Did you know? Mikel Arteta, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola all played for the same boys’ club 😲
The incredible story of how three teammates from San Sebastian all came to manage top Premier League clubs 👇
@afcmuktar@FabrizioRomano Not a good look if he joined the Gunners. The English journalist and pundits would eat us alive! We don't need that type of heat!
Arsenal’s midfield recruitment should not be judged by names alone.
The real question is tactical: which midfielder adds the function Arsenal still need alongside Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino and Myles Lewis-Skelly?
In this thread, I break down five midfield profiles through data, role interpretation and Arsenal fit:
Adam Wharton
Sandro Tonali
Ayyoub Bouaddi
Elliot Anderson
Mateus Fernandes
The focus is not simply “who is better”, but what each player would actually change inside Arsenal’s midfield structure: build-up control, ball-winning, carrying, pressing, duel capacity, chance creation, rotation value and long-term squad balance.
A data-led tactical scouting thread.
🚨🗣️ Jurgen Klopp praises Arsenal fans for their reaction to Gabriel’s penalty miss in the Champions League final:
“After the game, I went online expecting the usual anger and criticism that players often face after such moments. Instead, I saw Arsenal fans rallying behind Gabriel with incredible support and love.
A missed penalty in a final can define a player in the worst way, but Arsenal fans chose compassion over abuse. They stood by him when it mattered most, even increasing his shirt sales as a sign of support.
In all my years in football, I’ve rarely seen a fanbase respond to heartbreak with such class. It proves that many of the stereotypes about Arsenal fans are completely wrong. What they showed was special, and it was beautiful to see.”
@latfash It wasn't a great look. Add to fact this referee gave all 50 50's to PSG, didn't blow for fouls against the gunners, and penalised the gunners when on the attack to award PSG marginal fouls when players clashed.
➟ 2022: Cesc Fàbregas joins Como as a player.
➟ 2023: Named captain of Como.
➟ 2024: Steps into the role of assistant coach for the first team.
➟ 2024: Helps guide Como back to Serie A after a 21-year absence.
➟ 2025: Completes his first season as head coach by keeping Como in Serie A.
➟ 2026: Finished fourth in Serie A, qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in the club's history, while also reaching the Coppa Italia semi-finals.
➟ Retired at Como, became a shareholder, and is now leading the club's rise to the Champions League from the dugout.
RESPECT TO CESC FÀBREGAS. 🧠👔
🚨🇫🇷 Patrice Evra sends a STRONG message to Kylian Mbappé after footage appeared to show him ignoring N'Golo Kanté
🗣️ Evra: “If there is one player in football you don't want problems with, it's N'Golo Kanté.”
“He is respected by everyone. Teammates love him. Opponents admire him. Fans adore him.”
“Your image can survive criticism about performances.”
“Your image can survive criticism about results.”
“But when people start questioning how you treat someone like Kanté, that's a dangerous road.”
“Football will always remember trophies.”
“But people remember character even more.”
“Kanté has earned universal respect through humility and hard work.”
“That's why Mbappé must be very careful about the message he sends.”
You’ll see random pictures of Arshavin supporting Arsenal every year since he left. Dude never gave any interviews, just kept supporting the club like a proper fan. Top guy.
Thierry Henry on Cristhian Mosquera’s performance in the Champions League final:
🗣️ “Even though Arsenal lost the final, I’m not going to sit here and ignore what I saw from Cristhian Mosquera.
That kid… wow.
He was thrown into one of the hardest nights in football, against Kvaratskhelia, and for long spells he handled it like he had been playing finals for years.
His timing in the tackles, his calmness under pressure, the way he wasn’t afraid to step out and engage — that’s not normal for a young defender in a Champions League final.
He was winning duels, reading situations early, and even when PSG tried to isolate him, he kept responding.
Yes, there was that one moment — the tackle that led to the penalty — and people will focus on that because that’s what finals do. They highlight your mistakes.
But if you only look at that, you’re missing the bigger picture.
Because before that moment, he was arguably one of Arsenal’s most composed defenders on the pitch.
And that’s what excites me.
Not perfection but mentality.
You can coach positioning, you can coach technique, but you cannot coach that courage in a final at his age.
Arsenal may have lost the trophy, but they may have found a defender for the next decade.
And that, for me, is something very special.”
Lionel Messi 🗣️' My son Matteo is a Arsenal fan , whenever I'm training with him in my yard he tells me: I'm Arsenal, I'm a Gooner, We're Number 1 in the Premier League, I'll beat you 3-0 .... Bukayo Saka is his favourite player"!