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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

The Champions League final in Budapest comes 70 years after Istvan Gyokeres, Viktor's grandfather, fled Hungary in the dead of night. It's an astonishing story: uprisings, Soviets, illegal radios, secret letters. This is the tale of the "Black Horseman" www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...

telegraph.co.uk

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

🚨Hugely excited to announce that I am writing a book about Arsenal's extraordinary rebirth under Mikel Arteta and their title glory this season. The full story of how #AFC returned to the top of the English game. Published by Macmillan. Pre-order: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0H2HMV42...

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

That is Saka's first assist for Gyokeres in the Premier League. They have not really gelled this season but Arsenal will hope this is the start of a better connection.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Looks like Myles Lewis-Skelly is making his first senior start as a midfielder. #AFC Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Eze, Trossard; Gyokeres #FFC Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Lukic, Reed; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Chukwueze; Jimenez

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Moises Caicedo and Pascal Gross played 50 games together for Brighton but they don't seem to be the closest of friends. They have been locked in an angry conversation for a few minutes now, with Gross clearly not impressed by something Caicedo has done out there.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Chelsea's available attackers for tonight's hugely important trip to Brighton: Liam Delap, Pedro Neto, Alejandro Garnacho, Marc Guiu, Jesse Derry.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

At Brighton v Chelsea tonight. No Joao Pedro or Cole Palmer for #CFC. #BHAFC Verbruggen; Wieffer, Van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu; Gross, Baleba, Hinshelwood; Minteh, Georginio, Mitoma #CFC Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Hato, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia, Enzo; Neto, Delap

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

As Declan Rice said yesterday: "It's not done". Here are seven reasons why Arsenal can still win the title 📅Better fixtures 💪Key players returning 🇩🇪Havertz up top 🚑Rodri's potential injury 🧙‍♂️Odegaard/Eze magic 🥷Hunters, not hunted 📊Trust the data www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...

telegraph.co.uk

The seven reasons why Arsenal can still win the title

Despite the fact Manchester City can go top this week there is potential for the race to swing back in Mikel Arteta’s favour

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Arteta: "Today I think they [his players] are now more convinced. They were talking about in the dressing room. It’s a new league now. Everything is still to play for. We know how much we want it and we are not going to stop." #AFC

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Arsenal have one striker in Havertz who does so much in build-up, holds onto the ball and creates chances for others - but lacks a ruthless edge. And then they have another in Gyokeres who is a ruthless finisher but can't do any of the hold-up work that Havertz does.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Martinelli is coming on at half-time.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Arteta literally ran down the tunnel towards the dressing rooms at the half-time whistle.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Arsenal are pressing so aggressively and are leaving Haaland one-against-one with Saliba. Not sure any other defenders in the Premier League would be willing to do that, or capable of it.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Looks to Arsenal are basically going man-to-man off the ball. Rice was the most advanced player out of possession a few minutes ago, while Gabriel was effectively in central midfield marking Cherki. Don't see this very often.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

This is only the fourth time that Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze have started together for #AFC. Previous three were against Forest (3-0 home win, Odegaard injured after 18), West Ham (2-0 home win, Odegaard injured after 30) and Villa (2-1 away loss, Eze subbed after 45)

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

The last goal Chelsea scored in the Premier League was on March 4th. They have played almost 350 league minutes without scoring.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Arsenal are showing strong interest in Leicester City winger Jeremy Monga. The 16-year-old is the third youngest player in Premier League history, behind Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman. www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...

telegraph.co.uk

Arsenal keen to sign teenager Jeremy Monga from Leicester

Sixteen-year-old has agreed professional deal with Championship strugglers but could still leave this summer amid widespread interest

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Arteta says the players decided that Rice should be captain for these past two games. "They made a decision because I think Declan has earned the role, the way he is taking ownership in difficult moments."

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Arteta: “Declan, yesterday he was shattered — he had no chance to play today. But he played 94 minutes.”

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Madueke is walking around the pitch with the other players after the final whistle, but is limping quite heavily. He's smiling but not moving well at all.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Arsenal were much better after the attacking substitutions, I thought. A bit of energy and freshness. A lot of these players really do look absolutely exhausted, though. Madueke injury is obviously a big worry ahead of Sunday.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Havertz now has a good 30+ mins to get into the groove at centre-forward, with Eze behind him. Surely that's the attacking duo Arteta has in mind for the City game. He can't persist with Gyokeres in a match of such importance.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Zubimendi has looked much sharper and more dynamic tonight. He's broken forward with a few surging runs.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Eberechi Eze starts for the first time in a month. Before his injury against Leverkusen, he was on a run of six goal involvements in nine appearances. The games against City and Bournemouth showed that Arsenal really need one of Odegaard or Eze in that No 10 position.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

At the Emirates for Arsenal v Sporting. Here’s the #AFC lineup: Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Eze, Martinelli; Gyokeres

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Only one Premier League midfielder (Szoboszlai) has played more minutes in all comps than Martin Zubimendi. The Spaniard is exhausted and his performance levels have plummeted. Arteta's refusal to use Christian Norgaard points to a failure of recruitment. www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...

telegraph.co.uk

Arsenal’s midfield is creaking and this is a recruitment failure

Midfielder Martin Zubimendi appears fatigued; plus, Mikel Arteta says he is ‘on fire’ and Rice and Saka injury doubts

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Arteta says this week is the "biggest opportunity" of his six years at Arsenal. "No fear. Pure fire. I am on fire. I see beauty, opportunity." #AFC

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Arteta: "What we are trying to achieve is difficult, challenging and bumpy at times. It is supposed to be like this."

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Arteta: "It’s a big punch in the face. Now it’s about how we react to that. Today there were certain very basic things we did extremely badly."

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Arsenal's midfield pairing of Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi lost possession a combined 29 times today (Rice 17, Zubimendi 12).

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Quite a few boos from the Arsenal fans at the full-time whistle.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Alex Scott has been so good today. Finished that chance with the same style and class he's displayed all afternoon in midfield.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

There is a disconnect here between what Arsenal are trying to do (patient build-up play, move through the thirds, create a less open match) and what the home supporters want them to do.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Eze, Trossard and Dowman all coming on. Arteta is going for it.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Bournemouth have been the better team here. They have had more of the ball, more of the territory and played more passes. Scott, Senesi and Hill have been very impressive.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

That penalty takes Viktor Gyokeres to 18 goals for the season. I still think there are lots of areas of his game that aren't clean enough, but you can't question his penalties.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Mikel Arteta just turned to the home fans behind the dugout and gestured to calm down. The Arsenal supporters were moaning about the team's inability to play forward more quickly.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Such a flat start by Arsenal, especially given the importance of the game, and Bournemouth deserve their lead. It feels like most of the match has taken place in Arsenal's half so far. The home crowd aren't happy with the amount of time Arsenal are taking over throw-ins.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

This is Myles Lewis-Skelly's second start of the Premier League season (previous start was the 2-1 home win over Brighton).

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Teams at the Emirates. Lewis-Skelly starts for Arsenal. #AFC Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Havertz, Martinelli; Gyokeres #AFCB Petrovic; Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert; Scott, Christie; Rayan, Tavernier, Kroupi; Evanilson

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Increasingly convinced that David Raya is Arsenal's most important player. He's the man they really, really cannot afford to lose - perhaps even more so than Rice and Gabriel.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Martinelli isn't known for unlocking defences with creative passing but that's brilliant work by the Brazilian. Delicious chip into Havertz's path. That one moment has turned this into an excellent European night, even if the performance has lacked spark.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Just the nine touches for Viktor Gyokeres in that first half, the fewest of any player on the pitch. Arsenal have had plenty of the ball but they have not been able to get their attackers into the game. Very little threat in the final third so far.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Leandro Trossard in his last 18 appearances for Arsenal: zero goals, two assists. Leandro Trossard in his previous 18 appearances for Arsenal: six goals, four assists.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Here’s the Arsenal lineup in Lisbon: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Odegaard, Trossard; Gyokeres

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

Arteta on the Southampton defeat: "Feel that pain, feel that emotion, use it to be better and to improve. We are very clear what happened. We were punished for things related to our identity. We need to defend that in the strongest possible way." #AFC

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

In Lisbon, where David Raya is speaking. He says Arsenal will use the "pain" of the last two games as fuel. "This is the most important part of the season. We have to enjoy it." #AFC

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

Arsenal have lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. The City defeat, in a cup final, can happen. Losing to Championship opposition in the next match is far more worrying. The international break was supposed to be Arsenal’s reset. Now they need another one.

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Sam Dean @samjdean.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

Five goals in three games for club and country for Gyokeres. That's the sort of movement that Jesus had failed to produce.

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