The newsletter reaches 100 issues. No time to celebrate unless you are an Arsenal fan. In a week where the Gunners win the Premier League, that is arguably no longer the biggest story. Thomas Tuchel names his 26. Pep steps out of Manchester City. Southampton booted out of the playoffs. Issue 100. Go.

No final day title drama, Arsenal wrapping it up five days prior. Wrapping it up without even having to step on to the field. A hat tip to Bournemouth for holding Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium, the Gunners crossing the line with a game to spare.

Relief not only because it releases the tension before the weekend but relief at no longer being the nearly men. Three successive second-place finishes, questions as to whether Arsenal had the minerals in order to win the title. Questions now answered.

Some will argue that Mikel Arteta’s men are not deserving champions but any team that sets the pace over the course of 38 games and lasts the distance has to be commended for their efforts.

Was it the easiest title win on the eye? No but if there is one thing that Arsenal were better at then everyone else this season it was bending the laws as much as possible without breaking.

The cheat code of set pieces incredibly valuable - especially in the first half of the season before opposition teams tried to wise up and stop them, to the point where they will likely be some sort of law redress regarding grappling in the box.

That though is not a problem for Arsenal, their only problem is trying to turn a great season into an excellent one. The Champions League final takes place next Saturday and the prospect of beating PSG in Budapest is far from an impossible one.

Although the cat was all but let out of the bag on Tuesday, there is no more need for conjecture. Pep Guardiola’s departure has been confirmed by Manchester City, their search for a new manager starts right away,

A search that will likely not take all that long because on the same night that Guardiola was being linked with his departure, Enzo Maresca was being linked as his replacement at the Etihad.

Guardiola bows out defeated in the race for this season’s Premier League title but still with a domestic double for his efforts and with wins in both the FA and League Cup his major honours looks as follows:

Not a bad return since arriving in the blue half of Manchester in 2016, if you are being slightly critical then maybe another Champions League title should have been captured during his decade in charge.

A decade that has seen him rebuild the squad twice maybe thrice over and although critics say he has the easist job in the world due to an unlimited amount of riches, you still have to be able to coach the cabal of superstars at his disposal.

That he certainly has done and with the Premier League’s mountain top climbed on six separate occasions, there is a feeling of nothing else left to do within the confines of English football.

Those of a more sceptical persuasion will suggest that Guardiola is deploying the parachutes before 115 charges kick in. We still have to wait and see if any punishment is ever handed down but to be fair, I don’t think this is a manager trying not to be tainted.

If City do get punishment, then Guardiola won’t be airbrushed from history even if there are a few asterisks applied to previous success. Instead, it is time to give a very good coach his flowers and the club have decided that the North Stand will be renamed in his honour.

Where does the former Barcelona, Bayern and soon to be City boss go next? Who knows but one thing is for sure. He has certainly earned a good rest along with the next pay packet that will undoubtedly come his way.

Last week England manager Thomas Tuchel named a provisional World Cup squad list of 55 names. Today that list has been chopped in half and then some, as the official squad has been announced:

The Squad

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City)

Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City)

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)

Forwards: Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)

Firstly, the fact that so many non-travelling players were announced as out of the squad on Thursday night was rather disappointing. What happened, to a nice full-fat announcement like back in the good old days? I guess that is the modern day news cycle for you.

Secondly, when you are trimming a list from 55 to 26 - actually, it’s not even trimming is it, it’s butchering by comparison then there are always going to be a large number of disappointments (from both players and fans alike)

More importantly, manager Tuchel has said that he feels this squad gives him the best chance of winning rather than just picking the 26 best players. That in itself, is a fair point, we will only know if this was the right decision in six weeks from now.

No Harry Maguire, his mum not happy with that.

No Cole Palmer or Phil Foden. Both had a case for making the 26 but neither have been at the previous high levels they have set themselves that and there is an abundance of options in the number 10 role.

Which is why Morgan Gibbs-White is not on the plane. The most purple of purple patches at the back end of the season. If the Nottingham Forest player had been like that across all 38 games, he would have been flying the plane himself.

No Trent at right back will have certainly raised some eyebrows. Reece James’ fitness will be under the microscope more than ever before.

Ivan Toney’s inclusion has certainly raised eyebrows. A penalty specialist perhaps. Fingers crossed we don’t actually need him in a shootout scenario.

No England squad is ever going to keep everyone happy, but that’s the fun of it all.

Everyone thinks they can pick the winning combination but nobody has done that in 60 years.

Is it coming home?

Southampton dumped out of the playoffs by the EFL as Spy Gate reaches its conclusion. Not only that but the Saints start next season with four points deducted from their Championship tally.

The Saints caught bang to rights and the fact it was not only the Rockcliffe Park scandal at Middlesbrough but other instances throughout the regular season meant that the St Mary’s outfit did not have a leg to stand on.

Which means Hull now face Middlesbrough in tomorrow’s play-off final. Hull reportedly trying to engineer a direct route to the Premier League, but the EFL were never going to agree with that.

Southampton not agreeing with the punishment but the appeal that followed on Wednesday fell on deaf ears. All that hard work undone after a lengthy and impressive unbeaten run in the second half of the season. How much was that down to nefarious means?

Players denied the chance to earn Premier League promotion, how many will now be weighing up their futures on the South Coast? You would not blame them for wanting to move on.

While although the blame will lie on the shoulders of the intern who got caught by Middlesbrough, there does need to be some safeguarding. Undoubtedly thrown into the Lion’s Den, a horrible position to be put in when trying to start your career.

As for Tonda Eckert’s career it will be interesting to see whether the Southampton board will keep him for next season. It will also be interesting to see whether the fans will want him leading the team after everything that has played out.

You though the play-offs could not generate any more drama then it has since their creation 40 years ago, think again. This scandal is not just drama it is pure espionage played out in football circles. The EFL scriptwriters have outdone themselves here.

Aston Villa ended their trophy drought with a comfortable win over Freiburg in Wednesday’s Europa League final. Jubilation for Unai Emery’s men as the man himself continues his symbiotic relationship with the competition.

Whether English clubs hoovering up the second and third tier European trophies is a good thing long-term can be argued (personally, it’s probably not) but nobody raised the same fears when Spanish clubs were winning the Europa League on a near yearly basis.

The debate about the strength of the Europa League will continue for some time, especially if another English team comes out on top in 12 months but for now Villa will worry about their celebrations and a place in next season’s Super Cup final.

All Tottenham need is a single point at home to Everton.

All West Ham need is a win over Leeds and the hope that David Moyes does his former employer a huge favour in North London.

Cuti Romero decides he wants no part of Sunday’s drama, he takes a trip to Argentina instead. Not the best optic but Spurs have won all their points under Roberto De Zerbi without him, so what would his presence in the stands actually do?

Tottenham left it far too late to get going at Chelsea on Tuesday, James Maddison probably has 25 minutes left in him this season, 45 at a push. Do you start him to try and get the job done as soon as possible or do you leave him to try and make an impact.

West Ham certainly need an impact after such a poor showing at Newcastle last weekend. That was mainly done to Nuno’s tinkering in terms of defensive and if they do go down on Sunday, fans will point to their loss on Tyneside and think “that was the one”

The Hammers have lost each of their last three league matches but their last six at home paints a far better story. Nine points from the last 18 offer at the London Stadium, the final roll of the dice is nothing less than win or bust.

The top five is secure but a combination of results could see Bournemouth also added to the party for next season. For Andoni Iraola to get the perfect send off, the Cherries must beat Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Not only that but they must also hope that Liverpool get the better of Brentford at Anfield, while Manchester City get the better of Aston Villa in what we now know as Pep Guardiola’s last game in charge.

It is also set to be Mo Salah’s last game in a Liverpool shirt but maybe that has already happened. Manager Arne Slot being tightlipped as to whether the Egyptian will be in the squad for Sunday, it will be ballsy to not give him a send off.

Not from a tactical perspective, but considering Slot is likely to be in charge next season, the last thing he wants to do is get the fanbase further offside than they already are. I think common sense will prevail in the end. But then again, what do I know?

Brighton blew their chance to guarantee European football next season after their defeat at Leeds last Sunday. Which means they are still two spots up for grabs and four teams fighting over the scraps.

The Seagulls finish their season at The Amex, they face a Manchester United side that now has Michael Carrick as their new permanent manager. Will they get a bounce from that or will they relax by the beach on the final day.

Which means Brentford will hope for a share of the points between Sunderland and Chelsea while also managing to get the better of Liverpool at Anfield. A win for the Blues would guarantee European football, it could even take them into seventh.

A win for the Black Cats would see them leapfrog Chelsea but also have them keeping a keen eye on matters on Merseyside. If Sunderland win and Brentford fail to, then Regis Le Bris will have taken his side into Europe on their return to the Premier League.

Expect nothing more than celebration at Selhurst Park as Crystal Palace play host to Arsenal. The Eagles looking to stay fresh before their Conference League final on Wednesday, the Gunners looking to do the same for their clash three days later.

This could be the least aggressive game of Premier League of football that has ever been played.

Burnley host Wolves in a battle to avoid the Premier League’s Wooden Spoon. A win for Wolves will finally lift them off the bottom of the division.

Is also being played on Sunday. Marco Silva’s last game in charge of the Cottagers? The last appearance for Anthony Gordon in Newcastle colours?

Right, that’s the end of issue 100 as word continues to spread around the football world.
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Issue 101 drops Tuesday, I’ll be back with another round of insight, analysis and trends that matter. Any feedback or comments on this issue, contact me below:

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