Photo from Arsenal.com
Morning all.
I love the above photo, probably because it’s two of many of my favourite players over the years. Even Jack Wilshere looks young in the photo let alone the much younger boy with him. Who’d have thought back then that he’d now be keeping a Spanish International footballer out of the team? Of course, it’s Myles Lewis-Skelly. Any thought Arsenal might have had about selling him, if they did of course, should have been binned by now. Question marks over Ethan Nwaneri might still exist but personally, I’d prefer to see him playing a lot more for Arsenal before any decision is made about him. His loan was a disaster not necessarily of his own making.
I know it’s only been a few days since being confirmed as Premier League Champions but there’s still a very important fixture left to play. No, I don’t mean against Crystal Palace on Sunday but the Champions League Final against PSG a week on Saturday at 5pm. With that in mind, what might Mikel Arteta do on Sunday I wonder? Rest a lot of players or approach it in the same way he would any other fixture during a season? The former of the two I hope.
The only thing I care about Sunday is not picking up injuries. Crystal Palace are in the same boat so we might just see a game which resembles a pre season friendly with neither side going at it all guns blazing. It’s going to be hot too, high 20’s apparently.
Of all the Arsenal goals Kai Havertz has scored since moving from Chelsea, the one on Monday night is his most important as without it, we’d be going into Sundays game in a very different situation. Now though, we can sit back, relax and watch the game knowing this group of players are Premier League Champions.
Mikel Arteta spoke to the media yesterday with a big fat grin on his face. Rightly so. What he’s now achieved is amazing but he never fails to acknowledge it’s not just about him. Football is a team game, from the once much maligned owners, right through to the tea lady. Everyone plays his or her part. Without the Kroenke family sanctioning all the signings we as club have made, we wouldn’t be where we are now. Look around at other clubs, the way they’ve invested compared to results on the pitch. Yes we might have a moan every now and again but that’s healthy. Where Arsenal are as a club right now and the journey to get here, it’s healthy. Better than healthy. Also, had the Kroenke family not supported the Mikel Arteta appointed in 2019, we might still be drifting along. They deserve every ounce of credit from every single fan in my opinion.
As for our Mikel Arteta, he took a club which was in a mess, with an utterly cheesed off fan base and did one simple thing. Talk to them/us. He told us to be patient, he told us to believe and despite my own belief sometimes wavering, not only did he talk the talk but he’s walked the walk. If any manager deserves this Premier League title, it’s him because despite having the verbal kitchen sink thrown his way in the back pages and media sites, he’s stood tall through it all.
So thank you Mikel, thank you everyone at Arsenal Football Club, you’ve done all of us proud.
Now go and win the Champions League.
Catch up in the comments.
PS. Pep is definitely going.. Good!