Well, not because they just won 3-0 against a promoted team. I think they have a better squad than us, and I think Arteta could turn out to be that manager that turns Arsenal around.
Fecking hell.
Arsenal 2020/21 - General Discussion
- Thread starter Bubz27
- Start date
They defeated a team who will probably end up fighting for relegation and maybe going down. There's really nothing to be impressed about. They will have better season than last one but I don't expect them to finish higher than 6th.
You think we've stagnated enough and they've improved enough to close a 10 point gap on last season's finish? Their squad is easily behind 6 other teams in the PL. Easily.
Absolutely. Fulham have no chance at staying up, easily the weakest team in the league on paper - and from today, not switched on at all.
Arteta looks a proper manager
And if they don't what excuse you will have ready for arteta.
Fulham look absolutely shocking, think if they don't panic buy it will be a very long and difficult season for them.
Overreactions as always. They played the perfect team on a first day. Newly promoted and a team that isn’t good at defending.
Better squad?! What are you smoking mate?
In every area of the pitch Utd squad is better than theirs. It’s not even close.
When you've had weeks to prepare for a game against newly promoted opposition who aren't at the races it's pretty easy
They have a decent squad and starting 11 tbf. Some gaps but if Gabriel hits as a CB then it'll be a huge transformation for them. Arteta, we'll see how he is, but again if he actually knows what he's doing then he has a squad of players that can compete for top 4 with us and Chelsea (though likely fall short). Their attack especially is very good with excellent depth. Can have 2 lineups like:
Obviously some weaknesses (especially center mid) and obviously each lineup isn't necessarily main/backup, but a decent crop of young players with a quality front 3 goes a long way IMO. And depth to rotate key positions.
Aubameyang Lacazette Willian
AMN Xhaka Elneny Bellerin
Tierney Gabriel Holding
Leno
Martinelli Nketiah Pepe
Saka Torreira Ceballos cedric
Kolasinac Luiz Saliba
Martinez/whoever
AMN Xhaka Elneny Bellerin
Tierney Gabriel Holding
Leno
Martinelli Nketiah Pepe
Saka Torreira Ceballos cedric
Kolasinac Luiz Saliba
Martinez/whoever
Obviously some weaknesses (especially center mid) and obviously each lineup isn't necessarily main/backup, but a decent crop of young players with a quality front 3 goes a long way IMO. And depth to rotate key positions.
Let’s be completely honest here. Take out Aubamayeng out of that starting lineup and that is a seriously underwhelming bang average team. After Aubamayeng your next big star is an unproven Gabriel. Damn.
Was he as inconsistent as people make out? Whenever I watched Chelsea he always looks decent. Has kept himself in good shape as well.
Finally worn a suit today?
Factor in Victories over Liverpool (twice), City and Chelsea a few weeks ago....then that's impressive.
Having watched the game, the Willian “3 assists” is the perfect example of stats being a flawed way to analyse a player.
Seriously, Willian was seriously uninspiring today and didn’t get much change out of a nobody left back and shocking team.
1st assist - Absolutely no idea why he’s got an assist for this but that’s how fantasy footy works. He had a shot. Keeper saved it. Laca scored the rebound. Never an assist.
2nd assist - took a corner kick.
3rd assist - a Cross field ball to Aubamayeng who did all the hard work for the goal. Probably the one decent thing for Willian in the whole game.
He looked like a standard 32 year old winger with not much bite.
Honestly mate, I watched the game and Willian was a nothing player.
He was pretty inconsistent over the years. Still a good player though, we wanted to keep him (if only for a year).
Arsenal do look great to be fair. Arteta could be building something there. Willian looked his usual self.
He's no Pep, I'll give you that. Looks more like Conte.
I know i was one game and it was against Fulham, but they looked good, the side looked balanced and likely to score quite a few while being hard to score against. They aren't going to win the league as some of their fans seem to believe, but they are a threat for top four. And once again, it shows why we must strengthen our squad...
Aubameyang is obviously the star but Lacazette is a very good player, Willian has proven himself for years and is a very good right winger (who would start for us), Pepe is also a good player, especially as a 4th options. Nketiah and Saka with loads of potential, especially Martinelli. Really like Tierney (another I wanted us to sign), Leno had a great season last year, and then we'll see with Gabriel and Saliba. Big potential by all accounts. They have a good chunk of players who other big teams would like to have, either as squad players or to start, and considering the top 4 fight the last few years, that's all you need. I know we all love laughing at Arsenal, but they have some very good pieces and at the very least, Arteta is setting up a balanced starting 11 with a plan (and utilizing the talented youth) which is more than Emery did!
Here comes the annual boom bust cycle for the gunners. Feels like they are the new Liverpool, pre Klopp.
I just love the 3 at the back system & I will be jealous with Arsenal if they have a manager who wants to build a system around it.
The left footed CB's, the inverted forwards, the wing backs - its really enjoyable to watch when played properly in a balanced way.
The left footed CB's, the inverted forwards, the wing backs - its really enjoyable to watch when played properly in a balanced way.
Agree.
It's not bad having the best striker in the league.
I think there's currently a lack of quality offensive players that are attainable & would improve a team like Arsenal. Hell, look how dire the RW options are for United. There are so few alternatives to Sancho.
So going 3 at the back may be a smart thing nowadays.
But you dont even have the best striker in London
So what does that make Ole then?
Nah, this is the typical caf cycle. Rival team/manager/player does well so certain posters rush to overrate. The same team/manager/player then has a dip in performance later in the season so everyone else piles on calling them overrated. Rinse and repeat next season with a new target.
Pretty sure the vast majority of Arsenal fans on here have predicted we won't finish top 4.
The biggest worry I had with Arteta is that he'd try to play like Pep without having the necessary quality at his disposal. Thats at least one worry thats been put to rest.
He's technically good which makes him look better to a casual viewer and he's good at carrying the ball forward but in terms of end product he's very erratic, his assist tally today is an exception (for context he equalled or beat his total in three of his seven Chelsea season's today).
Both Conte and Sarri preferred Pedro for a reason and if Pepe settles he'll bench him aswell.
I like 3 at the back because it spreads the team out wider and it helped many teams deal with playing againt possession football or more recently against the high pressure gegenpressing as well. It's not perfect by an means because it can lead to being unnecessarily defensive football; almost shooting yourself in the foot if not balanced perfectly.
It’s just a shame Arsenal weren’t able to sign him and he ended up at City instead.
Im not even a huge fan of Kane, but he’s a better striker than Aubama-Toothbrush
I'd say our ending of the season went downwards. While theirs ended, and now started, on a high. So those 10 points, or whatever it ended up on, doesn't mean much today.
Yes, I think Arteta will bring more out of that squad this season.
Looking at our squad, I don't feel comfortable going into this season. We still have that weak bench. Pogba's desire and is still a question mark for me. Rashford's been out of form for quite a while now and I don't know when he'll turn around again. The same with Wan-Bissaka, as you could clearly see a different player at the start of the season comparing to the later stage. Can Shaw stay fit? De Gea or Henderson? We have a good starting eleven, but when they don't perform, we don't have options. As we watched them under perform at the ending stage of the season, Solskjaer had nothing tactically to come up with. He just kept on playing the same players. Putting trust on those individuality's to put in a performance.
Looking at Arsenals, I actually think they have a decent squad. They have interesting options going forward. Decent options in midfield. Leno looks good. Defense could be better, but I think Gabriel could be a great signing for them. Hell, I wanted us to sign him and have him in as one of our starting center backs. I would also think that Arteta has the right mentality and managing style to get these players working together. And think he can tactically change the game if needed.
How is it that you think I'd need an excuse for Arteta?
If they don't finish above us, I'd just be wrong and that's it.
You mean Liverpool, City, United, Chelsea, I guess Tottenham and... ?
I haven't come across many fans who think with our current squad we will finish Top 4 let alone win the league!
He should bench him, I don't think Willian has been bought in as a starter. I think he's in to give us options and rotate. I think some of the players need to feel a bit of pressure for their place.
Who is to say Arteta isn't our version of Klopp.
Anyway people are getting ahead of themselves. We need atleast 2 big signings to be proper challengers of top 4. Currently our squad is nowhere close to the current top 4 and our midfield is a joke.