This was the team we fielded last time we versed Bolton in 2012 when they were still in the PL:

Szczesny Song, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Sagna, Vermaelen Arteta, Ramsey The Ox, Walcott Van Persie

Bench: Henry, Rosicky, Arshavin, Park, Diaby, Santos, Coquelin, Wilshere, Benayoun, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Fabianski

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/graham-stacey?utm_term=YDadz74Bd

If anyone has spare income, AFC Wimbledon’s pitch got completely fucked by water damage and they’re raising money to fix it (this was taken from John Green’s Twitter, I’m assuming it’s legitimate based on that)

@[email protected] -queue [email protected] Arsenal - Bolton Wanderers

Dark Arts FC

Should have got another goalkeeper - Raya won’t play vs Bolton. Setford has not trained, Neto is cup tied.

We’re proper rivals with City now. No more of this can the plucky underdogs upset the imperious forever-champions. It’s personal for the players. Haaland cannot believe they almost lost to us. This is the Arsenal vs Manchester City Era.

I thought some more about a couple of the points I made in the post-match thread, having read and listened to some stuff about the post-match reactions from Silva, Stones, Guardiola etc.

All of this is GOOD. ManC are implicitly announcing that we are the proverbial bee’s dick away from besting them. This reminds me of the Wenger and Ferguson, Vieira and Keane rivalry period. Instead of Pep and Co. patronising us at the end of matches, they now have to reach for anything they can to try and get an advantage over us. They are resorting to being happy they got a draw at home and bitching about our so-called “dark arts”. Meh.

All this without MØ and Merino coming back PLUS Rodri out for the season.

I’m pretty excited to see what happens. Hopefully my optimism doesn’t get crushed like a bug!

Happy Tuesday. We’re now 7-5 equal favourites for the title with the bookies.