The wait is finally over—Premier League football has returned! Arsenal welcomes Wolves to the Emirates today, and this is the team Mikel Arteta has selected.

It is imperative that Arsenal get off to a winning start, especially at home. We all know that every single point is crucial when you’re competing with Manchester City for the Premier League title, and it is unthinkable for the Gunners to drop points this afternoon.

Wolves, like all Premier League teams, will not be pushovers. They will be tough opponents and will hope to catch Arsenal off guard in this season opener for both sides.

That said, Arteta will have his players well-prepared for whatever Wolves throw at them today and will be confident that all three points will be Arsenal’s once the final whistle blows.

Let us know in the comments below what you think of the side Arteta has chosen and what your predicted final score is.

The transfer window has been prettyyyy quiet – which has got one listener thinking: when was the last time a good old marquee signing really transformed a club's fortunes? 

After 20 years of constant shithousery, how can Pepe possibly be reintegrated back into ordinary society? What will he do?

Which little bald chap did Marcus admire as a kid? And is Positive Pete here to stay? All answered on today's Mailbag!

We're back on stage and tickets are out NOW! Join us at London Palladium on Friday September 20th 2024 for 'Football Ramble: Time Tunnel', a journey through football history like no other. Expect loads of laughs, all your Ramble favourites, and absolutely everything on Pete's USB stick. Get your tickets at footballramblelive.com!

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The world’s biggest super friendly – aka the Community Shield – is here and Kevin De Bruyne has grown a man bun to celebrate the occasion. Marcus, Jim and Pete, on the other hand, are celebrating the occasion by spreading Luke Shaw conspiracy theories.

Elsewhere, Marcus and Pete question whether Jim is a pickpocket working for Mikel Arteta and we pay tribute to the great Pepe after his retirement. Oh, and if you think the conspiracy theories are bad, just wait until you hear Pete’s story about gerbils….

We're back on stage and tickets are out NOW! Join us at London Palladium on Friday September 20th 2024 for 'Football Ramble: Time Tunnel', a journey through football history like no other. Expect loads of laughs, all your Ramble favourites, and absolutely everything on Pete's USB stick. Get your tickets at footballramblelive.com!

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Have you been wondering how on earth Atlético Madrid can afford Julián Álvarez? Then you're in the right place. Today on our sister show On The Continent, Dotun Adebayo, Andy Brassell and Lars Sivertsen explain everything you need to know about this potential deal and discuss how Álvarez could become the new Antoine Griezmann.

Elsewhere, reports say that Borussia Dortmund might sack former Arsenal Head of Recruitment Sven Mislintat after just three months on the job. What’s happened? And why did Dortmund think dropping a live grenade into their boardroom was a good idea in the first place? Take it away, Mr Sivertsen…

If you enjoy this episode, On The Continent will be back tomorrow with a brand new edition of Ask OTC. Just search for "On The Continent" in your podcast app and hit subscribe so that you never miss an episode.

We're back on stage and tickets are out NOW! Join us at London Palladium on Friday September 20th 2024 for 'Football Ramble: Time Tunnel', a journey through football history like no other. Expect loads of laughs, all your Ramble favourites, and absolutely everything on Pete's USB stick. Get your tickets at footballramblelive.com!

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Julián Álvarez looks set to leave Man City for 81.5 million big ones! He’ll be gutted to leave Man City without winning the Carabao though.

Marcus is back and he’s joined by Pete, Luke and Jim to celebrate the arrival of Emile Smith Rowe at Craven Cottage. Elsewhere, some Champions League VAR officials have been arrested for stealing a road sign and Gary Neville spent his weekend DJing at a festival. Happy Rambling!

We're back on stage and tickets are out NOW! Join us at London Palladium on Friday September 20th 2024 for 'Football Ramble: Time Tunnel', a journey through football history like no other. Expect loads of laughs, all your Ramble favourites, and absolutely everything on Pete's USB stick. Get your tickets at footballramblelive.com!

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Olympic football has reached the semi-final stages! But never mind that, have you been watching the swimming and the shooting?

Today, Pete, Jim, Andy and Vish are here to discuss all the latest news, including an incredible Jürgen Klopp lookalike, a Newcastle fan that was inspired by Alan Pardew, and RCD Mallorca’s pre-season tour of the Midlands and North of England. Plus, a manager in Scotland has been sacked after losing the first game of the season. Football’s officially back!

We're back on stage and tickets are out NOW! Join us at London Palladium on Friday September 20th 2024 for 'Football Ramble: Time Tunnel', a journey through football history like no other. Expect loads of laughs, all your Ramble favourites, and absolutely everything on Pete's USB stick. Get your tickets at footballramblelive.com!

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We’ve answered more than 100 of your questions since kicking off the Mailbag last season. Today, we’re sharing some of our favourites! From the moral mazes of modern football and Jürgen Klopp’s legacy, to who we’d pick to take a penalty and which European food we’d take into battle, we’ve had a bit of everything. So sit back and enjoy as Luke rummages through the best of the Football Ramble Mailbag 23/24!

Got a question for next week’s Mailbag? Find us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and email us here: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We're back on stage and tickets are out NOW! Join us at London Palladium on Friday September 20th 2024 for 'Football Ramble: Time Tunnel', a journey through football history like no other. Expect loads of laughs, all your Ramble favourites, and absolutely everything on Pete's USB stick. Get your tickets at footballramblelive.com!

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The Premier League season is fast approaching and Luke, Jim, Vish and Andy have worked out how Arsenal can finally get to Man City and win the league… Hire Zlatan Ibrahimović in the Jason Tindall role.

Today, we hear how Zlatan’s beef with Pep Guardiola is still raging on in 2024. Elsewhere, news has broken that West Ham might be signing a new forward for the 56th time under their current ownership. Plus, Vish auditions to be Gennaro Gattuso’s interpreter.

Sometimes may be bat, sometimes may be foot…

We're back on stage and tickets are out NOW! Join us at London Palladium on Friday September 20th 2024 for 'Football Ramble: Time Tunnel', a journey through football history like no other. Expect loads of laughs, all your Ramble favourites, and absolutely everything on Pete's USB stick. Get your tickets at footballramblelive.com!

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Today, we're bringing you a special teaser of what you can expect every week on the Football Ramble Patreon.

For just $5 a month, you'll get an extended version of every Wednesday episode of the Ramble, which features 20 minutes of Ramble Uncut! Think spicy takes you won't get on the main show, correspondence from other Patreon subscribers, behind-the-scenes news and regular updates from Matt Le Tissier's newsletter (obviously).

Starting today, any new Patreon sign-ups can get 15% off an annual subscription! You'll get extended episodes of every Wednesday episode (meaning you'll get to hear Ramble Uncut every week), as well as access to our Discord and ad-free versions of every Ramble, On The Continent and Upfront episodes. Just head to patreon.com/footballramble now!

We're back on stage and tickets are out NOW! Join us at London Palladium on Friday September 20th 2024 for 'Football Ramble: Time Tunnel', a journey through football history like no other. Expect loads of laughs, all your Ramble favourites, and absolutely everything on Pete's USB stick. Get your tickets at footballramblelive.com!

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Bad news, everyone: the Amazon seller who sold Pete a durian for us to try today had to cancel the order due to “supply chain issues.” More news as we get it.

That leaves Pete, Luke and Jim with plenty of time to tuck into some other breaking news: Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane’s debuts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Plus, Arsenal sign Italian defending dreamboat Riccardo Calafiori, Conor Gallagher might be about to buy an interrailing ticket to Madrid and Steve Bruce eyes up the next season of Death in Paradise. Plus, which footballer would make the best medieval blacksmith?

We're back on stage and tickets are out NOW! Join us at London Palladium on Friday September 20th 2024 for 'Football Ramble: Time Tunnel', a journey through football history like no other. Expect loads of laughs, all your Ramble favourites, and absolutely everything on Pete's USB stick. Get your tickets at footballramblelive.com!

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Need some good old-fashioned espionage sorting out, but don’t have access to a drone or a two-way mirror? Pete Donaldson is now available for hire!

He’s joined by Luke and Jim in a suspicious room full of cameras and microphones to talk about pre-season happenings and fresh outcry about the possibility of Premier League matches overseas. Meanwhile, there are fishcake protests in Norway and – at long last – a proper punch in a football match. Plus, you won't find a better durian-based fact on any other podcast than this one today. Guaranteed. So come join us!

We're back on stage and tickets are out NOW! Join us at London Palladium on Friday September 20th 2024 for 'Football Ramble: Time Tunnel', a journey through football history like no other. Expect loads of laughs, all your Ramble favourites, and absolutely everything on Pete's USB stick. Get your tickets at footballramblelive.com!

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and email us here: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sign up to the Football Ramble Patreon for ad-free shows for just $5 per month: patreon.com/footballramble.

Arsenal recently made Alexander Isak their top priority transfer target again after failing to sign Benjamin Sesko.

Although the Gunners are also being linked with moves for players like Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyökeres, recent reports indicate they have shifted their focus to Isak.

In his two seasons in the Premier League, the Swede has proven to be one of the best strikers in Europe and has been a key player for Newcastle United.

Isak is on the radar of every top club in England, and Newcastle quoted £115 million to Chelsea when the Blues wanted to sign him earlier in the year.

That fee is too high for Arsenal, who cannot afford to pay it now.

If Edu and Mikel Arteta needed more motivation to sign Pedro Neto, Wolves manager Gary O’Neil has just given them one. Some Arsenal fans hope that the club will finally sign a Bukayo Saka deputy who is of a similar level. Saka has played a lot in recent years, possibly more than he should have if we are being honest.

.The Hale End graduate is a one-of-a-kind right winger for both Arsenal and England. Unfortunately, no one at Arsenal has come close to matching what he brings from the right side of the attack. And the problem is that he wants to play every single game, and he can be a game-winner even if he’s having a bad day.

. It is obvious that Arsenal should invest in the transfer market to acquire an ideal Saka deputy that is at the same level, so Arteta would feel comfortable to be just as dangerous as our starboy.

Wolves’ Portuguese international, Neto, is one of the few wingers that a lot of Gooners have agreed can perform at Saka’s level. That’s why we were anxious the other day that Spurs would beat us to the deal.

That said, while acknowledging that Neto would undoubtedly be a success on any team he joins, Gary O’Neil has stated that they will not stand in the way of the Portuguese winger if a reasonable offer is made for his services. He also mentioned that no club had approached them about the deal, but even if they hope to keep the player before deadline day, a suitor could come forward for his signature.

Mikel Arteta spent at least three years as the assistant manager of Manchester City, and his playing style at Arsenal is notably influenced by his time there.

Having worked closely with Pep Guardiola, Arteta built strong relationships with many players at City, which facilitated the signings of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko for Arsenal.

The Gunners continue to be linked with moves for several City players and are expected to target more in the future.

The latest City star on Arsenal’s radar is Julian Alvarez, who recently expressed concerns about his lack of game time at the Etihad.

Alvarez often plays second fiddle to Erling Haaland, and the Argentinian forward might consider leaving City, having already won all the top club trophies with them.

Aside from the LCM issue, there was one other issue with Arsenal last season: over-reliance on certain players, such as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard. But could Ethan Nwaneri be the solution to reducing the duo’s reliance?

Many anticipate that Nwaneri, one of the Hale End talents, will have a strong season in 2024–25 and that his time has come to join the first squad. He was one of the first names on Arsenal’s pre-season tour list and went on to impress against Premier League opponents in the United States.

Arteta tried him out at LCM, and the 17-year-old performed admirably. He accepted a great deal of responsibility as a creator while also possessing the toughness and physicality required at LCM.

One could want him to stay at LCM, but with Mikel Merino on the way and Declan Rice’s ability to play there, LCM next season will be in excellent hands.

However, the Odegaard and Saka backup roles may be available, and I believe Nwaneri is equally as capable as Saka. He has played as an 8, a 10, a right winger, a left winger, a centre forward, and a second striker for Arsenal Youth.

Arsenal’s Preseason Tour Justifies Arteta’s Transfer Priorities by Eric

Arsenal Football Club has just completed a relatively successful pre-season tour and jetted back to England. Although the best single aspect of the tour is that we made it through with all our projected first XI in good health (or out resting), the Liverpool game drove home some fundamental truths that justify Arteta’s transfer priorities.

Oleksandr Zinchenko was skinned alive in the run-up to Liverpool’s first goal. Yes, he was guarding Mo Salah, who is a difficult cover for anyone. However, the minute Liverpool played that ball into space and forced Zinchenko into a foot race, there was no other way that play was going to end except with us picking the ball up out of the net.

It’s not just a lack of pace that hampers Zinchenko, it’s a lack of understanding of the angles he needs to take in pursuit once he’s beaten. His deficiencies at LB are glaring and it’s easy to understand why. He’s not a natural LB. He isn’t even a natural defender. He’s playing that position as a tactical adjustment from the manager, an adjustment that brings strengths and weaknesses.

The strength of the inverted FB is that it gives Arsenal an extra body in possession to ping the ball off while we try to dominate the football. But when the player in the inverted position is Zinchenko, he will always be under threat from the pacy wingers that populate EPL rosters. Enter Riccardo Calafiori.

TODD BOEHLY AND HIS SPENDING SPREE by Ken 1945

I came across this article on Facebook and found these incredible figures along with two facts.

1. Since the American billionaire took over Chelsea (20th June 2022), the Blues have not won a single trophy.

2. They have spent nearly twice as much money on transfers as any other side in world football.

Here are the figures that were produced by “Livescore” and they are in euros :

It turns out Arsenal is still very interested in Victor Osimhen, despite what we previously believed. So, there was some news about Chelsea potentially signing Osimhen on loan while negotiating Lukaku’s move to Napoli. That made us wonder if Arsenal ever had any interest in the Nigerian striker. If they did, it would be strange that they would let him join Chelsea on loan, especially since they could have made a similar deal themselves.

According to Corriere Dello Sport, it seems that Arsenal has renewed their interest in the Serie A striker. Arsenal has been a fan of Osimhen for quite some time, and they definitely don’t want to see him go to Stamford Bridge.

It’s actually quite interesting that the player himself, according to that report, doesn’t see Chelsea as his first choice for his next club. Considering the hefty £110 million release clause, it might seem downright impossible to entertain the idea of signing Osimhen on a permanent deal.

However, there’s some positive news about that swoop. Napoli is actually open to letting the hitman go and is considering loan offers for the player. A loan deal is definitely within Arsenal’s budget. In fact, the successful loan deal with David Raya should give them some encouragement that they can bring Osimhen on board and see if he’s the right fit for them next season.

Surely, whether you’re a fan or not, bringing Osimhen on loan could be a fantastic transfer opportunity for Arsenal. It’s definitely something they shouldn’t overlook, don’t you think?

Marseille’s insistence on signing Eddie Nketiah in this transfer window looks like it will pay off, as the French club seems extremely keen to make him their Number Nine, but it appears that Arteta and Edu are still nowhere near agreeing with OM on the terms of the deal.

With Roberto de Zerbi as the coach now, Marseille expects to challenge for the French Ligue 1 title this season and it is natural that he wants to do his shopping in the Premier League, and of course Arsenal and Marseille have a great recent history of doing business that has worked out for the French giants.

But it seems that yet again, they have not matched Arsenal’s terms, as Fabrizio Romano revealed in his Daily Breifing on CaughtOffside this morning:… Arsenal reject a new proposal from Olympique Marseille for Eddie Nketiah. Understand the proposal is in the region of €27m but was still considered not enough to let Eddie leave. OM agreed personal terms with Nketiah but still no agreement with the Gunners.

Sometimes I just wish Arsenal could finalise all their transfer deals earlier, especially as it was suggested this morning that Arsenal simply cannot confirm any new arrivals at the club until it is certain that our sales are going through.

This makes sense of course as we can only have so many players in our squad, but why do I keep getting this niggling worry that everyone will be trying to argue about every penny right up until the final hour of the transfer window?

The Arsenal US pre-season tour has made it clear that Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are the ones who will shape the future of Arsenal. They have proven themselves to be more than capable against Premier League opposition.

In the upcoming 2024–25 season, Mikel Arteta should fully integrate them into his first-team squad. The Hale End duo’s impressive pre-season performances against Bournemouth, Manchester United, and Liverpool indicate that they will quickly establish themselves as full-fledged first-team players.

While some may disagree, the two young players are fully prepared. Fans should be excited to see what they can bring to the table.
Nwaneri is a versatile attacking player who can step in for Odegaard or Saka when needed, and he’s also capable of playing as an LCM against teams that employ a low block.

As Arteta said at the end of our USA tour about the youngsters that had joined the squad: “I’m really pleased with all of them. Unfortunately, I wanted to give opportunities to all of them, but we didn’t have enough time to do so, but especially the ones that played, I think they performed & responded incredibly well.

“So that’s something that we take from the tour as well, that we have a lot of talent there that we want to use & they show that they are very much pushing to earn the right to play with us.”