Arsenal 22/23 - go to new thread

[DJBillRemfry]

The first half of last season was a freakish aberration brought about by a very short summer break, an unusually large number of PL games before the transfer window shut, a couple of teams who are usually at the top being in disarray due to ownership/mgmt issues and the european games being condensed into a two month spread rather than three which made them more intense and more challenging for those in the CL.

All of this played in the favour of any team that got it's transfers completed early, got an easy run in the first 5/6 games, and had a soft european draw.

The season didn't normalise until after the World Cup/Christmas.

The second half of the season table is the one where normal running was resumed and that tells the truth about the real levels that individual clubs are at.

 

[roonster09]

Supports "Bolton" but all the posts about praising Arsenal and shitting on ManUtd

 

[Buckie]

You just finished 2nd after leading the table for most of the season. What would you consider as progress next season if not a trophy? Finishing one point behind City?

Feels like arrogance from fans of a club that's had its first title challenge in almost two decades and has never won the CL.

The obvious logical progress is 1st place for sure. But that has to be qualified as very difficult with a team as dominant as City in the league and a not very deep Arsenal also competing in the CL.

So other types of progress I will be watching for will be:

1. Qualifying again for the CL. We've been out of it for so long and there are so many contenders in the EPL for those spots. Showing consistency in this regard would be progress. We need to be there consistently for financial viability and for the status of the club.
2. Young players like Saka, Martinelli, Saliba, Odegaard continue to excel and develop into genuine top tier players.
3. Get stronger defensively. The title race ended when Saliba was injured and the squad as a whole was much poorer defensively. Defense wins Championship blah, blah, blah.
4. Win a trophy for sure. FA Cup, Europa League, League Cup. (CL and the league are the ideal/dream but obviously everything would have to go really right for one of those.) Both the players and supporters need this affirmation or we will seeing players leaving for greener pastures again. (We might still see that, but hopefully this core group can stay together for several years.)

No arrogance from me as an Arsenal supporter. We are underdogs for sure and need to prove it wasn't a blip finishing second. The young core squad has plenty of talent and potential, but we've seen similar potential in many squads post-Invincibles.

 

[Rajiztar]

The first half of last season was a freakish aberration brought about by a very short summer break, an unusually large number of PL games before the transfer window shut, a couple of teams who are usually at the top being in disarray due to ownership/mgmt issues and the european games being condensed into a two month spread rather than three which made them more intense and more challenging for those in the CL.

All of this played in the favour of any team that got it's transfers completed early, got an easy run in the first 5/6 games, and had a soft european draw.

The season didn't normalise until after the World Cup/Christmas.

The second half of the season table is the one where normal running was resumed and that tells the truth about the real levels that individual clubs are at.

We are in relegation fight if that's the case if not already in it last season.

 

[erikcred]

The obvious logical progress is 1st place for sure. But that has to be qualified as very difficult with a team as dominant as City in the league and a not very deep Arsenal also competing in the CL.

So other types of progress I will be watching for will be:

1. Qualifying again for the CL. We've been out of it for so long and there are so many contenders in the EPL for those spots. Showing consistency in this regard would be progress. We need to be there consistently for financial viability and for the status of the club.
2. Young players like Saka, Martinelli, Saliba, Odegaard continue to excel and develop into genuine top tier players.
3. Get stronger defensively. The title race ended when Saliba was injured and the squad as a whole was much poorer defensively. Defense wins Championship blah, blah, blah.
4. Win a trophy for sure. FA Cup, Europa League, League Cup. (CL and the league are the ideal/dream but obviously everything would have to go really right for one of those.) Both the players and supporters need this affirmation or we will seeing players leaving for greener pastures again. (We might still see that, but hopefully this core group can stay together for several years.)

No arrogance from me as an Arsenal supporter. We are underdogs for sure and need to prove it wasn't a blip finishing second. The young core squad has plenty of talent and potential, but we've seen similar potential in many squads post-Invincibles.

This is very true and the most worrying prospect as a rival fan. Plus you're making good moves in the transfer market. I thought you'd played a blinder when you picked up Trossard and Jorginho last season and felt those signings would help you clinch the title. And you would've if not for 115 reasons. You've an amazing base now. All you need next season from Arteta and your players is a bit more maturity in big moments. E.g., don't rile up the savages at Anfield when you're 2-0 up.

 

[Daydreamer]

This is very true and the most worrying prospect as a rival fan. Plus you're making good moves in the transfer market. I thought you'd played a blinder when you picked up Trossard and Jorginho last season and felt those signings would help you clinch the title. And you would've if not for 115 reasons. You've an amazing base now. All you need next season from Arteta and your players is a bit more maturity in big moments. E.g., don't rile up the savages at Anfield when you're 2-0 up.

Agreed. We also need to improve in a couple areas where the drop of in quality is far too great (CB/RB). Hopefully we can get the Timber deal done.

I think next season is going to be great to watch with United / Newcastle / Liverpool / Chelsea coming back a lot stronger.

 

[Cascarino]

I think next season is going to be great to watch with United / Newcastle / Liverpool / Chelsea coming back a lot stronger.

I think this will be Arsenal’s biggest problem. I don’t see you dropping off, your key players are all young and will have an additional year’s experience. And Arteta is a talented manager who knows exactly how he wants to play and seems to be in tandem with the recruitment side of the club. But ETH had a very positive first season despite not having a striker and navigating the Ronaldo saga, he’ll be looking to build on that, Pochettino is a very good manager and it looks like Chelsea are dealing with the bloated squad (like United getting a 9 will be important), Newcastle have CL football to offer prospective targets and Howe is a good underrated manager, Klopp is Klopp.

I don’t think it’s impossible City drop off a little, coming off a treble season and potentially losing some massive midfielders will be tricky. But by drop off a little I still think they’re guaranteed top 4 and a title race.

Potentially this season two good sides will miss out on top 4, although chances are one of the aforementioned 6 will implode.

 

[GoonerBear]

I think this will be Arsenal’s biggest problem. I don’t see you dropping off, your key players are all young and will have an additional year’s experience. And Arteta is a talented manager who knows exactly how he wants to play and seems to be in tandem with the recruitment side of the club. But ETH had a very positive first season despite not having a striker and navigating the Ronaldo saga, he’ll be looking to build on that, Pochettino is a very good manager and it looks like Chelsea are dealing with the bloated squad (like United getting a 9 will be important), Newcastle have CL football to offer prospective targets and Howe is a good underrated manager, Klopp is Klopp.

I don’t think it’s impossible City drop off a little, coming off a treble season and potentially losing some massive midfielders will be tricky. But by drop off a little I still think they’re guaranteed top 4 and a title race.

Potentially this season two good sides will miss out on top 4, although chances are one of the aforementioned 6 will implode.

Remember the top 4 might become the top 5 next season with the potential of an added Champions League place for the following season.

 

[Cascarino]

Remember the top 4 might become the top 5 next season with the potential of an added Champions League place for the following season.

I forgot all about that. That would give a lot more breathing room.

 

[ThierryHenry14]

I think this will be Arsenal’s biggest problem. I don’t see you dropping off, your key players are all young and will have an additional year’s experience. And Arteta is a talented manager who knows exactly how he wants to play and seems to be in tandem with the recruitment side of the club. But ETH had a very positive first season despite not having a striker and navigating the Ronaldo saga, he’ll be looking to build on that, Pochettino is a very good manager and it looks like Chelsea are dealing with the bloated squad (like United getting a 9 will be important), Newcastle have CL football to offer prospective targets and Howe is a good underrated manager, Klopp is Klopp.

I don’t think it’s impossible City drop off a little, coming off a treble season and potentially losing some massive midfielders will be tricky. But by drop off a little I still think they’re guaranteed top 4 and a title race.

Potentially this season two good sides will miss out on top 4, although chances are one of the aforementioned 6 will implode.

It is not a "problem". There are 5 clubs (City, United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle) in EPL has more resource and budget than Arsenal, it is just a reality that the management needs to face and deal with.

 

[Cascarino]

It is not a "problem". There are 5 clubs (City, United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle) in EPL has more resource and budget than Arsenal, it is just a reality that the management needs to face and deal with.

Isn’t that just a problem but with extra words?

 

[ThierryHenry14]

Isn’t that just a problem but with extra words?

Not really. Just need to adjust the expectation accordingly. Unrealistic expectation however is a problem.

 

[Cascarino]

Not really. Just need to adjust the expectation accordingly. Unrealistic expectation however is a problem.

I get what you’re saying, but if Arsenal finish 6th the next three seasons with no silverware he’s gone right?

 

[GoonerBear]

It is not a "problem". There are 5 clubs (City, United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle) in EPL has more resource and budget than Arsenal, it is just a reality that the management needs to face and deal with.

I'm not sure you can say Utd, Liverpool and Newcastle have more budget than Arsenal just now with FFP and with what each of these clubs have spent the last few years.

 

[ThierryHenry14]

I'm not sure you can say Utd, Liverpool and Newcastle have more budget than Arsenal just now with FFP and with what each of these clubs have spent the last few years.

City and Newcastle are state owned, Utd will be soon.
Just look at Chelsea, Liverpool's revenue in the annual report.

https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pag.../articles/deloitte-football-money-league.html

All the transfer budget in Arsenal lately is bankrolled by the owner as investment. I believe it is a personal/private loan with very low interest rate but i can be mistaken.

 

[ThierryHenry14]

I get what you’re saying, but if Arsenal finish 6th the next three seasons with no silverware he’s gone right?

That's the question for Josh. Without the income from CL it will be an issue obviously.

 

[GoonerBear]

City and Newcastle are state owned, Utd will be soon.
Just look at Chelsea, Liverpool's revenue in the annual report.

https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pag.../articles/deloitte-football-money-league.html

All the transfer budget in Arsenal lately is bankrolled by the owner as investment. I believe it is a personal/private loan with very low interest rate but i can be mistaken.

Look at what each have actually spent on transfers though, that's all we are talking about at the end of the day.

 

[Zagoon]

The obvious logical progress is 1st place for sure. But that has to be qualified as very difficult with a team as dominant as City in the league and a not very deep Arsenal also competing in the CL.

So other types of progress I will be watching for will be:

1. Qualifying again for the CL. We've been out of it for so long and there are so many contenders in the EPL for those spots. Showing consistency in this regard would be progress. We need to be there consistently for financial viability and for the status of the club.
2. Young players like Saka, Martinelli, Saliba, Odegaard continue to excel and develop into genuine top tier players.
3. Get stronger defensively. The title race ended when Saliba was injured and the squad as a whole was much poorer defensively. Defense wins Championship blah, blah, blah.
4. Win a trophy for sure. FA Cup, Europa League, League Cup. (CL and the league are the ideal/dream but obviously everything would have to go really right for one of those.) Both the players and supporters need this affirmation or we will seeing players leaving for greener pastures again. (We might still see that, but hopefully this core group can stay together for several years.)

No arrogance from me as an Arsenal supporter. We are underdogs for sure and need to prove it wasn't a blip finishing second. The young core squad has plenty of talent and potential, but we've seen similar potential in many squads post-Invincibles.

Solid post, with realistic expectations as well I'd say.

I agree with your calls for consistency in our performances to ensure we remain in the best competitions and generating the necessary revenue and interest. If Arsenal continue to do that, and add in the necessary quality then we are in with a chance to do the basics (ensure CL football for 24/25) and possibly compete for another title again.

As for the Champions League, well to compete there I say you need two things. Quality depth and an element of luck. If you are able to put out fresher legs (quality depth) for large parts of the competition's early stages. You then save your best players for the business end of the competitions, and of course hope to get a favourable draw.

Arsenal fans may have a massive online presence, and sway opinions in one way. But that's not all fans, and I do believe that Arsenal fans are realistic about where the club is in the heirachy and what the club could possibly achieve.