Arsenal 22/23 - go to new thread

[SWE-Chucky]

Yes, I also said panic buy or not, he was going to undoubtedly improve you. Not too shabby to spend 60m on a world class midfielder and only use him as a sub (so far). If we had him he would be starting all our games until Partey became fit again. Lokonga is not a defensive player and it really showed in the crucial moments, he left too much space. And yes I wish we had brought someone in when Elneny got injured. I understand that the club do not want to overpay and get stuck with players on high salaries they have trouble offloading in a couple of seasons, but we have left ourselves short again.

Just a question out of nowhere, do you believe that a player like Casemiro would have joined Arsenal if they gave him that same contract as we did?

Not trying to insult Arsenal, but i have feeling that they have lost that attraction power. Cant see players like Varane, Casemiro leaving Real Madrid to join Arsenal.

 

[GoonerGirly]

I think you should have strengthened that area so I’m not sure why it was neglected? You did spend a fortune and there was more money available hence the deadline day bid for Luiz.

With the cloud over Partey you’d have thought it would have been even more important to address.

Yes, I can only think that Arteta has overvalued Elneny/Lokonga and thinks they are enough to get us through to Jan. I'm sure Viera also factors in his plans but can't comment on him yet. Feels like we never bloody learn. Still, top of the table after a predictable defeat to you lot away - really not much to get too upset about. I'd gladly have taken it at the start of the season.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

They finished last season on 69 pts after a horrible start with 3 defeats out of 3, and then they slipped up in the last 3 games as well to lose out on the CL. Given how they've improved every season, and having strengthened their squad once again, I'd be very, very surprised if they don't get 75 at least.

Fair to say that these bad spells were under another manager. We got a lot more points under Ole and were improving season on season.

 

[city-puma]

I would have felt much better going into the game if we didn't have Lokonga (who isn't a 6) playing, with Partey and Elneny out. I was screaming for another midfielder after Elneny got injured, but yet again we have left oursevles short. No excuses, Partey has only managed to play just over 50% of games during his time here, so we know he's not reliable to stay fit. And no matter how much you are "in turmoil" (which I think was exaggerated by the media anyway), you always show up against us at OT. Kinda like your win over Pool few weeks ago - no one expected that on the back of 2 horrible defeats but OT is a venue teams will expect to lose/drop points.

Arteta has successfully constructed a young, promising team. Your team has been playing really well this season. It’s just no one knows how far he can take the team to achieve and I think you guys should definitely keep backing him as long as possible. Will be curious to see how your team deals with the setbacks, especially some huge setbacks.

 

[ayushreddevil9]

Here comes the crying and the excuses.

Yep

 

[Gasolin]

I think Arteta is actually quite good in what he's doing. But I don't know if he will get all the players he want. So without those players, he is relying on those "young" players. And sometimes, they slip up and are naïve.

But they do have a bright future and they can grow, but I really wondered if Odegaard is a leadership material. Is he able to lead that team? That's a question for Arsenal fans probably.

 

[GoonerGirly]

Just a question out of nowhere, do you believe that a player like Casemiro would have joined Arsenal if they gave him that same contract as we did?

Not trying to insult Arsenal, but i have feeling that they have lost that attraction power. Cant see players like Varane, Casemiro leaving Real Madrid to join Arsenal.

No I don't. He has his RM buddies there at United. I agree we're too much of a step down for a player like him. We haven't played CL football in years.

In fairness to Lokonga I thought Odegaard wasn’t very helpful and didn’t bother picking up Eriksen when it mattered.

In contrast Eriksen was tracking Odegaard back but Odegaard couldn’t be bothered doing the same. It led to at least one of our goals in the build up.

Yeh there was some doubt over Odegaard before the match that he got a knock against Villa. He wasn't as energetic as he has been for us so far this season, so perhaps there was something to that. He did look a bit off but hard to know if he was just having an average game or if he was carrying a minor injury.

 

[SWE-Chucky]

No I don't. He has his RM buddies there at United. I agree we're too much of a step down for a player like him. We haven't played CL football in years.

Yes but i Varane joined even without a RM buddy here, at a younger age. It helps that United have some "superstars" (not claiming they are all performing on a world class level all the time). But i still believe that United as a club, even without CL, still has a huge attraction power.

History, fan base, Old Trafford, money but also potential.

If all clubs in the PL performed at the same level right now and could offer the same money i still believe Arsenal has lost a lot of attraction power in some way, and i don't know why actually - i mean i do understand that the lack of CL, Wenger retiring, no trophies for many years, no "star players" and so on effects it but i still believe that United, City, Liverpool and Chelsea are all more likely to get a player if they are in a bidding war with Arsenal.

15 years ago, Arsenal were second on the list after United. Only Chelseas money could make a player chose them over Arsenal.

 

[GoonerBear]

Yes but i Varane joined even without a RM buddy here, at a younger age. It helps that United have some "superstars" (not claiming they are all performing on a world class level all the time). But i still believe that United as a club, even without CL, still has a huge attraction power.

History, fan base, Old Trafford, money but also potential.

If all clubs in the PL performed at the same level right now and could offer the same money i still believe Arsenal has lost a lot of attraction power in some way, and i don't know why actually - i mean i do understand that the lack of CL, Wenger retiring, no trophies for many years, no "star players" and so on effects it but i still believe that United, City, Liverpool and Chelsea are all more likely to get a player if they are in a bidding war with Arsenal.

15 years ago, Arsenal were second on the list after United. Only Chelseas money could make a player chose them over Arsenal.

To be honest, when has Arsenal ever bought star players? Ozil? Sanchez? Aubameyang? Any more that you might class as that?

That's not what we're about, and we've never really been about that. I prefer the strategy we have now to be honest. I'd prefer to be more like Liverpool in their recruitment than Man Utd if I'm brutally honest, and I know that won't go down well in here.

 

[TheReligion]

To be honest, when has Arsenal ever bought star players? Ozil? Sanchez? Aubameyang? Any more that you might class as that?

That's not what we're about, and we've never really been about that. I prefer the strategy we have now to be honest. I'd prefer to be more like Liverpool in their recruitment than Man Utd if I'm brutally honest, and I know that won't go down well in here.

Nunez at £85m and Keita at £60m.

Good luck!

 

[led_scholes]

To be honest, when has Arsenal ever bought star players? Ozil? Sanchez? Aubameyang? Any more that you might class as that?

That's not what we're about, and we've never really been about that. I prefer the strategy we have now to be honest. I'd prefer to be more like Liverpool in their recruitment than Man Utd if I'm brutally honest, and I know that won't go down well in here.

I think Bergkamp was a huge one. But thats 27 years ago.

 

[Baneofthegame]

To be honest, when has Arsenal ever bought star players? Ozil? Sanchez? Aubameyang? Any more that you might class as that?

That's not what we're about, and we've never really been about that. I prefer the strategy we have now to be honest. I'd prefer to be more like Liverpool in their recruitment than Man Utd if I'm brutally honest, and I know that won't go down well in here.

I think most people would like to enjoy Liverpools level of recruitment.

 

[GoonerBear]

Nunez at £85m and Keita at £60m.

Good luck!

They were big signings, but not star players. Liverpool have had a lot more hits than not, I don't think anyone can argue otherwise.

Can we honestly say the same at Utd and Arsenal. I can give you names back if you want?!

 

[TheReligion]

They were big signings, but not star players. Liverpool have had a lot more hits than not, I don't think anyone can argue otherwise.

Can we honestly say the same at Utd and Arsenal. I can give you names back if you want?!

I’m not arguing otherwise. But keep an eye on things now Edwards has left. Perhaps not as as slick as you make out anymore.

 

[Chief123]

I have seen a bit and I know that they have conceded goals but the way they got cut open multiple times was still a bit surprising to me

They only became really open after we scored 2-1 against the run of play. That was the one moment that changed the game where they switched off.

Once the 2nd goal went in, Arteta really messed up. There were still 20 minutes to go and he went gung ho way too early. He switched to 3 at the back with Martinelli and Saka as wing backs. They ended up with 3 CBs and not much protection in front of them. That’s when lots of spaces opened up as we just countered them.

I think if Arteta kept the team shape Arsenal could have come back again. Their youth and lack of experience will probably cost them in key moments this season but they’ve definitely improved massively from last season.

 

[GoonerBear]

I think Bergkamp was a huge one. But thats 27 years ago.

Even then, Bergkamp was struggling with Inter in Serie A. Vieira was on the fringes on Milan's first team. Henry wasn't pulling up trees at Juve etc.

Let's be honest, we only signed Ozil because Real were desperate to claw back some Bale money. Sanchez likewise was being discarded by Barca. Luckily he picked living in London over living in Liverpool. No-one else wanted Aubameyang either.

If there's a bidding war we'll lose out. So we need to try and be smarter in the market, something we seemed to lose, particularly between 2015-2020.

I’m not arguing otherwise. But keep an eye on things now Edwards has left. Perhaps not as as slick as you make out anymore.

Like you, I'll be hoping that this is the case as well. Starting with Nunez hopefully!

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

Couple of people who are quick to mock United are absent in this thread since yesterday. Not surprised at all

 

[Aint gota Kalou]

Gabriel is a big weakness for them, far too rash. Would make sense to move White back to centre back.

 

[TheReligion]

Gabriel is a big weakness for them, far too rash. Would make sense to move White back to centre back.

The Gabriel-Saliba Axis is crucial to their philosophy

 

[Adisa]

They have a tough set of fixtures coming up.

 

[GoonerBear]

They have a tough set of fixtures coming up.

Posted yesterday, all the big clubs have.

Utd have Palace, Leeds, Everton, City, Newcastle Spurs & Chelsea for instance.

 

[Adisa]

Posted yesterday, all the big clubs have.

Utd have Palace, Leeds, Everton, City, Newcastle Spurs & Chelsea.

Just seeing that. Ours is pretty brutal.

 

[GoonerBear]

Just seeing that. Ours is pretty brutal.

Yeah, think the next half dozen games or so should tell us more about where all the teams are at.

 

[Flexdegea]

TBF we were playing with our 4th choice midfielder, which is why I'm so irritated we didn't get anyone in when Elneny became injured after Fulham. We can't all have 60mil x5 CL winning CDMs as our 3rd choice MF.

You raging you can't panic buy expensive midfielders that we didn't even need to win matches?

Arteta spent some money himself. Don't be giving us the poor us chat

 

[Robbie Boy]

So salty in here

 

[Utd heap]

It's almost like we'll know more about how good they are once we have a larger segment of games to judge it on.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

THE AUGUST INVINCIBLES

 

[mu4c_20le]

So salty in here

Lads, its arsenal fans

 

[Robbie Boy]

It's almost like we'll know more about how good they are once we have a larger segment of games to judge it on.

No we don't; Odegaard is the new Xavi, Jesus is a reincarnation of Messi and Arsenal are just awesome.

 

[eselfor]

They finished last season on 69 pts after a horrible start with 3 defeats out of 3, and then they slipped up in the last 3 games as well to lose out on the CL. Given how they've improved every season, and having strengthened their squad once again, I'd be very, very surprised if they don't get 75 at least.

Don't forget they had limited cup runs last year (1 FA Cup match + 6 EFL cup games) and no European competition. It would be interesting to see how they cope with the additional work load, given the injury record of some of their key players.

 

[Telsim]

The beginning of the end for Arsenal. They've been lucky with their fixtures so far, either having home advantage against teams that could prove troublesome (Leicester, Fulham, Villa), or away against weak teams (Bournemouth). The only strong team they've played thus far has been Crystal Palace away and they barely scraped by that time. Not that they are bad, I think they will make Top 4, but their results deceive a bit. They still have a run of lucky fixtures ahead, but that's going to come around at some point. It will be curious to see how they fare against Brentford away for example.

 

[Suedesi]

Was never convinced with them no matter how much their fans were trying to convince the rest about the "mentality" of this Arsenal team. Same old shit, they beat bottom half-relegation fodder and shit themselves moment they play a decent team.

We are hardly playing top tier football and even then it was a piece of piss once we went 2-1 up. Best team they have beat this season are Fulham and they are 10th, says it all.

FAHCTS

 

[Robbie Boy]

The beginning of the end for Arsenal. They've been lucky with their fixtures so far, either having home advantage against teams that could prove troublesome (Leicester, Fulham, Villa), or away against weak teams (Bournemouth). The only strong team they've played thus far has been Crystal Palace away and they barely scraped by that time. Not that they are bad, I think they will make Top 4, but their results deceive a bit. They still have a run of lucky fixtures ahead, but that's going to come around at some point. It will be curious to see how they fare against Brentford away for example.

I'm not convinced at all that they'll get top four.

 

[GoonerBear]

I'm not convinced at all that they'll get top four.

Im not convinced you will either.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

They look good.

 

[Nero]

Just a good run of form at the start of the season. They'll level off soon enough.

 

[AshRK]

Im not convinced you will either.

I don't think we will. We are still in transition but for you guys, what excuse do you have now to not finish top 4.

You guys look better than last year. Chelsea and United both are in transition. Top 4 should be bare minimum.

 

[Vapor trail]

Been impressed with their performances. They have raised the standard for their team. I know Arteta had two 8th league finishes as such but I always think a manager has a future if they have something to build from and he has clearly shown this at Arsenal. If they can win anything that's another story but you can't fault them for progressing in their performances.

 

[avgp_1]

A backup for Thomas Partey will be key, if they can get one in January. The drop off from him to Lokonga is massive

 

[mu4c_20le]

Not taking anythign away from them, but think they got a bit lucky being able to trash some europa team right after our game and keep up the momentum.