Arsenal Archives - A Different League

Three Key Takeaways from the First Gameweek of the New Premier League Season

September 14, 2020 James Hill

The new Premier League season got underway over the weekend and despite we’re yet to see both Manchester clubs and Chelsea in action, there were several key takeaways from the opening fixtures. I highlight the three most notable ones separately and also share my thoughts on how they can affect the teams involved. Arsenal’s Debutants Impress The Gunners started their Premier League campaign with a tricky visit to Scott Parker’s Fulham side but romped to a convincing 3-0 victory. Fulham did look menacing in the opening stages, however, Mikel Arteta’s…

The Latest Premier League Transfers and How The Players Will Fit In

September 2, 2020September 2, 2020 Domingo Rosa

After a relatively quiet Monday on the Premier League transfers front, yesterday brought about news regarding three deals that all look like major coups for the clubs involved. In this post, I review each of the signings separately and then share a brief player profile and how I think they will do at their new clubs. So, let’s get started with the Gunners’ latest capture and move on to two more transfer bombshells. Gabriel Magalhaes to Arsenal After signing Willian from Chelsea on a free, Arsenal has secured another Brazillian…

What Can We Expect from the 2020 Community Shield Match?

August 28, 2020 James Hill

Premier League champions Liverpool and FA Cup holders Arsenal will be going head-to-head this weekend at the traditional Community Shield matchup at Wembley Stadium. During the years, the match has gained the reputation of being a friendly game more than a competitive outing but it’s nevertheless a chance to pick up some silverware and go into the season on a high. Both clubs have won the Community Shield trophy 15 times but the Merseyside Reds haven’t laid their hands on it since 2006 while Arsenal added to their tally three…

Is Philippe Coutinho the Right Fit for Arteta’s Arsenal?

August 14, 2020August 14, 2020 James Hill

Philippe Coutinho and Mikel Arteta Arsenal

It was always going to be a busy summer for Arsenal and today they announced their first transfer after Chelsea winger Willian signed with the North London club. Gunners fans are quite split on the matter but there’s no denying that the Brazilian is a seasoned Premier League veteran with a hard-working attitude that could be an asset for any top team. Whether or not Willian will make it at Arsenal remains to be seen but there is another topic that is creating much more buzz around the Emirates. It’s…

What Could Winning the FA Cup Mean for Mikel Arteta’s Tenure as Arsenal Manager?

August 3, 2020August 3, 2020 James Hill

Things were looking pretty gloomy at Emirates Stadium with Unai Emery at the helm and despite the initial excitement of appointing former player Mikel Arteta to take over his Spanish compatriot, there were still a lot question marks around the direction of the club. Arteta had been Pep Guardiola’s understudy for several years and his impeccable professionalism and a steady mentality as a player made him a great choice on paper. However, no one could say whether he will be able to withstand the pressure of managing at a top-level…

Is Aubameyang Truly a World-Class Striker?

July 8, 2020July 8, 2020 James Hill

Arsenal’s Ghabonese talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his 20th Premier League goal of the campaign when he netted yesterday against Leicester City. This made him only the second Arsenal player to score 20 goals for the club in consecutive seasons which is a terrific achievement in and of itself. Aubameyang is adored by the Arsenal faithful and it is evident that Mikel Arteta relies a lot on the forward. Not only because of his goalscoring ability but because he is seemingly a very important figure in the dressing room. I definitely…

What We Learned From the Premier League Teams’ Friendlies

June 8, 2020June 8, 2020 James Hill

Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle United Logos

As we edge closer to the official return of the Premier League, the players and coaching staffs of the clubs are hard at work to ensure they are ready for the challenge both physically and mentally. Some of the leading EPL squads were put to the test over the weekend and in this piece, I share a brief overview of the exhibition matches they played and what were the main aspects to take away from their respective performances. Manchester United Ole Gunnar Solskajer and his staff opted to stage a…

Three Football Stars That Might Change Clubs in the Summer

March 20, 2020March 20, 2020 James Hill

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Jadon Sancho and Mo Salah Football Stars

Football might be on pause in Europe right now, but the speculations about the future transfers haven’t stopped. It seems that many players might be switching clubs in the summer, including some of the biggest stars of the sport. I’m not usually a big fan of going through rumours, but there’s hardly much else to do right now, so let’s take a look at five stars that might be on their way out. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Arsenal The Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has stated on multiple occasions that he is proud…

English Premier League Top 4 Preview and Predictions

March 6, 2020March 6, 2020 James Hill

English Premier League Top 4 Betting Preview and Prediction

This English Premier League campaign has been weird so far, as many of the big guns have massively underperformed. Tottenham and Arsenal were so bad that they had to change their managers before the start of 2020, while Chelsea and Manchester United have been just slightly better. That has made the battle for the top 4 wide open and we have no clue who’s going to finish there at the end. Ok, that’s technically not true since Liverpool, Man City, and Leicester look certain. What I mean is that the…

FA Cup Outright Winner Preview and Prediction

March 5, 2020March 5, 2020 James Hill

FA Cup, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United Logos

The fifth round of the English FA Cup is almost over and we know the draw for the quarterfinals. I believe that’s a good moment to release my preview and predictions for the outright winner betting market. Before I go through the different teams, let’s check all ties for the next round. Sheffield United vs. Arsenal Newcastle United vs Manchester City Norwich City vs. Derby County or Manchester United Leicester City vs. Chelsea All quarterfinals will be played on March 21st and the date is important because some of the…

What Will Happen to Arsenal without Champions Football for Another Year

March 2, 2020March 2, 2020 James Hill

We all know that Champions League football is crucial for the top teams in England. The income from the competition and the effects on the image of each club make it so much easier to attract top talent. That’s why Arsene Wenger once famously labeled a place in the top 4 as almost a trophy. A lot of people made fun of the Arsenal manager at the time, but I always wondered why. The behaviour of most clubs, players and manager in England suggest that statement was spot on. If…

How Gnabry Became World Class After He Wasn’t Good Enough for West Brom

February 26, 2020February 26, 2020 James Hill

Football can be funny sometimes. Serge Gnabry destroyed his second London club this season, scoring a brace against Chelsea for Bayern Munich’s 3-0 victory in the Champions League last night. It was a masterful display from the forward and I think very few people doubt that Gnabry is world-class nowadays. And yet, several years ago the youngster was labeled “not good enough” to start for West Bromwich Albion by Toni Pulis, of all people. So it got me thinking, how did Gnabry develop from not good enough for West Brom…

How Far Can Arsenal Go This Season?

February 24, 2020February 24, 2020 James Hill

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mikel Arteta Arsenal

For weeks or even months, we were talking about how Arsenal has certainly improved under Mikel Arteta and the results will inevitably come. Well, they have started coming as the Gunners have recorded three wins in the past week or so. They trashed Newcastle at home in the English Premier League, then earned a valuable 1-0 victory against Olympiacos in Europe and finished last week on a high after beating Everton in a five-goal thriller. The performance was far from perfect in all of these games and we know that…

UEFA Europa League Outright Winner Betting Preview

February 21, 2020February 21, 2020 James Hill

Arsenal, Manchester United AJAX and Inter Milan Logos

The first round of the UEFA Europa League knockouts is done and most favorites did as expected. I believe now it’s a good moment to take a look at the outright winner betting odds and evaluate what the best wagers are. Let’s take a look at the main favorites. Inter Milan Most bookmakers have Inter Milan as the top favorite for the Europa League crown. The Italian team is one of the strongest left in the competition and took a comfortable 2-0 away win against Ludogorets yesterday. I don’t think…

Why Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli Is Bound to Become a Star

January 22, 2020January 22, 2020 James Hill

Arsenal invested a lot in the summer, bringing plenty of exciting players. The Gunners broke their club record by signing Nicolas Pepe for £72, acquired the services of a seasoned pro like David Luiz and secured a loan deal for Real Madrid’s promising midfielder Dani Ceballos. The fans looked forward to seeing them in action but another player has been making his mark in the Premier League. Gabriel Martinelli had just turned 18 when he joined Arsenal from Ituano for the modest amount of £5 million last summer. That’s nothing…

Chelsea – Arsenal Betting Preview

January 21, 2020January 21, 2020 James Hill

There is a round of midweek games in the English Premier League that starts today. In the most anticipated match, Chelsea will host Arsenal at the Stamford Bridge. The Blues already beat the same opponent about a month ago but it was a close game that could’ve ended differently if it wasn’t for Bernd Leno’s blunder. The Gunners will be eager to avenge the defeat and I will evaluate their chances in this betting preview. Chelsea The past two months or so have been inconsistent for Chelsea. The team lost…

Which English Teams Will Suffer the Most from the New AFCON 2021 Schedule?

January 16, 2020January 16, 2020 James Hill

Mo Salah and Riyad and Mahrez AFCON 2021

The Africa Cup of Nations 2021 will be played in the winter instead of the summer. The hosts Cameroon requested the change to avoid extreme weather conditions that might disrupt the tournament. The new schedule means that AFCON 2021 will start on January 9 and end on February 6. That’s right in the middle of the English Premier League season and will certainly hit some clubs hard. In this article, I will assess the potential effects and determine which English teams will suffer the most from the decision. Liverpool Will…

Could John Stones Really Join Arsenal?

January 15, 2020January 15, 2020 James Hill

The January transfer window is often full of speculations. Some of them are completely unexpected and that’s exactly the case with the reports that Arsenal is interested in signing John Stones. We all knew that the Gunners need a centre-back but this particular player was never mentioned before. Could this transfer actually work? Let’s take a look at all sides involved and what they could gain or lose by a potential deal. Manchester City John Stones currently plays for Manchester City and some suggest that the club might be unwilling…

Can Liverpool Surpass the Record of Arsenal’s Invincibles?

January 3, 2020January 3, 2020 James Hill

Liverpool went unbeaten in the English Premier League for a full year last night, after winning against Sheffield United by 2-0 at home. The last time the Reds tasted defeat came at the start of 2019 and the team hasn’t lost in 37 EPL games since. Inevitably, such a streak begs the question if Liverpool can match or even surpass Arsenal’s record of 49 consecutive games without a defeat. The Gunners even went unbeaten for a full campaign in 2003-2004 under Arsene Wenger, earning the nickname the Invincibles. Jurgen Klopp…

Four Things Mikel Arteta Instantly Changed at Arsenal

January 2, 2020January 2, 2020 James Hill

Mikel Arteta got his first win as an Arsenal manager last night against Manchester United. It was an excellent performance and the 2-0 score reflects the different face of the Gunners. The Spaniard has been at the helm for only two weeks or so, but there have been clear signs of improvement in his first three matches. Let’s take a look at the four most important changes that Arteta brought to the club. Pressing and Commitment One of the biggest issues with Unai Emery’s Arsenal was the lack of proper…

Arteta Loses His Home Debut against Chelsea in Dramatic Fashion

December 30, 2019December 30, 2019 James Hill

The first game of Mikel Arteta at the helm brought hope to the Arsenal fans, despite earning only a point against Bournemouth away from. The second match of the Spanish manager was similar, as the performance was encouraging but the result disappointed. It all started well for Arsenal, as the Gunners were in total control for most of the first half against Chelsea. They opened the scoring through Aubameyang and worked hard all over the pitch. Arteta and all the supporters were delighted of the desire displayed by every single…

The Five Things Arteta Needs to Change in Arsenal to Succeed

December 26, 2019December 26, 2019 James Hill

The first press conference of Mikel Arteta as an Arsenal manager was fascinating. The Spaniard said all the right things and brought hope to the supporters. He knows that he will need to change the club both in the short and the long-term. Arteta seems aware of how monumental the task is ahead of his debut against Bournemouth. Let’s take a look at the five key points he needs to change in Arsenal to be successful. Confidence One of the biggest issues with Arsenal under Unai Emery has been the…

Mikel Arteta to Decide on Becoming Arsenal Manager Any Moment

December 18, 2019December 18, 2019 James Hill

A lot of names have been linked with Arsenal ever since the club sacked Unai Emery about two weeks ago. One of the strong favorites is former Gunner Mikel Arteta and it seems he might be on the brink of joining the team. According to various sources, Arsenal and the Spaniard have been talking for a while now. The board is determined to acquire Arteta’s s services and he is expected to make a decision in the following days. The former player is currently an assistant coach of Pep Guardiola…

Arsenal set to complete double-signing – Report

July 19, 2019December 18, 2019 Vyom Chaudhary

Arsenal are confident of signing Kieran Tierney and Dani Ceballos this summer, according to the latest report from Sky Sports. The Gunners have already seen their two bids turned down for the Celtic left-back. Arsenal are expected to go back with a third bid, and according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Seth, they are confident of getting their man. Arsenal have also been linked with a loan move for Dani Ceballos, and their prospects of getting the midfielder looks good too. “I’m led to believe there’s growing confidence Arsenal can…

Arsenal, Liverpool and Inter lodge bids for Ligue 1 star

July 18, 2019November 26, 2019 Vyom Chaudhary

Lille winger Nicolas Pepe is one of the hottest prospects this summer, and there is no dearth of interest in his services. French publication L’Equipe, via GFFN, has claimed that Liverpool, Arsenal and Inter Milan have lodged firm bids for the Ivorian player. There is no mention of measures of bids, but the 24-year-old is reportedly valued at £70m. Pepe scored 22 goals for Lille last season, and he was instrumental in their return to Champions League football – and if you back him to become a success in the…