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Amy Lawrence

@amylawrence

Football. Music. Words. Labradors. Hopeless optimism.

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09.11.2024
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Latest posts by Amy Lawrence @amylawrence

Haha that's a great observation ;)

10.03.2026 11:29 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Enjoyed this insightful piece from @mattspiro.bsky.social on how Gabriel Heinze has sharpened Arsenal's appetite for the challenge.

Loved this quote from Edouard Cisse: "They're like two volcanoes. One that erupts occasionally (Arteta) and one that erupts all the time (Heinze)."

10.03.2026 08:14 πŸ‘ 62 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Handbrake Off: A show about Arsenal: Young hearts run free as Dowman lights up FA Cup Amy Lawrence and Art de RochΓ© join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 2-1 win away to Mansfield in the FA Cup on Saturday.The panel reflect on Max Dowman’s eye catching display and whether he can ...

New Handbrake Off podcast. In that absolute sweet spot between Mansfield and Leverkusen, talking Max, the cluster of games leading to Wembley, and handling stupid questions. With @ianstonecomedy.bsky.social and Art de Roche.

pod.fo/e/3a272d

09.03.2026 14:11 πŸ‘ 34 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

I don’t know. These decisions are a million miles above my head.

06.03.2026 10:32 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Handbrake Off: A show about Arsenal: Boring, boring Arsenal Amy Lawrence and James McNicholas join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 1-0 win away to Brighton on Wednesday.The panel reflect on the outside noise surrounding Arsenal, having perspective in relat...

Who has laid on a bed of nails and torn their own fingernails out in shame because Arsenal dare to be top of the league playing in such a beastly way?

If not, chirpier options are available. Here's Handbrake Off, with @ianstonecomedy.bsky.social and @gunnerblog.bsky.social

pod.fo/e/39d63f

05.03.2026 15:56 πŸ‘ 99 πŸ” 7 πŸ’¬ 8 πŸ“Œ 0

Shhhhh ;)

05.03.2026 10:49 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Handbrake Off: A show about Arsenal: High tension squared Amy Lawrence and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 2-1 win against Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.The panel reflect on the game being a painful watch, struggling to see out...

A nice relaxing chat on Handbrake Off in keeping with the prevailing mood described by @ianstonecomedy.bsky.social as 'football is pain'. @adrianjclarke.bsky.social took it in his stride but still chose a song (which I didn't know) about making things complicated. After a win!

pod.fo/e/39b3a4

02.03.2026 16:14 πŸ‘ 35 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
David Raya and a stunning save that brought Mikel Arteta β€˜back to life’ The Spanish goalkeeper is securing his side precious points in an increasingly tense title race

Dr Raya, heart specialist, to the rescue.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/707...

02.03.2026 07:52 πŸ‘ 125 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0

He is available for selection

27.02.2026 14:23 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Handbrake Off: A show about Arsenal: Carry On Handbrake Amy Lawrence and Art de RochΓ© join Ian Stone to look ahead to Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.The panel discuss how they’re feeling as fans as crunch time approaches, how the team navigate...

Welcome to an episode of Carry On Handbrake, which took an unexpectedly bawdy turn towards the end. A few giggles as well as the usual chatter as we look ahead to the weekend. With @ianstonecomedy.bsky.social and Art de Roche.

pod.fo/e/397a9d

26.02.2026 14:23 πŸ‘ 40 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 1

πŸ˜†

24.02.2026 19:18 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Anyway, 30 years and someone out there still trusts me to write about football ;)

I suppose the moral of the story is this:

Have a go at what you love. If it all feels too much find a quiet space (hopefully more salubrious than a tiny toilet) and breathe and think. It might just work out... X

24.02.2026 16:57 πŸ‘ 172 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 11 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Pressure and thrills: what it's like to sit in the press box at a football match There is nothing quite like sitting in a press box and reacting to the twists of live football – especially an intro-busting late goal

I covered some of the experience in a piece for the Guardian a few years ago.

"When the final whistle blew I looked down at my notebook and felt the blood drain from my face." Oh yes. Somehow I found a moment of clarity, an introduction, and did it.

www.theguardian.com/football/201...

24.02.2026 16:55 πŸ‘ 45 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1

I had a notepad and pen, and a word count of 450 words for The Observer. Only far, far too much had happened during Wimbledon v Aston Villa for me to make any sense of it at all.

3-3. Two own goals, a penalty, and a last minute goal = total imposter syndrome.

Who thought I could do this?

24.02.2026 16:53 πŸ‘ 36 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

30 years ago round about *now* I found myself sitting in the press box toilet at the back of the stand at Selhurst Park in a panic.

It was my first time writing something to be published in a national newspaper.

It was also the worst case of writers block I ever experienced in my life. 🧡

24.02.2026 16:51 πŸ‘ 178 πŸ” 9 πŸ’¬ 9 πŸ“Œ 0
Tweet that reads Leo Xander
@STALLEON
Stop taking social media so serious. Nothing here is real. Look at this chicken V
- it is bigger
than the car

Tweet that reads Leo Xander @STALLEON Stop taking social media so serious. Nothing here is real. Look at this chicken V - it is bigger than the car

I think about this tweet every time I feel something online start to curl its annoying little grip into my head

24.02.2026 04:50 πŸ‘ 25572 πŸ” 6417 πŸ’¬ 6 πŸ“Œ 112
Preview
The day Arsenal went on the attack β€œWe showed what we are made of but then you have to show it again and again and again,” says Arteta

Arsenal have waited ages for the attack to catch fire. Eze and Gyokeres, uninhibited and aided by Saka's renewed excellence, looked like the players Arsenal always wanted them to be.

May not be such easy pickings every week so let's see if it is a turning point.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

23.02.2026 07:49 πŸ‘ 156 πŸ” 9 πŸ’¬ 8 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Handbrake Off: A show about Arsenal: Eze & Spurs: A match made in heaven Amy Lawrence and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 4-1 win away to Spurs on Sunday.The panel reflect on how the Arsenal players bounced back after the mid-week disappointment agai...

Handbrake? What handbrake? Eze and Gyokeres speed through the gears at Tottenham. A decent chat here with @ianstonecomedy.bsky.social, @adrianjclarke.bsky.social

pod.fo/e/3951f8

23.02.2026 14:27 πŸ‘ 63 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 4 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
The day Arsenal went on the attack β€œWe showed what we are made of but then you have to show it again and again and again,” says Arteta

Arsenal have waited ages for the attack to catch fire. Eze and Gyokeres, uninhibited and aided by Saka's renewed excellence, looked like the players Arsenal always wanted them to be.

May not be such easy pickings every week so let's see if it is a turning point.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

23.02.2026 07:49 πŸ‘ 156 πŸ” 9 πŸ’¬ 8 πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

What it means.

22.02.2026 18:53 πŸ‘ 502 πŸ” 43 πŸ’¬ 16 πŸ“Œ 6
Post image Post image

The welcome on the approach up Tottenham High Road. Keep your wits about you on and off the pitch…

22.02.2026 15:47 πŸ‘ 48 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 2

Congratulations. Uplifting and original and undeniably you. Thanks for sharing your great stuff and greater story.

20.02.2026 19:55 πŸ‘ 62 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Overheard gallows humour on the (very) delayed last train out of Wolverhampton.

β€œBring back Chamakh!”
β€œBring back Park!”
β€œBring back Lord Bendtner!”
β€œBring back Lucas Perez!”

We aren’t even at Coventry. X

19.02.2026 00:14 πŸ‘ 92 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 7 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Bukayo Saka signs new five-year Arsenal deal – but one-club players are rare in modern game The 24-year-old has been central to Arsenal’s renaissance since his debut in 2018 - but his commitment is rare in the modern game.

Bukayo Saka is set to do a decade of first team football at Arsenal as a home-grown one club man. That is pretty rare these days.

He keeps signing those contracts. Here's some words on a beautiful bond between player and club. πŸ”΄

www.nytimes.com/athletic/699...

17.02.2026 15:50 πŸ‘ 167 πŸ” 23 πŸ’¬ 6 πŸ“Œ 4
Preview
Now That’s What I Call Handbrake

Also, Producer Robby has started putting together a Spotify playlist of our 'let's have a song' section, if that floats your boat. Some of it is pretty decent ;) x

open.spotify.com/playlist/6cg...

16.02.2026 16:50 πŸ‘ 38 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Handbrake Off: A show about Arsenal: Stress free as Arsenal batter Wigan Amy Lawrence and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 4-0 win against Wigan at Emirates Stadium in the FA Cup on Sunday.The panel reflect on the hunger of the squad after nine change...

Would it be a terrible thing if everyone on the Handbrake Off podcast agreed that the same person was due a custard pie? That and much less important Arsenal-related stuff here. With @ianstonecomedy.bsky.social and @adrianjclarke.bsky.social

pod.fo/e/39079f

16.02.2026 16:48 πŸ‘ 23 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Kim Kallstrom on 'the greatest fifteen minutes of my life' You have to check out this thread on Reddit, in which user Zhongda transcribes a radio essay from Kim Kallstrom. Thanks Zhongda! The Swede talks about his brief time at Arsenal, how the loan move came...

If you want a little distraction to help you move on here's a beautiful account of the "greatest 15 minutes" of Kim KΓ€llstrom's life, during Arsenal v Wigan in the FA Cup. I really love this.

arseblog.news/2016/07/kim-...

13.02.2026 09:23 πŸ‘ 75 πŸ” 7 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 5

Still reckon everyone will be dropping points between now and May so all to play for.

13.02.2026 09:00 πŸ‘ 39 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Been mulling over the lack of attacking flow/freedom this season. Is it more down to Arteta's structure? Or too many forwards being a bit off form quite often?

As usual, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle of both.

A lot depends on liberating attacking confidence in the coming weeks.

13.02.2026 08:57 πŸ‘ 39 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 9 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Arsenal got β€˜Arsenaled’. Brentford gave Mikel Arteta’s side their own dose of set-piece hell The Premier League leaders were the ones made to pay from a long throw, which meant two dropped points in the title race

Time will tell the value of this point. It was certainly hard earned after Arsenal got Arsenaled via set piece hell. Mosquera and Rice produced game saving moments. Not so easy to find match winning moments though.

Second hardest game of the run-in out the way.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

13.02.2026 08:03 πŸ‘ 87 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 4 πŸ“Œ 2