Boston Gooners

Arsenal head to Birmingham for a Monday night showcase against Aston Villa. Last year’s fixture saw the Gunners lose on the final kick of the game, and it will take a big effort against a wounded Unai Emery side in a hostile environment to get all three points.

For Aston Villa, it’s been a summer of big changes: Lucas Digne, Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa have all gone, and Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez also appear to be headed for the exit. Big changes. Adding to that new signings Joao Gomes and Johan Manzambi will be missing through suspension and injury, respectfully. They were humiliated in their opener against Brighton. Everything is adding up to a “good time to play Villa” sort of match.

But Mikel Arteta will know that the games your supposed to win in the Premier League are often the hardest. Unai Emery’s side will be playing for pride, and Villa Park is one of the toughest grounds to go to in the league. It’s fair to say the line-up will most likely be unchanged from the opener, with no major exits expected. Goal scorers Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Ødegaard will drive the attack once more. When these three are fit and firing, Arsenal simply look their most dangerous from open play and last week was no different. Arsenal have the form, talent, and united belief to go and get three points.

Will Arsenal get some revenge for last year’s last second heartache? Will Unai Emery shake hands after the match? Start the work week off right and join us at Dillon’s to watch the drama unfold.

➡️PLEASE RSVP: bostongooners.com/matches.

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Old faces, new faces, and london visitors - happy to have everyone back for the PL kickoff TODAY!!!!!!!!!

And we’re back. Premier League Champions Arsenal begin their title defense on Friday, hosting newcomers Coventry City at The Emirates. After a thrilling 3-0 victory in the Community Shield, Arsenal put a few questions to bed from their preseason and will want to carry that momentum into the new campaign.

Coventry City walked the Championship last season under Frank Lampard, who will be desperate to prove himself in the topflight. They scored 97 goals, and they had the league’s top defensive unit. Coventry come into the PL with a strong foundation, and they didn’t sit still this summer: They’ve spent £20m on French winger Loum Tchaouna from Burnley. They’ve also brought in Swiss central defender Aurele Amenda from Eintracht Frankfurt. 20-year-old Ghanaian midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi has signed from Nordsjaelland in a £23.1m deal. Goalkeeper Carl Rushworth arrives from Brighton in a £22m deal. But it remains to be seen what this looks like on the pitch. Will they be Sunderland or Burnley?

Arsenal start the season with a few questions off the pitch but very few on it, as evidenced by their thrashing of City at the weekend. New signing Bruno Guimaraes looked right at home, as did Christos Tzolis. The Greek winger managed two assists in his competitive debut. For all the worry about their defense, Arsenal’s right side of Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera looked solid, keeping a clean sheet. While the transfer window will see more twists and turns, Mikel Arteta will want to keep the calm around the squad. Three points is what matters most.

Will Arsenal start the campaign with three points? Or will Coventry do a Brentford and stun us on opening day? Knock off work and start the weekend early with us on Friday at Dillon’s. We have a title to defend.

➡️PLEASE RSVP: bostongooners.com/matches

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We are thrilled to announce the Boston Gooners Fantasy PL! It’s been a while since we’ve had some friendly BG competition, so we are pleased to announce the return this season! Info on slides - MUST register before the start of the season. !

Doors at 9 am.

Opposition fans categorically not welcome. This allows for available space for deserving Gooners.

Welcome back. We’re excited to welcome you all back for the new season. Mainly, we’re excited to welcome you back as champions of England. Let it sink in. Arsenal are the champions of England. Our first Boston Gooners event of the season will be the Community Shield against Manchester City!

It may be a new season, but we’re picking up right where we left off: Hating Manchester City. It’s a new era for City, and while the world awaits the verdict on their “allegedly” decade long fraud and financial crimes, Enzo Maresca has replaced Pep Guardiola with an eye on doing something new. Following Pep, City have watched Bernardo Silva and John Stones leave on free transfers. Rodri may also be joining Madrid—not yet confirmed as of this writing. But enough about them.

Let’s talk about the champions: Arsenal. Christos Tzolis has joined the fray to replace Leandro Trossard. Those are some big shoes to fill, and we wish Leo all the best in Turkey. Beyond that, many players won’t yet be ready to start. Players are looking for fitness first, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see most of the first team, especially those who went deep in the World Cup, not make the bench. That being said, it’s a chance at a trophy, and Mikel will use what he has available. It could be a great opportunity for Hale Enders like Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, and Max Dowman, all at very different moments in their careers, to make an impact, whether it’s a starting role, remaining in the squad, or wanting a bigger role.

Will Arsenal put down a marker for the new season? Or will Maresca’s City begin their new chapter with a victory? Join us at Dillon’s on Sunday August 16th and help us answer the age old question: Is the Community Shield a trophy or a pre-season friendly? See you soon!

➡️PLEASE RSVP: bostongooners/matches

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NO QUEUING before Dillon’s opens. Supporters are welcome to enjoy a bite and drinks prior to and after the trophy display.

Please join us as we host the Premier League Trophy with Guinness at Dillon’s on Saturday, June 6th at 4:15pm! Stop by for your chance to take a photo with one of the most iconic trophies in sports.

In order for the most people to enjoy the Champions League final with us, we ask our supporters to carefully read the following:

Dillon’s will reach capacity well before kick-off. REMINDER: RSVPs are for head-counting purposes only. RSVPs aren’t reservations of any kind and do not guarantee entry.

Doors open for general entry at Dillon’s at 10a. Supporters are strongly advised to arrive earlier. Please prepare yourselves for an extended period of time in inclement weather. Those attending with others are advised to sort your groups before entry.

To better accommodate the crowd, D16 (the basement bar at Dillon’s) will be open. A.T. O’Keefe’s (911 Boylston) will again serve as our overflow location. Doors at O’Keefe’s open at approximately 10.45a.

https://www.bostongooners.com/post/night-before-notes-cl-final-30-may

On the heels of winning the Premier League title and as last weekend clearly demonstrated, interest in Arsenal is at an all-time high. In order for the most people to enjoy the Champions League final with us, we ask our supporters to carefully read the following:
Dillon’s will reach capacity well before kick-off. 
REMINDER: RSVPs are for head-counting purposes only. RSVPs aren’t reservations of any kind and do not guarantee entry.

To better accommodate the crowd, D16 (the basement cocktail bar at Dillon’s) will be open, and A.T. O’Keefe’s (911 Boylston) will serve as our overflow location.

A LIMITED number of early entry slots will be available to the public via lottery. Registration link can be found on the bostongooners.com home page. Lottery closes at 11.59p on Wed, 27th May. Winners will be informed via e-mail on Thurs, 28th May.

https://www.bostongooners.com/post/urgent-champions-league-final-30-may

Doors open at 10a. Early arrival strongly advised. Opposition supporters categorically not welcome. To better accommodate the crowd, D16 (the basement cocktail bar at Dillon’s) will be open, and A.T. O’Keefe’s (911 Boylston) will serve as our overflow location. A LIMITED number of early entry slots will be available to supporters via lottery– check website and socials for details.

It’s done. Arsenal are Premier League champions!

Joy, relief, and pride have been felt, with parades and parties flooding the streets across the globe. But there’s still one more trophy on the line, and it’s one the Gunnners have never managed to win. Arsenal will face holders Paris St-Germain in a rematch of last season’s Champions League semi-final showdown.

PSG are favorites. After winning last year’s trophy by demolishing Inter Milan, they have continued their scintillating form in the knockout rounds this year, swatting aside Chelsea, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich. Achraf Hakimi is their only fitness concern. The high-flying right back is nursing a hamstring injury. If he misses out, Warren Zaire-Emery will deputize. Their attacking force needs no fanfare: Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia, and Doué are an incredible unit.

This is Arsenal’s first final since 2006, a 2-1 loss to Barcelona that in many ways marked the end of an era. With the league title done, there is a sense of renewed optimism around the club to take the next step among Europe’s elite. If PSG have a heralded attack, then the defense is where you start with Arsenal. Timber will likely be the only absentee from the usual back four, but Mosquera has looked more comfortable in recent weeks. The back four diamond will be crucial to Arsenal’s success. If they can provide the solidity and frustrate PSG, Saka and Havertz may get the chances to write history.

Can Arsenal become European Champions, or will PSG repeat? For the last time this season, join us at Dillon’s, and let’s conquer the Champions League, together.

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A relaxed viewing of an Arsenal match? We’ll take it.

Looking forward to seeing all you glorious Gooners for the trophy lift tomorrow!