Arsenal 2023/24 - Have bottled the Champions League and are Bottling the League (arse rattled)

[Grande]

Today was a very matured performance by them. They were not at their fluent best and it could have backfired maybe if United had Bruno and Rashford but ultimately they shut stop and took the 3 points. Great work by Arteta and Arsenal players. Kudos.

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.

 

[Grande]

That is true. We are nowhere close to City or even Liverpools peak over last 8 years. But if you remove Guardiolas ManCity aside, we have had a campaign what is expected of Champions on the whole.

This ManCity team kept the standards so high that its insane.
If we win at Everton then we would have W16 D1 L1 in this year. The draw was against City away. Its just insane that even that is not enough.

It’s not really insane, it’s more like corrupt.

 

[GoonerBear]

Like he should in this league.

Arteta definitely wanted to play Martinez as a left back who inverts in the midfield. Licha would have been great on that position as he is tenacious and is excellent on the ball with a good passing range. I hope that's how we play him from next season.

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.

 

[Garnacho's Shoelaces]

Arsenal at OT has not played well or won for a long time just like at Etihad or Anfield. We won 1 and drew at 2 other places. Honestly can't ask for more.

At the start of the season my criteria for progress were
1. 85+ pts (compared to 84 last year)
2. Good performances against City/Liverpool.
3. Good Cup/CL run.

We have done the first two well.
Cup/CL run is something to improve on. But not something to sweat over. CL QF was a decent campaign.

Next season should be
1. 90+ pts
2. CL QF and above atleast (ideally SF/F)
3. Ideally FA cup (atleast Finals)
4. A win at Anfield/Etihad would be great.

With cups it hard as it depends on who you are drawn against.

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.

 

[DownRiver]

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?

 

[horsechoker]

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?

They're real men and not wimps

 

[Egalitard]

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.

Beat Everton and we get 89, but you think 90 is not realistic

 

[CannonBalls]

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.

 

[Changeisgood]

Like he should in this league.

Arteta definitely wanted to play Martinez as a left back who inverts in the midfield. Licha would have been great on that position as he is tenacious and is excellent on the ball with a good passing range. I hope that's how we play him from next season.

I could see it at LB, but I am not keen on his positional awareness. On the ball he is ok.

 

[Insanity]

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.

 

[horsechoker]

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.

 

[Real Name]

Those West Ham and Fulham defeats sting for them. No chance in hell Spurs will take anything from City.

 

[SoCross]

They're real men and not wimps

We’ve become the boys, them the real men.

 

[Changeisgood]

Ok? You haven't seen him play minutely then. Watch him closely when he gets fit again.

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.