It may have taken Arsenal a while to complete the signing of Gabriel in the transfer market but on the pitch the defender has been an immediate success.
After weeks of contradictory reports, the Gunners finally completed the signing of the 22-year-old from Lille at the beginning of September for a fee believed to be in the region of £23 million.
Continue reading “Gabriel looks like the missing piece that Arsenal has lacked in defence for years”
After approximately 50 days of waiting, we’re less than 24 hours away from the 2020/21 Premier League season kicking off. Every year, I try my best at predicting how the table will end in May and this year is no different.
The following is my prediction for the Premier League table:
Continue reading “Predicting the 2020/21 Premier League table…”
With the 2017/18 Premier League season slowly reaching its conclusion, months full of World Cup fixtures, events, and pre-season clashes await eager fans of the sport. If you’re an avid football fan whose preparing to travel to the capital of England, this summer, here are five Premier League football stadiums you need to visit – ranked by their capacity.
5 – Selhurst Park; Selhurst Park, Capacity: 26,309
Selhurst Park is situated in the suburb of Selhurst in the Borough of Croydon. Construction for the stadium took place between 1922 to 1923 and officially opened the following year.
There are currently plans to redevelop parts of the stadium, including an increase in capacity from 26,309 to more than 34,000, that is awaiting approval from the Croydon council.
Most of the stadium, like the iconic Holmesdale Road Stand, will remain as part of the stadium, but the Main Stand will be transformed with a five-story stand and an all-glass front.
Selhurst railway station and Norwood Junction station are two of the nearest train stations to the stadium.
4 – Stamford Bridge; Chelsea, Capacity: 41,798
The first ever London club to lift the Champions League, Chelsea, play their fixtures in South-West London at Stamford Bridge. The Blues currently have plans to increase the capacity of the stadium to approximately 60,000.
Fans are able to book a tour of the stadium that is accompanied with free-entry to the club’s museum. Also, there are sometimes options available to purchase a tour with a Chelsea legend.
In addition, the stadium will host a special fixture between Chelsea Legends and Inter Forever on the 19th May 2018.
Fulham Broadway station is the closest train station to Stamford Bridge.
3 – London Stadium; West Ham United, Capacity: 56,977
Home of the 2012 Olympic Games, the London Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium that is mainly used by its primary tenants, West Ham United and British Athletics.
The Hammers moved into the stadium ahead of the 2016/17 Premier League after winning tenancy to mixed reactions from fans. James Jones, a season-ticket holder at the club, said, “The London Stadium itself isn’t a bad venue, however, it’s not a football stadium.”
The London Stadium has hosted other sports like rugby and also concerts. There is a tour available that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the club and the 2012 Olympics games.
Pudding Mill Lane and Stratford are the closest train stations to the stadium.
2 – Emirates Stadium; Arsenal, Capacity: 59,867
The Emirates Stadium, home to London’s most successful football club, is one of the largest stadiums in the country and can be found in Highbury, part of the Borough of Islington.
Throughout the calendar year, there’s plenty of time to go behind-the-scenes with a tour of the Emirates Stadium. Likewise, with Chelsea, the club usually offers exclusive tours that are hosted by legends of the club like Charlie George and Nigel Winterburn.
For league and cup fixtures, the stadium often sees tickets sell-out quickly with a tiered membership system used to offer priority tickets to those with the highest membership.
Some of the nearby train stations to the stadium include Highbury and Islington station and Arsenal station.
1 – Wembley Stadium; Tottenham, Capacity: 90,000
Finally, Wembley Stadium is the largest stadium in the United Kingdom and the second-largest in Europe. Arsenal’s main rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, are temporary tenants whilst their new stadium is built.
The stadium hosts the FA Cup final every single year and has also hosted other major sporting events like the Champions League final and also the WBF and IBF world championship fight between boxers Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko.
The headquarters of the Football Association and the campus of UCFB Wembley can also be found at the north-west London stadium.
Wembley Central and Wembley Park are the closest train stations to the stadium.
byjohnsmith.com 