The 2026 Premier League Champions, Arsenal, kick off the 2026/27 season on Friday evening at the Emirates Stadium against newly promoted Coventry City.
As we are all well aware, it had been 22 years since we last were Champions. Patrick Vieira was the captain. He is now 50 years of age and has just been appointed as the new head coach of Senegal. Those of us of a certain age will not feel any better for that realisation.
The “Here We Go” title of this piece has become the somewhat hackneyed exclamation of this latest summer transfer window, as the online ITKs have attempted to raise our excitement levels to the point where we are simply forced to log on and click in to their latest revelations. Quite what they are in the know of is not clear. It certainly isn’t Premier League clubs’ transfer business. Personally, I refuse to join in and torture myself with the never ending rounds of Who will sign?, When will they sign?, Why haven’t they signed yet?, Which other clubs are “in the race” for this absolutely essential addition to our squad?
The typical fan reaction to another collapsed revelation is either “sack the board” or “Oh really, well they were too expensive and they wouldn’t have gotten playing time anyway!” Thank goodness that is all nearly over for another summer and we can get back to the stuff that matters – on the pitch. And so, at last, Here We Actually Go!
The Arsenal
The real additions to the Arsenal squad so far have been Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle and Illan Meslier from the wilderness, as either our number two or three keeper, presumably depending on whether we can find a club desperate enough to take Kepa Arrizabalaga off our hands – without dropping him, of course.
Christos Tzolis is a 24 year old, Greek international with a highly impressive goals and assists record for Club Brugge in the Belgian League which he can hopefully bring to the tougher environment of the Premier League. So far, he has scored or assisted in every game he has started in pre-season. He may not currently quite share the reputation of PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but he is much easier to spell and was discovered by the same veteran Italian scout, Maurizio Micheli, as the Georgian.
Illan Meslier is the French, 26 year old, 6’6” ex Lorient and Leeds goalkeeper who won international honours for France at U18, U19, U20 and U21 levels. He made his Leeds debut in January 2020 under Marcelo Bielsa, in a FA Cup tie against ….. Arsenal – an impressive performance in a 1-0 defeat which someone in Arteta’s team has presumably remembered. Leeds suffered a major loss of form in 2023 and their replacement manager, Sam Allardyce, apparently apportioned much of the blame to Meslier who made no further appearances. His replacement fared no better and Leeds were relegated. He resumed as Leeds keeper, with varying levels of success, until a loss of form cost him his place in 2025. He, and we, will be hoping he can return to his best in his new home.
Bruno Guimaraes has arrived from Newcastle and Martin Ødegaard has already said that the class of the Brazilian and the ease with which he has adapted to our playing style have been clear for all to see. Jorginho, still rubbing his left cheek, said “Pffttt!” Still, they are now ‘our’ Brazilian elbows and we can all be grateful they are now weapons to be used for rather than against us. On a serious note, he will be worth every penny of whatever we paid for him if he can inspire Ødegaard to the sort of form he produced last weekend against Manchester Cheaty. Ødegaard was LANS against City after so many absences last season. Guimaraes will hopefully allow Ødegaard to commit further forward, and we all saw the result of that – a tremendous performance and a quite brilliantly taken goal to put the game out of reach of Abu Dhabi.
There has been a lot of talk about Arsenal signing another elite striker. So far that has not been possible. Last season Martin Ødegaard played 60+ minutes in only 11 PL games. Bukayo Saka played 60+ minutes in 21 PL games. Kai Havertz played 60+ minutes in just 5 PL games. Imagine the impact on our attack if those three players were fit for even 25 games each this season.
That is why it is so important that the changes to the medical, rehab and conditioning departments that TTG detailed in his latest piece are successful. We shall see.
On Wednesday we agreed terms with Aston Villa to sign Ezri Konsa for £50 million as backup for William Saliba and also for the troublesome right back spot. Personally, I hope that doesn’t affect Christhian Mosquera badly as he has been excellent when called on. It also suggests that Jurrien Timber is still a long way from fitness. Pierro Hincapié completes our business to date as he has now signed permanently following his season loan.
These are exciting times for the Arsenal and I can’t wait to see the best of our flowing, attacking football after the necessary pragmatism of last season. Due to the positional awareness that Arteta drills into the players, no other team can attack with quite the same fluency. The new additions already look excellent. They will give the obvious added benefits of tactical variety and more rest and recovery for some of those who had to play too much last term.
Coventry City
And so to Coventry City. It’s hard to find much of a complimentary nature written about Coventry, the place. The first thing the visitor encounters – and I have personal experience – is the Ring Road. Navigating the Coventry ring road for the first time isn’t driving; it’s an extreme psychological obstacle course where your GPS starts crying. Many years ago my wife injured her hand on a tennis coaches course in Coventry. She couldn’t drive home and I had to go and rescue her and her car. Fortunately, I had to take the train and taxi or I would simply never have got there. Getting out was an absolute nightmare. I would certainly never try to drive there again. Even Lady Godiva used to go in and out by horse rather than drive. Locals will tell you that the reason the ducks in Coventry fly upside down is because there’s nothing worth shitting on below them.
For a long time, the best joke about Coventry City’s stadium was that they didn’t have one. Rival fans used to chant that Coventry’s “home” games required a map, a packed lunch, and a 35-mile trip to Northampton or Birmingham. However, since 2005 they have been housed in the Coventry Building Society Arena, commonly called the CBS Arena. It’s a 32,609 seater stadium located on Judds Lane in Foleshill, Coventry, and features a major exhibition hall, hotel, and casino. (Precise location details for C100, CER and sons.)
ESPN are reporting that Coventry are leading the race for Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk. There’s a race? Really? They have signed teenage forward Sidiki Cherif from Turkish side Fenerbahce, and the club has backed boss Frank Lampard in the transfer window, with significant deals executed for Caleb Yirenkyi, Carl Rushworth, Loum Tchaouna, Aurele Amenda and Taiwo Awoniyi, as well as a club-return for Gustavo Hamer. Awoniyi has arrived from Nottingham Forest where he has done well against us in the past, so one to keep an eye on for Pierro Hincapié or Riccardo Calafiori.
While respecting Coventry’s achievement in reaching the Premier League, I think most of us would have to look at that list of recruits and say “Whoooo?” Even their social media team became legendary for making player signing announcements look like they were filmed on a 2004 Nokia phone in a dimly lit hallway. Fans loved it because it looked less like a Premier League transfer and more like a proof-of-life hostage video.
Arsenal v Coventry history
There is very little recent history between the two clubs. They haven’t met in the league since around the turn of the century. There was one League cup tie in 2012 which Arsenal won 6-1, and a FA Cup tie in 2014 which Arsenal won 4-0. Neither result will have any relevance to Friday’s fixture.
The Team
Selecting a starting XI from our new squad is a pleasure and a puzzle. So, here goes –
Raya
White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori
Ødegaard, Lewis-Skelly, Guimaraes
Madueke, Havertz, Tzolis.
The eagle-eyed amongst you will notice that is the same team that started the Community Shield game. There were reasons for that selection and I think that barring injury the same XI will start on Friday.
In other news …..
I thought this season, rather than a history of our opponents, which Ned does far better anyway, I would try to put the game in the context of other football related issues happening currently.
Firstly, Richard Garlick has become one of the first senior figures at a top club to speak out publicly about the frustrations surrounding the ongoing delay of any announcement on the Manchester City fraud and non-compliance trial. Despite being concluded over 18 months ago, Garlick has said that everyone is frustrated at the lack of an announcement and that Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd and Tottenham served legal notices on City in 2024 reserving the right to seek compensation if the club is found guilty, with some having estimated potential losses of over £100 million.
Despite being under investigation City spent over £100 million in January and a further £151 million so far this summer, including a club record £116 million for Elliot Anderson. They have also spent almost £700 million since being charged in February 2023 and won six major trophies in that time.
Some of these figures were news to me and it is good to see our club finally starting to publicly criticise the process.
Paul Scholes was, and continues to be, always very quick to criticise the Arsenal. Well he’s been driving very quick too – too quick, in fact, and was caught twice in Cleckheaton, West Yorks, and Greater Manchester. He failed to respond to police letters in both cases and has been given a six month driving ban, and ordered to pay costs totalling £1,472. Probably very little to him but it’s always nice to see the horrible little goblin in trouble.
A note from Osaka Matt…
The HolicsRopeyLeague is once again open to all in the Arsenal community! – please feel free to join us (Entry Code: 18nlle) and stand toe-to-toe with elite-level managers across the Goonerverse! And me! (And me too! Ed.))
Only two rules as ever
- No Spuds allowed in your squad at any time
- Must be at least one Arsenal player in the squad at all times
And finally …
I can’t wait to see the team in action again – especially after a mouth watering display against City last weekend.
When I looked up Coventry City online, the first thing I saw was “Arsenal vs Coventry City, Friday 21 Aug, 20.00” Was that a score forecast or the kick off time, I wondered 🤷♂️
Please put that down to over excitement rather than arrogance 😉
Come on you Reds !
Excellent, Trev. Here, indeed, we go again, even though it seems like only the blink of an eye since there we went.
Thanks for the name check. If i have a penchant for history, it is probably because I am old enough that most of it is current affairs to me.
Predictathon players: Less than 24 hours to get your entry in if you have not already done so. The Arsenal will be going for back-to-back titles but Potsticker is seeking a three-peat!
Thanks Trev for a great preview – that’s a high standard you’ve set for the upcoming season.
Our additions to the squad are all very positive and it will make nominating the starting Xl even more difficult to predict. Let’s hope the injury gods are more sympathetic this season and we are not subject to referees uniquely applying the new rules to us – it’s been in their dna of late.
Having got the monkey off our back of 3 consecutive 2cnd places I hope we can now revert to a more attacking version which is pleasing to the eye. The visitors will be somewhat unknown as to their level but a nice 3-0 win to kick start the retention of our EPL champions trophy will be perfect.
COYRRR
I hadn’t spotted that aspect of Dick Garlick’s contribution. I do find myself wondering why so few Man Citi press conferences include questions about their many charges. Come to that I wonder why any Premier League press conference doesn’t hear the question asked. It can’t be our fearless gentlemen of the press asleep at the wheel, but I’m hanged if I can think of any other explanation.
No need to go mad tomorrow night. A nice comfy 2-0 will be quite enough.
COYG
A first class season opener Trev. I think you’ve got the likely team right unless the rumours about Bruno’s hamstring are correct. In which case we may see Rice for 45 then Zubimendi for 45. I hadn’t heard your upside down ducks joke before and it really cracked me up. I went to a conference many years ago in Warwick University which turned out to be in Coventry. They had wisely named it something else.
Uply, I’ll see your 3-0 and raise my hopes for 4-0.
Best thing to come out of Coventry was The Specials!
Thanks Trev, great preview to start the season. Entertaining stuff
and good news on the execrable Scholes for good measure
I think your side looks about right, but after a careful reading of
MA’s presser I think Bath is probably right about the absence of
Bruno.
The ducks should try harder as Richard Keys is from Coventry.
A very enjoyable preview for our season opener! Thanks Trev.
Bruno took little time to establish his Arsenal credentials – injury in his first appearance.
🙂 Hopefully a very short-lived one.
My preferred starting eleven would include Dowman ahead of Madueke on the left, but I suppose Mikel will start with Noni. My preferred line-up
Raya
White-Mosquera-Gabriel-Calafiori
Ødegaard-Rice-MLS
Dowman-Havertz-Tzolis
3-0 sounds reasonable!
Come on Arsenal!
Lovely preview Trev. Kinda has been confirmed this morning, a very pleasing and solid buy that ticks a lot of boxes.
From Twitter
Arsenal have reportedly rewarded their academy players with £20,000 bonuses for their contribution to last season’s Premier League title win. 🏆
Several Hale End youngsters regularly trained with Mikel Arteta’s first team, helping prepare the senior squad for matches by acting as opposition during training sessions.
Even though some did not make competitive appearances, Arsenal recognised the behind-the-scenes work they put in throughout the season.
A reported £20,000 thank-you payment was given to those involved.
What a fantastic gesture from the club. ❤️👏#afc
My predictive spelling does not like the word Konsa. Konsa. And he’s now a Gooner.
And we start again!
Cheers Trev!
Another season of frustrating ballots (so far : one success, one not applied, one failure), randomly (mostly) bumping into other Goonerholics, unpredictability in the predictathon, and, hopefully, more trophies.
Fully agree on the Coventry Ring Road. A true nightmare to get into and out of that I had to negotiate a little too often in my six months there.
Only been to Highfield Road once during that time (a Cup match vs Blackpool, my main memory being McAllister being head and shoulders the best player on the pitch). I obviously have no idea about the new stadium.
And just hoping Awoniy (who has precedents against us) is not this year’s Micky Quinn.
£85m for Savinho is crazy. Bought from Girona for £31m. 53 appearances, two goals.How is he worth £85M? Many loudly castigate Arsenal for not achieving higher prices but something smells about this.
Thank you, gents !
C100 – seems Tottenham are paying over the odds for Savinho and under the odds for Marmoush. City get the total amount they wanted for the pair but get away with a lesser sell on fee to whoever Marmoush came from. Is there nothing that cesspit of a club won’t cheat at ?
Predictathon deadline day!
Nearly all of last year’s players are back in (don’t dally, last-minuters). We also welcome a couple of new entrants.
If you haven’t played before, there is still time to get an entry in before the 7 pm cut-off time (UK time). The entry blank is here:
https://www.goonerholicsforever.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Entry-blank-2026-27.xlsx
Manchester City have announced a multi year deal with Durex.
Please insert your own joke here.
https://x.com/city_xtra/status/2090772989180571746?s=61&t=cVFjCyGkt4y-Ne45LtfqkQ
Great preview Trev . Entertaining and detailed in equal measure . I too have negotiated the Coventry traffic system and did so while there was a professional cycle race going on . Horrendous experience!
It’s disappointing that Bruno who was signed because of his robustness has tweaked his hamstring already.
Trev points out the dubious C130y sales approach and in Savinho’s case like with Tonali and Fernandes there is the Spud desperation premium which looks to be about 30% . That’s around £80 million they’ve overpaid this summer .
I shall be there this evening . I think PG’s 2-0 might be about right
Heh C100. As long as it’s only a joke…
Well, what with that and a 60 point deduction, that’s two reasons they could come last this season 😳
I’ve been sent to Coventry on many occasions but I’ve never actually visited the city. I haven’t read anything in either the preview or the drinks that would encourage me to change that situation.
Fine piece, Trev. I like your team, but then again our squad is so strong that had you written three different versions of the team sheet I would probably have liked them too. I do hope Zubi doesn’t fall too far down the pecking order midst the current enthusiasm for Bruno and MLS. He’s a quality player and I’d be very happy to see him, Trossard and Martinelli at some stage tonight. A late kick and run contribution from Victor would also be welcome.
It’s quite a while since I’ve been in the stadium for the season opener and I’m looking forward to it.
BtM – better take at least your opera glasses if you’re hoping to see Trossard …. 😳
Maybe we’ve moved back in time? You start the season in great shape, Trev! 🙂
C100@16: Health and wellness partner in China. (Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink. Say no more…)
I see City also has an official Sleep partner, committed to ‘innovation to deliver the highest standards of performance’, whatever that means.
The two sponsors make natural bedfellows. I’ll get my coat…
You couldn’t make it up
Bruno is expected to be out for a few weeks according to the Telegraph
Do we get 14 days to return him for a refund ?
Can we return him within 14 days for a refund ? Tell them we’ve changed our toon …
No big deal. He had an ice pack on after the CS but was skipping about on the field afterwards. Ten days between tonight and Villa. My guess is he’ll start at Villa Park. But we’ve plenty of cover in midfield.
@21 Heh, opera glasses always in my hip pocket in the base case, something more potent required for Trossard though.
I’m blaming the spillchucker : Dowman to Trossard in one easy shuffle. Couldn’t possibly have been my brain cell doing that.
It’s all that longing for Belgian waffle, BtM.
Konsa done.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ckg97jpkkego
Here is a random matchday stat: Of all our UK-born players, only Ben White (Poole) and Max Dowman (Chelmsford) weren’t born within 15 miles of the Emirates as the crow flies. MLS (Denmark Hill), Declan (Kingston), Eze (Greenwich), Nwaneri (Islington), Nelson (Elephant), Bukayo (Ealing) and Noni (Barnet) are all Londoners, as is our newest recruit, Ezri Konsa (Silvertown in the Docks).
Tick-tock. Tick-tock. We’re in the final hour before the Predictathon lists close. Still time to get in a last-minute entry!
https://www.goonerholicsforever.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Entry-blank-2026-27.xlsx
Raya
White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori
Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Odegaard
Saka, Tzolis, Havertz.
Bench: Arrizabalaga, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Merino, Eze, Nwaneri, Madueke, Dowman, Gyokeres.
Evening all!
New season, yay!
Anyone got a stream for the match?
Haven’t had to do that bollix for a few years now…..
Have a mate here in France that gave me his codes for Canal +.
He recently un-subscribed because of a problem with them, and is sadly too unwell to do anything about it….the last of his problems..
I don’t watch telly except for arsenal matches, so won’t be paying through the nose for the subscription.
Anyway, here’s to retaining the title for the first time since the 30s!!!
And a first CL to boot!!
That was a very straightforward stroll in the park. Oh for the skipper to get that much space between the lines to work his magic in every game, although I doubt that he will.
Separately, the lists for the 26-27 GHF Predictathon are now closed, and the game is officially underway with a field of 24, the same as last time. Good luck to one and all.
Nearly every player has by now donated to Willow, for which our thanks. Your generosity really does make a difference. If you’ve yet to chip in, use the link to the GHF Willow funding page under the Guv’nor’s picture at the top right of this page. Do it now, while you remember.
JML 👋👋
Yeah, it’s nice to get back to real football Good win and we’re off and running. My only
worry is how similar this year’s press is to last year’s media waffle about the mugsmashers being stone cold certainties to retain their crown and most pundits having us in 3rd. The same useless halfwits are writing the same articles this season!
Job done. We looked fantastic at times with swift movement of the ball and complex interplay all across the front line. Keep it up, fellas.
>>>>>>>>>>>>