Arsenal had lost four consecutive games.
When you’ve lost four in a row, you need a rubbish opponent.
And Milan were that opponent.
Arsenal won 2-0 in the San Siro and are 1/20 to win tonight’s game.
Monreal and Bellerin are back and Arsenal will focus on winning the Europa League from now on. That target is obvious, as Aaron Ramsey admitted yesterday.
He said, “It is a massive opportunity for us so it’s something we’ve got to be prepared to give everything for to try to achieve it. This game is very important for us and our season.”
Bookslam came back with a bang last night.
Their political guests drew a big crowd at York Hall in Bethnall Green.
The themes of the event, kicked off by Matthew D’Ancona, were (1) Brexit and (2) post-truth Britain in a Trump world.
Misha Glenny, the journalist whose McMafia book was dramatised by the BBC, proved to be an engaging performer.
Glenny started with the ghastly events in Salisbury, then recapped the break-up of the Soviet Union, the nasty neighbour of the peaceful European Union.
He urged us to press our MPs to insist on new legislation to prevent half of Baker Street, and much else, from being owned by people whose identities we don’t know. Tony Bliar made that possible. He lifted capital controls.Now is the time to reverse those laws.
Nick Clegg was boyish and lucid and wholly believable.
Personally, I don’t believe a word any politician says,
So Nick Clegg is either a decent bloke or the greatest actor I’ve ever seen.
The last act, following Clegg, was Irish comedian Andrew Maxwell, who has an Adolf Hitler haircut.
He moved several years ago to a coastal town in Kent where, on a clear day, you can see France.
But all his neighbours read The Daily Mail.
Felicity Ward is an in-your-face compere who sometimes asks punters their names and jobs. A guy called Richard said he was a software developer. Asked what he had developed, his reply was, “Part of the Stock Exchange.” She had some fun with that.
Then Miran drove us back to Willesden. We were tired but happy.
A stimulating night out and we’d been jammy in finding a parking space 50 yards from the gig.