Good youngsters.

2013-12-02 03:48#147406 Pauker : Wow, amazing youngsters, Jack Grealish's value :OOO

Unbelievable isn't he!! just played him for a couple games now am loaning him back out. Really surprises Elliot Wright is doing well just training him so much on strength and quickness! Joel Campbell looks promising !

2013-12-02 03:49#147407 Couragesand : Good youngsters.

Really excited about the next couple of years! a lot of good mentors for them to learn off of.

December started so well... we were 11 points clear at the top, we had beat Manchester United then came the dip in form. a 2-0 loss to Cardiff, a 0-0 draw with Fulham, a 0-0 draw Stoke and a 1-1 draw with Swansea has seen our lead cut to 4 points with Chelsea on our tails. We've had wins over Southampton, Newcastle and Norwich however.

Will Hughes and Jack Grealish came back from loan and I've sent Grealish back out to Hull and Hughes will stay with Morrison going out. This half a season at the club and half out of it on a loan looks like it will really give them the experience of playing but the chance to mix with our first team too.



Top Performers

Robert Lewandowski
21 goals in 24 games played. 13 coming in the league with 4 assists also.
He'd be nothing without the people who give him service however...

Wilshere and Ozil have been my best midfielders, Wilshere bagging 14 goals in 23 games with 5 assists and Ozil as only 4 goals but 13 assists in 25 matches played.


We have drawn PSG in the next round of the Champions League and after last years wins against them in our group I'm confident we can challenge them and beat them after strengthening hugely*


* We have signed Marquinhos in January for $6.25. But at the same time we have seen Mathieu Flamini leave for Parma. I just couldn't give him he time he needed on the pitch here and someone who loves the game as much as he does should never be held against his will.

Trophies are like buses...

The way Arsenal have transformed in the last two years is incredible and as the saying goes, wait for a bus and two come at once. Liken this to Arsenal's trophy wait and they got two last season, now they have two more. Four in two seasons shows a growing confidence and maturity in the Arsenal squad.
Ross has added well and sold well too. Allowing Sagna, Flamini, Giroud and Mertesacker to leave this year to allow the likes of Clyne, Marquinhos, Alvarez Balanta, Hughes challenge for first team spots. Giroud I am told wasn't going to leave but Ross ousted him as he didn't want Olivier's career to stutter at Arsenal when Leverkusen came knocking. Trying to displace Lewandowski from the first team was never probable.
AT the same time Ross has trusted in a few of his older heads to steer his youth in the right direction. Javi Garcia was loaned again this year, Mikel Arteta was also kept and Rosicky too... Ross has called Arteta his "Guardiola", his "eyes and ears" on the pitch. Arteta leads via his technical excellence and his calmness. Like Guardiola was, he is not fast or the strongest, but positionally, technically and mentally, he is one of the best.

Before gearing up for the Champions League Final, here are a few of the top stories from the second half of this season:
Clinical Wilshere vs. Creative Ozil



Jack Wilshere and Mesut Ozil are both vying for their favoured spot his year just behind the striker, Ozil provides assists when played there, and Wilshere gives you goals from there.
Jack Wilshere has scored 21 goals this year and provided 11 assists whilst Ozil has provided 9 goals but 19 assists in 45 matches. They swap positions constantly when playing and this duo has killed teams together this year when linking up with Lewandowski who has scored 36 goals. Wilshere claimed young player of the year this year with Ozil collecting player of the season. Both made it into the squad of the year along with Juan Jesus.


Ross comes up trumps

Louis Ross has never looked out of his depth at this club, even when the mind games from Mourinho came, he was unsettled. Ross has beat Chelsea to the title this year after snatching it from United's grasp last year, and his Arsenal side beat Chelsea to set up a final in Berlin against Monaco.


Champions League: Third time lucky for Arsenal?

Ross watched Arsenal lose to Barcelona in 2006, and never facing them as manager he cannot have his revenge. After losing last year to Manchester United he has been hell-bent on winning the competition this year. Crushing PSG, Juventus and Chelsea on the way to the final.

Elsewhere in Europe

Bundesliga
WINNERS: Dortmund
Champions League: Dortmund, Leverkusen, Schalke
Relegated: Werder Bremen, Dusseldorf, Mainz

La Liga
Winners: Real Madrid
Champions League: Atletico Madrid, Barcelona
Relegated: Recreativo, Levante, Almeria

Serie A
Winners : Fiorentina (YESSSS)
Champions League : AC Milan, Juventus
Relegated: Juve Stabia, Ternana, Cagliari

Ligue 1
Winners : PSG
Champions League: Lille, FC Lorient
Relegated: Racing Club de Lens, Toulouse, Stade Malherbe Caen

Portugese League
Winners: Porto
Champions League: Benfica, Braga
Relegated: Oliveirense, Beira-Mar


Stay tuned for the live blog of the match at 7:45. Interviews with Louis Ross post and pre-match will be available

Berlin is the venue tonight and Louis Ross joins us. How has the break since the end of the season helped you Louis, last year you had the break before the final that you lost, have you done anything differently ?

The break has been good, it's a good chance to re-charge our batteries and switch our focus completely onto the Final. Yeah last year was tough to take and there is more nerves this time as we want to get it spot on.

Nerves? just how nerve wracking is the occasion? Will it affect your performance?

It's a big occasion, sure there are nerves but the boys know what is expected. We have one through every detail. It will spur us on more.

Thank you Louis, we'll chat after. Good luck


Boys, everything that has happened in the two years we have been together is irrelevant tonight. Forget how well we have done this year, tonight is a one off match where mistakes will be punished. We found out the tough way last year and it cannot happen again. Remember how you felt after?
Boys Mikel sacrificed himself for you in the semi-final. Taking a yellow and denying Chelsea breaking and countering with numbers against us. If none of you are going to be willing to leave it all out on the pitch tonight, you won't be playing for me next year.

Success

3-1, Lewandowski, Wilshere and Clyne. For many this was dubbed Lewandowski vs. Falcao. both well into 30+ goals for the year and Lewandowski scoring 16 in the Champions League whilst Falcao got 15. This was what we had worked for. I'd won everything apart from the FA Cup in my time here, the Club World Championship was next on my list...



Later that night
RING RING...

Hello? withheld number? who's wishing me congratulations at 12am?!

Hello, Louis? This is Florentino Perez... Hiddink is gone,


I knew what was coming next

It is amazing how many comments you haven't got, and I'm amazed I haven't commented as you clearly put a lot of effort into these updates, anyway, fantastic win in the league and you did brilliant to get to the UCL final and win, well done.

2013-12-07 09:33#148160 AaronHJFT96 : It is amazing how many comments you haven't got, and I'm amazed I haven't commented as you clearly put a lot of effort into these updates, anyway, fantastic win in the league and you did brilliant to get to the UCL final and win, well done.

Thanks !!! If I've even got a few following that will be ok for me ! now to see if the manager takes the Madrid job!

Madrid calling

Mr Perez, is there anyone else in the frame for the job?

A couple, yes. You'll be given a fair chance and seeing what you have done you are my top candidate. We need to talk about what you can see yourself doing here at Madrid and the funds you will need to achieve your goals.

I'm going to need a couple of weeks to relax and think about this.

That's fine, speak soon.

"who was that boss?" The boys and Steve Bould didn't know what that conversation was about, We'd just won the Champions League I couldn't tell them yet.





.....

17 missed calls

Incoming call... Arsene Wenger

Hello Arsene

Louis, what are you thinking ?! the papers back home are quoting Florentino Perez as saying you have agreed to the Madrid job!!!

WHAT!? I mean he rang me but I told him to give me a few weeks...

You're business is not finished at Arsenal Louis, you can be the best manager they have ever had.


And that was it. My father in football had put me straight. I have unfinished business with Arsenal