Arsenal Thread | 2025/26

[Stoned Rose]

Not forgetting their best three payers are in their 30's and obviously will be another year older and slower

Have you never heard of the transfer window mate?

 

[Blue Abroad]

The most infuriating thing about the West Ham equaliser being disallowed yesterday is not even the fact that both Rice and Trossard were rugby tackling their attackers (and Gabrielle was doing his fake fall and holding Pablo’s shirt whilst doing it routine so Pablo couldn’t jump), but that the whole scrum in the box that lead to Pablo fouling Raya is entirely down to Arsenal forcing every team to grapple in the box on every set piece to combat their MMA tactics this season.

The entire situation only happened because of persistent, widespread, and mostly unpunished fouling by Arsenal players on every set piece in every match, and yet they may end up winning the league because of it (not only because this pivotal goal was chalked off, but because of all of the goals they scored that won them points by employing these deplorable tactics).

They are on course to have scored the fewest goals from open play of any title winner in PL history, so no one can reasonably argue that it didn’t have a substantial impact on their title challenge.

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

A few months back — I think it was on here — I read that you can't be committing a foul while the ball is not yet in play. The poster who put it seemed fairly certain about the rule. I confess I was unaware of that. If that is the rule then I think it is a totally cretinous one, but what can you say?
Anyone who can enlighten me about this one? Preferably with a bit of quoted official text to back up (i.e. not just an opinion).

The ball was well in play for both the fouls committed by Trossard and Rice. And the impact of those fouls was to push the West Ham player towards the Arsenal keeper.

 

[BlueNomad]

The most infuriating thing about the West Ham equaliser being disallowed yesterday is not even the fact that both Rice and Trossard were rugby tackling their attackers (and Gabrielle was doing his fake fall and holding Pablo’s shirt whilst doing it routine so Pablo couldn’t jump), but that the whole scrum in the box that lead to Pablo fouling Raya is entirely down to Arsenal forcing every team to grapple in the box on every set piece to combat their MMA tactics this season.

The entire situation only happened because of persistent, widespread, and mostly unpunished fouling by Arsenal players on every set piece in every match, and yet they may end up winning the league because of it (not only because this pivotal goal was chalked off, but because of all of the goals they scored that won them points by employing these deplorable tactics).

They are on course to have scored the fewest goals from open play of any title winner in PL history, so no one can reasonably argue that it didn’t have a substantial impact on their title challenge.

As the BBC pointed out…

“For all the talk about jostling and pushing, West Ham's is the only goal to be ruled out for it on VAR review this season.

Four goals have been chalked off for a foul, but not for this reason.”

Game 36 of 38, during which time ONE THIRD OF ARSENAL’S GOALS have been from goalmouth melees involving Arsenal players trying (and succeeding!) to gain an unfair advantage, but it took until THE LAST MINUTE OF A SIGNIFICANT TITLE AND RELEGATION DOGFIGHT, which could cost West Ham about $100+M and half of their first team squad next season, and gift Arsenal their first PL title in decades!

To boot, the VAR is a ref who was downgraded earlier this season for an egregious VAR mistake, so he was damned if he was going to make another one…right??!!

4 minutes and 11 seconds later he had sifted through FIVE “CLEAR AND OBVIOUS” FOULS, DISMISSED FOUR OF THEM, EVEN THOUGH TWO OF THEM COULD HAVE BEEN A PENALTY, AND DECIDED THIS ONE SPECIFIC CONTACT WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS A “CLEAR AND OBVIOUS” ERROR BY THE ONFIELD REFEREE…WHO HAD AWARDED THE GOAL!!!

I try very, very hard to not be an “AGENDA” fan, but sometimes it’s very, very hard to see past what appears to be PAINFULLY OBVIOUS BIAS!

Corners have become an absolute mess ever since clubs realized Arsenal were actually getting away with the assaults on every corner. Whether it was holding, climbing, picks and blocks, or just straightforward stopping the goalkeeper from getting near the ball, EVERY OTHER TEAM realized PGMOL had declared open season on holding, blocking, etc…until they didn’t!

For this ENTIRE season to literally (possibly) boil down to this ONE VAR DECISION for FOUR clubs IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS, just about sums up just how bad this season has been from both a refereeing perspective and the level of “skill” used to win the League, if Arsenal succeed.

I’m not one to throw Scudamore’s open admission regarding the PL wanting different title winners, nor would I suggest that it would greatly pain the PL (and the PL voting cabal) to see 115 City win the League yet again after a generally mediocre season.

However, it does boggle the mind to think that City were on for domestic Treble, yet Darren England has probably put paid to the PL portion of that achievement, with the ONLY VAR OVERTURN FOR THIS FOUL DURING THE ENTIRE SEASON, IN ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT GAMES OF THE SEASON FOR FOUR TEAMS…AND IN THEIR WISDOM, PGMOL/PL HAS CHOSEN TO USE THIS SAME OFFICIAL TO CONTROL THE FA CUP FINAL, or the third leg of that potential domestic treble for City!!!

I’m trying hard to ignore the stars which seem to be aligning against us, but at times like this it gets harder and harder.

I’m now starting to wonder when the 115 decision will come down, and thinking the week after robbing us of the Treble might be perfect timing for the PL?!!!

 

[Cigs&Alc]

The ball was well in play for both the fouls committed by Trossard and Rice. And the impact of those fouls was to push the West Ham player towards the Arsenal keeper.

At the end of the day if Raya isn't pulled, he gets hands to ball and there's no goal. That is fundamentally all that matters. It is a foul.

This is the culmination of 36 MWs of the PGMOL not giving a toss about it.

 

[Chak19]

At the end of the day if Raya isn't pulled, he gets hands to ball and there's no goal. That is fundamentally all that matters. It is a foul.

This is the culmination of 36 MWs of the PGMOL not giving a toss about it.

At the end of the day you're still a tarquin and you ain't fooling no one.

 

[Cigs&Alc]

At the end of the day you're still a tarquin and you ain't fooling no one.

If you say so

 

[Bluekiwi]

Craig Burley had an interesting rant about the non-goal and Arteta's reaction on ESPN this morning

 

[WestGorton]

Nobody likes them and they care.

 

[roach3]

The way arsealona fans are behaving if pep does go at end of season how long after announcement will they be claiming they've scared him off

They will celebrate that more than winning league.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

At the end of the day if Raya isn't pulled, he gets hands to ball and there's no goal. That is fundamentally all that matters. It is a foul.

This is the culmination of 36 MWs of the PGMOL not giving a toss about it.

There were multiple incidents immediately prior to the contact on Raya that should have resulted in a penalty, so there's that.

Face it, they've shithoused the league this season, sanctioned by the PL and facilitated by the PIGMOL.

 

[lust overlord]

I’ll guarantee you now mate those cunts will be up there next season.

The CL will mean they can attract better players and they’ll add 4-5 so they can cope with the extra demands.

Possibly.

But also possible they spunk the money on players who dont add anything,or need too much time to bed in.
They've got form for this.
Too early to call either way whether they are back.

 

[Pablo123]

If they don’t win back to back leagues they are aren’t a great team they just a big standard fluky fuckers!

The new Leicester.

 

[Nellies left peg]

Merson said on sky that if Raya had caught it then West Ham would have been awarded a penalty!! What parallel universe does this twat live in?

 

[Cigs&Alc]

There were multiple incidents immediately prior to the contact on Raya that should have resulted in a penalty, so there's that.

I don't disagree.

This is what I mean when I say the PGMOL haven't given a toss about it. It's a complete joke.

 

[manimanc]

These bellends should be home and dry by now with the league wrapped up.
They was 12 points ahead, 9 points ahead and out of sight for most of the season, the fact these bottle merchants might have to go to the last game to clinch it tells you all you need to know about their mentality.
Plus that Palace game won't be a gimme either.
Glasner's last home game and I'm sure he will want to go out with a bang.
I hope he picks a half decent team as I think this one could be a banana skin for mardarsenal.

 

[heslops barnet]

These bellends should be home and dry by now with the league wrapped up.
They was 12 points ahead, 9 points ahead and out of sight for most of the season, the fact these bottle merchants might have to go to the last game to clinch it tells you all you need to know about their mentality.
Plus that Palace game won't be a gimme either.
Glasner's last home game and I'm sure he will want to go out with a bang.
I hope he picks a half decent team as I think this one could be a banana skin for mardarsenal.

We can only hope……

 

[supercity88]

I’ll guarantee you now mate those cunts will be up there next season.

The CL will mean they can attract better players and they’ll add 4-5 so they can cope with the extra demands.

I don't think they will be, but they're heading in the right direction again. Recruitment has been better but Carrick won't take them to major titles.

Next season has the potential for a shock winner though. World Cup then so many in Europe could see a team that plays once a week for most of the season go and win the league.

We need to win another CL, I think Pep will want that but I'd personally be putting everything on the league title and sacrificing the rest. I think we would win it comfortably doing that. Not a chance Pep obliges though!

 

[Gumzy97]

Looks like Madrid have picked Arsenal as the next team to pick apart. Madrid podcaster who’s close with Perez saying that they want Saliba , Gabriel and Rice.

Saliba being easier even though his contract is long due to Mbappe being close with him and the French national team connection, They are nearly selling half their team this summer. Madrid are going to have a lot of funds

 

[Bluethemaway]

As the BBC pointed out…

“For all the talk about jostling and pushing, West Ham's is the only goal to be ruled out for it on VAR review this season.

Four goals have been chalked off for a foul, but not for this reason.”

Game 36 of 38, during which time ONE THIRD OF ARSENAL’S GOALS have been from goalmouth melees involving Arsenal players trying (and succeeding!) to gain an unfair advantage, but it took until THE LAST MINUTE OF A SIGNIFICANT TITLE AND RELEGATION DOGFIGHT, which could cost West Ham about $100+M and half of their first team squad next season, and gift Arsenal their first PL title in decades!

To boot, the VAR is a ref who was downgraded earlier this season for an egregious VAR mistake, so he was damned if he was going to make another one…right??!!

4 minutes and 11 seconds later he had sifted through FIVE “CLEAR AND OBVIOUS” FOULS, DISMISSED FOUR OF THEM, EVEN THOUGH TWO OF THEM COULD HAVE BEEN A PENALTY, AND DECIDED THIS ONE SPECIFIC CONTACT WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS A “CLEAR AND OBVIOUS” ERROR BY THE ONFIELD REFEREE…WHO HAD AWARDED THE GOAL!!!

I try very, very hard to not be an “AGENDA” fan, but sometimes it’s very, very hard to see past what appears to be PAINFULLY OBVIOUS BIAS!

Corners have become an absolute mess ever since clubs realized Arsenal were actually getting away with the assaults on every corner. Whether it was holding, climbing, picks and blocks, or just straightforward stopping the goalkeeper from getting near the ball, EVERY OTHER TEAM realized PGMOL had declared open season on holding, blocking, etc…until they didn’t!

For this ENTIRE season to literally (possibly) boil down to this ONE VAR DECISION for FOUR clubs IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS, just about sums up just how bad this season has been from both a refereeing perspective and the level of “skill” used to win the League, if Arsenal succeed.

I’m not one to throw Scudamore’s open admission regarding the PL wanting different title winners, nor would I suggest that it would greatly pain the PL (and the PL voting cabal) to see 115 City win the League yet again after a generally mediocre season.

However, it does boggle the mind to think that City were on for domestic Treble, yet Darren England has probably put paid to the PL portion of that achievement, with the ONLY VAR OVERTURN FOR THIS FOUL DURING THE ENTIRE SEASON, IN ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT GAMES OF THE SEASON FOR FOUR TEAMS…AND IN THEIR WISDOM, PGMOL/PL HAS CHOSEN TO USE THIS SAME OFFICIAL TO CONTROL THE FA CUP FINAL, or the third leg of that potential domestic treble for City!!!

I’m trying hard to ignore the stars which seem to be aligning against us, but at times like this it gets harder and harder.

I’m now starting to wonder when the 115 decision will come down, and thinking the week after robbing us of the Treble might be perfect timing for the PL?!!!

Excellent post.