything he touched was going in. That form was never going to be sustainable. The media frenzy around him has weaponised him as a passive threat to teams as well. They're shit-scared to the point where they're marking him tight and leaving the door open for others around him.

I had a debate with someone in the pub last night about the Botman/Jackson incident and they're also adamant it's not a red and only connected because Botman failed to jump (WTF?!) I think we're going to have to get used to this nonsense if we want to remain where we are in the league - we're bothering them in and around us ... and it's fucking tremendous.

It’s only another AI image but it works

Bruno blowing Enzo Fernandez a kiss https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJjWeOJi3H-/?igsh=MXA3MnRsMnVoYWEwcg==

Sorry to hear about your cat, Gemmill. Pets, man! They drive us insane when they're here but we miss them terribly when they're gone. Gutted for you.

He got fair clattered in the box early on didn't he?

It was absolutely horrific, I've seen the clip of John Helm commentating on it a few times and it never gets easier to view. It definitely was overshadowed by what happened at Heysel later that month and then Hillsborough 4 years later. What gets overlooked IMO is the death of Ian Hambridge at St Andrews on the same day. Was at his first match if I remember right.

Sadly I think Arsenal will do us in this one and it'll be our last 'off day' of the season. 2-0 to them

If they lose next weekend and you beat Bournemouth a week on Tuesday and they'll be 4th with one game remaining. So potentially 4th in a 2 horse race.

Spurs out-Spursing Man Utd to beat them to 17th

Isn't that just the Otley Run?

Fairly certain that today's result guarantees we'll be in the Europa League at least next season.