The latest Interlull has given us an opportunity to invite a number of those who post occasionally in the ‘Drinks’ to give their views on aspects of the season so far. We are lucky in having a degree of geographical diversity among Holics who post in the blog and a range of life experiences. This gives us a broad and very valuable range of views.
We asked a number of these Holics for their thoughts and we are most grateful for their comments and ideas. Our correspondents were Depressed Gooner, BtM, Noosa Gooner, Sancho Panza and Ollie so their views span a range of different situations and vantage points.
What do you think of the season from an Arsenal perspective ?
Ollie: Mostly a frustrating season. Difficult to argue that mistakes weren’t made, namely and obviously, the absence of a top central striker signing. There were a couple of moments of illusions (in particular the City match or PSV recently, and to some extent the faintly ridiculous idea that Merino was THE solution having scored a late brace after coming in against Leicester), but once Jesùs and then Havertz picked up injuries, there was realistically very little chance of winning the league, Liverpool blip/collapse or not. Not that other aspects of our game (i.e. actual good chance creation) had been all that amazing for the rest of the season so far.
Our share of bad luck? Certainly, between the injuries and the repeated one/off refereeing decisions (do they count as ‘luck’ though?), but there were possibly too many ingredients missing already. You could argue that City being so shit was some unexpected luck coming our way.
On the other hand, you could also say that Liverpool have had a lot of good fortune keeping everyone fit all the time in particular.
The FA Cup exit was a big disappointment, without much of a mitigating factor, given United played a fair chunk of the game with ten men.
The Champions League, however unrealistic, still offers a glimmer of hope, where we can play more serenely. Who knows?
BtM: Prior to the start of the season, I was super confident that we would win the title this year. City’s ageing midfield and Liverpool’s reliance on the fitness of an ancient Egyptian relic contrasted favourably with our strengthened and youthful squad. What I didn’t anticipate were early injuries to our new acquisitions; a substantial period of play without our captain and most creative midfielder; surgery to our prolific assister Ben White; 4/5 never seen before – never to be seen again red cards and a head clash penalty award that falls into the same never, never category.
These setbacks were followed quickly by injuries to four attacking starters for Brazil’s, Germany’s and England’s national teams that left our attacking destroyer holed below the waterline. That Arsenal are second in the PL and into the last 16 of the CL despite these attack rending injuries and refereeing anomalies is a quite remarkable accomplishment.
City faded as anticipated, but Liverpool enjoyed extreme good fortune on the fitness front and, some would say (and I wouldn’t disagree with them) more favourable PGMOL treatment than Arsenal received and furthermore they enjoyed an astonishing Havertz goal cancellation on their visit to Emirates stadium enabling them to take away a point that their performance didn’t deserve. They’ve played quite well, but had our first team not been so badly depleted by injury, the race for league leadership would still be well underway and a nail biter.
I seem to be one of the few who don’t think the last two transfer windows were disasters. I would have loved Benjamin Sesko or Isak to have joined our squad, but I still think we had a starting pool of players good enough to win the title.
However, I do think that Bukayo Saka was overplayed. There were some matches when it was difficult to believe that he was still on the field, never mind had started.
Depressed Gooner: We’ve been unlucky with ‘only for us’ red cards and a team load of injuries but we’ve also played poorly for far longer than any of us expected and never recovered our swagger of the last two years leading to some hard to watch games and regrettably dropped points.
Sancho Panza: The table doesn’t lie. We have spent the majority of the season in 2nd place, whereas last season, we were first until we got pipped right at the end. We’ve scored fewer goals, won fewer games, and drawn more. I think we have been less entertaining and struggled to break down teams that set themselves up to defend and play on the break. In short, I think we have regressed due to players losing form, injuries to key players, and poor decision-making by officials. We also had poor summer recruitment, although I’m less bothered by the January window. Yes, we have had loads of bad luck, but we have made mistakes on and off the pitch.
Noosa Gooner: I don’t believe it’s an either/or answer but rather a combination of things including both mistakes and bad luck.
We don’t really need hindsight to know that it was a mistake to leave our squad this season without an additional striker. It was said before the summer transfer window closed and despite a number of names and options being canvassed, a striker obviously did not eventuate. Perhaps letting Nketiah leave before a new signing was made was therefore also a mistake.
Were our sequence of concurrent injuries simply bad luck or were mistakes made in the management of playing workloads, rotation and/or training schedules? Some injuries are unavoidable but the number of hamstring injuries may suggest something else other than bad luck.
Despite all this, as noted in recent drinks, the fact that we are still second to an outstanding season from the bin-dippers and in the quarter finals of Big Ears should be celebrated, albeit with a tinge of “what-if” disappointment after the last couple of seasons have raised expectations even further.
Are you happy with Mikel Arteta as manager ?
Noosa Gooner: Absolutely. I loved MA as an Everton player and always wanted him to join Arsenal where I thought he was a wonderful player and captain. To my mind his sojourn at City was always an apprenticeship for Arsenal manager and I was disappointed when he was overlooked for Emery. What he has achieved here has been well canvassed and I do not doubt that more silverware will follow with the right support from the club.
Sancho Panza: I like Arteta a lot, but I do wonder about his inexperience sometimes. He seems quite inflexible, and we are not often shocked by his selections and substitutions. We have a weaker squad this season, which is inexplicable, really.
BtM: Delighted. His leadership, consistency of messaging, tactical nous and ability to motivate are all best in class. He inherited a broken nightmare from Unai Emery and has patiently and methodically improved his inheritance toward a beautiful dream that everyone associated with the Arsenal can and will be proud to share.
The question for me is not does “Arteta Out” have any validity (it doesn’t); rather, in four years, will keeping “Arteta In” be a challenge Arsenal can manage successfully when hard to resist golden carrots are dangled before him from several of Europe’s top clubs.
Depressed Gooner: Not really, I’m not convinced that his arrogance allows him to realise the mistakes he makes as they keep getting repeated with seemingly no learning from them at all, also we still don’t seem to have a Plan B for when teams just block defend against us.
Ollie: Yes, he can be frustrating at times, but I am generally very happy with him as our manager. Next season, provided we get the ‘right’ signings, may be a huge one for him though.
What are the priorities for our new Sporting Director when he begins his role?
Noosa Gooner: I am uncertain of the job spec’ for this role but would hope that it includes the following priorities:
Extending contracts for those key players that we wish to keep for the long-term, prioritising those with two or less years left on existing contracts.
Working with MA to identify short and long-term targets to improve/solidify the squad.
Don’t be a discounter! Make sure we pay and receive fair and appropriate fees for our transfer dealings. No fire sales please!
Ollie: Centre forward quite clearly and obviously, possibly or probably a winger depending on outgoing transfers? An extra creative player of sorts anyway, although Nwaneri could take on some of those duties rather than just be Saka cover on the right.
Assuming Partey will depart and Jorginho will also leave or at least doesn’t have the legs to play much, a midfielder or two (Zubimendi obviously mooted). There’s a lot to consider depending where Mikel sees the likes of Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly playing as they may not be currently playing in their favoured or best position. The central striker/finisher is the only clear absolute priority.
Depressed Gooner: Striker, striker, striker at least that way we’ll have cover when they get sent off or injured.
BtM: 1) Ensure long term retention of Saliba, Saka, Ødegaard and Gabriel;
2) Sign Martin Zubimendi to secure our midfield post Jorginho and Partey;
3) Sign a potent, disruptive striker – Benjamin Sesko would be my choice;
4) Sign a left sided winger (Nico Williams or Semenyo) to replace Trossard.
Sancho Panza: I would love some creativity in the team more than anything, even more than a striker. There are loads of goals in this team if only we could find that spark.
If you could make changes to the refereeing regime in the UK what would they be (if any?)
BtM: The 3Cs come to mind. Competent, Consistent and not Corrupt. Almost unbelievably, PGMOL scores extremely lowly on the first two of these and is getting dangerously close to the ragged edge on the third with some of the antics it appears to approve.
Reduced inherent regional bias should be mitigated by the inclusion of the world’s best referees in PL games to achieve best-in-class standards. This will require increased expenditure on salaries (to counter peanuts and monkeys syndrome). Increasing competence and consistency using improved skills development techniques and independent critical, constructive, post-match appraisals – with results available for public scrutiny, would pay dividends by raising standards.
Depressed Gooner: Just be bloody consistent and stop picking on Arsenal as test cases – scratch that! Get rid of all of them and their corruption and start with a true team of professionals and not pally pals!
Sancho Panza: Referees from all over Europe would really improve things. Not changing the rules halfway through a season would also help.
Ollie: Don’t get me started!…..PGMOL out! 🙂
Noosa Gooner: Unlike many observers, I do not think that corruption or other conspiracy theories are prevalent in refereeing ranks. My observation is really that the standards of refereeing are just not very good. In my opinion, as both a former player and referee (purely amateur), the laws of the game are easy to learn but understanding the spirit and application of them is another matter.
Some of the red card decisions against us this year have been ridiculous, but I believe as a result of poor judgement and poor man management of the game rather than anything sinister – referees showing a lack of control of the game, some of whom have never even played the game.
Organisational change is obviously required to ensure better oversight, better national representation, better training etc. but above all is a need for more transparency and openness from the refereeing bodies. Allowing referees and their masters to explain their decisions after matches if needed, admit where mistakes may have been made, discuss why controversial decisions were made and be more a part of the game rather than a self-governing law unto themselves.
Are you happy with the club ownership? If you could do so, what message would you pass to them?
Noosa Gooner: Given the anxiety surrounding the early days of the current ownership I am reasonably happy with the way that things have gradually developed and the level of representation in the running of the club.
My one message for the owners would be to respect the history, support the manager and the supporters and continue to invest with an eye to the future.
Ollie: I think these sort of considerations are a bit beyond me, to be honest. I am glad we swerved Usmanov, but after that, the owners now (not just ours) are just big capitalists, and when you see how the ticketing (and online shopping, I had a little brush with that very recently) is handled, we may not just have become ‘customers not fans’, but also not very considered customers, just cash cows.
Depressed Gooner: Very happy with the owners now that they are backing the team to try and win something – hopefully soon. Keep backing us and you will be rewarded.
Sancho Panza: Spend some fuckin’ money! Actually, I think they’re alright as billionaires go.
BtM: Very happy. Pleased to see that the Kroenkes appear interested and willing to facilitate funding without being overly involved in squad tinkering. Delighted to see that they don’t use the Arsenal as an income stream. If I had one message for the owners it would be to look at investment in a European associate ‘feeder’ team which appears to be a necessary next step in Arsenal’s move toward best in world performance.
A much higher level of focus and results on commercial/sponsorship income is essential to elevate Arsenal into the top 5 in Europe.
Should stadium modifications be a priority?
Ollie: Not particularly. More capacity would be welcome to accommodate more fans, but given the system and the outlook, it becomes only about money either way, and I’ll be curious to see what happens when we have another non-competitive period (I was going to write non-successful, but trophies haven’t been too forthcoming either since the COVID FA Cup). Also, unless swiftly done in the summer, any change might mean lowering the capacity temporarily.
As for safe-standing areas, from what the club had said at some point when communicating over the subject for a survey, oddly I think it meant a small reduction too? Not to mention that a big part of the North Bank and Clock End lower tiers are already de facto safe-standing areas so I don’t see much point in any alteration when it comes to that particular topic.
As a side-point, I have seriously been considering stopping match attendance over the last two seasons (mostly due to the ballot system and huge reduction in the number of tickets available to Silver members), but somehow so far, reasonable success at getting tickets, and the social side (possibly combined with a little Eurostar addiction to keep my frequent traveller status) has kept me going.
Depressed Gooner: Nope, priority needs to be performance led first with success on the pitch leading to increased profitability with stadium reinvigoration to follow.
Sancho Panza: The stadium is going to look really tired in the not too distant future if it doesn’t already. I’m not really on top of any proposed modifications.
BtM: Increased seating (+10k) would result in increased matchday revenue of the order of £15M pa and might increase home support “noise”. I suspect London planners may block any such increase on the basis that local infrastructure is barely adequate for current capacity. Not a big deal for me.
Noosa Gooner: I’ve never been to the stadium so wouldn’t know what modifications are required.
What I would say is that continued building of the club’s playing strengths should always come first and that a huge waiting list for season tickets suggests that other issues like stadium modifications are still some way down the list of overall priorities.
May I reiterate my thanks for these prompt and extremely valuable responses. Going back to the days of the Goonerholic site one of the key features of this precious space was the balance and sense of proportion that was exhibited in most of the views expressed. As most teams have experienced, Arsenal went through a fractious period in the later Wenger and brief Emery years but, on Goonerholic’s Drinks, we have always been able to interact with civility and with an ultimate focus on the interests of the club. These insights carry on this tradition and indicate that even in a relatively disappointing season (in that many of us hoped to win the title) there is much to celebrate in what we have at Arsenal. We face a potentially exciting end to the season that could, at the time of writing, still end in a remarkable way.
Well said, all round. A lot of common sense expressed there. The Guv’nor would be proud.
Thanks for the great work, TTG.
It is interesting to see that, this not being a ‘round table’ but completely independent replies, there is still a fair amount of common opinion on several topic, differing mostly only in nuances.
I commend Sancho Panza for his insight on the stadium looking tired sooner rather than later. Perversely, we may have had a first-mover disadvantage in going from Highbury to the Ems when we did. Stadium design and functionality have advanced so rapidly in the past five to ten years. Multi-use is increasingly crucial for revenue generation; there are not just use fees to be had but new sponsorship and merchandising opportunities. We’ll celebrate 20 years at the Ems next year. My bold prediction is that we won’t celebrate 30 years there.
Also, I second BtM’s suggestion that we need a European feeder club, if more as a necessary development tool than a warehouse for tradeable young talent. I wonder where Balogun or Biereth, for example, would be playing now if we had had a club in a strong European league outside the Big Five to send them to at the critical stage of development where they needed to be playing senior football regularly, but would not have had many chances to do so in our first team. Given that the Kroenkes also own the Colorado Rapids in the MLS, does Arsenal take sufficient advantage of that connection? The standard of football in the MLS has advanced significantly in recent years. I would be interested in the views of those on this side of the Pond who watch it regularly, but I would hazard that the weakest MLS teams could survive in the Championship and the best in the bottom half of the PL.
I am grateful to CER for sharing this helpful and illuminating study on
our finances which I think reflects well on KSE and the current management
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6131043/2025/03/20/the-bookkeeper-arsenal-finances-transfer-psr/
Really good financial analysis of the club. A long read but worth it.
TTG@5 and CER, by extension: Thanks for sharing that link. It was a lucid exposition of our financial situation, although it told us nothing not already learnt from Swiss Ramble. I recognise that not everyone subscribes to Substacks, so if the Athletic can spread football financial literacy more widely for a more modest subscription charge, I am all for that.
I was pulled up by the point that refinancing the stadium debt gave us a sporting advantage as if that was somehow underhand, but I may have read more between the lines than is there.
I would love to read a piece about how Arsenal fits into the broader financial landscape of the Kroenkes’ sporting empire. We talk of the club having a sustainable business model as if it were still its own universe. Yet it is not. Bumping along at a modest loss each year might be more than acceptable to the Kroenkes if that generates tax losses they can deploy against profits elsewhere, and they can also extract cash, such as from interest payments on their loans to the club or media services fees. The capital value of their asset will continue to grow, regardless.
TTG, thanks for posting that link up. I found it quite interesting and generally positive.
To Ned’s point, @6, I’d like to see that kind of analysis too. The mass medi like to portray football finance as simply about the relevant club. It’s so much wider than that these days, with multi club models and global financial structures being used to offer advantages – both within and without the rules.
Thanks to TTG for pulling together the piece above too, as well as the contributors who took the time to provide their considered opinions. This place continues to be a light in the darkness of the internet. Well played , All.
Thanks all for your interesting views – and TTG for putting it all together.
First thought that comes from it is that BtM should be running our commercial department which still seems to be lagging behind the top performers – while I’m saying that on the basis of an impression rather than any real knowledge.
Many thanks to TTG for presenting this feature and the well thought out responses to the questions raised. Certainly as far as the participants showed there is a general consensus that as much as the club is in a far better place than when Arteta took over, it is time to move on the the next phase. Let’s hope next season we don’t encounter tbe same amount of issues with injuries, PGMOL and the necessary squad ins & outs are successfully concluded. Simples!
Meanwhile there is a lot to play for in whst remains of this season with the mouth watering Q/F v Real Madrid to look forward to.
Goal for MLS on his debut.
Youngest player to score on his England debut, apparently.
Thanks TTG and all participating Holics for an interesting read. It’s perhaps unsurprising that there is so much consensus amongst Gooners who post in the Drinks. I am sure that this blog doesn’t appeal the confrontational “Arteta out!” “The team is shit!” and “Spend some feckin’ money” brigade. On the other hand we are by no means a bunch of happy clappers. Differences in the opinions expressed are small and would, I think, be easily resolved over a couple of pints. To that end, there are a dozen virtual glasses of virtual fine ale sitting on the virtual bar for you all.
A fascinating read above all. Thanks so much for your efforts.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, he’s one of our own. One of my favourite moments of the season. And I’m not usually that invested in international football.
England v Argentina – 2026 World Cup Final
England team
Pickford – Everton
White – Arsenal
Guehi – Arsenal
Konsa – Aston Villa
Lewis-Skelly – Arsenal
Rice – Arsenal
Bellingham – Real Madrid
Saka – Arsenal
Nwaneri- Arsenal
Watkins- Arsenal
Palmer- Chelsea
😀😀😀
Good and well considered opinions all around in this piece, and many thanks to TTG for putting it all together.
Thanks TTG and all, an enjoyable read while I am stuck
in a Seoul hotel room for a couple of days waiting to get back to the UK……
Pleased for MLS as well, though not surprised as he has already done very well
against better teams than Albania.
TTG @14 😱 Surely Rammy before Pickford 😉
TTG@14: 👍 but I hope the presence of Guehi doesn’t imply you foresee the breaking up of the Saliba-Gabriel partnership next season.
Ned
I will write in midweek about that . I think as Le Grove suggested this week we have hard decisions to take to raise money but those guys are precious!
I must report an epiphany. I have never been enthusiastic about the women’s game but I had the rare pleasure of watching the Arsenal Ladies live yesterday. I was very impressed with the technical abilities and athleticism of our team and their fluid movement of the ball was reminiscent of the mens teams at their best. The opposition was of course facilitatory in that by not sitting in a ten (wo)man low block. A further pleasure was the relative absence of the cynical side of the game though the opposition did have a couple of forwards who would fall over at every opportunity. The referee was very good throughout and didn’t fall for their nonsense. Liverpool got a well deserved drubbing in the end.
Our ladies scored a couple of lovely goals – the third was a cracker, and a couple of scrappy ones that seem now to have gone down as own goals, winning 4-0. They were 3-0 up at half time and a 5-0 HT lead would not have flattered them as they hit both posts and forced countless last ditch blocks from defenders and saves from the keeper.
A very nice day out (partly the result of fewer crowds) and I’ll certainly do it again as the ballots for first team tickets have been ungenerous of late.
TTG@18: I await, intruiged.
bath219: Sounds a grand day out. The standards of the women’s game are increasing by leaps and bounds. Thirty-five thousand in the stadium is testimony in itself.
Bath
I was driving during the start of the game but caught up with it before half-time . It was terrific entertainment and it is clear from a number of interviews with the key players in the team that they love playing at THOF in front of such large, enthusiastic crowds .
The men’s team is currently lacking a player like Russo who has learnt the art of playing as a lone striker since she joined and she uses her physicality well .
We also have a lot of very good footballers- Caldentey , Pelova ( thankfully back), Cooney- Cross, Little , Williamson and Fox as well as penetrative wingers . I just wish the goalkeepers were better ( that’s a general comment not a comment on our keepers ). I find lady goalies very fragile and prone to error .
TTG, it’s by no means the same game. There’s much less physicality – not entirely a bad thing – and much less violence – also a good thing. I suspect it’s closer to the game itself inventors imagined.
Bath@22: Not sure about your last sentence. Early football was rugby with no handling, just kicking.
You’re right, NBN @23. I had an idealistic delusion!
Bath@24: Better than having deluded ideals.
Lovely piece in the Athletic (££) about Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly growing up together at Hale End.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6221621/2025/03/24/arsenal-myles-lewis-skelly-ethan-nwaneri/
@26: Thanks for the link. Indeed, a delightful read. Interesting that the Academy was prepping MLS to be a left-back 18 months ago. Implies there is more thought going into the first team’s long-term needs than might be apparent from the outside.
Credit where credit is due. That should have been C100@26 immediately above.
A decent range of opinions and a good read. I thoroughly enjoyed that, thanks guys.
Ethan scores for the U21s!
https://streamin.me/v/eb6bc94d
David @29 – you’re welcome, dint be a stranger..
C100 @30 – you know, I think that lad might have a future if he plays his cards right……
And 21CG tells me that Partey has scored twice against the mighty Madagascar…..
Welcome, David @29. Thanks for the feedback. Don’t be a stranger.
C100 @30 what a peach!
Ethan and MLS having quite the round of the internationals, and well deserved success on those stages. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
DS@29: Let me add my welcome to those of others. Come back often.
Nwaneri’s goal was really Nwaneriesque. Beautifully bent and buried.
C100, Thanks for the link @30. Cracking goal and may
all our opponents give Ethan as much room 😄
I noticed England have quite a strong looking u21s team these days.
Great goal. He doesn’t do tap-ins.
Bah, Matt, we beat them 5-3 on Friday.
(Ethan stayed on the bench until late for that one though).
Ollie,
We? Japan you mean? 😉
>>>>>>>