4:17 AM EDT, Tue March 19, 2024
Can Arsenal Women keep slim title hopes alive?

Can Arsenal Women keep slim title hopes alive?

Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Arsenal Women travel to Chelsea, and must not lose to keep the possibility of a title on. Last week, after Arsenal Women blitzed Aston Villa with four first half goals to seal a place in the Conti Cup final, Lia Wälti and then Jonas Eidevall referenced the men’s team, who of course had scored 5 first half goals against Sheffield United. “We watched the men’s game a couple of days ago and we all said we would like to be more comfortable at half time. We said we wanted to be on them from the start and run them over.” It was...
Arsenal FC draw Bayern Munich in Champions League Quarterfinals

Arsenal FC draw Bayern Munich in Champions League Quarterfinals

Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via The more things change, the more they stay the same After punching their ticket to the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time in 14 years, Arsenal find themselves facing a familiar foe on their quest to raise their first CL trophy, drawing Harry Kane-led Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich on Friday morning during the CL quarterfinal draw. Arsenal vs Bayern #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/E2ulxGP4wt— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 15, 2024 It feels like destiny, in a way, that Arsenal would draw...
Ben White signs Arsenal extension

Ben White signs Arsenal extension

Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via The versatile defender secures his future with the Gunners In the wake of Arsenal’s nail-biting Champions League knockout victory over FC Porto, the club gave the fans another huge win, announcing the contract extension of defender Ben White on Thursday morning. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 14, 2024 Few players have enjoyed Arsenal’s dominant form in 2024 quite as much as White, whose performances have been among his best since joining the club in 2021. After a slow start...
Wednesday Cannon Fodder: a quiz, y’all

Wednesday Cannon Fodder: a quiz, y’all

Photo by Julian Finney/ Good Wednesday morning, TSFers. I’m still basking in the glow of Arsenal advancing on penalties past Porto. The Gunners are into the Quarterfinals of the Champions League and sitting top of the Premier League table mid-March. Regardless of where things stand at the end of May, we’ve got our Arsenal back. It’s tremendous. I’m also enjoying a bit of banter online, especially with Liverpool supporters, who once again have tried to make something about Arsenal all about them. I asked them when their next Champions League fixture is. The...
Arsenal 1 - FC Porto 0 (4-2): survive and advance

Arsenal 1 - FC Porto 0 (4-2): survive and advance

Photo by Shaun Botterill/ David Raya is a hero. It wasn’t pretty, but Arsenal did enough to advance against FC Porto. Martin Ødegaard set up Leandro Trossard in the first half for the critical goal to level the tie. David Raya came up with two massive saves in penalties. And that’s all she wrote. The Gunners are through to the Champions League Quarterfinals for the first time in 14 years. Porto, once again, were well set up, disciplined, and resolute. They made it difficult for Arsenal all night and amplified that frustration by diving and delaying at every...
Arsenal vs. FC Porto: what’s past is prologue?

Arsenal vs. FC Porto: what’s past is prologue?

Photo by Mike Hewitt/ Arsenal have it all to do at the Emirates. Arsenal host FC Porto at the Emirates in the Champions League on Tuesday evening. The Gunners are hoping to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit that came courtesy of a Galeno 94th minute wondergoal in Portugal. The setup — Arsenal trailing on aggregate heading home to the Emirates — should be a familiar one. The same situation presented itself in 2010, coincidentally the last time the Gunners advanced in the knockout stages of the Champions League. On that March evening 14 years ago (with yours truly in...
Arsenal vs FC Porto Preview: None Bigger

Arsenal vs FC Porto Preview: None Bigger

Arsenal host Porto for what their biggest match of the season to date Here we are, folks. On Tuesday, Arsenal will take the pitch at the Emirates against FC Porto in the Champions League knockout stage as the Gunners look to overturn a 1-0 result in the first leg and continue their quest to finally raise Europe’s most prestigious trophy. To say that this match is important is to criminally undersell it. The scope and scale of this match is massive for the club, the fans, the players, and the manager. Arsenal’s return to the CL after a 7 year absence has been long overdue,...
Arsenal 2 - Brentford 1: phew

Arsenal 2 - Brentford 1: phew

Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Kai Havertz scores again, Arsenal win again. In the end, Arsenal found a way to win against a stubborn Brentford side, although it was more tense than it needed to be. Dropping points at the Emirates to a Brentford team that had lost 12 of 16 in the Premier League and had one win from their last five would have been a near fatal blow to Arsenal’s title challenge, especially on the weekend where Liverpool face Manchester City, ensuring one or both will drop points. It would have been a deflating loss given the Bees’ only goal came...
Arsenal vs. Brentford match thread: sting the bees

Arsenal vs. Brentford match thread: sting the bees

Photo by Richard Heathcote/ The Gunners look to continue their winning ways against a struggling Brentford side. Arsenal host Brentford at the Emirates today with an opportunity to move to the top of the Premier League table. Liverpool and Manchester City don’t play each other until tomorrow, and if they draw, the Gunners, should they win today, would remain top. Regardless of the result in that match, it’s imperative Arsenal continue their winning ways. They can’t afford a wobble home to a Brentford side that has won one match in five. WHAT TO WATCH FOR David...
Paul Tierney to be Arsenal VAR after mistake

Paul Tierney to be Arsenal VAR after mistake

Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/ At least as VAR, he can’t mess up the dropped ball Law. Paul Tierney has been named the VAR for Arsenal’s match at the Emirates against Brentford this weekend. Normally, I don’t pay much mind to who the referee and VAR are for any given match. They’re all about the same level of mediocre to poor at this point. But Tierney being named this week is notable because he was at the center of a controversy in the Nottingham Forest - Liverpool match over the weekend. Deep into second half added time, Ibrahima Konaté went down in the...
Tuesday Cannon Fodder: noise

Tuesday Cannon Fodder: noise

Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/ Good Tuesday morning TSFers, although it isn’t all that great here in D.C. we’ve got in the forecast until the early afternoon (and three of the next four days). April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, not March showers. I would like a refund. Today, I wanted to talk a little bit about the noise and distractions surrounding Arsenal’s season. There is so much of it. Honestly, I don’t even want to get into what the idiots in the media and online are saying. None of it matters. What matters is our club and what they’re...
Arsenal 6 - Sheffield United 0: wow, just wow

Arsenal 6 - Sheffield United 0: wow, just wow

Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/ The Gunners continuing their high-flying, devastating play. Arsenal demolished Sheffield United 6-0 at Bramall Lane. A result that given the recent form of both sides shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise, even with the substantial scoreline. Martin Ødegaard opened the scoring in the 5th minute and Arsenal never looked back. The 5-0 lead at halftime set a club record and tied the Premier League record. The Gunners eased off the gas in the second half, only adding one goal to their haul, and using the full complement of five...
Arsenal vs. Sheffield United: firing on all cylinders

Arsenal vs. Sheffield United: firing on all cylinders

Photo by Julian Finney/ The Gunners are red hot. The Blades are not. Arsenal travel north to take on Sheffield United to wrap up Matchday 27 in the Premier League. The Blades have a 99% chance to be relegated per Opta. Last time out, teammates Jack Robinson and Vinicius Souza were involved in an on-field scuffle that VAR reviewed to ensure neither deserved sending off for what they did...to their teammate. I’m going to suggest that makes the Blades a bit more dangerous this week. That was an embarrassing, lowlight moment for the club this season, and they’ll want to...
Monday Cannon Fodder: over the weekend

Monday Cannon Fodder: over the weekend

Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/ Good morning, TSFers. It’s Monday and an Arsenal matchday. The other two teams at the top held serve, so the pressure is on the Gunners to take care of business at Sheffield United. There are no easy away days in the Premier League, at least not coming into the match. But I’m confident that Mikel Arteta will have ‘em ready to go and that this side, with their current form, won’t have a letdown. To the weekend action. Newcastle 3 - Wolves 0Really don’t know what to make of this one. Newcastle have been mediocre and Wolves...
Arsenal at Sheffield United Preview: Marching On

Arsenal at Sheffield United Preview: Marching On

Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Don’t bring a Blade to a Gunners fight… After one of the most successful Februaries in club history, Arsenal head into March in third place and in incandescent form, looking to extend their 6 match winning run in the league. The Gunners are sweeping teams aside and scoring goals like never before, averaging nearly 4.5 goals per match since their run began. Is their form unsustainable? Most likely. But has it been fun as hell to watch? Incredibly so. The Gunners will like their odds of extending their win streak as they hit...