Oh my, it’s close. I have butterflies in my stomach this morning. Apparently, that light adrenaline loosens the bowels, so be careful if you have a long train journey into work… carry a plastic bag just in case.
This is most consequential week in North London history (I mean, I’m trying to hype over here). There is so much riding on it. Arsenal hasn’t won a European trophy since the CWC in 1994. We’ve lost three since. Zaragoza, Gala and Barcelona. It’s Unai Emery’s chance to make history in his first season.
The added complication of the week is that the scum down the road also has a big game against Liverpool. How will our WIN affect them? Will it ramp up the pressure on them to deliver? Could a win actually work in our favour? I mean, don’t be stupid, a win will ALWAYS work in our favour.
The team looks to be practising hard. Shout out to the Arsenal.com for this nerve calming beauty.
The squad looks fit, they look summer tanned, and the manager looks calm. He owns this trophy, Wednesday night HAS to be his.
Chelsea appear to be up to ‘mind games’ because Kante has travelled with the squad. I mean, if this were a Conte 11, I’d be bothered, but a more advanced Kante doesn’t quite add the same punch to a game of football as he used to sitting deeper.
I’m more concerned about Hazardaryan
It would appear my elite organic marketing campaign to raise awareness of his TRUE heritage did impact culture like I’d hoped. I feel like Yaxley Lennon right now. I deserve a milkshake thrown at my advertising credentials. Did the liberal elite of Chelsea shadow ban my social adverts? Or were my adverts just shit? Who knows, but I’m deeply suspicious about how my work could have failed.
… and really, he is the difference maker out there on Wednesday. The one truly world-class player. The big question is whether he’s up for it. Can a Chelsea squad that’s already seen their CL bonus paycheck muster the energy for one last roll of the dice in Baku for a midnight kickoff?
Oh, I also don’t like the idea that Hudson-Odoi could do something. The Englishman has a great story, would hate for him to turn it on.
Who knows. Part of me suspects the ultimate fuck you prize for Sarri would be to win the cup and fuck off the Juventus, so I wouldn’t rule out a big game.
Interesting to note that Chelsea has players in their squad that have won the trophy before, so the Europa magic doesn’t sit solely with our manager. David Luiz, Azpi and John Terry sure to be thrilled to be part of the game again.
The important issue of the day for us is our defence. Which will show up, the shit one, or, the shit one? It’s likely we won’t keep a clean sheet, having only managed that twice away from home all season… the second most important click moment has to be Auba and Lacazette. They are going to have to take their chances when they arrive.
I know that ‘feelings’ don’t matter when it comes to football… but I feel weirdly confident. Everything is rolling out way, I’m not sure Chelsea are a reliable team these days and I think we have ample firepower to cause damage if our big names show up on the day.
We’ll have to see, I’ll be back with a BANGER of a preview tomorrow.
BIG LOVE x
Just occurred to me that the last three European finals AFC have contested, I was there to personally witness our defeats (as well as Atletico Madrid SF). The good news is I’m not travelling to Baku so we’ll win, no problem!
Getting a bit squabbly on here…..
Shame we can’t post images here. A spud cunt mate of mine just sent me a hilarious one showing the pitch we’ll be playing on in Baku.
Receding…..newsflash….Wenger is no longer the manager of Arsenal….
Jamie
You’re not filling me with optimism!
Marc
I’m not optimistic! My bum’s flapping already.
“Receding…..newsflash….Wenger is no longer the manager of Arsenal….”
Strange you typed that in English yet can’t comprehend stuff written in the same language
Marc/Jamie/Any Others,
Anyone feeling queasy and suffering from Excessive Squeaky Bum Syndrome should remind themselves that this is the Blog of Lube…..
2-1 to the Arsenal.
What I don’t understand from the likes of Pierre is just how long did they think Wenger could go on for the guy’s pushing 70 for fuck sake.
I always thought that they expected to come up with a cure for mortality before the end and that way he could stay as manager forever. That or make him a vampire
Hard to be optimistic in games against Chelsea …i don’t like playing them, would rather play Frankfurt and another team for 180 minutes than play Chelsea for 90.
But personally i think we will win and comfortably too
Words
I hope you’re right – about the score what everyone else on here does in their spare time is not my concern!
The difference is genuine fans for obvious reasons wanted Arsenal to lose under Wenger while this CG clown is a Chav.
Bob’s another one. Hates it when you talk bad about Wenger. Wants to move the conversation along as quickly as possible. It’s very odd
We’re all here for the lube. Let’s not pretend.
Marc,
“…..what everyone else on here does in their spare time is not my concern!”
You’re such a liberal metropolitan elitist!
Non comprendo Receding……
I rate Cech a benefit, not a hindrance. A little past his best, but still the best we’ve had since Lehmann. I hope Emery plays him. He has something that Leno has not yet acquired: charisma.
The sight of Cech facing them in the Arsenal net will have a negative effect on the Chelsea players, perhaps on Hazard most of all. He belongs to that super quartet of Chelsea icons, Terry. Lampard, Drogba, Cech.
Cech’ comments about no pressure at Arsenal are very interesting in light of what Emery said in his recent Spanish interview about not fearing for his job for basically the first time ever.
Its a horrible attitude that the club have from top to bottom.
Technically he spoke about working to build something not working to avoid the sack. That’s not the same as taking it easy cause you know no matter what you won’t get the chop. That was the previous manager. Unless you think building something means one season. I don’t think it does I think they’re going to assess him after two seasons and see if they keep him for the third
@Freddie I don’t mean to lump you in as stating you’d miss finals, I was responding to your defence of those actions and your ‘rationale’ for such. I was using “you” as more of a collective for those that did, not a finger point at you per se. @Jamie/Woab, appreciate the views. Blog of lube indeed @Receding “Left to him we will change everyone including the owner before we touch Wenger” Who’s the everyone? I think it’s a basic concept to suggest a “better” owner puts standards in place that drip-feed down the hierarchy. Wenger doesn’t last the second decade… Read more »
That goes for whoever took over from Wenger. Unless things got really bad his replacement was never going to be under pressure after one season
Even Tuchel who by PSG standards has been a bit of a let down hasn’t been under pressure after the first season. Surprisingly given a new contract. Hardly the smartest over there are they
That’s rubbish Marko, I wanted Wenger gone around 5 years before he left. Just because I don’t slag him off relentlessly and bring him up in discussions all the time doesn’t make me an apologist for him or some sort of acolyte to the cult of Wenger.
Your projection/ accusation is classic Trumpian-like deflection from your own obsessions. Slag somebody off for something your ‘guilty’ off and at the same time attempt to gather like-minded people to your ways.
Don’t bother mate, stick to more interesting posts, that you are capable of.
Are you having a bad day?
“Cech’ comments about no pressure at Arsenal are very interesting in light of what Emery said in his recent Spanish interview about not fearing for his job for basically the first time ever.”
Yes didn’t like that part, one should always be under a reasonable amount of pressure to deliver, we are were we are due to this pressure free attitude
Yeah PSG make a lot of questionable decisions, they’re not run very well when you factor in how much they spend.
Besides acquiring two top 5 players on the planet in Neymar and M’Bappe, they haven’t built all that great a team.
Stuff like letting Lo Celso go for cheap and paying double that for a passenger like Paredes as well giving Tuchel an extension after a season worse than Emery’s.
No world class midfielder to call their own, terrible back up to their star front 3, aging/average full backs and average
keepers.
Champagne charlie
You took longer than Kroenke to decide Wenger was not fit for purpose ..lol
Bob they weren’t really going in hard on Wenger. Which makes your whole hey guys leave it out he’s gone move on routine very strange.
Having a wonderful day by the way thanks for asking
There hasn’t been pressure to win trophies at Arsenal since the Invincibles.
If you act like a smaller tier club for long enough, you eventually become one.
Words
Well you’ve managed an all time first ” liberal metropolitan ” no one has ever called me that before!
Lot of talk Betis might be struggling to hold onto Lo Celso. Some big boys looking at him. Big miss he was. Perfect Ramsey/Ozil replacement
Victorious you do talk an awful lot of waffle
You say that emery shies away from making big decisions
Yeah like benching our 350k a week player for half a season and Ramsey to boot, as well as regularly not playing one of our two strikers despite both being two of the biggest names in our squad
Can people not just criticize emery for shitting the bed at the end of the season rather than making up absolute nonsensical bs to hit him with instead?
It’s honestly not hard
“What I don’t understand from the likes of Pierre is just how long did they think Wenger could go on for the guy’s pushing 70 for fuck sake.”
Marc
Pierre was ok with having the corpse of Wenger be in charge.
Not feeling hugely confident about tomorrow.
I do take encouragement with the FA Cup Final win over them two years ago though, largely the same group of players so that may give us a small edge psychologically, who knows.
Fearing Hazard turning it on in what’s likely his last game in a Chav shirt and old man Higuain turning it back the clock for 90 mins, guy can still bury an opportunity and he will get a few on Mustafi and friends.
So much hinges on Aubameyang and Lacazette showing up and showing out.
Champagne charlie a passionate Wenger fanboy is now in denial of his past.
Guedes too Marko, guy really does have the skillset to do damage at the highest level.
He was pretty poor up until the Spring but he exploded into life since then and has been Valencia’s best player in the run-in winning the Copa and finishing in a CL spot.
Still only 22.
“There hasn’t been pressure to win trophies at Arsenal since the Invincibles.”
You mean since Abramovich
The idea a Chelsea reject should be in between the sticks against Chelsea fills me with indignation.
Should it go to penalties we’re 100% fucked.
Wenger eagle
Hazard in his last game …is also Hazard with one eye on passing the Madrid medical. He’s going to give just enough.
I fear that referee more than I fear Hazard, hopeful VAR helps to reduce the refereeing impact.
Never seen a more 50-50 game. We are better prepared that Chelsea and maybe Unai has that x-factor for the EL.
I see daggers were drawn at Champagne today, lots of jabs at his armor.
Emery will start with Leno and give Cech the last 5 mins when the job is done.
Emery will start with Leno and give Cech the last 5 mins when the job is done.
———————————–
This is not a Hollywood Disney production, you know Cech’s going to start as pathetic as that is.
No Loftus-Cheek is great news. I think we can scare their defence to death if we go for it straight away. Get 1 or 2 up early and shut up shop
André Villas Boas just signed as new head coach for Marseilles on a two years contract.
Looks like Mourinho’s underlings despite their lack of success are still able to find plum jobs.
If cech starts this will be an absolutely hideous decision from emery Sentiment has absolutely no place in this match. Also why get sentimental over cech, he came when he was already past it and has been below average for years. He’s not some 10 year servant or whatever. He will be entirely forgotten in the annals of arsenal history. A complete irrelevance at a time when even being decent made players look exceptional because the team was so bad over the last few years Cech doesn’t need or deserve a special send off from arsenal and he’s not played… Read more »
” Get 1 or 2 up early and shut up shop”
Lol, when was the last time you saw Arsenal play?
A lot of people seems to think that it will be a cagey affair, I hope that it is the opposite.
We have no defense, they have no defensive midfielder. For both teams attack may the best form of defense.
If this is true, I hope that Aubameyang Does not miss one of his unmissable sitters. Lacazette ans Aubameyang should be able to do the business.
Cech can walk on the pitch after the final whistle blows and lap up applause from the Chelsea fans who must adore him and the arsenal fans who respect him
He doesn’t warrant anything more than that. I’ll be furious if he starts this game unless he plays like an absolute monster
Interesting McCourt was able to / willing to prize AVB from his rally car career to take over Marseille.
Strange hire for me, with owner looking to push up table with sizable investment.
Thoughts Karim, Valentin or any other resident Francophiles?
Talk about having a chip over his shoulder. https://twitter.com/PatrickTimmons1/status/1132959119105822721?s=19 He was mocked not because of his broken French, but because most of what he said was contradicted by the players and the staff. He did not know how to handle the big ego of Neymar, Cavani, Thiago Silva, Lucas Moura. None of them respected him and were very happy to diss him in off the record conversation. If he think that he will be better treated by the British press, he is in for a rude awakening when things will slightly turn against him. This season Sarri took the brunt… Read more »
Lol fucking Serie A, would be an absolute joke if Sarri secured the Juventus gig after this season but it wouldn’t surprise us one bit.
Valentin,
Sorry but just about everyone (not just in the football world) ridiculed by the “Daily Heil” gets my automatic respect.
Rag of a paper – led the charge against “flashy” black players like Stirling.
Terrible football writers.
It just goes to show that there is a paucity of great mangers on the planet
How on earth will the trophy-less Sarri be moved to Juventus?
@salpardisenyc, I am ambivalent on that choice. On one hand Villas-Boas preferred style will go down very well with the local. High defensive line, high pressing, quick strikers. Their motto is “Droit au but” Straight to the goal. He will be given money (relatively speaking to the French market) to spend on decent players. Rudi Garcia did imposed a lot of his wrong choices of players. So if Zubizarreta has a free rein and is able to show his recruitment nous. They may build a good entertaining team. On the other hand, Marseilles has a not very good squad with… Read more »
I think we start with Leno tomorrow.
I don’t think Kante plays, probably there for moral and on hand to collect a medal if they win which we all hope they don’t unless your CG in the open and Vic secretly.
“He will be ridiculed by the Daily Mail.”
Ridiculed for what exactly??
“He was mocked not because of his broken French, but because most of what he said was contradicted by the players and the staff.”
As vague as it comes
What exactly was said that was contradicted?? Tactics?
Early in the season you told us how Tuchel has cured all the wounds, made everyone happy again. Come the end of the season we are reading different in the tabloids, about player unrest, a lack of discipline etc.
Maybe just maybe PSG is a poorly run club with a poor mentality from top to bottom
Looks like St Etienne have signed a centre back. Possible Saliba replacement,
Like the look of Saliba, but always said we need 2 new CBs.
With Saliba & Holding being young, Sokratis and Koscielny being old, we really need a prime age CB at 25-26 that can be a leader at the back.
CC
Another owner would have sacked wenger ages ago?
Thought you said under a different owner , wenger had another league title in him?
Hmmmmmm
“Sokratis and Koscielny being old,”
If we win on Wednesday and i was Kos i would leave. leave when the ovation is loudest
Leonardo resigns as Milan’s Sporting Director ..Gattuso next probably
No Xavi for Barca at least for now …….he is the new manager of Al Saad on a two year deal.
I’m really staring to fancy us strongly for this.
Chelsea players’ hearts aren’t in it.
I think we want it more.
Would be harsh on Gattuso, actually had Milan playing some decent football this season and only finished 2 points off of 3rd and 1 point off of Inter in 4th.
What is shocking with the Daily Mail is that it is both conscientious decision to stir the worst in people, but also an unconscious decision. They kept going after inner city street crime and stating that Grimes was the main cause of crime despite statistics proving that not be the case. However I think that most of their sport journalists were genuinely taken aback when Raheem Sterling eloquently made the point that their treatment of black players was covertly racist. Mind you when you see the complete lack of self awareness displayed by Neil Ashton the Daily Mail host of… Read more »
Alexander
His heart is certainly in it
Hazard revealed at the end of the season that he had made a decision on his future and expected it to be resolved following the final in Baku.
“We lost the League Cup final, so at the end of the season this is the trophy we can go for.
“I just want to win the trophy, that is it. It does not matter if I score or I do not score. If it is my last game, I hope to bring the trophy.
“Would it be the perfect farewell? Yes.”
Gattuso has left Milan
“Would be harsh on Gattuso, actually had Milan playing some decent football this season and only finished 2 points off of 3rd and 1 point off of Inter in 4th.”
Very harsh
Interesting to see who replaces him
Kos needs to be replaced at the end of the season
Either by his own choice to leave or by the management to let him go.
@Gambon,
Saliba may be viewed as a future great CB, but in the French Ligue he has mostly been playing right back. A very defensive right back.
However he has also play as rigtht CB on the couple’s of games his team played with 3 at the back.
That could indicate that the 3-4-1-2 and 3-4-2-1 are here to stay.
Valentin
As far as I can see he has mostly played CB
The 3 at the back has to go.
Dreadful formation.
I am not so sure that it was harsh for Milan to get rid of Gattuso. He has been fighting with half of his team. He failed his original targets. He has shown his limits as a tactician.
The big question is whether they will be able to get a better coach ready to work under the same restrictions.
“With Saliba & Holding being young, Sokratis and Koscielny being old, we really need a prime age CB at 25-26 that can be a leader at the back.”
The Legend that is Mustafi!!!!
Gazidis is clearing house at Milan
Glad to know that he has grown some balls
Apparently Gattusso has resigned telling club to keep money for next seasons.
Good luck Ivan, you deserve this.
Valentin
Marseille such a historic club, mental fanbase. I’ve been to one match at the Stade Vélodrome a loss to Lorient. Was convinced there would be blood post match as we navigated our way out.
Thought McCourt was going to bring Deschamps back, then why leave National team that can take next Euro at canter. Agree strange hire, many others options to take them forward.
Apologies if already posted, but this is so damning about the culture at Arsenal, Wenger and it seems beyond
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea/petr-cech-interview-arsenal-chelsea-europa-league-final-a4146831.html
The Spanish language tabloids have been running the story that Umtiti to Arsenal is a done deal.
It probably needs CL qualification to happen.
So much riding on tomorrows game.
@Gambon,
Some sites have the statistics that he played 16 times in Ligue 1, 12 as CB and 4 as right back. However that is the other way around.
12 times as right back and 4 as CB.
However he is clearly destined to be a CB rather than a RB.
Saliba has been primarily a CB the season just gone
Excluding Macguire, who is often mentioned but would cost shedloads, are there any reasonably priced centre backs that people would be happy to take from the “bottom 14” clubs?
I’d be wary of Umtiti.
Alarm bells definitely ringing that he hasn’t returned from injury the same player from Barcelona fan assessments as well as their insatiable desire to sign De Ligt already having Pique and Lenglet.
Would likely demand a hefty price tag given his reputation, he’s a defender that’s always been very reliant on using his physicality though which could be a recipe for disaster in the PL if he’s lost a step.
Gatusso is such a temperamental manager same as he was a very temperamental player.
Why didn’t he wait to get fired and get a pay-out?
Doesn’t he know that the money he left behind goes to Gazidis as bonuses?
WE
I think medicals are now sophisticated enough to detect if an injury has any chance of being a repeat issue.
One things for sure. If we sign Saliba, we still need a prime age CB.
Even if Saliba turns into a top class player, it will be 3-4 seasons before he is ready to be a 50 game per season player.
Im all for buying young talent, but there a big difference between a 21/22 year old and an 18 year old.
“Why didn’t he wait to get fired and get a pay-out?”
He is a club legend
For some the world doesn’t revolve around money especially when you already have more than you imagined you will
The fans will remember this
Dissenter
Gatusso has made it sound like his salary for remaining two season will be put into club, his one true love:
“Mine is a painful but thoughtful choice. Am I giving up a two-year contract? Yes, because my story with Milan can never be a question of money.”
Meanwhile Ivan… sitting in shadows with calculator and a smile.
I’m not worried about Umtiti’s injury.
He fell out of favor at Barca but even with a missing step, will still be considered an elite player.
Barca’s season was miserable in some ways, even Messi didn’t look so good this season [relative by his lofty standards]
Gambon,
Central defence is probably the only position where there is a youth “discount” rather than a premium.
I’d like whoever comes in at CB to have a minimum of 3 years as a regular starter
Receding Gattuso is a club clown, not a legend AC Milan is owned by the Elliot management corp, an activist hedge fund who have no interest in the football. They got it because the previous Chinese owners couldn’t pay a loan back. They are just fattening the club to sell when the time is right. What Gattuso left behind goes back into the pockets of the owners. That was naivete from Gattuso. He could have done a lot with that money for the same AC Milan fans, like subsidize their away travels. Anyway it’s his money so lots of power… Read more »
Woab
If we were going cheap, Schar has had a very good season at Newcastle.
Better defenders to be found abroad, the likes of Maguire would cost twice as much as Konate, Skriniar, Romagnoli, etc would cost.
If Saliba comes in, he will replace Mavropanos IMO, who I think will be loaned or maybe sold (not sure Emery rates him judging by his actions)
The big question is who will replace Mustafi.
Our squad is large enough in my opinion. The only position we need an extra body is wide, but with Nelson returning, we have that covered.
So it really is about replacing and upgrading, not adding to the squad.
The players that need replacing:
Cech
Mavropanos
Mustafi
Kolasinac or Monreal
Elneny
Ramsey
Mykhitaryan
Iwobi
Welbeck
‘even Messi didn’t look so good this season [relative by his lofty standards]’
You either weren’t watching him or are basing this off of the Anfield outing because individually he put up arguably his 3rd best ever season behind 2014/15 and 2011/12.
Single-handedly won them so many games in the league and took them to the brink of a CL Final.
You forgot Xhaka lol
gambon
Konate would be my first choice at CB, just turned 20 and he’s already a rock at the back for the 3rd best team in Germany. Beyond impressive.
It’s doable as well with the wage disparity of the PL/Bundesliga and Naby Keita showed that they are fundamentally still a selling team as are any side not at the very top/elite bracket.
May have triggered his release clause in fact, still think Konate can be acquired.
“AC Milan is owned by the Elliot management corp, an activist hedge fund who have no interest in the football. They got it because the previous Chinese owners couldn’t pay a loan back. They are just fattening the club to sell when the time is right.”
Sounds like someone describing Kroenke and our club.
WE
Konate would be my choice,
But if we are signing Saliba, I doubt we would also sign KOnate.
Maybe we could get Konate by selling Smith-Rowe to RBL, but I cant see most of the fans being behind that.
The importance of the game cannot be overstated. Emery was in a bad place all season, the squad is the worst that I can remember since Terry Neill, But bad as his options were, they will worsen if the game is lost. Stan’s bottom-line policy is rigid. Talk of a £40m transfer pot is wildly over-optimistic, the club (so it is said) made £60m loss. Zero to 20m is much closer to the mark. Qualification for CL might – and I mean might – persuade him to go a little higher But it’s not just money, it’s about ‘pull’, on… Read more »
No matter what the result tomorrow which will have a major effect on our budget what are the odds that who ever we sign will in what ever way be not good enough etc etc according to CG.
“Thought you said under a different owner , wenger had another league title in him?“
You only thought that because you either read what I wrote and put your own spin on it, or used 2nd hand info that had the same applied to it.
I never said that he had another title in him, I said under leadership that was keen on football success Wenger was a manager that delivered titles. Change Kroenke and either that impetus brings about ‘old Wenger’, or he’d be replaced by someone because the owner wouldn’t tolerate any stagnating rubbish.
englandsbest Can you shut up with your endless drivel about Stans bottom-line policy, that you completely invented. We spent £70m last summer with no CL football, and our revenues are much higher going into next season. Where was the “bottom line policy” when we spent £56m on Auba, £50m on Lacazette, £100m in 2016, £240m wage bill, higher net spend than Liverpool in the last 5 years? Where was his “bottom line policy” when we spent £45m upgrading the training ground and academy facilities? Where was the “bottom line policy ” when he spent £17m to get rid of Wenger… Read more »
gambon Do you not see us signing more than 1 centre half? After conceding 51 goals again it would be complete negligence to only marginally upgrade the personnel, Koscielny is due for a retirement home and Mustafi will surely be sold. Leaves us with Sokratis, Holding, the persistently absent Mavropanos and Calum Chambers which makes us shudder. Adding a single body to that mess, a just turned 18 year old kid no less wouldn’t at all get to the root of overturning our defensive crisis. We need at least 2, ideally three with two younger players with a decade ahead… Read more »
Michael You’re so wrong that I don’t know where to begin. Kroenke methodically bought shares to become majority shareholder and then out-foxed Usmanov to own the club. He really wanted to own Arsenal all be it for the wrong reasons. The hedge fund that owns AC Milan loaned money to a Chinese group that were caught out by a change in Chinese government rules about outward transfer of money. The own the club by default and going to sell to recover their money. The teachers and civil servants that have their pensions tied into the hedge funds don’t give a… Read more »