I COUNTED THEM OUT, AND I COUNTED THEM ALL BACK!

An emphatic win at home to Crystal Palace was followed by a tense week as we watched our players fly off to play for their respective countries. Would a cruel twist of fate hit us where it hurts before we make our final charge of the season. Relief when Saka was substituted in Italy was only surpassed when he walked off the Wembley pitch unscathed. Agent Rodri was going around trying to take out any Arsenal player he came across, fortunately Odegaard and Tierney survived his sabotage attempts.

So thankfully all our players have returned unscathed and Arteta will be fine tuning them for the Leeds game this weekend, we can breathe easily....for now!

Saka has been performing incredibly for Arsenal for some time, but he is really hitting new levels now. I must admit when he earned his man of the match award after scoring a cracker and creating an assist for Kane, for the first time ever a small feeling of dread entered my mind. This young man is on fire, and now on an international radar. The world is absolutely his oyster. Yes, he has grown up at Arsenal and yes it appears great things are happening at the club, but do we really know what he is thinking? He might have a personal ambition to play for one of the big clubs in Spain or Italy where he could name his price. Could Man City tempt him with guaranteed challenges for every trophy there is? However, before my niggle had time to become a full-blown paranoid break down the news was leaked that it appears Saka is about to sign a new £300k pw contract. What a moment that will be.

Prior to our storming win against Palace, we were treated to a marathon night of cup football in the Europa Cup. A slow start by Arsenal who then took the lead and there was a real sense of job done in the Stadium. However, Sporting demonstrated that they are a decent team and should be taken seriously and came back strong in the second half. They then produced a moment that really opened old wounds. I have cried a handful of times at a football match, one being on the 10th May 1995. Sitting behind the Real Zaragoza's goal at the Parc Des Princes in the Cup Winners Cup final with the score 1-1 and the game reaching the last minute of extra time and everyone mentally preparing for a penalty shoot-out, Arsenal fans singing 'We'll win because we are Arsenal', ex Spurs player Nayim decided to take a shot from the half-way line. The singing stopped as we watched the ball loop all the way towards the goal with Seamen desperately stepping backwards to stop it. He failed and the ball was in the net after sailing over his head. The scene in front of us was awful, players running around going wild, the noise of the Spanish fans ringing around the stadium, Ian Wright just lying flat out on the floor. The final whistle was blown immediately after the restart and that was it. I remember sitting down with my Arsenal flag covering my face and thinking 'my word it's a long way home!'

So, it was like Deja vu when Ramsdale was beaten by a similar shot for Sportings equaliser. Arteta responded by sending on the calvary but to no avail and penalties it was. Ramsdale managed to reach his hands to the ball on a couple of penalties but frustratingly could not keep them out, and as a result we were out. I was so disappointed as I really saw this season as an opportunity to win only our third European trophy, and if as hoped we are set to have a sustained period back in the Champions League this task will be more difficult.

However, my biggest gripe of the night was not on the pitch, when as always, the players gave their heart and souls, but off it! Liverpool are renowned for their special 'European Atmospheres'. Opposing teams certainly know about it as they stand there listening the the Kop singing their anthem and the crescendo of noise that follows. The burst of adrenalin this no doubt gives the Liverpool players is an obvious boost and advantage to them. So now it is Arsenal's turn to create this special atmosphere, we have our new fantastic anthem, so we are good to go. So, the Anthem is played, the screens show incredible Arsenal goals as the tension is built for the start of the game....the Anthem has finished.....the footage of the goals have finished.....but no teams on the pitch.....! The whole stadium is now left waiting for them to actually appear! And when they do the moment has gone! What possessed the club to play the Anthem before the teams were even on the pitch? The stadium was far from full so not many sang it anyway, it was woeful! The game started with the crowd so flat which without doubt played into Sportings hands. Arsenal, please sort this out for next year when hopefully we will be playing on a bigger stage and will need all the help we can get!!

It was fantastic news that Wenger has been inducted into the Premier League Hall of fame along with Sir Alex Ferguson. Both incredibly deserving of this honour. Sir Alex has proved to be an incredible manager, achieving great things without the need for the riches enjoyed by modern team's successes like Man City and Chelsea. However, anyone who questions the merit of Wenger, who would no doubt be Sir Wenger if he was British, being seen on equal footing as the great Sir Alex are being lazy, ignorant, agenda driven or all three.

It has been well documented that English football used to be seen as a joke around Europe. English football was not as technical and suffered with a drinking culture. Wenger arrived and things changed, dramatically! It is absolutely no coincidence that Wenger led Arsenal to a double in his first full season as the manager. The team were healthier and fitter than all the teams around them who were still being left in the dark ages, and probably still allowed to eat Mars bars - something Wenger famously banned from the team coach after games. The football on display was like nothing seen from an English team, it was simply beautiful, it was art. Merson came out a fantastic quote - 'Wenger gives us unbelievable belief!'. He had expressed prior to Wengers arrival of his amazement that Bergkamp would actually return to the practice field after lunch, whilst no doubt many of the other players were off for some liquid refreshments. A true example of the chasm in attitudes in the UK to that of the continent that Wenger began to revolutionise. Gary Neville and co could not continue to just kick Arsenal players every time they played as it was their only option to stop them. They had to adapt as well, along with other teams, and as the league attracted more international players this effect just accelerated and we are where are now as a result....having the best League in the world. So just for this Wenger deserves his accolade, not to mention a little matter of leading his team to an invincible season! Bravo Mr Wenger!!

So, Leeds face us at The Emirates, I hope we have learned from the Bournemouth game, as Leeds will be up for this, and I also hope the organisers have learned from the Sporting game and they time the Anthem just right to get the crowd singing the roof off!

Thanks again for reading, speak soon!

Rob. @gooner145

**PLEASE SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE**