Arsenal

The Gunners travel south looking to reach the last eight of the competition. Having lost to Olympiacos in the Europa League, Arsenal will know that this is now their only chance of silverware this season.

The Spanish boss has suggested that Pablo Mari, Rob Holding, Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles will all play some part in the fixture.


It is 4.30pm and the kettle has just boiled at the Curtis household in old Portsmouth where Ronan, not long back from a player-appearance event in nearby Havant, is sitting at one end of the dining room table detailing the significance of the signed Republic of Ireland and Derry City shirts framed on the wall behind him, the latter a poignant tribute to his former captain Ryan McBride, who died suddenly three years ago at the age of 28.

Marie, Curtis’s mother, takes a seat along from Ronan but, these days, she does not need to intervene. “You would bring him in for his dinner and the ball would be under the table and he’d be kicking it from one foot to the other,” she says. “He would stop and then the moment you were not looking ... he just couldn’t keep still. Every morning I would have to get two uniforms ready for him, because if I didn’t watch him he would be in the garden.”


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Nowadays Ronan’s playground is Fratton Park, where Portsmouth host Arsenal on Monday in the FA Cup fifth round. For a family of mostly Arsenal fans, 14 of whom will be at the game, including several of his 10 siblings, it represents the dream tie in a marathon season, in which Portsmouth are guaranteed to play at least 60 matches, including a trip to Wembley next month for a second consecutive EFL Trophy final.

The forward’s parents are based in St Johnston, a village in Donegal, but are staying with Ronan and his brother, Blain, until the end of the season. Marie is from Derry, and Ronan’s father David’s roots are in Cork, but they moved away in the depths of the Troubles and Ronan was born in Croydon, where he lived until the age of six, when the family relocated to Ireland. “I love my parents being here and keeping me on the straight and narrow,” Ronan says. “They’ve brought me up all my life and now it is time to repay them.”

His parents were regulars at Crystal Palace, where his dad became friends with Chris Coleman, who is Ronan’s godfather, but Arsenal’s style always appealed. So much so that Marie owns an Arsenal trench coat. “I wear it to every game with Pompey because it’s so warm. I did get some stick from some [Portsmouth fans] when they beat the Arsenal Under-21s [in 2018] and when I go home and go to Derry City, I wear the coat and they say: ‘Here’s Mrs Wenger.’ I sent away for a Pompey badge, so I will just have to sit it on there. I’ll have to sew it on for the night. It’s the only time I will not be shouting for Arsenal.”

Okay

Can we win?

Ok

Arsenal fans gather here.

Arsenal is losing tonihht, Yes or No.

Arsenal will draw an loose

As a United fan, I don't get too mad with our performance when I see our brother, Arsenal

This made me remember Kanu Nwankwo

We'll see how they react from the bitter loss against Olympiacos

Up gunners

Kanu Nwankwo won FA cup with both teams. Till date he is called King Kanu in Portsmouth

we go lose
....e too sure

X

Should be an easy game for Arsenal...

Bettin kills



Stay away

Arsenal be making me loose focus everytime. At d mention of d name alone I always shiver. Arsenal Don do me shege oo. I just can't leave d team. That's all.

NOL2dworld:
Arsenal fans gather here.

No scope

Arsenal are we ready?? Who go follow me bet??

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Dis game is going to play 12 and 2-4goals,bet ur life

Normal 11 zero game

Quit disturbing your neighbors with generators just to watch late night matches. Better call for our 384wh solar generator that could power your TV and decoder for up to 8hrs for just 76k.

[quote author=Renforce post=87113646]Normal 11 zero game[/quote

Hahahaha see savagery ooh]

2

5-0 Arsenal wins

If not because of my boot i change with Solar-Fan
Taaa.....who is Ports-Mouth kwanu?

WTF? so arsenal fans are still alive

Omooba77:
Arsenal


It is 4.30pm and the kettle has just boiled at the Curtis household in old Portsmouth where Ronan, not long back from a player-appearance event in nearby Havant, is sitting at one end of the dining room table detailing the significance of the signed Republic of Ireland and Derry City shirts framed on the wall behind him, the latter a poignant tribute to his former captain Ryan McBride, who died suddenly three years ago at the age of 28.

Marie, Curtis’s mother, takes a seat along from Ronan but, these days, she does not need to intervene. “You would bring him in for his dinner and the ball would be under the table and he’d be kicking it from one foot to the other,” she says. “He would stop and then the moment you were not looking ...

The forward’s parents are based in St Johnston, a village in Donegal, but are staying with Ronan and his brother, Blain, until the end of the season. Marie is from Derry, and Ronan’s father David’s roots are in Cork, but they moved away in the depths of the Troubles and Ronan was born in Croydon, where he lived until the age of six, when the family relocated to Ireland.

For a moment I thought I was reading a book by Shakespeare.

Omooba77:
Can we win?

I don't understand. How would you win? Or are you talking about Portsmouth??

Ok

Dpharisee:
Kanu Nwankwo won FA cup with both teams. Till date he is called King Kanu in Portsmouth

Eyah.. that's true. That guy is a legend forever.

arteta and boys winning this match is pointless if you guys know you are going to crash out in the next round and break my fragile heart. It’s better you crash out today and start preparations on how to qualify for the next Europa league. Spits and walks out of thread!