Arsenal 2023/24 - Born to be runner up

InfiniteBoredom said:
Still in the CL.

I also wouldn’t completely count them out of the league yet, they have a pretty decent fixture list, only hard away games on paper are City, Brighton, Spurs and us (and we have been wildly inconsistent at home). As it stands though hard to see them hit 45-48 pts out of the remaining 54 so it would be a Leicester ish total if they are to win it.
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Arsenal won't win anything this season. That's for sure. Give it time you will see. A title winning team is visible. Winning 1 game in 7 matches can never win you anything.

They have hit they usual brick wall in a 10 game range. I have written about this extensively on this thread. It has happened again. Arsenal season was last season, that was the defining time and they completely fcked it up. Like our first League title in 2007 after the 2003-2007 barren period which was a very defining moment of the 2007-2013 winning period.

 
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Arsenal have the same culture problem as United.

In a big club from any other country, Arteta would not reach the next game in charge. The pressure would have started after West Ham and this would have been the final nail, as it should be.
 
@TheReligion and I called it, and we’ve been calling it for years. Hate to say we told you so, but there you go.
 
Dancfc said:
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He said it was a difficult choice between Courtois and fecking Raya and Courtois just edges it. I love that fanbase. It’s my favourite fanbase in the world :lol:

 
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I’d love to be in their shoes. There fans want him out. He’s created a young team, he’s created a system that creates lots of chances. The only thing Arteta did wrong was sign Havertz, with a 20+ goal ST they get closer to city and Liverpool. If the donkeys on the pitch couldn’t finish then that’s on them not the manager. They wanna try supporting our team. We don’t even create chances or play as a unit.
 
GoonerGirly said:
ATM anyone would fancy their chances against us. Can't hit a barn door right now.
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At least you’re creating chances to hit a barn door. We don’t create anything. At least you know that your problem is down to not having clinical finishers.
 
Jesus Christ, White looks AWFUL. What the hell is that?

DJ_21 said:
I’d love to be in their shoes. There fans want him out. He’s created a young team, he’s created a system that creates lots of chances. The only thing Arteta did wrong was sign Havertz, with a 20+ goal ST they get closer to city and Liverpool. If the donkeys on the pitch couldn’t finish then that’s on them not the manager. They wanna try supporting our team. We don’t even create chances or play as a unit.
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I totally agree. For all their problems, they are still more functional than us. We’re a fecking omnishambles.
 
We’re in no position to have a laugh at Arsenal, but before the game when all the experts were predicting an Arsenal over Liverpool I was wondering what planet these experts were living in.
 
Waynne said:
How have they become shit so quickly?
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Think it's just poor form, seems everyone has hit a brick wall at the same time. Midfield is also looking light, Rice has made up for it but wheels have fallen off a bit. And most glaringly we lack a clinical finisher, and Martinelli, Saka, Odegaard aren't quite at the level they were last season (Martinelli in particular has had a poor season so far).
 
ITs about time people are starting to see Saka is not that good. Like Rashford, if these two were not english they woulda been out at Arsenal and United a loooong time ago
 
dan1509 said:
ITs about time people are starting to see Saka is not that good. Like Rashford, if these two were not english they woulda been out at Arsenal and United a loooong time ago
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They both have a tendency to slow things down at the wrong time and don't have the acceleration or trickery to get past their marker. Saka does often realise this and will play a give and go to get behind the defence. Rashford has had far too many different coaches to have developed any defined way of playing which is why he still kinda plays off the cuff. Both very good players on their day, but not close to being world class yet.

Saka is still young and has probably played too much football over the past few years, which is exactly what happened to Rashford. You also have to take into account the abuse Rashford, Saka and Sancho suffered after the Euros when assessing their character and supposed lack of development. You've reached the final of an international tournament, which is the absolute pinnacle for most players, and then suffer horrible abuse after being subjected to the lottery of penalties. I could't blame any of them if they feel that football is just a job after that and are happy to just take the money. It's always easier to put the blame on individuals rather than the systems that fail them.
 
They were pretty good last night, not gonna lie. It's probably one of their best performances this season.

It felt like a classic good Chelsea performance. Outplay the opponent, dominate the game, create loads of chances, miss them all then get sucker punched towards the end.
 
I still can't believe Chelsea got so much money for Havertz and Mount. Absolutely robbed both us and Arsenal.

They sure know how to sell shit players for high value.
 
Haha Arsenal's season is almost over. Only hope now is to fight for top 4.
 
GoonerGirly said:
Think it's just poor form, seems everyone has hit a brick wall at the same time. Midfield is also looking light, Rice has made up for it but wheels have fallen off a bit. And most glaringly we lack a clinical finisher, and Martinelli, Saka, Odegaard aren't quite at the level they were last season (Martinelli in particular has had a poor season so far).
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This was my thinking as well. Just down to a bit of a drop in form. I can't think Arsenal can suddenly become shit after how consistent they were last season. City is a bit inconsistent as well. A bit of a weird league this season.
 
2nd half of last season they showed midtable form, only their amazing start kept them high in the table. Something similar this term, they're a 75ish points a season team and will be till they get a goalscorer.
 
Arsenal are going through a rough patch of form. But i think they can recover to be in the conversation for the title come May, personally. Especially if they strengthen in January.
 
Saka, as always, not turning up in any big games.

Rice refusing to pass the ball forward all season and standing between both centre backs.

Havertz stinking the place out.

Arsenal were a better team with Partey and Xhaka.
 
For those who have seen the match, is the scoreline as flattering as the stats seems to indicate (only 6 shots on target against Palace's 5, an own goal, two goals well into added time...)?
 
cafecillos said:
For those who have seen the match, is the scoreline as flattering as the stats seems to indicate (only 6 shots on target against Palace's 5, an own goal, two goals well into added time...)?
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Arsenal bullied them on corners in the 1st half. The opening 2 goals came from corners. Then Arsenal settled down and started to create chances from open play in the 2nd half.

Arsenal had 6 big chances compared to Palace's 0.

The overall xG was 3.07 vs 0.33 in Arsenal's favour.

Perfect confidence builder for Arsenal. Trossard and Martinelli scored some much needed goals after goal droughts.
 
Cult of Personality said:
Arsenal bullied them on corners in the 1st half. The opening 2 goals came from corners. Then Arsenal settled down and started to create chances from open play in the 2nd half.

Arsenal had 6 big chances compared to Palace's 0.

The overall xG was 3.07 vs 0.33 in Arsenal's favour.

Perfect confidence builder for Arsenal. Trossard and Martinelli scored some much needed goals after goal droughts.
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cafecillos said:
For those who have seen the match, is the scoreline as flattering as the stats seems to indicate (only 6 shots on target against Palace's 5, an own goal, two goals well into added time...)?
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All things considered it was a one sided match but probably the most underwhelming 5-0.
2 corners.
1 counter attack started by Raya
2 goals after 90mins
 
It's been a strange old season. Losing games we won last year (Villa, Newcastle, West Ham, Fulham) but beating Man City for the first time in 400 years and very deservedly taking four points off a very good Liverpool side. I really don't know where we'll end up. Feel like we might have a better chance in the Champions League really but I think we'll be top 3 in the PL for sure.
 
RedSky said:
I still can't believe Chelsea got so much money for Havertz and Mount. Absolutely robbed both us and Arsenal.

They sure know how to sell shit players for high value.
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And somehow still end up with a worse squad than before.
 
Egalitard said:
It's been a strange old season. Losing games we won last year (Villa, Newcastle, West Ham, Fulham) but beating Man City for the first time in 400 years and very deservedly taking four points off a very good Liverpool side. I really don't know where we'll end up. Feel like we might have a better chance in the Champions League really but I think we'll be top 3 in the PL for sure.
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I think you're the second best side in the league, but unfortunately (for you and us) a fair bit behind City.
 
Egalitard said:
It's been a strange old season. Losing games we won last year (Villa, Newcastle, West Ham, Fulham) but beating Man City for the first time in 400 years and very deservedly taking four points off a very good Liverpool side. I really don't know where we'll end up. Feel like we might have a better chance in the Champions League really but I think we'll be top 3 in the PL for sure.
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Falling out of top 3 would require a proper collapse. I don't think that'll happen. As for the title, now that Klopp's going, you just have to bide your time until Pep leaves. Another season at the most. May even be this summer if they do the treble.
 
They're currently only 2 points behind Liverpool but I still can't see them making up on those points due to their relative lack of experience chasing titles. Not to mention City breathing behind both teams' necks.

Dropping silly points against Fulham, West Ham could well prove costly.
 
City are clear favourites. We still have to play them away, which we will lose. I can see us coming second but we have dropped too many stupid points to win the title, that too at at home.
 
I'm kind of with Neville and Carragher on the celebrations thing. Its bizarre.

They crumbled last year when things got tough and you would think that would teach them not to get carried away emotionally, but then more than once this season they celebrate a win or goal like a world cup win.

So what happens in a couple of months time when (if) they are in a title race, and suddenly the emotion and pressure on every game is amplified x10? Its only going to take one blip or bad result and all that emotion is reversed.

You can do that after a particularly emotionally charged game maybe. E.g. the Evra vs Suarez rematch. You can't be channeling that much all or nothing into every game. It will either turn on you or you'll burn out way before the finish line...might have gotten away with that some seasons in the past where there's no one there to take advantage, but not now with City who will no doubt win 19 of their last 16 games or something.
 
noodlehair said:
You can't be channeling that much all or nothing into every game.
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Why are you talking like we just beat Everton 2-0? It's not "every game", it was a big celebration because we beat Liverpool in a massive game. We didn't celebrate like that after the recent Forest or Palace results.

Honestly this celebration police stuff is so tedious.
 
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