Yes, you can see they how far they have gotten into their development when they can afford to become so solid in defending low and also at set pieces.
Arsenal 2023/24 - Born to be runner up
- Thread starter horsechoker
- Start date
It’s not really insane, it’s more like corrupt.
I think he would be good in that role as well.
It's a bit ironic that we ended up signing his right footed Central defensive partner at Ajax, who was probably linked to It'd more at that time, to do that role now.
I don't think 90 points> is realistic for this group or you current manager.
Even if you did manage it somehow, City would get 1 point more. That's the issue, City don't really have a ceiling, they just raise their level to slightly above their nearest competitor. As we saw with Pep beating Klopp by 1 point a couple of times.
ETH has now mentioned arsenal twice in regards to their excellent injury record, last season and this season.
We had got their doctor after the comment made last year.
Does anyone know why they have so little injuries?
We had got their doctor after the comment made last year.
Does anyone know why they have so little injuries?
They're real men and not wimps
Beat Everton and we get 89, but you think 90 is not realistic
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Best Everton and we get 89, but you think 90 is not realistic
Its like they just haven't seen what we are doing for past 5 years.
I understand if someone says its improbable but unrealistic. You just have to laugh.
I could see it at LB, but I am not keen on his positional awareness. On the ball he is ok.
Ok? You haven't seen him play minutely then. Watch him closely when he gets fit again.
It's not enough that we're good it's that everyone needs to acknowledge us even if we haven't won anything in years.
Those West Ham and Fulham defeats sting for them. No chance in hell Spurs will take anything from City.
We’ve become the boys, them the real men.
I will...I tend to be critical of these kind of players so maybe I am biased. I appreciate the aggression, but I prefer calmness tempered with great positioning. I have seen him caught out and making lunges to get back in the fray. It looks good at times and even some matches but over time... not for me.
We have seen our fair share of this at CB over the last decade. I am glad to be out if it.
City have those kinds of defeats too. We all do. It's impossible to go through a whole season without annoying points dropped. Chelsea conceded late equalisers vs Burnley and Sheffield Utd. If we had 4 extra points from those two games we'd be breathing down Spurs' neck for 5th place. Arsenal could still win the title. They have the points in the bag. City's record at Spurs away isn't great. It feels inevitable because City do this robotic thing every season where they reel off 18-19 wins out of the last 20 games but football is crazy.
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Getting rid of injury prone players. We suffered for YEARS with Rosciky Diaby Cazorla Vermaelen all made of glass and all were moved on.
When you signed Varane and Casemiro I remember being absolutely blasted on social media for suggesting you're wasting money on crocks and almost past it players for an insane amount. And you're suffering now. Shaw is also another crock. Look at Martial. Why is he still at your club?
So yes injuries are luck and youve been unlucky but keep having to rely on known crocks or buying players who's shelf life is a season and then being surprised? It's on your club the latter bit.
We also have had 26 different combinations in our defence and no LB all season. Ofcourse Saliba and Gabriel help but fullbacks are essential to the style. Partey another crock will also be moved on. It's the only way
Footballs too competitive now where we can't afford to sign people like Varane on massive wages knowing their history and them complaining they're injured all the time.
Totally agree with this, it's ridiculous to gripe about points dropped when we've won 15 out of the last 17 or something nuts. We have dropped silly points but so has everyone - it's a marathon, not a sprint, it's never about one individual game. I have no complaints about this season. I love this team, I don't think we could have asked for more.
You're right. They had a terrific season and they're still fully in it. In any case City is in a better poisition but if they lose points tomorrow anything can happen. Spurs have secured CL spot and have nothing to play for?
Beat Everton and we get 89, but you think 90 is not realistic
Probably meant it shouldn't necessarily be an expectation, getting to 90 is a big task - not impossible, but don't expect it year on year like City. For example, getting 80-85 next year shouldn't be a stick to beat Arteta with.
No, Spurs need Liverpool to win at Villa tonight, and that keeps them 4 points behind going into the City game. Then they need to actually win in the City game to go a point behind going into the final game with a chance of overtaking Villa. If Spurs draw, that would leave them 3 points behind going into the final game, and given Villa are 8 goals better off goal difference wise, that would need a hell of a swing last game. Villa are at Palace away, Spurs are at Sheffield Utd away.
I thought 5 teams from PL are going to CL next year?
Nope. The bonus places go to Italy and Germany, the PL teams performed to worse in Europe this year. Basically United ruined it for England (and Newcastle).
Was pretty funny to see at the beginning of the season a lot of English pundits just assuming it as a fact and then the PL losing to the farmers leagues
You've put together a title winning season, certainly your form since January has been title winning form. Obviously City being City, there's a high chance winning 18 out of the remaining 20 games won't be enough to become champions.
Yeah, United was like, if we cant get that 5th spot then nobody in England can.Nope. The bonus places go to Italy and Germany, the PL teams performed to worse in Europe this year. Basically United ruined it for England (and Newcastle).
Was pretty funny to see at the beginning of the season a lot of English pundits just assuming it as a fact and then the PL losing to the farmers leagues
Is Spurs mathematically sure of Europe in general? There is still a slot for 7th? I forget how that's determined and I think the FA Cup potentially changes that up too?
They need a point to mathematically secure 5th. If they lose both remaining games, there's a wild scenario where they could end up in 7th, yeah.
Europa League is 5th and 6th, unless United win the FA Cup, in which case United and the 5th placed team get EL while 6th and 7th place go to the conference league.
City 1 - 0 vs Spurs and Spurs get a 94th min pen. Just imagine the scenes.
Do you just whisper to the keeper where you’re going to shoot?
Do you just whisper to the keeper where you’re going to shoot?
They'll most probably get at least a point at Sheffield United on final day and secure 5th place.
Game between Villa and Liverpool tonight is big. If Villa win top 4 race is over. Even if they draw, Spurs' chances will get even smaller as Villa would need only a draw at Palace (who have been great lately though) as they have superior GD.
Didn't realize it was vs Sheffield. That's kinda a given then. Key one is indeed this Villa Pool game. It's getting hard to keep up with all this temporary support.
I'm going to contradict myself here, I think Neto of Wolves is someone i would maybe take a chance on. I'll tell you why.
I think your spine / main core of the team is who you look for to remain fit and for consistency, Goalkeeper, 2 centre backs, at least 2 of your central midfielders, at least 1 of your centre forwards.
I think as long as the quality is there, the wide positions, especially up front, are the positions I think you can rotate most.
We already have 3 good options, Saka, Trossard and Martinelli who have good fitness records anyway, and Jesus could always play wide. So I think we are 1 of the clubs that could get away with being tempted to take a chance on Neto, as long as the cost isn't too prohibitive, given the lack of viable options elsewhere. I'd be less tempted however, if this was our only forward purchase.
Given this assumes Villa lose both games, the goal difference will be at most six and quite possibly 4 or 5 before taking into account Spurs' match against Sheffield United, which have the worst defense in PL history and have been even worse at home than away all season.
Arsenal needs a right winger if Arteta decides Reiss Nelson is not good enough to compete with Saka. Nelson is also 24 and he needs to play regularly.
In hindsight, Arsenal’s approach at the ethiad might come back and cost them the title. They really could’ve ceased the initiative by playing a more open game at a time city looked vulnerable and Haaland was off form.
If City win the league it is only because they are a better team in the marathon. Ideally if Arsenal win every single game then we will win the league, but because Arsenal didn't so we bottled the league.
Yep, and what I like about Neto is that he can play left wing and right wing to a very high level, and he has that raw pace and ability to carry that can give you that threat on the counter that we lack at times.
Of course, his injury record is a big worry, and if I was say a Man Utd, or a Spurs, where he'd be a mainstay in your team and you'd need to really rely on him to be fit nearly all the time, I perhaps wouldn't take that gamble, but for someone like us or City, I might be more tempted to.
But I'd still be concerned about his fitness if that was our only forward signing. In an ideal world your able to shift the likes of Nelson and Nketiah on and sign players for both positions. How realistic that is we'll have to wait and see, and will also likely depend what midfielder we are able to get.
In an ideal world if we can sign a player similar to Trossard who can play on the right that would be awesome. A player around 28/29, who doesn't mind starting from the bench to provide cover for Saka and versatile enough to play multiple positions. I am not sure if Neto is happy for this role and not even consider his injury record/price tag.
It’s hard to compete with a financially doped up club, Arsenal have been worthy challengers.
I don’t think that’s quite right, Arsenal were all over us until they scored. Then they relaxed, retreated and let us have the ball. I think they probably could have gone up through the gears if they needed to.
Re Arsenal i feel that rices inclusion has glued everything together. They are solid at the back and potent going forward. One place they need a top notch addition is FW. An Osimhen would make a huge difference to the team.
IF they don’t win this season they aren’t far off from putting it together
IF they don’t win this season they aren’t far off from putting it together