I'd agree with this. We play more as a team and don't have a "star" player that we heavily rely on. We're the second highest scorers in the league (1 behind City) so I don't think we're lacking too much in attack, but I think we need to sort out the LCM position. Havertz isn't it and Rice is better at 6.
Arsenal 2023/24 - Born to be runner up
- Thread starter horsechoker
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Maybe, but I think the problem today was that he took Havertz out of the CF position (where he's been scoring) and put him in midfield. It weakened midfield for us, which is how Villa eventually wore us down and overran us. We lacked the line-breaking passes that Jorginho or Partey can make.
Put Isak in the team and they win the league next season I reckon.
They paid 100m for Rice last summer so I think when it's Man. City you're dealing with you have to keep paying that figure every summer window to try to find that edge. If the FFP landscape allows of course but I think they'll move some of their squad players on for 20-30m.
I think we know by now Jesus is a very hardworking forward but he just dosen't have that killer mentality in the box, Isak is showing week in week out he certainly does so that's the upgrade right there.
They paid 100m for Rice last summer so I think when it's Man. City you're dealing with you have to keep paying that figure every summer window to try to find that edge. If the FFP landscape allows of course but I think they'll move some of their squad players on for 20-30m.
I think we know by now Jesus is a very hardworking forward but he just dosen't have that killer mentality in the box, Isak is showing week in week out he certainly does so that's the upgrade right there.
I seriously doubt it.
3 years on the bounce they’re bottling it.
They need to upgrade on Martinelli too
Just over a week ago City cruised to a dominant win over Villa without De Bruyne, Haaland, or Stones. Shows the difference. I don't think there's a team that would be capable of keeping pace with City at this point in the season.
Gotta say I enjoyed that game even though it was a hammer blow to our CL hopes.
Gotta say I enjoyed that game even though it was a hammer blow to our CL hopes.
No, I'd rather they win than City or Liverpool. Can't help but bottle it though.
3? Did I miss something? Or do you mean bottling 4th place in 21/22?
Nah, guy cost us £6mil. Unless a crazy offer comes in or he wants to leave, I don't see why we'd let him go. He also just signed a contract til 2027 last year. I think the biggest issue for Arteta in the summer is the LCM position, closely followed by a striker.
Yea you bottled CL a few years ago.
Pretty gutted tbh
Gooners = Spurs in Red.
Seems to be a lot of teams struggling getting across the line this year, Liverpool, arsenal, Ipswich, Leicester, Leeds.
Think he'll get back on it next season. Him with Trossard as back up is pretty good for majority of a league season.
Even though his stats are still good I don't think Saka has been anywhere near the level he was for most of last season. I barely even noticed him in the second half when he was Arsenal's difference maker in tight games not so long ago.
Arsenal aren't that far away really but it asks plenty to win a league when Man. City are reeling off minimum of 90 points a season and they're not quite good enough to hit that level still.
Fecking City are going to win it again aren't they? The bastards.
They are getting stronger and stronger and will likely be best placed to win the league when Pep leaves or City are relegated. I thought they might have done it this season but it is probably done now.
He has like 4 years left on his contract, I can't see newcastle letting go of him. They'll probably need to pay more than they did for Rice to get him and given his injury record, I don't see them doing that.
I don't think Arsenal will be up there next season and I think Arteta will go at the end of next season. This team won't win the league.
He'll be 23 next season and his best return is 15 goals. 19 year old Garnacho, playing in an absolutely woeful side, has managed 9 so far this season. What would you say is "on it" for Martinelli? He's playing in a free scoring side and his record is underwhelming.
They've hardly bottled it have they? They're 2 points off the top with 6 games to go and were in good form prior to today.
They're just finding out that competing for the league and in the latter stages of the CL at the same time is pretty tough. Next two games will tell a lot about where they're at mentality wise.
Bit of humble pie for some of the overly giddy Arse leaning pundits saying they're one of the best teams in the world, but not much more than that.
Going on about winning the quadruple then losing at home to Palace after being thumped at home to Atalanta after throwing two points away to your main historical rivals after also letting them knock you out of the cup is much more bottling it.
They're just finding out that competing for the league and in the latter stages of the CL at the same time is pretty tough. Next two games will tell a lot about where they're at mentality wise.
Bit of humble pie for some of the overly giddy Arse leaning pundits saying they're one of the best teams in the world, but not much more than that.
Going on about winning the quadruple then losing at home to Palace after being thumped at home to Atalanta after throwing two points away to your main historical rivals after also letting them knock you out of the cup is much more bottling it.
Havertz is not even in the top 3 problems currently. Playing Havertz at LCM is t
The whole left side is dysfunctional.
1. Need an upgrade/competition on Martinelli for LW as he has stagnated a bit.
2. LCM. Rice while being a good addition create a huge problem. He is not a title challenging LCM and his buildup is not good to play as a lone CM.
3. LB. Zinchenko is a liability
They'll probably end on like 85 points so yeah they just aren't good enough to win a premier league title, let alone this City team.
Zaniolo had Ben White on toast.
Arsenal actually played really well in the first half. But Emery adjusted at HT and pretty much dominated the second half.
Gabriel has had a wonderful season but he’s showing signs of bottling it as the pressure ramps up.
Arsenal actually played really well in the first half. But Emery adjusted at HT and pretty much dominated the second half.
Gabriel has had a wonderful season but he’s showing signs of bottling it as the pressure ramps up.
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Ffs City gonna win 4 on a trot.
It's only been competitive because De Bruyne missed half the season and Rodri has missed key games.
Garnacho is very very good aswell and the one bright spot (along with Mainoo) in your season so not sure why you're trying to downplay Martinelli compared to him.
Martinelli was electric for 2/3 of last season before he got an injury in the run in. Hasn't hit the same heights but neither has Saka. 22 though and what he's produced already, that's incredibly exciting for the next few years but they need to get the CF right.
I’m sorry to be a nerd but it’s not a fact, it’s an opinion. A fact has to be objective. You viewing City as a lesser evil than Arsenal is an opinion, and therefore subjective. Me personally, Arsenal will always be a lesser evil than the blue cnuts, because even though their success ultimately doesn’t count, them surpassing two of our records by winning a four title in a row and by winning a second consecutive treble would be absolutely awful. They’re still our city rivals, and younger fans won’t care about the fact they gained their success illegitimately. Their success will ultimately become self-sustaining. In my opinion, it’s in the best interest of every United fan that City win as little as possible.
Last season does feel like an anomaly when you look at his career, and he's always been a streaky player. Looks good in a system but without service or confidence he'll be kept quiet rather easily. Also seems to be behind Raphinha and even Antony for the NT even during his best form, but there could be other factors.
Yeh I agree. IMO Liverpool "bottled it" more than we did by losing to Palace at home. I was anticipating potential dropped points vs Villa, but was not expecting 15th place Palace to beat Pool at Anfield.
You’re better than Liverpool though. I really don’t feel they have a title winning team - you do and are blowing it.
Thanks for the compliment, I guess.
I do agree that we're better than Pool but what they have over us is experience. Klopp has pipped Pep to the finish line before and they know how to handle a run -in and Europe. We don't, though I think we've improved quite a bit in that regard compared to last season.Lost to Unai Emery's Villa. Not surprising.
I have never been so disappointed that Arsenal lost. Was rooting for them over Liverpool and Abu Dhabi 115 FC.
Defo not as good as Arsenal teams of Arsen Venger.
Don Emery
I’ve always thought it’s unlikely we would win the league despite this good run, mostly because we would probably have needed a 2nd half of the season where we win something like 17 out of 18 games, including going to City, Spurs & Utd. That’s just beyond us or most teams really.
We still have our obvious weaknesses. Zinchenko now being a big 1, I think Arteta already tried to address that last summer with Timber. We need to replace Partey / Jorginho and get that long term partner for Rice. And we need something else in the forward areas, ideal a more clinical striker but I’m not seeing a great deal out there at the minute.
We still have our obvious weaknesses. Zinchenko now being a big 1, I think Arteta already tried to address that last summer with Timber. We need to replace Partey / Jorginho and get that long term partner for Rice. And we need something else in the forward areas, ideal a more clinical striker but I’m not seeing a great deal out there at the minute.
I've been saying this since your City draw with 100% confidence. You need to be braver next season.
Against Villa and Fulham, sure. But 4 points against City? Even Klopp would bite your hand off if you offered that to him at the start of the season.
Not just that but Pool were the ones bigging themselves up to win the quadruple, which was asking for ridicule in itself when they're in the Europa League. Now they've probably wiped out their chances of any silverwear except the League Cup in the space of 4-5 games.
Arsenal have had 1 poor result vs Villa. At the moment that's a blip. Also not like last year when I thought pretty much the whole last 2 months the performances were flat nd almost seemed like a surrender.
I think City will win it now but hoping Arsenal can pick up again to at least keep it interesting until the end. Hopefully Liverpool don't because a) don't like them, b) don't think they're actually as good as either you or City.