AFTV News

Arsenal’s greatest ever chants  Arsenal fans have been in top form in the last 12 months, churning out hit chant after hit chant with catchy and creative lyrics.  The infectious ‘Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe’ chant made its debut on the terraces at the start of last season and has been followed by some certified bangers.  Three new signings have already been christened with the ultimate honour this term.  Oleksandr Zinchenko grabbed an assist on his debut against Crystal Palace and heard his name sung to the tune of ‘Gold’ by Spandau Ballet.  It was William Saliba’s turn next, with fans turning The Champs ‘Tequila’ into a brilliantly simple serenade for the centre back.  But the Gabriel Jesus ‘hymn’ surely tops the lot – Lonnie Donegan’s ‘My Oldman’s a Dustman’ converted into a genius tribute to the Brazilian.  The lyrics are below for those unaware:  Ohhhhhh Mik Arteta called him,   Said, ‘now’s your time to shine,’   Coz I’m col...

Who are the sides in Arsenal's Europa League group?  By Jack Lacey-Hatton After coming so close to a UEFA Champions League return at the end of last season, Arsenal have had to settle for a spot in Europe’s secondary competition this time around. Thursday night football may often be the source of ridicule for rival fans, but in truth, the competition is not to be sniffed at. The Europa League not only offers Mikel Arteta a chance to lift some silverware for the second time in his fledgling managerial career. Crucially it presents a direct route to Europe’s elite with the winners guaranteed a berth in the 2022-23 Champions League. Arsenal’s road to a potential final in Budapest’s Puskas Arena starts on Thursday in Group A. Here is the lowdown on the other three sides.   PSV Eindhoven A stalwart in the heyday of European football, Dutch side PSV Eindhoven have serious continental pedigree. Unlike Arsenal, they have previously lifted the European Cup, winning the 1988 final on pe...

Who should start at right-back: Ben White or Takehiro Tomiyasu By Tom Masters Despite a 3-1 defeat to Manchester United last weekend, Arsenal sit top of the Premier league table after the first six matches of the new campaign and one man who has been a key part of that is Ben White.   White, who was purchased from Brighton and Hove Albion for £52 million last summer primarily as a centre back has played in all six Premier League matches this season at right back.  That has come partly down to the return of William Saliba from Marseille, who has formed a quality pairing with Gabriel, and partly down to the injury sustained by last season’s first choice right back Takehiro Tomiyasu.  But with Tomiyasu now back fit, the big question on many Arsenal fans’ lips is who should be the first choice right back?  Pick on form?  I t must be nice for Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff to have options, after a season last year in which there was very little wriggle room for ...

By Oli Dickson Jefford So much has been made of Arsenal’s positive start to the season and the success that new signings have had since their arrival. Gabriel Jesus has been a standout performer in the campaign so far, while Oleksandr Zinchenko has also impressed since they both arrived from Manchester City this summer. The success of Jesus and Zinchenko has meant that the arrival of Fábio Vieira has not attracted anywhere near as much attention as it could have done. The Portuguese only made his debut with a brief cameo in this weekend’s 3-1 loss to Manchester United, having been consigned to the bench in matches before that. With  €40m having been spent on the 22-year-old midfielder, Arsenal fans will be keen to see more of him in the coming months. However, in a competitive squad, can he break through and become a first team regular? Attacking strength Vieira’s talent has been hailed by many and he could become a truly great player, but he is not a player that can address Arsena...

Has VAR gone too far? By Oli Dickson Jefford Arsenal were the final victim of a controversial VAR call after a contentious weekend of Premier League action. The Gunners thought they had taken the lead when Gabriel Martinelli slotted home in the first half of their match against Manchester United at Old Trafford, only for it to be ruled out for an earlier foul on Christian Eriksen. The decision was a controversial one - with many questioning whether it was a foul, let alone a clear and obvious error - and whether it could have proven costly for Arsenal in their 3-1 defeat. However, they were by no means the only club left complaining this weekend. After seven days of VAR controversy and criticism, what happens next? A weekend of anger Martinelli’s disallowed goal was just one of a handful of VAR-related incidents this weekend, with Tottenham, West Ham, Newcastle and Brighton all affected. The only uncontentious decision was Richarlison’s disallowed strike against Fulham, which was t...

By Tum Balogun  The run continues and with every passing victory the dream of not just Champions League football, but a title push starts to feel more real.  Next on the chopping block is the ever-improving Manchester United who have rebounded from their Brentford nadir and secured three  wins on the bounce.  There is a surprisingly long list of players who have featured for both clubs, in recent history, the likes of Robin Van Persie, Danny Welbeck, Alexis Sanchez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan have called both the Emirates and Old Trafford home. So ahead of this afternoon’s storied match-up let’s look at four United players who should accompany the Gunners   and all three points  on the team bus back down south.  Jadon Sancho  One of United’s marquee signings last summer, Sancho suffered from the same malaise that has befallen pretty much all Old Trafford arrivals since Alex Ferguson’s departure in 2013.   Now with Erik Ten Hag at the wheel, t...

How Arsenal are looking ahead of WSL season By Megan Armitage Arsenal will kick off the Barclays Women's Super League season against Manchester City on the 11th September. Jonas Eidevall's team will once again be aiming to claim the top spot, with the league title evading them since 2019. What happened last season? Arsenal finished second in last season's campaign, just one point behind London rivals Chelsea, but a fruitful summer and new signings may help edge them that one place further in the 2022/23 season. The Gunners only lost once in the WSL last time out, with Birmingham City doing the 2-0 damage at St Andrew's Stadium back in January. And with four draws to their name, it was an impressive season for Arsenal as they overtook Man City in the table for the first time since 2019. In the FA Women's Cup, Eidevall's team also saw a strong run all the way to the semi-final but it was Emma Hayes' side that once again thwarted them with a well deserved 2-0 v...