North London derbies have provided special memories for Arsenal in the past. Only seven losses in 49 have clearly shown the red side of London to be dominant. However, with Spurs four places higher in the league, and their straight-forward victory in the 50th derby, the last at White Hart Lane, it seems a sign that the power struggle is turning in their favour.
By The Football Blog
Last Thursday night, The Hive Stadium hosted the international friendly Nigeria against Senegal. With stars including Alex Iwobi, Idrissa Gueye, Kelechi Iheanacho, Cheikhou Kouyaté and most notably, Sadio Mané taking to the pitch, this was not the calibre of player with which the Barnet home ground was familiar.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has recently been in talks with LA Galaxy, discussing a move to the United States in the summer. Although he is heading towards the end of his career, the Manchester United frontman is still one of the best strikers in the Premier League, currently the fifth top scorer.
‘Wenger Out’ supporters were given yet more fuel for their fire on Tuesday night. There were fans chanting anti-Wenger slogans before the match, and even more after. Arsenal’s European humiliation, having now exited the Champions’ League from the last 16for seven years in a row, may be the final death knell for Wenger’s Arsenal career.
During the pre-match interview, Arsène Wenger stood in a small room in the Sutton United stadium, answering questions next to the bed in which the reserve goalkeeper sleeps three nights a week. This was a comical affair. It was lapped up by the ex-players and pundits, who hailed Sutton for providing a 'real FA cup tie’, in which a semi-professional side can take on a Premier League club. Although 105 division places and £1.4 billion separates the two teams, there really isn't much difference between them.
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With Chelsea racing into the distance relatively unopposed, Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal looks to be finishing a thirteenth consecutive season without a Premier League title. With Gunners fans becoming increasingly restless and Wenger’s contract expiring at the end of the season, it seems ever more likely that his 21 year reign may come to end this season.
This season has once again exposed the top-flight referees.
Slaven Bilic recently announced that Dimitri Payet would not be playing for or training with the West Ham first team for the foreseeable future because “he does not want to play for us”. One often hears of tube drivers taking days off work to protest for their rights, but now Payet, who earns an estimated £125,000 a week, has gone on strike. After having a £19 million Marseille bid rejected against Payet’s wishes, does he have the right to refuse to play?
2017 has only just begun, and already the Premier League has produced some sensational footballing moments. Giroud’s scorpion kick against Crystal Palace is being named goal of the season, Chelsea have continued their nearly record-breaking form, and Arsenal have managed to come from 3-0 down to draw against Bournemouth in a thriller on Tuesday night.