Dear friends, let’s look at some things today and be at one with the footballing gods.
Firstly, the Premier League table.
Manchester United might be the banter kings of Europe this season, but they are still decent, and they held Chelsea to a draw at Old Trafford. Doesn’t that make our result look a little sexier? I think it does. If we’d lost, everyone would have piled in, reality is, they still have a lot of top individual talent that can show up.
Does this mean we can get 3rd? Absolutely not. CFC has an easy run in, they won’t mess this up, so don’t look at the table this way.
Does it mean that we’re pretty close to making Europa League, the target this season, yes… it does. United can max out on 64 points. Same as West Ham. Hard to imagine we’re going to get less than 4 points from our final 5 games based on form.
So what of our game at the weekend against West Ham?
Well, the hope was that whatever happened in the first leg of the Europa League game, it’d leave the hammers in the mixer. They lost against Frankfurt in front of their home fans, they won the xG battle so will feel agrieved, and they will be VERY drained today. What does this mean for Arsenal?
Their players will be wrecked tomorrow morning both emotionally and physically.
There will be limited time to give any fucks for Arsenal on Sunday
David Moyes is playing for legendary status. Getting West Ham into the Champions League would be WILD. I find the idea that he’ll care about Sunday silly.
What does this all mean for Arsenal?
THIS GAME IS FUCKING DANGEROUS.
The fans that have been the biggest pearl clutches about this season are the most arrogant.
‘We should SMASH them’
‘West Ham ain’t got a chance’
‘Moyesy will give it to us’
No, no, no, no, no.
This game is a huge banana skin.
We have historical precedence for being idiots when it comes to so-called ‘easy’ games.
Remember when Danny W rose like a peds induced dolphin to score against Leicester in 2016? Remember we all thought we were gonna march to the title? Remember that we played a massively depleted United the game after? DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED?
We lost 3-2 to a two goal Marcus Rashford Debut and an Anders Herrera goal.
No game in this league is easy.
We have a young squad. These kids we have are more than capable of thinking a West Ham with no centre-backs will be easy. DO NOT make that mistake as fans. This is one of the biggest games of the season. If we show up believing we’ll win, we will get the BIGGEST slapdown from the footballing gods.
David Moyes will be telling his players, ‘make this the first win of a two-win week, ma wee bonnie lads.’
Arsenal players cannot let complacency, like the sort we saw against Palace, creep in this weekend.
Mikel Arteta needs to show his tactical flexibility as well.
Bring something new to the party. Does he go with two strikers against a team that won’t attack?
Think about that Spurs game. Does he put Cedric in at left-back knowing that Tavares will be ripped open by Anotonio Conte?
Does he fire the players up to down West Ham early, knowing a first goal for Arsenal might be insurmountable for a team thinking about Thursday?
The West Ham players will put up a fight, remember they held Chelsea until 90+ minutes. But also remember if we smash into them early, run them ragged, and make them overexert when they are thinking about Thursday… they might just let Arsenal happen to them.
The prize on offer is huge.
Liverpool will likely beat Spurs at Anfield.
If we can beat Leeds at home, which will be tough under a more robust Jesse Marsch system, we could go into the North London Top 4 Cup Final 5 points clear.
Fuck any of the next two games and life gets very, very tough against a far more experienced manager, with far more experienced players.
West Ham in a North London derby is the final correction post our three terrible losses. It is an essential 3 points. But it will be nightmarish.
Let’s see what Mikel and the boys have, I think Saka is going to be available, so we have all the tools to deliver a beastly performance and show the league we are not fucking around.
Finally, before I go, I wanted to share something personal for the second time in 15 years (sry).
I work in advertising. You generally get paired in teams. A writer, which is me. An art director, who makes things look pretty (very basic summation, sorry ADs). Together, we make ideas for brands.
I’ll cut right to the chase. My first New York partner was a guy called Doug T. When we first met, he thought I was a pretentious ass, we had a fight, vowed never to work together… but our boss, a guy called Pierre, told us to fix it because we’d like each other.
We fixed it.
We DID like each other.
I was less of an ass, but only, like, 10% less.
We built a department and made some really dumb work together (this is good in our world). One of the pieces won a fancy award that was my first.
When you have a partner in advertising, you live in the trenches and each other’s lives. We would hash out conquering the world over stupidly expensive Spicy Margs in TriBeCa every week whilst smoking Marlboro Lights like we were the real Madmen. It was a great period and formative. We shared some really special moments.
Well, I lost him this weekend. Like most pandemic relationships, I didn’t reach out as often as I should have, and weirdly, I was thinking about him on Friday, I didn’t call, now he’s gone.
He was a fucking awesome guy. Spiritual in a way I’d love to be, details oriented in a way I am not, and an absolute monster of a character… especially in a professional setting, where he’d get away with shit no other person I knew could. What I loved about him most – he was a maker who used his skills to contribute to bettering those around him.
Anyway, he’s gone. Like too many men I know, he took his own life. I now know more people that have passed that way than I do that have left us via cancer. That is severely fucked up. I’m 37 years old and I’m double digits for this shit. All of them are guys (not to cut women out of this at all). Majority of people that read this site are men. So please, do me a favor, call your mates. I didn’t when I should have. Now I never can.
If you are having dark thoughts – and we all do – speak to your people.
Tell your work colleagues you are having a rough time.
Bring your family and friends in close, because they are there to support.
Don’t lean on the internet to be your connection point…
Tell those close to you there’s an issue and I promise, your needs will be answered with compassion.
There ain’t a person in your life that would ever turn you away or think you are a burden. Your problems will be welcomed with open arms because you have people that love you and there is NO problem you can’t solve together.
We lose too many awesome people in this world to long-term solutions for short-term problems. Check-in on your pals. If you are having problems, know there are people waiting to help. You are loved. x
Finally, if you have any spare pennies, I would love it if you could support my man Doug’s family. It’d mean the world to me.
Big love, Pedro x
Bankz is here for the tr4phy again
Okay let’s do this!
The coast looks clear for a BOOM
((((BOOOOM))))
4th
Too easy fellas.
I love this game ***in Evra’s voice***
We just have to win against West ham and Leeds.
Take 6 points from both games and we are good good
So sorry about your friend Pedro.
Hopefully he is resting in a better place now.
This hit too close to home pedro. RIP to your friend. It is tough as a guy to seek out for help. Depression is a tough thing to deal with. I am sorry for your loss pedro.
Good morrow
Pedro, my condolences to you and his family.
I really think we should beat westham. If we focus, we should get there. And who knows spurs might drop even more points against Leicester and we might not even need to draw at the WHL.
Pedro
So sorry to hear about your friend.
And you’re right to bring up the wider question of male suicide.
If you look at the figures it’s far more common than people think , especially amongst younger men.
It’s something that needs more attention.
Condolences Pedro.. It is the second time this year your post brings tears to my eyes. I am only 5 years your senior but I can relate.. way to many young men, men with young families and what looks on the outside a great life, have been taking their lives around me.
Nice send off, well done pedro
Condolences on your friend,
Sad to hear
West Ham will be no pushover and not entirely convinced they will rest as many players as we might like, not for the whole game at least,
They need a win to overtake Manure on GD and put themselves into the last EL place in the table, not sure they will put all their eggs in the one basket for next Thursday ?
Will need to get out of the traps very fast on Sunday.
Poignant, heartfelt, and very eloquent, Peds.
Well said, on a very tough subject, sorry for the loss of your friend.
I’m excited for what could be a big day in the season but fearful of us screwing it up given the nature of the carnival ride that is this season.
Pedro, sorry for your loss
we should beat WestHam. but they will make it a ohysical game of attrition with long balls in the channel and speedy wingers attacking our fullback and crossing with precision to players who love heading the ball. Arsenal is good at defending set pieces, but not very good at defending whipped crosses. I don’t know if it is the influence of our famed GoalKeeper coach, but Ramsdale is becoming the same flapping, indecisive bag of nerves than Leno under the high balls. Ben White against Antonio or their Czech midfielder Tomáš Souček seems like a bullying waiting to happen. Playing… Read more »
Suicide is the first cause of death for men in the age group below 40 years old in the UK.
Same in France and the US, so take care of each others.
So sorry for your loss Pedro, it’s a wonder you are able to write football at all. Life goes on I suppose.
Great post Pedro, I’m sorry for your loss. Thank you for bringing male suicide to the forefront once again as it still feels collectively not enough is being done in society to combat what I would describe as a health crisis when it comes to mental welfare of young men. I expect us to beat West Ham, not really seeing this one as the banana skin. They will certainly rest the Europa players and play players on the fringes that may already be on their summer holidays so to speak. Having said that I also think Leicester will lose to… Read more »
Very sorry for your loss Pedro. May he rest in peace
Sorry for your loss, sadly, as you mention, happening too often these days
I am so very sorry for your loss, for your mate Doug’s family, for all the people affected by his passing. You are right, call your friends, don’t wait for some sosh meeja update, use real contact. But also don’t beat yourself up too much. There are so many things outside our control and things we cannot prevent, however much we wish we could. If I may, I’d like to draw folks’ attention to CALM, the Campaign Against Living Miserably. My friends’ daughter Laura Cors is going into the boxing ring (!) to raise money for suicide awareness and prevention.… Read more »
So sorry for your loss.
Pedro
Sorry for your loss
Be very watchful of the survivors guilt; the questions of why didn’t I know or be able to do something?
Suicidal completion can be the result of very meticulous pre planning and preparation, such that even the closest people won’t have a clue.
Soldier on, you’re a champ of a dude.
Sorry for the loss Peds. Stay strong
What is the scenario later , if we are level on points , GD and head to head with Spurs at the end of the season ?
Heartfelt condolences Pedro, so sorry for your loss, but wise words as always and thank you for raising this incredibly sad issue
Pedro “If you are having dark thoughts – and we all do – speak to your people.Tell your work colleagues you are having a rough time. Bring your family and friends in close, because they are there to support.” This. Sorry to hear about the sad news. Your advice is spot on. I got involved in charity work a few years after I found a very good friend in his garage. I had popped around to pick up the team kit his wife had washed. You never get over it. Nobody had any idea he had mental health issues, he… Read more »
Really sorry to hear about losing Doug. I can’t speculate why it happened, but as someone who ran in the same types of circles as Pedro and him, I can say the industry can be pretty alienating and dispiriting. Even demeaning. You put a lot of effort into trying to create things, and feel a lot of pressure to perform. And it so often comes to nothing (or gets so contorted) that you feel you’ve wasted all your time and energy. Over and over and over. You’ve giving away a piece of yourself for nothing. Obviously life is much deeper… Read more »
Sorry for your loss Pedro.Very sad.Puts things into perspective when you read all the bickering that goes on here at times.As for West Ham,yep,another banana skin,more so for the news that Riley has ensured that none other than our old friend Mike Dean gets one last chance to f** k us over.In hisfinal prem game ever.A going away pressie for him.Hope not.🤞
Sorry for your loss Pedro.
There can never be too much promoted about mental health and unfortunately you still some some ‘old school’ people play it down.
Pedro
Sorry for the loss man. He looks like a stand-up guy. Depression is a bitch. I wish people start having conversations about mental health more often and societal taboo around this breaks away.
RIP….
Anyone seen this
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea-sale-latest-news-ineos-bid-b2068442.html
Condolences on your loss Pedro.
Sorry for your loss Pedro. My grandma passed away last weekend
Suicide is the worst. My eldest bro succumbed to it 8 years ago.
What a shitter depression can be
The Mavis deal was undervalued at the point we did it, so weird he was clearly a mid teeens minimum player selling for 3!
Direct read for saliba who we will cash in like 25m for who will be immediately available again at 40. 50. Terrible resource allocation
I’m sorry for your loss Pedro, I rarely comment but I’m an assiduous reader over the years, take care of your loved ones, life is too short
I’m very sorry for your loss Pedro. It’s truly horrible that you’ve had to experience losing people to suicide.
I have a good feeling about this game even though Pedro is right – it’s a banana skin. I’m sure there will be nerves. But I trust that Moyse’s ego will work in our favour. He has a chance to become a West Ham legend, and not by beating Arsenal in a game that means jack shit for them. He’ll probably rest players. And if we can get a good start, he might decide to rest a few more. If they go down a goal or two early on, I don’t see him bringing on the heavy artillery to chase… Read more »
Pedro – so sorry for your loss. This brings back a moment for me. A long time ago I was chatting in the sauna of my gym with my mate who i played squash with regularly. We and our wives all met socially and we went skiing together. Anyway in that conversation I stupidly blundered how I couldn’t understand anyone taking their own life. He was a stressed doctor who saw it differently. He calmly told me that those were thoughts of a rational person but rationality played no part in it. Twelve months later he took his own life.… Read more »
Sorry to hear the devastating news for you and Doug’s family – that’s heart rendering…..
Is there a link any where to send something through, as especially given the years of reading your blog (although agreeing to differ pretty often!) it’s then the least I can do?
Sorry about your friend. Good message
So sorry to hear that devastating news,Pedro.
I have seen a few of my old military friends go this way.
I am glad the people are not suffering anymore,but the people left behind really do.
No matter how bad people feel,it will pass-everything does,you just have to hang in there.
As for West Ham,watched them against Chelsea,I didnt think they carried much of a threat up front,hopefully we can get at them quickly.
I still would like to know why we were so poor after the international break.
Anyway, onwards Gunners.
Sorry to hear about your loss Pedro, he sounded like a total dude
I lost 3 friends/friends of friends — all male, all late 40s, early 50s in the same way within 5-months of each other
Sound advice x
Really sad to read your news Pedro. Hope you are ok. I’ve worked in the same industry for a long time also and its brutal. A timely reminder that we all need to make time to check in with our friends and family. Everyone is going through something they don’t talk about. A quick call, whats app, cup of coffee or swift pint makes the difference. Thank you for openly sharing. It really helps us (especially men) remember to open up and talk (not just about arsenal). Lets hope West Ham receive a spanking in honour of your pal. Keep… Read more »
Sorry for your loss, he sounded like a quality human being, he’s definitely gone to a better place 🙏🏾.
And based on past experience games that Arsenal fans usually say things like “we should definitely beat them” or “we’re on form so we should win” are the games that really make me nervous.
Pedro So sorry to hear about your friend. Condolences to his family. He looks like a real cool dude. Absolutely startling that so many people take their own lives. Shocking and terrifying and just so sad. Please people reach out and talk. I used to suffer from really bad eczema years ago from a young teenager to adulthood and it devastated me and made me so depressed. I didnt want to go out or do anything. I would never go down that route of suicide and feel like i could never do that to my family. They supported me so… Read more »
Sorry for your loss Pedro and all the people you know who’ve been affected by your firend’s passing
Jesus Pedro I can hardly read this sad post due the amount of tears in my eyes
So so sad & even sadder in context that we are worried about losing points to WHU
It’s a mad world we live in
So sorry for your loss & to his family & friends
Deepest sympathy to you and Doug’s family, Pedro. Very sad.
Solidarity with you Pedro, and anyone else who has experienced losses like this. On the game, I’d take a draw – WHU are 6 unbeaten at home and I just know we won’t make this run-in easy on ourselves…but think we’ll get over the line for 4th eventually
Sad news on top of sad news for you Pedro.
I really feel for you and your mates family.
Condolences to all.
Pedro!
Your candid words did hit home man!
Why do good people always die early and the horrible people never seem to age, not to talk about dieing.
Accept my heartfelt condolences and take comfort in hope of ressurection. That’s, if you believe in it!
Pedro,
We say at these times, “may his memory be a blessing.” Doug’s clearly is, given your heartfelt words.
We all scramble to make things work. Some of us are fortunate enough to have the needed support. As you fittingly reminded us today, our job is to help those who don’t.
My condolences to his family, friends – and to you.
My deepest sympathy Pedro.
Just read this through . It’s horrible and also terrible for those left behind to deal with the aftermath.
Im taking a guess that maybe he had some sudden onset mix of depression and anxiety that can lead to impulsive behaviour. It seems to affect men more and drags good people down very quickly.
I had a good friend of mine within our group of lads go the same way . So very sad, please accept my condolences for this awful event.
So sorry to hear about your friend Doug Pedro. While there may be more awareness of the issue these days it’s also true that the pressures on that group are even greater than ever too. I expect that many of us older hands have stories to share. For me I lost my childhood best friend way back in ’99. We hadn’t seen each other for some time since I had married and moved away but I got in touch and went to visit with my two young daughters. I found out that he had money issues, his wife had found… Read more »
MBappe is phenomenal… again.
Sorry about your mate Pedro
My condolences Pedro- heartfelt last few paragraphs
Hey Pedro
I haven’t contributed to the site for a while, but your post about your work friend got to me a bit. All of us need an outlet when the pressures, be they work or home related, get too much. You are right that we should turn to friends and loved ones for support. But being a real man is to volunteer support before it is asked for. More power to you.
I’ve got a good mate who’s suicidal.
Awful
Sorry to hear about your friend
The last 2 years have brought so much bad news all round
Peter
Your reading it wrong..
We will choke on Sunday .have done before and will again need right mentally… Getting there but not there yet
Sorry for your loss Pedro
Pedro 👍🏻 I have huge respect for your update. Wow. “I didn’t reach out as often as I should have, and weirdly, I was thinking about him on Friday, I didn’t call, now he’s gone.” This is what happened to me. On the night of his suicide, I didn’t want to call him, as I thought he was still in Thailand and I had developed at that time a weird aversion for phoning people. The call I got from his sister the next day broke me down for the next 10 years. RIP Douglas. It takes time. Stay strong Pedro!!!… Read more »
Sad news Pedro
I has similar news last week someone I grew up with was found dead in his flat after two weeks. Really sad to hear.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61276378
Pedro
Sorry about the demise of your friend/colleague. We need more info on the bit about supporting the family.
Is it just me who thinks it’s nuts that Rangnick has been allowed to take the Austria manager role whilst keeping his role at Utd??? The guy has not done anything well at Utd since he came. Yea, it’s a poisoned chalice but he hasn’t done shit with them since arriving. Meanwhile he’s saying they need 10 new players which he will need to have a very big hand in. The club is an absolute mess, total disarray. He is supposed to be central to the rebuild. But he has the time and energy to focus on the Austria national… Read more »
The worst thing about suicide is how the decision can be made in a blink of an eye as in my brothers case. We know this because the day after he died a deliver of his arrived at his place which was next day delivery. Why would he have ordered something online which only he would want to use if he hadn’t planned on being around to use it….? For me I’ve always said if I could go back in time, because of the butterfly effect I wouldn’t go too far back. But I’d have gone back to the exact… Read more »
Lots of emotional turmoil for you the last few months, Pedro, very testing times.
Mental health is a massive issue, because everyone of us is seeking acknowledgment and recognition, and it seems we are all distracted when it matters most.
It is a natural human emotion to feel under valued and under appreciated in an extremely demanding culture, but there are far too few outlets that are prepared to listen and help people through their personal crisis.
Sorry to hear of your loss, take forward with you the strength that forged your friendship and remember the good.
RIP Douglas.
Pedro That’s terribly sad about your buddy Doug, hang in there my friend. Suicide is the absolute worst way to lose someone dear to you. And I am very sorry to hear about your brother China. That’s heartbreaking the part about the gang of people that walked past him in his final moments without so much as a word and it must have been the very last straw for him if he was already on the brink. All it may have taken was a kind stranger in the right place at the right time. Hope you’re doing ok out your… Read more »
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/12601442/mikel-arteta-exclusive-interview-why-arsenal-cant-copy-liverpools-route-to-the-top-as-they-chase-top-four-finish
Stay strong, Pedro.
Sorry about your friend Pedro. It is really tough losing
Someone that way.
Sorry to hear your sad news Pedro, be kind to yourself as well!
Pedro, my condolences and cheers to your friend, I’m glad you have a place to share your memories of him and spread a positive message around his name in spite of the sadness you must be feeling. China I am so sorry about your brother. My older brother also committed suicide, at age 19. Having myself passed that age so long ago I can only laugh ruefully at how young 19 really is when I think about it now. He was already a bit of a celebrity in my mother’s country by that time and I think the industry got… Read more »
So sorry for you loss
That was a powerful read, Pedro.
It’s shocking to see that so many of us have similar experiences. It just shows how widespread this problem is.
Much sympathy Pedro. I reached very dark places 9 years ago, one person helped me through, she also had her demons, they took her three years ago, she passed alone in a bedsit, I hadn’t picked up the phone in months, should have done. Yours is a powerful message that we should all be wary of.
Condolences Pedro to your friend and his family and to all the posters with losses of similar nature. Peace, love & strength to you all.
Pedro, so sorry for your loss and no need to apologise to address real world stuff that needs more awareness. Thoughts are with his friends and family.
Some great points raised in this article about the West Ham game , mate. But more importantly, very sorry for your loss. You sharing in such a heartfelt way about Doug will undoubtedly help someone to find help and support, so massive props for that. Really hope you’ve been keeping well yourself. Take care, God bless.
Sorry Pedro, playing catch up after attending the West Ham game yesterday (my Doug – a Hammer – loaned me his season ticket!).
I’ve experienced two acquaintances who’ve taken their own lives in the last couple of years and I joined in with Crystal Palace fans and several Gooners in a walk – Walk & Talk – from Palace to Ashburton Grove in October 2019, on behalf of awareness of mental health and male suicide.
With you in all your sentiments and sorry for your loss.
Be good to yourself.