Optimist in me hopes them getting knocked out means they'll be able to focus on the league and stop City and Liverpool from winning it.
Arsenal 2023/24 - Born to be runner up
- Thread starter horsechoker
- Start date
That's my feeling as well. Porto could very well nick a goal and then do their Porto thing where they just drag the game into the gutter and make it a horrible and unwatchable game.
Our last hope.
For a country with a lot of flair players, Porto are a pretty dour lot. But we knew that already and in general you don't allow these teams like this to push the game in that direction. We willingly did it this time around and got bitten. When you are in good form, you should keep pushing....not go to tactics we are not particularly good at. Hope we can reestablish that form now with this just being a blip.
If we get by which is a pretty decent if now, I hope we get a home leg first.
If we get by which is a pretty decent if now, I hope we get a home leg first.
We need them to get knocked out by Porto. Let them fully concentrate on the league.
As if that helped them last time. Good chance they bottle everything again.
#Biggerfishtofry
I think what screwed them last year was Saliba's injury and little to no depth.
We were told that's what they bought Jorginho and Trossard for last January.
Different positions to be fair. Just unlucky with Timber I guess.
Ah, I assumed 'little to no depth' was in reference to the overall squad rather than Saliba's position.
Which is why it's so important for modern managers of any club not named City to be tactically diverse in how they can approach different games. It's so difficult to always have a first choice XI fit to play your ideal setup, and especially in these knockout tournaments managers have to be able to find a way to get results in creative ways with less than ideal players.
There's so many games on the schedule and so much running involved in every match that every club is going to get frustrating injury issues that hit them during the year.
We shouldn't lose to Porto. That's a bit of a disgrace and this is the CL not a somewhat meaningless trophy. It won't do wonders for our confidence levels either. In fact, I am already concerned for the Newcastle game. They are probably licking their chops because they can play negative football with the best of them.... And we tend to come up short when the game degrades into something like what we saw yesterday.
If you thought Odegard, Jesus and Saka had mastered the dark arts of diving, wait until you meet Newcastle! It will be an awakening. Watch out for injuries too. They will do what's needed, scary stuff.
I have seen them enough that I try to avoid watching their games. When we start delving into that part of the game it isnt too our benefit, but they strive on it.
I was thinking this but just remembered that we need the English clubs to do well for the coefficient so that we can qualify for the CL in 5th place.
So let's get 4th and watch Spurs cheer for Arsenal in the CL.
Not hearing much celebration policing since the Liverpool game, which is a bit weird given that we apparently celebrate every win like we've won the World Cup?
You haven't won anything yet. Stop being a victim
never.
Just be happy you’ve won a few games
crikey. You baby, big baby! Baby!Because you’ve not won anything yet. Last season you was celebrating every win like you’d already won the league…: this season your fighting 2 other teams for it
Your team is challenging for the league and have as good a chance as the other two they are competing with of winning it. Yet, instead of enjoying the ride, you’d rather come on to a rival teams fans forum to look for bites (I guess you’ve got what you wanted). It’s very strange behaviour.
Oh, and as others have said.. you haven’t won anything yet (nor will you) but yet a lot of Arsenal fans are already acting as if they are one of the greatest teams ever put together.
Hopefully Arsenal will win the PL. Can't stand Liverpool and City.
Oh I'm definitely enjoying it, don't worry! But I do reserve the right to act like a little baby all the same.
I don't think we will win anything, to be honest. I think we're brilliant at the moment but we are competing with two other sensational teams in the PL and we're green in Europe. It's a shame we blew ourselves up in the FA Cup. But yes, definitely enjoying it right now.
I also saw something on Twitter about how we've now caught up with our points tally for the corresponding fixtures last season. But 84 points won't win it so we'll have to squeeze a few more out from somewhere, which will be no mean feat. Fingers crossed.
I don't think we will win anything, to be honest. I think we're brilliant at the moment but we are competing with two other sensational teams in the PL and we're green in Europe. It's a shame we blew ourselves up in the FA Cup. But yes, definitely enjoying it right now.
I also saw something on Twitter about how we've now caught up with our points tally for the corresponding fixtures last season. But 84 points won't win it so we'll have to squeeze a few more out from somewhere, which will be no mean feat. Fingers crossed.
You do realise that people like yourself make it difficult for all of us wanting Arsenal to beat Liverpool/City.
I can only apologise.
It's fine mate
I would say most of us want you to win. There's no need to come here and gloat
They'll always be the club who prioritised protecting an alleged serial rapist and their title challenge over the correct thing to do.
That was a very solid performance. That's how we should approach Porto in the return leg. Don't let the game come to a standstill.
That’s not a subject I’d casually use to score points in club’s performance thread. Particularly as United re-signed an alleged rapist in 2021.
It’s a real problem in our game (and society, sadly) so I wouldn’t invoke it just to get a quick jab in on rival supporters.
I think they will win it. For me it's 60, 30 & 10 between them, Liverpool and City respectively. Liverpool with falter because of their injuries & Europa commitments and City doesn't look like have the same hunger & the same desire that won them the treble last season. Arsenal are the most acceptable of the three evils....however, their fans are quite literally one of the worst, if not the worst fans, in the world. They are self-righteous and super annoying. Will have to go under ground for a month or two if they win it.
90% of his posts about Arsenal are about Partey. He's very weird. Most sane people agree with the sentiment but we got it the first 50 times he mentionned it.
I wasn't even gloating! It was more about it being a suddenly discontinued storyline - the Chris Suttons/Carras/Richard Keys of the world suddenly losing interest - than United fans, with whom I have no quarrel (until you beat us 2-1 in May).It's fine mate
I would say most of us want you to win. There's no need to come here and gloat
It would be such a United thing to do.
I think they have what it takes to clinch the title. Not mentioned very often but at this point Arteta is firmly establishing himself as a world class manager. Consider the firepower of Liverpool and City upfront yet Arsenal have scored the second most amount of goals in the league (1 less than Pool) with no out and out prolific striker it's impressive given the circumstances.
Also heard interesting criticism online from rival fans saying that the quality of the Arsenal squad isn't great and that they are predominantly relying on system players. Which in itself is a very interesting argument because it significantly raises the profile of the managers influence. Who really is world class in that squad in comparison to City? yet seemingly they are pushing the two best teams with the two best 1 & 2 managers in Europe to the wire with their performances.
Bottom line is they aren't getting the respect they deserve if we are being objective.
Also heard interesting criticism online from rival fans saying that the quality of the Arsenal squad isn't great and that they are predominantly relying on system players. Which in itself is a very interesting argument because it significantly raises the profile of the managers influence. Who really is world class in that squad in comparison to City? yet seemingly they are pushing the two best teams with the two best 1 & 2 managers in Europe to the wire with their performances.
Bottom line is they aren't getting the respect they deserve if we are being objective.
Well you should have lost the first game, so it would only be fair.
Yes, Arteta is doing a great job in making us more than the sum of our parts.
I also think quite a few of our players are underrated due to being second choice and/or less expensive alternatives.
Lost out on Martinez - signed Zinchenko.
Lost out on Vlahovic - signed Jesus.
Lost out on Caicedo - signed Jorginho.
Lost out on Mudryk - signed Trossard.
All of them ranged from good to very good signings and are contributing to a second successive title challenge. We may very well fall short again, but we can go big on a striker in the Summer now that there are no longer major holes in our squad.
Or he's been very lucky with his signings. I doubt he would be able to replicate his work at another club.