You’re in the queue | Arseblog … an Arsenal blog

Morning all, Andrew M is out of motion as we speak, so I’m on cowl responsibility for the morning…the 83rd time you’ve needed to put up with me on the principle weblog within the final 10 years, I simply checked.

There’s not a complete lot occurring on the Arsenal entrance. After a few days off, the gamers must be again at London Colney to start preparations for Sunday’s conflict with Chelsea, the primary of seven video games subsequent month that may go a great distance in direction of deciding whether or not this aspect ends the season with silverware. We gained’t know till Friday who we face within the Champions League Spherical of 16, however a visit to Germany seems to be doubtless. Bayer Leverkusen’s 0-0 draw with Olympiacos final evening means they gained their play-off 2-0 on mixture, and Borussia Dortmund maintain a 2-0 lead over Atalanta forward of this night’s second leg.

Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid made gentle work of Membership Brugge (Agg 7-4), Newcastle beat Qarabag once more (Agg 9-3), and Bodo/Glimt shocked Inter with a second win in fast succession, this time within the San Siro, to progress (Agg 5-2). What a narrative for the plucky Norwegians, potential quarter-final opponents for the Gunners, who’ll little doubt turn into so wealthy from this yr’s UEFA prize cash, they’ll take an iron grip on their home league thus destroying its competitiveness eternally. Or one thing like that.

It’s honest to say that March is about as diversified because it will get on the fixture entrance for Arsenal. Sunday’s huge London derby, two middling Premier League sides in Brighton and Everton, League One Mansfield within the FA Cup, a Champions League double-header and a cup ultimate towards Manchester Metropolis. All packed into three weeks. I do know the supervisor likes to take issues one sport at a time, however as a fan, it’s exhausting to not look forward, particularly when tickets want shopping for and journey wants sorting.

Speaking of which, nothing takes the shine off a Wembley journey fairly like navigating Arsenal’s Ticketmaster portal. I can’t converse for everybody attempting to purchase Carabao Cup ultimate tickets yesterday, an admittedly privileged drawback, however becoming a member of the queue, getting by way of to the seat choice web page after which being booted out of the system for “suspicious exercise” is, selecting our phrases fastidiously, not splendid, notably if you’re presupposed to be working on the identical time.

A fast scan of social media urged a lot had been in the identical boat. Tales ranged from tickets vanishing from baskets to individuals being timed out by a system that then promptly crashed. After all, when you’re dumped again initially, what do you do? You panic, seize one other gadget or two and check out once more, which in all probability doubles the site visitors. After 90 minutes that had been extra treacherous than watching us play Wolves, and with the Ready Room holding picture nonetheless exhibiting a group lineup that includes Sokratis and David Luiz (please, Arsenal, replace it!), we received there. That mentioned, if yesterday was something to go by, the purple and white finish at Wembley goes to appear to be a Pep Guardiola tribute act after all of the hair that received torn out.

As soon as issues had calmed down, I messaged the membership for an official line. They mentioned a bot assault early within the course of led Ticketmaster to kick individuals out of the ready room, and entry was solely restored as soon as the bots had been cleared. “The vital factor was guaranteeing bots weren’t in a position to entry tickets,” mentioned a membership official. I suppose should you’re at Wembley on 22 March and end up singing North London Ceaselessly subsequent to a ChatGPT avatar, we’ll know the way properly that labored.

Elsewhere, the Premier League and Arsenal have lastly acknowledged that the upcoming house sport with Everton, already moved from Saturday 14th to Sunday fifteenth March at 2pm, may shift once more if UEFA schedule the second leg of our Champions League spherical of 16 tie for Tuesday 17 March. With Sky Sports activities holding the UK broadcast rights, if it does transfer, you’d think about an 8pm Saturday slot is the more than likely consequence.

It’s price saying once more that treating supporters like this at such quick discover is exhausting. Each units of followers had been messed round when the reverse fixture went by way of a equally muddled scheduling course of simply earlier than Christmas, and now we’re right here once more. With so little wiggle room within the calendar, made worse by the growth of UEFA’s competitions and the continued Saturday 3pm broadcast blackout, it looks like that is solely going to occur extra typically.

Supporter teams have been banging this drum for years. The Soccer Supporters’ Affiliation has repeatedly warned that fixed fixture shifts, late TV strikes and unsociable kick-off occasions disproportionately hit matchgoing followers, particularly those that journey lengthy distances or e book lodging upfront. They’ve additionally identified the irony that whereas broadcast offers hold getting greater, the burden of flexibility appears to fall nearly fully on supporters, who’re anticipated to soak up the fee and disruption with out a lot say within the course of.

Nearer to house, the Arsenal Supporters’ Belief have pushed again on selections that enhance the burden on matchgoing followers, whether or not by way of pricing or late scheduling adjustments, warning that loyal supporters are too typically anticipated to soak up the price of a sport formed more and more by broadcast and business priorities. The broader concern is that when fixtures really feel provisional, and costs hold creeping up, the matchgoing expertise feels wholly transactional fairly than communal.

Followers will all the time adapt as a result of that’s what followers do, however that willingness shouldn’t be mistaken for equity. Loyalty shouldn’t be handled like an infinite useful resource, not if you additionally need me to spend £80 each month on the identical tracksuit in a distinct color!

Anyway, rant over. Andrew M will likely be again tomorrow. Catch you subsequent time.