AFTV News

The winners and losers of the summer transfer window By Jonny Bray It's been a dramatic summer transfer window, with top-quality players from around the world joining Premier League sides.  Even clubs tipped for relegation have targeted elite talents this summer.  But who are the window's winners and losers?  The Winners Arsenal Arsenal have strengthened their starting XI this summer, with several leading Premier League talents joining the Gunners.  In Gabriel Jesus the Gunners finally have a 20-goal-a-season striker, while in Oleksandr Zinchenko they have acquired a criminally underrated and versatile talent.  Then there's Fábio Vieira.  He's yet to make his debut for Arsenal, but all signs suggest that he'll make a significant impact on Mikel Arteta's side.  Add Matt Turner and Marquinhos to that list, and Arsenal have enjoyed the best summer of any of the top sides based on what fans have seen so far.  Crystal Palace Crystal Palace have gone ab...

Chelsea, Spurs or Arsenal - which London side has the strongest squad this season?  By Jonny Bray Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal have enjoyed excellent starts to the season. The Gunners are undefeated while the Blues and Spurs played out an excellent 2-2 draw after impressive opening day wins.  But which of these three London sides have the strongest squad heading into the rest of the season? Chelsea Chelsea are so strong at the back.  They have countless stars, with some exciting young players coming through.  In the heart of midfield they're arguably the best in the league, with a variety of versatile talents from N'Golo Kanté to Conor Gallagher.  They would win this debate hands down were it not for their achilles heel, the lack of a recognised centre-forward. When their wingers are at their best this isn't too much of a problem, but now they're out of form, it's clear they need more options.  Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz are both outstanding players, but...

What have we learnt from the first three episodes of All or Nothing By Matt Wright It’s finally dropped. We’ve known for a year that Arsenal were to be the latest subject of the glitzy All or Nothing series for Amazon Prime and now we’ve finally seen the results.   Depending on how much you enjoy their brand of behind-the-scenes (albeit the scenes their subject wants you to see) documentaries, you’ve either been anticipating or dreading the release.   Now the first three episodes are with us – the rest are being released on August 11 and 18 – here is what we have learnt so far…   The elephant in the room   OK, let’s address the sneak peak that went viral, particularly among opposition fans, this week: Mikel Arteta having speakers at the training ground playing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ in the build-up to Arsenal heading to Liverpool in an attempt to prepare his players for the (often overrated) Anfield atmosphere.   It’s certainly an unorthodox approach. It’s ...

Season Review: End of Season Awards By Jack Lacey-Hatton With the Champions League final and Championship play-off final rounding off the European club season this weekend, it won’t be long before attentions turn to 2022-23. Some supporters will see the last twelve months as a positive step forward for Arsenal and manager  Mikel Arteta, while others will be keen to move on after a missing out on the top four right at the end of the season, to fiercest rivals Tottenham. But before we start assessing summer transfer rumours and counting down the days till the next fixtures are revealed, 18 by the way, first we need to handout the Arsenal FanTV unofficial end of season awards. Ahead of the club's official Player of the Season award to be announced next week, here are our own picks after a rollercoaster season at the Emirates.   Player of the Season Bukayo Saka Sometimes you have to remind yourself where Arsenal would be without Bukayo Saka. The 20-year-old has once again ...

Did the first month of the season cost Arsenal Champions League football? By Tom Masters With the Premier League season done and dusted last Sunday, it is time to reflect on what ultimately proved to be a slightly disappointing season for Arsenal.  Missing out on Champions League football to rivals Tottenham, after losing to their fiercest rivals and to Newcastle United towards the end of the season, left a bittersweet taste in the mouth. But was it perhaps form earlier on in the season that cost the Arsenal a place among Europe’s elite?  There is a saying in the game that the first month of the season is not going to win you the title but it absolutely can lose you the title, and this can also apply to the Gunners quest for a return to Europe’s premier competition for the first time in five years.  So the question is, did the first month of the season cost Arsenal Champions League football?    What happened?     On Friday 13 August 2021, the new ...

Arsenal’s best and worst moments of the season  By James Reid The 2021/22 season has been a real rollercoaster for Arsenal, with plenty of highs and lows.  A disastrous start was turned around by Mikel Arteta’s youthful side and it looked like a top-four finish was on the cards despite a difficult January and April.  However, crushing defeats to Spurs and Newcastle put a return to the Champions League out of sight for another season.   With the dust beginning to settle on the season, we took a look at some of the best and worst moments.  Best: Chelsea 2 - 4 Arsenal The Gunners came into this game off the back of three defeats to Crystal Palace, Brighton, and Southampton.  The results, and the manner of the losses, looked to have derailed Arsenal’s push for the top four as what should have been nine points turned into zero.  Mikel Arteta’s men arrived at Stamford Bridge knowing that nothing but a win would do, never an easy feat away at Chelsea.  B...

Should Arteta go if Arsenal don't qualify for the Champions League By Jonny Bray  Last night's 2-0 defeat against Newcastle was a serious blow to Arsenal's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. It has left everything in Tottenham's hands heading into the final weekend of the season. The Gunners will welcome Everton to the Emirates on Sunday, with the Toffees desperate for a win to guarantee their place in the Premier League next season. In contrast, Spurs will take on the already relegated Norwich City, with Antonio Conte's side big favourites ahead of the clash. Of course, if any team can butcher an opportunity like this it is Spurs, but things are still not looking good for Mikel Arteta. Qualification for the Champions League is a massive part of the next step for Arsenal, and failing to qualify will have a considerable knock-on effect on the short-term future of the club as well as Arteta's job security. Why Arteta Should go Defeats against Southampto...

  Four Tottenham players Arsenal should try to sign  Once again Arsenal and Tottenham are battling it out for fourth place in the Premier League with the juicy carrot of Champions League football next season on offer. The Gunners hold the edge and currently sit fourth with a four-point buffer ahead of Spurs in fifth, but it could all change with Thursday’s North London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Antonio Conte’s side may be lagging behind at this stage but their hopes of playing top tier European football got a shot in the arm when they held quadruple-chasing Liverpool to a 1-1 draw over the weekend.  Both sides have several stars that could make the controversial move across North London but here we take a look at four Spurs players that would be good signings for Arsenal. Harry Kane Once a Gooner, always a Gooner? Everyone has seen that famous picture of England’s captain draped in an Arsenal shirt as a young child and who is to say he would not flourish if ...

Would victory over Tottenham automatically make this season a success for Arsenal? By Jonny Bray Thursday night's North London derby will be one of the most crucial games of Arsenal's season.  Not only is it the latest instalment of a historic rivalry, but the Gunners will also qualify for the Champions League if they win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.  With so much riding on one game, it is hard not to feel like victory over Spurs automatically makes this season a success for Arsenal.  But is that really the case?  A win would make this season a success Champions League football is crucial for the Gunners and for Mikel Arteta.  With three games remaining, the North London side are four points ahead of Tottenham in fifth and will be guaranteed a spot in Europe's premium competition with a win on Thursday.  Qualifying for the Champions League would surpass the expectations many people placed on Arteta's side at the start of the season.  Following the...

Four Leeds United players Arsenal should try to sign this summer by Brian Matovu This weekend Arsenal return to the Emirates to face Leeds United in what is a huge game for the Gunners as they aim to take one step closer to securing Champions League football for next season. Arsenal are in pole position to clinch the final top-four spot but face stiff competition from north-London rivals Tottenham who are just two points off them and will play host to the Gunners next week, in what is set to be a winner-takes-all fixture. However, the game is just as big for Leeds United who are right in the middle of a relegation dogfight with Burnley and Everton, with all three sides battling it out to avoid taking up the final relegation spot. But ahead of such an important clash for both teams, let’s take a look at four players from Leeds that Arsenal could make a move for this summer to boost Mikel Arteta’s squad ahead of next season. 1. Raphinha This comes as no surprise with everybody licking ...

How has Arsenal v Manchester United changed the race for fourth? By Alec McQuarrie It’s been a dream week for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. The Gunners bounced back from three straight defeats – only once in Arteta’s reign had Arsenal previously lost three league games on the bounce – with vital wins over top four rivals Chelsea and Manchester United. Both will almost certainly prove decisive come the end of the season, but what does the 3-1 victory actually mean for the race for fourth? United out of the race? Firstly, Arsenal may have just struck a knockout blow to United’s chances of Champions League football next season. Rangnick’s men have now won only once in their last five games and sit six points off fourth, having played a game more than both Arsenal and Spurs. And following a diabolical performance in midweek against Liverpool and a lacklustre showing at the Emirates today, it would be no surprise if they lost their next match to third-place Chelsea. On the other hand, if they ove...