September is almost over, and there has been a lot of noise over the last few weeks, with some pundits and fans making all sorts of negative assertions. But as we look back over the last six weeks since the season started, it seems to me that quite a few people are looking a little silly today.

Why am I saying that?

Well, let’s start with Kai Havertz and his signing. Mikel Arteta has been criticized left, right, and centre, Havertz has been branded a terrible signing, and so forth. But let’s examine one revealing stat.

Havertz has NEVER been on the losing side since the season started. Now, we can all accept that he has not performed as we would have wanted, but Arteta saw something in him that very few of us could see. To be honest, I am still not sure what it is, but never being on the losing side is hard to argue with.

Now, another stat.

On Saturday afternoon, after weeks of GOP squabbling in the House of Representatives, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) led his chamber in passing a bill to fund the government for 45 days. 

He did it, primarily, with the help of Democrats. The temporary spending bill passed 335–91; 209 Democrats and 126 Republicans voted in favor.

In order to garner enough Democratic support for the bill, which needed two-thirds of the chamber’s backing, McCarthy relented on his pursuit of 30 percent spending cuts across most federal agencies and additional immigration restrictions at the southern border, winning the okay of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). To get enough Republicans on board, the bill did not include continuing aid to help Ukraine fight Russia. The bill, which would fund the government through mid-November, includes $16 billion for federal disaster relief.

Headed into Saturday, a solution was far from promised. Far-right House Republicans have sparred with McCarthy, whom they have threatened to oust as Speaker, and publicly opposed passing a short-term continuing resolution over a longer-term appropriations package. No Congressional action by Sunday would have risked national parks closing, women and infants losing food assistance, and millions of federal employees going unpaid.

For those problems to be avoided, the Senate still needs to pass the continuing resolution before Saturday ends. Democratic senators’ support for additional Ukraine funding may be a source of contention, though the largest impasse to averting a shutdown seems to have been resolved.

It has generally been accepted that Arsenal need a new striker and according to a report by Voetbal4u as cited by Matt Law on Sportsmole, Feyenoord hitman Santiago Gimenez is the latest forward to be linked with Arsenal.

The Mexican international has been prolific so far this season netting ten goals in just eight appearances and he has found himself firmly on the radar of top clubs.

Arsenal is joined by London rivals Tottenham and Chelsea in monitoring the 22-year-old, however, it is thought that Feyenoord will not sanction a transfer until next summer, at the earliest.

Just Arsenal Opinion

If I am brutally honest I know absolutely nothing about Gimenez, never heard of him, however, if Mikel Arteta decides he is worth signing then I am on board with that.

Arsenal injury worries continue to mount with both Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus now a cause for concern after the 4-0 dismantling of Bournemouth earlier today.

Speaking to the media after the game Mikel Arteta said that Saka had received a “pretty bad knock” and the manager also said that Jesus was limping in the dressing room.

The exact nature of the injuries is unknown at this moment in time with Arteta stating that he himself does not know the full extent, as quoted by the Metro.

The duo are just the latest in a long line of injuries that has afflicted the Arsenal squad and with Man City coming up next Sunday and a midweek Champions League game away at Lens, it is going to be an anxious wait.

Just Arsenal Opinion

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has a tough decision to make: who he’ll appoint to temporarily replace the Senate vacancy created by the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who served in the upper chamber for more than three decades and wielded enormous influence over firearms policy, judicial selections, and more until her death Thursday.

Three Democratic members of Congress from the state have already announced their bids to replace Feinstein in 2024: Rep. Barbara Lee, a liberal who has served in Congress since 1998; Katie Porter, a rising star in the progressive coalition who was first elected in 2018; and Adam Schiff, who rose in prominence managing former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial, and as a member of the committee investigating the January 6 Capitol insurrection.

But Newsom is unlikely to pick any of the three for the interim. Earlier this month, the governor said he didn’t want to give anyone an advantage in next year’s primary should Feinstein be unable to finish her term. “It would be completely unfair to the Democrats that have worked their tail off, he said on NBC’s Meet the Press as Feinstein publicly battled health issues. “That primary is just a matter of months away. I don’t want to tip the balance of that.”

His decision is complicated by a 2021 promise to name a Black woman to replace Feinstein should she leave the Senate early. That promise came after he appointed Alex Padilla to fill the vacancy left by Vice President Kamala Harris, who was the only Black woman in the Senate.

Lee, who is Black, was incensed by Newsom’s comments. “I am troubled by the governor’s remarks,” Lee said in a statement. “The idea that a Black woman should be appointed only as a caretaker to simply check a box is insulting to countless Black women across this country who have carried the Democratic Party to victory election after election.”

Kai Havertz has been subjected to a vast amount of criticism since he moved to the Emirates and some of it has come from Arsenal fans but if the support he was shown at the full-time whistle today is anything to go by that may well be a thing of the past.

Havertz scored from the penalty spot and the joy he and his teammates showed when the ball went into the back of the net was clear to see.

Hopefully, he will kick on now and justify the faith that Mikel Arteta has shown in him.

Don’t tell me the Arsenal fans aren’t behind Kai Havertz. Anything else is just noise, this is what it’s all about pic.twitter.com/XMcZRdOT0v

— Harry Symeou (@HarrySymeou) September 30, 2023

In the midst of hurricane and wildfire season, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is preparing to withhold billions in disaster funding until Congress passes a budget bill that refills its dwindling cash stock, according to a footnote in a FEMA document first reported by E&E News.

In November, FEMA had roughly $23 billion in its disaster relief fund. As of September, that funding was down to about $4 billion. 

As a faction of far-right House Republicans hold up the congressional appropriations process and stonewall efforts by more moderate Republicans and Democrats to at least pass a temporary budget package before most funding for federal agencies runs out on Saturday, FEMA has begun freezing funds dedicated to long-term recovery projects to preserve its ability to respond to future catastrophic events.

The $8 billion FEMA expects to freeze includes $376 million for recovery projects stemming from Hurricane Laura, which hit Louisiana in 2020, and Hurricane Ida, which hit multiple states in August 2021. FEMA also plans to freeze $265 million in funding for continued recovery from Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm that ravaged Southwest Florida last September.

Puerto Rico, beleaguered by earthquakes and hurricanes in recent years, will be particularly affected by the pause. According to the Biden administration, 188 projects on the Caribbean island will be delayed. E&E News reports that Puerto Rico could have “up to $2.6 billion withheld for projects such as rebuilding critical facilities like hospitals and the electrical grid.”

This afternoon, Arsenal secured a convincing 4-0 victory over Bournemouth, while at the same time, Manchester City suffered a loss to Wolves, setting the stage for an epic clash next Sunday.

Arsenal’s performance against Bournemouth was nothing short of outstanding, and it didn’t take long for Piers Morgan to express his excitement and confidently anticipate the upcoming match against Manchester City.

Utterly commanding performance.. bring on City next Sunday. https://t.co/D1zzl9H7zm

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 30, 2023

Last week, there was much discussion and even some excessive pessimism following the draw with Spurs. However, those who were feeling down and pessimistic then are surely in higher spirits today. There’s no denying it now – the title challenge is very much alive, just as many believed it to be from the start.

Describing this victory as a casual walk in the park would not be an exaggeration and Arsenal undoubtedly deserved their comfortable 4-0 win against a struggling Bournemouth side this afternoon.

Arsenal found the back of the net through Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Ben White and to be honest, the margin of victory could have been even more substantial.

None of the goals was extraordinary; Saka’s goal came from close range after Jesus’ header hit the woodwork following a splendid Odegaard cross, while Odegaard and Havertz both converted penalty kicks and Ben White converted from a corner with his head. Overall, it resembled more of a practice session than a Premier League fixture.

The team’s performance was incredibly efficient. Declan Rice excelled in the midfield, David Raya showcased his distribution skills and William Saliba displayed his usual masterful abilities. In fact, every single player on the team performed at the highest level.

A heartwarming moment occurred when Saka and Odegaard allowed Havertz to take the second penalty, demonstrating the unity within the Arsenal squad and their awareness of the criticism Havertz faced.

It may have been a penalty but Kai Havertz has finally got his name on the scoresheet for Arsenal.

The German has come in for a lot of criticism recently and let’s be honest, it was deserved and even though it was just a penalty, this goal may go some way to boosting his confidence.

Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard decided between themselves to hand the spot kick duty to Havertz, which in itself shows what sort of team spirit there is within the Arsenal camp.

Let’s hope this is one of many to come.

Havertz converts the penalty! 3-0!