Paul Williams

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It's a family affair... third generation Gooner, obsessed with Arsenal since the 80's. I've been writing about that obsession and, ever so occasionally, the team since 2004 in a variety of places, but have found a natural home here. As you will find out if you stick around long enough, I am a huge fan of Santi Cazorla. I'm extremely fond of cheese, Marmite, Pipers Salt n' Vinegar crisps, Pilsner Urquell, vodka tonics and absinthe. I am also hopelessly obsessed with Depeche Mode.
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

It’s the banner era

Arsenal's victory at Hull City on Tuesday ensured that we will continue our defence of the FA Cup this weekend. I don't know, because I...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Cazorla catastrophe

Was Santi Cazorla's knee ligament injury the moment Arsenal's title challenge was fatally torpedoed, even before they got to play United and Swansea? It's likely...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

A night of regrets for Arsenal

It's hard to look back on the first leg of Arsenal's Champions League tie with Barcelona with anything other than a sense of regret. Okay,...

Welbeck encourages on first start in 10 months

In his first first team start since last April, Danny Welbeck completed 67 minutes against Hull City on Saturday. And that is almost the best...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Arsenal’s depth and experience is key to 2016 title race

Arsenal are the newly installed bookies favourites to win the Premier League for the first time since 2004. I'm not sure what our odds were...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Proof Arsenal aren’t in negative spiral

The change in month, it seems, has not brought about a change in fortunes for our beloved Arsenal. The optimism fostered by the pre-Christmas win...

John Terry: Arsenal’s nemesis

John Terry will not be offered a new deal by Chelsea at the end of this season. On hearing this news, my first reaction was...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Chelsea Inflicted Pain

The Lightning Seeds once wrote a song called Sugar Coated Icebergs. You may not remember it, hell, you may not even remember the Lightning Seeds....

Welbeck return a boost for Arsenal

Danny Welbeck is back in full training for Arsenal. Truly these are words that most of us probably never thought we'd type. Rumours that Special...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Alexis and Ozil boost for Arsenal

Alexis and Mesut Özil's return to first team action could not be coming at a better time. For weeks now, the Arsenal starting XI, at least...

Player Focus: Aaron Ramsey saves the day against Stoke

Aaron Ramsey's last minute goal line clearance took Arsenal back to the top of the Premier League following a goalless draw at Stoke City. In truth, there wasn't...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

The FA Cup: Nobody’s bothered but Arsenal

This weekend, in a line surely designed to troll Arsenal fans everywhere, one tabloid wrote off the FA Cup as a competition only Arsenal...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Mesut Ozil is the one

In Mesut Özil, Arsenal have a footballer who can deliver us the Premier League title. Hopefully, I have your attention now, yes? Good. That's how good I...

Can new blood take Arsenal all the way?

I'm not convinced that the last week saw us learn anything about Arsenal we didn't already know. Okay, so the battering we took at Southampton...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Why Arsenal fans should enjoy Christmas after Manchester City win

The presents have been bought, though not wrapped and, thankful that we only live a five minute walk from Waitrose, the shopping is in. It...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Who’s the specialist in failure now, Jose?

According to reports, the Chelsea board are considering replacing Jose Mourinho with Juande Ramos. Read that sentence again and let it sink in. The Chelsea...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Santi Cazorla is better than all of you

Santi Cazorla's ruptured knee ligaments are, obviously, both a pain for him and for Arsenal Football Club. I begin here, because as happens sometimes, I...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Arsenal: 4th not 14th

I wouldn’t say that I have spent the last few weeks soul searching, but it is fair to say that I have been in...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Farewell, Banksy: Saying goodbye to a true Gooner

I hope you’ll forgive me, comrades, for not dwelling on Arsenal’s impressive 3-0 win against Dinamo Zagreb. I’d like to dedicate Wednesday’s column to my...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Come together

Here in London, it feels as though a world so thoroughly tilted on its axis by the horrific events in Paris last Friday, is...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Arsène Wenger’s red jockstrap

A degree of irrationality can affect us all from time to time. Last night, for example, I took Jo to see Mark Kermode and Simon...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Cech gets the balance right for Arsenal

Arsenal are limping towards what may be a particularly welcome international break. Yes, I know, international breaks are rarely welcome. However, in this instance, with...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Halloween brings nightmares for Arsène Wenger

It was all going too well, wasn't it? On Saturday, Arsenal followed up last week's excellent win against Bayern Munich with a hard fought victory...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Bayern bogeymen stunned by Gunners

Well, that was alright, wasn't it? I had written before that whilst there was still even an outside chance for Arsenal in this season's Champions...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Should Arsenal sacrifice the Champions League?

Should Arsenal sacrifice the Champions League? It's an interesting question, isn't it? For me, the answer is a slightly complicated one. As things stand, Arsenal are...

Jose Mourinho: Not a goodfella

Jose Mourinho is the Joe Pesci of the Premier League. I know, I know... I wrote this yesterday and compared the Chelsea manager to Othello....
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Hello, hello, Arsenal are back

In the last few weeks, it seems to have become open season on Arsène Wenger again. This is something I can only take as a...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Arsenal reach from the gutter to the stars

We all know the truism that football is a funny old game. It doesn't always feel like it though, does it? That said, Arsenal seem...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Smoking Gunners

When I think back to happier times, it seems impossible to believe that they could have existed. Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and the demolition of...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

‘Perry Groves is here’ – Behind the scenes at the Emirates

If you've come here looking for something in which you can really wallow following the weekend's events at Stamford Bridge, then this is not...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Midfield strength, Theo and Chelsea

I wrote, on the eve of the new season, that Arsenal's squad depth gave them an excellent chance of winning their first league title...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Arsenal’s player of the month is…?

It has, it's fair to say, been a slightly turbulent start to the season for our red and heroes. Nowhere can this be more vividly...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Wenger right not to sign striker for Arsenal

Yesterday, Arsène Wenger all but guaranteed that Arsenal Football Club would not challenge for the Premier League title. That is, if you believe the naysayers....
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Karim Benzema rejection blues

I joked during the game last night that Karim Benzema's public rejection of a move to Arsenal was the only explanation for our dreadful first...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Arsenal fans agree Wenger is right man for job

Arsenal fans: cheer up, it's not that bad.

Why Lee Mason was right not to send Coquelin off against Crystal Palace

Lee Mason, a referee Arsenal fans have had little cause to celebrate down the years, was at the centre of things again yesterday afternoon. Only,...
Paul Williams Santi Cazorla

Cazorla central to Arsenal success

It is said that a week is a long time in politics. The same also applies to football. A week ago, I was sitting here...

Arsenal squad depth key to Premier League glory

After what seems like the smallest break of all time, the 2015/16 season is now upon us. I mean, seriously, I saw Darren Berry yesterday...

Taking A Break. Maybe

by Paul Williams What does the average Arsenal blogger have to write about in the summer? Clearly, whatever it may say in my Twitter bio, I don't...

Arsenal's season of surprises

by Paul Williams Reflections on a season of surprises. A few months ago, following the farcical draw with Anderlecht and defeat at Swansea, I called for the...