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New York Times
31-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Arsenal fans delight in first foreign NLD: ‘Hong Kong flooded red and white – words cannot describe that feeling'
Since Arsenal adopted Louis Dunford's The Angel (North London Forever) as their pre-game anthem, it has become a fixture at the Emirates Stadium. To hear it sung with just as much gusto at Hong Kong's Kai Tak Stadium is another matter entirely. Tens of thousands of Arsenal fans, from the other side of the globe, singing about the streets of north London. Advertisement Spurs won the friendly. Arsenal won the shouting match. This looked and felt like an Arsenal home game. Even a 1-0 defeat, courtesy of a goal from Pape Matar Sarr, did little to dampen the atmosphere. 'I was amazed,' marvelled Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. 'It just makes you feel how wonderful and big this football club is and how lucky we are to have the support with this level of intensity. It was great to witness. A big thank you.' The attendance was a Hong Kong record, with 49,975 fans packed into the stadium. A significant majority were decked out in the red and white of Arsenal. The club have had a strong following here for decades. Arsenal Hong Kong Supporters Club is one of the oldest international fan groups in the club's network. It started in 1994 and continues to grow. 'North London Forever' sung at Kai Tak Stadium #ARSTOT #HongKong #NorthLondonDerby — Chris-KL-Lau (@Chris_KL_Lau) July 31, 2025 Will Bedoucha is one of the group's leaders. He has supported Arsenal since watching television coverage of Michael Thomas' league-winning goal at Anfield in 1989 as a six-year-old. He sees his role as being a bridge between local fans and the ex-pat community. When the group get together for watchalongs at the Cosmo pub in the Mong Kok district, he will DJ or start chants. 'For any Arsenal or even Spurs fan in the region, this is a dream come true,' Bedoucha tells The Athletic. 'We're so used to top teams coming but playing against our local sides, and the dearth in quality is quite telling. 'This is the first time in history that a real north London derby is played outside of London. The buzz is absolutely out of this world. Seeing Hong Kong absolutely flooded with a sea of red and white — words really cannot describe that feeling for me.' Before the game, the Arsenal Hong Kong supporters group printed and distributed song sheets with lyrics to well-known chants, and an original composition extolling the graduates of Arsenal's Hale End academy — 'We've got Saka and Lewis-Skelly' and 'We've got Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri' sung to the tune of The Beatles' Yellow Submarine. It's easy enough for London-based fans to be cynical about these initiatives, but for Bedoucha and the supporters club, it was necessary preparation. They knew they would be on display to the Arsenal-supporting world and did not want to disappoint. 'I had dreamed of one day having an opportunity to concoct a magical fan experience similar to the Emirates in Hong Kong,' says Bedoucha. Advertisement 'It took two years to really get the Hong Kong fans into singing the chants and developing that atmosphere. We will all feel it at the stadium — we are prepared for war.' There were clear displays of tribalism from both sets of fans. When Spurs legend Ledley King appeared on the screen, he was roundly booed. At the water break midway through the first half, the classic Arsenal call and response chant of 'What do we think of Tottenham?' prompted a chorus of 'Champions of Europe, you'll never sing that' from the Spurs fans. There were also moments that served as reminders we were nearly 6,000 miles from north London. In the concourse, concession stands offered a variety of derby-themed snacks, from 'North London Nachos' to 'Gunners Gourmet Hot Dogs'. As the players came out for the warm-up, Thomas Frank's team were announced as 'The Tottenham Spurs'. When Sarr scored Tottenham's opening goal of the game, the credit on the big screen was given to Mohammed Kudus. The surface of the pitch cut up in a way that would not be deemed acceptable at either the Emirates Stadium or the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But the atmosphere generated was remarkable and created the impression that this was much more than a friendly. The pre-kick-off renditions of When The Spurs Go Marching In and particularly The Angel (North London Forever) were deafening. Before the game, they put a decibel reader on the screen. Spurred on, the roar of the supporters pushed the noise in the enclosed stadium up close to 110 decibels — roughly the same level as a symphony orchestra. It was loud. At half-time, club mascots Gunnersaurus and Chirpy Cockerel went in goal for a penalty shootout for young fans, won by Arsenal when Gunnersaurus saved a shot with his gut. Gunnersaurus saves the penalty and Arsenal win the half-time shoot-out!!! — Connor Humm (@TikiTakaConnor) July 31, 2025 In the 78th minute, there were tit-for-tat, highly anticipated substitutions: first Viktor Gyokeres came on to a huge ovation, before Son Heung-min was introduced to the delight of the Tottenham fans — and disdain of the supporters wearing Arsenal red. While the game lacked the characteristic derby intensity of a competitive game, there were occasional flashpoints: a brief spat between Djed Spence and Christian Norgaard after the Tottenham full-back walked away with the ball after committing a foul; Arteta stepping across Pedro Porro to prevent him from taking a throw-in. A post shared by TNT Sports Football (@tntsportsfootball) Arsenal fans spent much of the game shouting Chinese profanities at the referee, especially when he failed to punish a foul on Myles Lewis-Skelly in the build-up to Tottenham's goal. When the full-time whistle blew, there was a huge roar and fist pump from Tottenham's Kevin Danso. Exhibition or not, the outcome clearly meant something to the players. Advertisement It was Spurs who celebrated with the Herbalgy Trophy, celebrating to the sounds of Gala's Freed From Desire. The Arsenal fans in attendance — many of whom travelled from across Asia, and even beyond — will remember the game for the atmosphere they generated. 'It wasn't the result any of us wanted or expected, but we can still look back with immense pride at the spectacle of it all,' says Bedoucha. 'It was an incredible atmosphere and definitely leaps and bounds more lively than Singapore. I'm sure the players would've also felt that electric atmosphere that was generated. 'Both supporters clubs also did plenty to improve the atmosphere and worked tirelessly to hype up their fanbases, and it showed. 'Hearing North London Forever booming strong by a local audience — among which English isn't the first language — we could only beam with pride.' Perhaps Bacary Sagna said it best. The former Arsenal defender has been part of the touring party as a club ambassador and was interviewed at the side of the pitch before the game. 'We always knew that north London is red,' Sagna said. 'Now we see that Hong Kong is red, too.'
Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Arsenal's final home game tells its own story after season didn't go to plan
ARSENAL 1-0 NEWCASTLE UNITED: Mikel Arteta's Arsenal have fallen short in their pursuit of the Premier League title but victory over Newcastle seals Champions League football Back in August, celebrating second place was not really in Arsenal's plan. But at the final whistle at the Emirates, there was an overwhelming sense of relief as well as joy as they finally saw out at a game. It should be enough to guarantee runners-up place behind Liverpool barring a final day collapse at bottom-of-the-table Southampton and a huge swing in goal difference for Manchester City who have a game in hand. Arsenal had their eyes on a bigger prize at the start of the season but their wretched run of form - this was their first win in four Premier League games - had left them biting their finger nails. This was another nervy occasion and the result was a blow for Newcastle who now go into the final day sweating on their own place in the top five. Newcastle certainly have something over the Gunners because they have already beaten them three times this season - including both legs of the Carabao Cup semi final - and that was clearly in the minds of the Arsenal players. But when Arsenal need a big player or a big performance then they can almost always rely on Declan Rice who has provided the best moments in a topsy turvy season. Rice scored the second half winner this time and it was running, his energy and his determination to fight for every ball that got the team over the line. The harsh reality is that Arsenal's drop off in the past few weeks has left a few fans questioning whether Mikel Arteta can deliver the biggest trophies in the long term. But it must have been a huge comfort for Arteta to hear the home fans chant his name towards the end of the game as Arsenal battled to get the win over the line. Of course there were nerves. Arsenal have thrown away leads - they have surrendered 21 points from winning positions this season - far too often. But after the final whistle, Arteta and his players got a big reception on the pitch as they all embarked on the modern fad of a 'lap of appreciation.' Arteta thanked the fans with a rousing speech before they played that painful North London Forever - featuring the naff second line of 'whatever the weather" - before thankfully they put on Ice Ice Baby to pay tribute to Rice. The England midfielder has been a constant for Arsenal while too many others have been woefully inconsistent. Yes, here's looking at you, keeper David Raya. In contrast, Newcastle have had a terrific season. Football is all about expectations. Newcastle have overachieved as they have already won the Carabao Cup, are still on course for the Champions League and that is some finish. Arsenal, meanwhile, just looked like a bag of nerves. Not helped by Raya. His distribution is reckless and so often gets himself and his team into trouble. You have to balance his saves against him causing the danger in the first place. Raya has become complacent with no competition for his place. Sure enough, his loose pass out from the back went straight to Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes then had a big chance which Raya saved. The Gunners keeper then showed the other side of his game with super saves to deny Harvey Barnes' deflected shot and Dan Burn's close range header. Raya made Arsenal a bag of nerves. William Saliba was not at the races either and he was replaced by Riccardo Calafiori and Arsenal, in fairness, did get better and more assured. Arsenal got the breakthrough after 55 minutes. Bukayo Saka won the ball back, Martin Odegaard played the pass and there was Rice to sweep home from outside the box. That was Rice's ninth goal in all competitions. Newcastle made it nervous at the end, Arsenal had to man the barricades as Kai Havertz also came on for a late cameo appearance. But, finally, they held onto a lead and got a much-needed win. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
New York Times
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Observing an Arsenal training session: Music, a large stopwatch and intensity
The Arsenal fans who attended Wednesday's open training session at the Emirates Stadium were treated by a welcome sight: Kai Havertz in full training. The German international has been absent since suffering a hamstring injury during Arsenal's training camp in Dubai in early February. As Arsenal jogged out onto their home turf, with the club anthem 'North London Forever' playing over the PA, the tall figure of Havertz was immediately visible among the squad — and the 25-year-old went on to be heavily involved throughout the session. Advertisement He was given a 'guard of honour', complete with playful slaps to the head, by his team-mates to mark his return to training. Havertz was joined by Leandro Trossard, who went off injured during Sunday's game at Anfield, and Declan Rice, who missed the Liverpool match through injury. Jorginho also trained, having been absent since suffering a blow to the ribs during the final moments of April's 1-1 draw with Brentford. More than 7,000 Arsenal fans accepted the club's invitation to watch the training session at the stadium. There was no charge for tickets — the intention was to thank supporters and connect with the local community. So what was it like? The goalkeepers — David Raya, Neto and Tommy Setford — were out on the pitch first. They ran through a drill which involved claiming crosses, bowling out throws and diving to save long shots, while Break My Soul by Beyonce played over the sound system. Music is regularly a feature of Mikel Arteta's sessions. 'That is something we've done for many years, it is part of training,' the Arsenal manager said in January. 'We use music as another element of our sessions to build energy and change purposes that we want in the training session. The players enjoy it. Depending on the day, sometimes certain players pick certain songs, it's the same as in the dressing room.' Watching the training session unfold, it was striking how much time the goalkeepers spend away from the main group. It is no wonder the cliche of the 'goalkeepers union' has come about — they are each other's predominant support and social network. The relationship between No 1 Raya and goalkeeper coach Inaki Cana is clearly also of paramount importance. At 10.55am, it was announced that 'something special' was about to happen. 'They're announcing the Man City hearing verdict,' joked one fan in the East Stand. Instead, it was the outfield players coming out to start training — with Havertz among them. Arteta was the last man out onto the field, receiving a hug and a high-five from Gunnersaurus on the touchline. Advertisement For the Arsenal players, there's a certain novelty to training in front of supporters. Although commonplace in other European countries, it's relatively unusual in England. Back in 2022, then Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka approached the club about the prospect of holding more training sessions in public. The Swiss international believed it would improve relations between fans and players. 'The people who do not see us in the training, for example, do not see how hard we are working,' he explained. 'They see us only in the 90 minutes. Everyone has a good and bad day. That is why I spoke with the club as well about, 'Why can't we bring the fans maybe once a week so they can see us how we train?'' Arsenal's outfield contingent began training just after 11am. Academy players Maldini Kacurri, Michal Rosiak and Nathan Butler-Oyedeji rounded out the group. It was clear that, although Arteta's title may be 'manager', he is a coach first and foremost. He plays an active role in the leading the session — but he is not alone. He is supported on the training pitch by around a dozen technical and performance staff. Arsenal start with some simple activation, a bit of passing and some stretching. The latter requires the players to pair up with those of equivalent heights — Havertz was partnered by Merino, Trossard by Oleksandr Zinchenko. Every exercise is timed to the second: Arsenal trained with a large digital stopwatch placed behind the managerial dugout. The pitch is freshly watered (and assistant coach Carlos Cuesta at one point got caught by the sprinkler system). After their initial warm-up, Arsenal broke into small groups for some familiar technical drills: dribbling round cones, passing into small goals and the now ubiquitous rondos. This training session was clearly a little different: at one stage, a group of children, present as part of Arsenal's community programme, found themselves chasing a ball round a rondo. Arsenal then moved on to the meat of the session; the part that closely replicates a match scenario. Two teams of 10 outfield players competed on a compressed pitch to win a single ball, Arteta tossing it into different zones to create transition moments. Having gained possession, the aim then appeared to be to create penetration, either in wide areas or through the middle. At first, there were no goals or goalkeepers — breaking beyond the back line was enough to end the phase. That would prompt another immediate restart from Arteta. Advertisement It was physical and intense. At one stage, Gabriel Martinelli went down in obvious pain but he was able to return to the field shortly afterwards. Havertz not only took part, he was integral to the session. He wore a different colour bib to the rest of the group, signifying that he was actually operating as the centre-forward for both teams. Whoever had possession, he would change direction and assume the role of attacking focal point. Eventually, goals and goalkeepers were added, bringing the exercise more in line with a conventional game. Arsenal then moved onto a three-team tournament featuring groups of six outfield players. Hein and Neto played in goal throughout, with Raya continuing more drills with Cana in front of the North Bank. There were eye-catching moments, including some sumptuous two-footed finishing from Ethan Nwaneri and Trossard. He may have fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium, but the close control and creativity of Zinchenko in a small-sided game was second to none. The team in orange bibs seemingly came out on top: Rosiak and Riccardo Calafiori at the back, Jorginho and Mikel Merino in midfield, with Trossard and Raheem Sterling leading the attack. He may not have scored in the Premier League this season, but Sterling did not look out of place in the training environment, showing a keen eye for goal. They celebrated their victory — Arteta demands a competitive environment, even on the training pitch. Arsenal finished with a team photo in front of the assembled fans: a souvenir from an unusual, insightful day.
Daily Mirror
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Coleen Nolan forced to apologise to emotional Loose Women co-star after blunder
ITV's Loose Women was the stage for a mix-up that had viewers amused, as host Coleen Nolan accidentally looked past her co-star Linda Robson on live television. Coleen was in the driving seat for the April 30 episode of the chat show, joined by Janet Street-Porter, Linda Robson and the Heart Radio sensation Kelly Brook. Before heading on a commercial break, Coleen hyped up what was still to come, hinting that Linda would soon share about her bond with Anne Hathaway and how they both cheer for Arsenal Football Club. But, post-advert return saw an awkward moment when Coleen breezed past Linda's anticipated segment, turning instead to Janet to open up about the significance of celebrating anniversaries. Realising she had mistakenly cued Janet to voice her opinion instead of Linda, the ex-singer quickly caught on to her mistake, reports Belfast Live. Further jitters escalated when Coleen, mid-request for Janet's views on historical romances, corrected herself – halting abruptly to clarify: "We're not, I'm not [going to you next]." In a bid to ease the tension, she followed it up telling Janet: "I'm saving you." With a bit of humour, Janet quipped back: "You're giving me time to come up with my answer," seemingly unfazed by the scheduling hiccup. Coleen, keen to get back on track, gestured towards Linda, asserting: "Linda, I'm going to ask you." Now thrown off too, Linda responded with just a "What?" which sent the audience into fits of giggles, witnessing the panel navigate their on-air uncertainty. The host owned up to her slip-up, apologising to Linda: "Sorry, sorry, I forgot to mention I was so excited to get to Janet's love life that I forgot to mention about this Hollywood connection." When given the opportunity, Linda excitedly shared her link to Hollywood A-lister Anne Hathaway, who happens to be a massive Arsenal fan, just like Linda's son Louis Dunford. The Loose Women star and her son Louis recently were trending on social media after it came out that Louis is the brains behind Arsenal F. C.'s anthem, The Angel (North London Forever), well-loved and sung by fans across the globe. Anne Hathaway, an avid supporter herself, showed some love by singing Louis' hit on social media, a performance that aired on Loose Women and left everyone touched. Back in the studio, Linda, clearly moved by the moment, confessed: "I think I might cry." Spotting Linda's emotional state Coleen offered support asking: "Are you ok, love, do you want a tissue?" Masking her emotions from the cameras, Linda responded to the host: "I'm alright," and they carried on with the programme. Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1, from 12:30pm.
Telegraph
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Mikel Arteta learnt the hard way that Arsenal cannot confect a fortress
As a cri de coeur, Mikel Arteta's video message to Arsenal fans packed quite the punch. Staring straight down the lens, and jabbing his finger in the style of Lord Kitchener to tell supporters how much their club needed them, he demanded that 'every pass, every tackle, every run, every decision' be cheered so that his players could feel the connection. For such rhetoric to work, though, you tend to need some of the ball in the first place. And as Arsenal found themselves outsmarted and outmanoeuvred at every turn by Paris St-Germain, the manager's tub-thumping achieved the opposite of the intended effect, with a delirious pre-match atmosphere curdling by the final whistle into one of bitterness and regret. Bring everything tonight. — Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 29, 2025 This was supposed to be a night like no other at the Emirates: one where Arsenal would make good on all the yearning, and where Arteta's sloganising about 'our time' would propel them towards a first Champions League final for 19 years. He has spoken repeatedly about trying to create greater intensity at home, even urging fans to make this stadium more hostile than Anfield. Except such a reputation can only be earned, not confected. Where Liverpool have the timeless strains of You'll Never Walk Alone, Arsenal's battle cry of North London Forever has only existed since 2022. Arteta demanded a fortress, but in the end PSG stormed the ramparts with alarming ease. By the end, the atmosphere felt horribly lukewarm, with anticipation replaced by foreboding for the second leg at 1-0 down. The never-say-die spirit mandated by Arteta simply never materialised. In fact, the more impressive choreography at kick-off came courtesy of PSG fans, whose co-ordinated bouncing was relentless. A key reason is cultural, of course: England simply has no equivalent of the European ultras culture, with Crystal Palace's self-styled 'Holmesdale Ultras' consisting of little more than a few die-hards with a drum. Here, at a Champions League semi-final under a perfect evening sky, there was perhaps the most vivid manifestation of the difference. While PSG's disciples took over Trafalgar Square before marching towards the Emirates, Arsenal could only conjure a giant red tifo with a cannon. In fairness, this was not the fans' fault. Many had wanted to produce a banner to remember, but instead the club provided one so underwhelming it looked as if it had been rushed out at the last minute by an Islington printing shop. Not that this stopped Wayne Rooney from rounding on Arsenal's support. 'I was disappointed with the fans,' he said. 'They really pushed the team against Real Madrid, but I thought they were subdued, it was almost like it was an anticlimax, like they thought they were going to walk into the final. But fans have to be there. The players have to do it, too, but it wasn't good enough on either side.' Arteta could point out, quite rightly, that he should not be lectured by a man who has conspired to relegate Birmingham and, imminently, Plymouth. And yet the awkward truth was that Arsenal shrivelled under the spotlight. On the grandest European night here since 2006, Arteta's rabble-rousing served only to make his players too het up, too emotional, too skittish as they spent the first 15 minutes chasing shadows. Never mind applauding madly for every successful pass, fans barely had a chance to murmur as they watched PSG string 26 together en route to Ousmane Dembélé's goal. From there, the longed-for passion evaporated, with supporters instead turning their ire on referee Slavko Vincic for showing Bukayo Saka a dubious yellow card. Arteta has done so much right in his 5½ years in charge, turning Arsenal from dysfunctional also-rans into Premier League runners-up three years in a row, not to mention engineering arguably their greatest performance in living memory against Real just three weeks ago. If he has any weakness, however, it is that he can sometimes strain too hard in sight of the prize. He is always a cat on a hot tin roof on the touchline, living every triumph and torment with his players. But there is no requirement for him to transmit such jitters to the stands. Fan fervour at these games should be allowed to develop organically, not insisted on almost as a condition of entry. For that reason, Arteta's call to arms, beamed out on the giant screens, ultimately felt unnecessary. How many times have you seen Pep Guardiola, at whose feet Arteta learned his craft, pull such a stunt? Yes, Guardiola is fearsomely exacting with his players, berating them even when they are having the games of their lives. But he has known better than to pre-record some rebel yell for fans before a ball has been kicked. There is also a certain light and shade: during the tense, Treble-deciding Champions League final in 2023, he implored his Manchester City players to relax. Arteta, by contrast, is so hyperactive, so perpetually wired, that he risks leaving himself and everybody else wrung out with stress. This is hardly a lost cause just yet. After all, Liverpool have already shown this season how to win 1-0 at Parc des Princes. But on this evidence you fear for Arsenal, so dramatically were they undone by PSG's slickness and superior self-belief. If there is one change Arteta should implement for the return leg in Paris in eight days' time, it is to dial down the hysteria, to trust more in his own methods than in the gratuitous Churchill-esque flourishes.
