Mikel Arteta | Lego Pep watch

Powderfinger said:
Fair play to Liverpool, they deserve to be leading the league and have had a great season. If we had equal luck in terms of injuries to the most important players and equality in terms of penalties and red cards, I think we'd probably be a bit ahead of them. But that's not how football works.
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Disagree on the injuries bit - our most important players (Salah and VVD) are just extremely (rare) durable players (in VVD's case apart from that one ACL injury), which is just another skill and not just luck to stay healthy. Not saying Saka isn't but if our most important players consistently play 35+ games in a league season it's not "they had luck in terms of injuries to their most important players" anymore.

Apart from Salah and VVD, we missed our top 3 GK in the world for (I'm guessing here) to months or so, TAA was out for a month, Konate was out during the most busy stretch of the season, Szoboszlai has missed time, our most clinical striker is constantly injured on and off, and fringe players like Elliott have also missed time. The majority of our strongest XI has been injured at some point in the season.

Congrats on the win by the way, didn't watch the game but certainly looks an impressive scoreline. Was hoping for a City win or (ideally) draw as that could've put some serious daylight between us if we win the Everton game, now it's still a legit title race if we drop points at Goodison. I do have to admit that I've become very annoyed by Arsenal this season while I was largely indifferent and actually had some sympathy for you lot in the seasons before this one. Maybe it's just because you're our main rival this season and we haven't had that in recent memory, but a lot of Arsenal fans on Twitter are complete conspiracy bellends when it comes down to LiVARpool and your own VAR decisions (clear handball for Havertz a few weeks ago and 3 clear fouls imo when Havertz scored that non-goal against us which is kept being brought up time and time again). Also imo the behaviour today was very smalltime (Haaland celebration, playing humble after game), but maybe that's just me and I'd love it if I was an Arsenal fan, dunno.

Anyway, you can say what you want about Arteta, and I don't think Arsenal has played particularly great football for quite a few games this season, but he once again has you competing for the third or fourth year in a row I believe, so that has to count for something. With a squad that's less talented than City's or ours imo.
 
Our margin for error was always slim but the points dropped at home to Everton and Villa look like killers to me. Seems very likely that it's just too big a gap, but football changes incredibly quickly. Like G-Nev was saying on the comms last night, we just have to be there in case Liverpool slip up. Whatever happens, Arteta has done an incredible job in what most people forget is his first management role.
 
Think Pool have done well this season. Slot has mostly kept a working system with a few tweaks. They have definitely benefited obviously from City and us having a weak season but you take what you are given. Salah being on top form doesn't hurt either.

We definitely have had major injury issues this year....and it's been a struggle at times. I saw a change yesterday though in the mentality in that second half. It was a more ruthless approach where you stay on top of your opponent, which I much prefer than backing off, letting the opponent dictate the play and try to break up the game. I am a bit done seeing that and hopefully the Villa game was a good lesson. Hope we kick on.
 
Changeisgood said:
Think Pool have done well this season. Slot has mostly kept a working system with a few tweaks. They have definitely benefited obviously from City and us having a weak season but you take what you are given. Salah being on top form doesn't hurt either.
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And you?

You have 50 points after 24 games, that was 52 points at the same stage last season. You're having a season which is pretty much exactly what's expected and par for the course.
 
Changeisgood said:
Think Pool have done well this season. Slot has mostly kept a working system with a few tweaks. They have definitely benefited obviously from City and us having a weak season but you take what you are given. Salah being on top form doesn't hurt either.

We definitely have had major injury issues this year....and it's been a struggle at times. I saw a change yesterday though in the mentality in that second half. It was a more ruthless approach where you stay on top of your opponent, which I much prefer than backing off, letting the opponent dictate the play and try to break up the game. I am a bit done seeing that and hopefully the Villa game was a good lesson. Hope we kick on.
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Don't want to derail the thread so will leave it to one post, but you're doing Liverpool a disservice there. Based on points per game we would win the title compared to City's points total last season. Even looking at the table compared to this stage last season and we're still sitting with a better points per game total than City.
 
RobinLFC said:
Disagree on the injuries bit - our most important players (Salah and VVD) are just extremely (rare) durable players (in VVD's case apart from that one ACL injury), which is just another skill and not just luck to stay healthy. Not saying Saka isn't but if our most important players consistently play 35+ games in a league season it's not "they had luck in terms of injuries to their most important players" anymore.

Apart from Salah and VVD, we missed our top 3 GK in the world for (I'm guessing here) to months or so, TAA was out for a month, Konate was out during the most busy stretch of the season, Szoboszlai has missed time, our most clinical striker is constantly injured on and off, and fringe players like Elliott have also missed time. The majority of our strongest XI has been injured at some point in the season.

Congrats on the win by the way, didn't watch the game but certainly looks an impressive scoreline. Was hoping for a City win or (ideally) draw as that could've put some serious daylight between us if we win the Everton game, now it's still a legit title race if we drop points at Goodison. I do have to admit that I've become very annoyed by Arsenal this season while I was largely indifferent and actually had some sympathy for you lot in the seasons before this one. Maybe it's just because you're our main rival this season and we haven't had that in recent memory, but a lot of Arsenal fans on Twitter are complete conspiracy bellends when it comes down to LiVARpool and your own VAR decisions (clear handball for Havertz a few weeks ago and 3 clear fouls imo when Havertz scored that non-goal against us which is kept being brought up time and time again). Also imo the behaviour today was very smalltime (Haaland celebration, playing humble after game), but maybe that's just me and I'd love it if I was an Arsenal fan, dunno.

Anyway, you can say what you want about Arteta, and I don't think Arsenal has played particularly great football for quite a few games this season, but he once again has you competing for the third or fourth year in a row I believe, so that has to count for something. With a squad that's less talented than City's or ours imo.
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Think it's a combination of things. Of course you've had injuries, but they don't seem to be of the number where you've had to go a bit patchwork in games like what we have. I've not looked in depth but you defo seem to have more of say your first 9 or 10 players available most weeks.

However, in saying that, i think your squad is stronger than Arsenal's to cope with injuries, especially in the attacking areas, and that's not luck, that's through design and good squad planning, and obviously you can say the reverse about us in that regard. That's on us and our lack of recruitment in the attacking areas that can make our game look a bit stifled and predictable at times.
If nothing else we've been able to see what the likes of Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly can do, and they will be valuable team / squad additions going forward, but we shouldn't have left ourselves so short.

I don't think it's an unfair comparison of both sides seasons so far, and i think most Arsenal fans are giving Liverpool lots of credit for where they are. It's fully deserved, we just wish the fine margins had gone our way that would see us be closer, but you are certainly where you deserve to be.
 
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Liverpool have been excellent and absolutely deserve to be top. No arguments here. 6/9 points ahead with 42/45 left to play for. It's a great position and not luck that they're there.
 
I had them tipped to win the league this season. They won't win it this season but they'll probably win it next season.
 
Ghirahim said:
I had them tipped to win the league this season. They won't win it this season but they'll probably win it next season.
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Based on what is it probable that they'll win it next season?

City won't have two offseasons in a row (if they're not hit with a points deduction or relegation) and Chelsea's core will be a year older and better adapted to each other. Uncertain how competitive Liverpool will be but we aren't going anywhere either if we retain VVD and/or Salah.
 
RobinLFC said:
Based on what is it probable that they'll win it next season?

City won't have two offseasons in a row (if they're not hit with a points deduction or relegation) and Chelsea's core will be a year older and better adapted to each other. Uncertain how competitive Liverpool will be but we aren't going anywhere either if we retain VVD and/or Salah.
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If City win the title next season after this season's display, Rodri has to be given the next Ballon d'or and the award should be retired right after.
 
RobinLFC said:
Based on what is it probable that they'll win it next season?

City won't have two offseasons in a row (if they're not hit with a points deduction or relegation) and Chelsea's core will be a year older and better adapted to each other. Uncertain how competitive Liverpool will be but we aren't going anywhere either if we retain VVD and/or Salah.
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I just think Arsenal might win it next season because they've come so close 3 in a row.

And Salah is leaving at the end of this season buddy...

Mohamed Salah Confirms He Will Leave Liverpool at the End of the Season
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https://www.beinsports.com/en-us/so...liverpool-at-the-end-of-the-season-2025-01-03
 
erikcred said:
If City win the title next season after this season's display, Rodri has to be given the next Ballon d'or and the award should be retired right after.
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They were bad for a month and a half and bought 3 players for a combined €152m. It's not like they'll be going into next season with the same squad (and deficiencies) as they currently have.
 
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