With Partey likely to leave (and is unreliable fitness-wise, unfortunately) we need an experienced CM. Jorginho is unable to play 2-3 games a week. Ideally, someone who can play 6/8 role, like Rice can. Probably a 6 is of higher priority with Partey outgoing and Arteta wanting to push Rice up further. IMO this is a bigger priority than CF, but not by much. Havertz can also do a decent-ish job in CM if needed, though we'd really need Jesus to step up in the CF department and that's not looking likely ATM. Unfortunately Jesus can't seem to get over his knee injury, was never the same after the World Cup.
Arsenal 2023/24 - Have bottled the Champions League and are Bottling the League
- Thread starter horsechoker
- Start date
I don't understand this logic tbh. A financial doping (and literal cheating) oil state club taking the league title six out of the last seven seasons and rendering actual clubs' best efforts and sound investments fruitless and pointless, surely just ruins the league? That's definitely something to care about.
I'll back anyone other than Spurs to win the title over City
Genuine question, did you feel this way back when it was United being beaten to titles by City or when it was Liverpool? Or is it only a priority now that Arsenal are the ones feeling the second place pinch to City.
On another note I do hope you win it (unfortunately).
I've always been of the same long-term opinion, the only exception is I'll admit I did enjoy City's first title in the moment, just because of the way it went down. Back then there was still some plausible hope that they wouldn't become dominant or even that the project wouldn't last, so the implications weren't completely clear.
Umm, you said that you prefer City to Spurs. So you're exactly the same as every other fan and you do get the logic of supporting a financially doped club over hated rivals who are, "actual clubs".
Difference being that City aren’t actually our city rival, they are that of Utd, so you would think Utd fans would have that added layer of not wanting them to win.
I mean, the claim “Manchester is Blue” doesn’t have the same feeling being an Arsenal fan.
Yeah, no. Just because they call themselves City doesn't mean it's the same club. It's like MK Dons without the geographical movement.
Don't see why you're trying to twist yourself into a holier-than-thou football fan with unbreakable morals, instead of admitting that you're susceptible to the same tribalism as the rest of us. If Spurs become regular title challengers, you're a regular City fan.
We've played 9 games this month alone, some of them are high stakes games against Man City, Bayern etc. Saliba, Gabriel, Saka, Odeegard, Rice played virtually every minute. That can take a toll on your body.
It's natural to prefer anyone else winning over your main rival, and I think for a lot of us that's too much to overcome.
It's when people favour City over secondary rivalries, 'competitive only' rivalries like Liverpool-Arsenal or just because ''their fans are annoying'' that I object. They say ''when City wins it's like no-one wins'' and act like it's an outcome with no cost - but for the league and the sport it does have a big cost.
This I completely agree with.
I keep saying that to my Liverpool supporting mates who were absolutely giddy after the Aguero goal and are now moaning that they lost 3 titles to City by a total of 4 points.
We all think that when it's our team challenging at the top, it'll be different and we'll somehow overcome City. It may even be possible, if only Pep would feck off.
Final Score 0-9 for the U-18. 22 goals in 8 games at 16 years old
He's too good for the U18 but playing in the U21 might be quite the jump for a teenager
Possibly. Rooney and Cesc didn’t look out of place in first team football at the same age (a ridiculously high bar and very much the exception - obviously). I’m not sure he’s learning all that much in games where he’s putting 7 past the opposition, though. The jump to U21s isn’t that high, is it?
Final Score 0-9 for the U-18. 22 goals in 8 games at 16 years old
He's too good for the U18 but playing in the U21 might be quite the jump for a teenager
I don't know but 19/20 y old CBs trying to become PL footballers against a 16y old could get ugly. He's still pretty thin and a few years away from filling up.
His record is ridiculous. He’s a bit of a physical beast, stands our even at the older age group, so it’s hard to gauge if that’s giving him the big advantage.
Final Score 0-9 for the U-18. 22 goals in 8 games at 16 years old
He's too good for the U18 but playing in the U21 might be quite the jump for a teenager
I’d imagine he’ll play U21 next season at some point so we’ll see how he gets on then.
Max Dowman is the other guy to watch from that team. He’s 14 playing U18 football, and made his debut when he was 13.
Exactly this.
No-one cared when it was United being beaten by City.
Slowly it's dawning on Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and other clubs fighting for the odd top 4 season that what City have done affects them too, and funnily enough now they moan about it.
Eh what?! You don’t think Arsenal were affected before? They were pillaging us for Toure, Nasri, Adebayor, Sagna, Clichy from is, some even befoe they had challenged for a league title. We were probably the first club they put down the pecking order. Talk was we were the ones really pushing for FFP in the first place.
That's what didn't make sense. City ravaged you for players, yet it was us taking Van Persie off you that got you the most bitter.
Probably because our fans cared about van Persie more than we did about the likes of Adebayor or Nasri, who still got a lot of hate. van Persie was with us much longer and I think some fans felt he owed us more because of all the seasons he spent injured.
The thing that made me most mad about van Persie is that he was pretty much your sole attacking outlet that season. You had a tight defence that kept the opposition out and then you got the ball to him and he worked his magic. Game after game. He left us to get a PL medal, but he would have got one with us had he stayed, as any decent team with him in would have won that year.
With hindsight, we should have risked him running down his contract. He might have extended if we returned to winning ways.
What the hell’s happened at Arsenal? Wasn’t long ago they were awful and Arteta was being lined up for the chop.
Seen them play a couple of times recently and in my opinion they’re by far the most entertaining side of the top three. Nevertheless, you look at the squad and think we’d probably have refused a lot of those players. Havertz, Jesus and Trossard? You’re having a laugh.
Aside from Odegard, who is genuinely world class, they’ve taken players who didn’t set the world alight at other clubs and built a title challenging side.
Sure, they may still win sod all, but they’re certainly a good watch. As much as I can’t stand them, I do admittedly have just a smidgen of respect for their revival as one of our best-ever rivals. And if that lot can come back from a lengthy spell on the sidelines, why can’t we?
Sometimes it seems football is as simple as assembling a half decent squad and getting them to work their socks off. These lot have the inhaler-fuelled energy levels required for the modern game. Every time the opposition breaks there’s 11 fecking gunners back behind the ball.
Whether or not they can maintain that level of intensity and unity remains to be seen, but I’d love to know what the turning point was.
Seen them play a couple of times recently and in my opinion they’re by far the most entertaining side of the top three. Nevertheless, you look at the squad and think we’d probably have refused a lot of those players. Havertz, Jesus and Trossard? You’re having a laugh.
Aside from Odegard, who is genuinely world class, they’ve taken players who didn’t set the world alight at other clubs and built a title challenging side.
Sure, they may still win sod all, but they’re certainly a good watch. As much as I can’t stand them, I do admittedly have just a smidgen of respect for their revival as one of our best-ever rivals. And if that lot can come back from a lengthy spell on the sidelines, why can’t we?
Sometimes it seems football is as simple as assembling a half decent squad and getting them to work their socks off. These lot have the inhaler-fuelled energy levels required for the modern game. Every time the opposition breaks there’s 11 fecking gunners back behind the ball.
Whether or not they can maintain that level of intensity and unity remains to be seen, but I’d love to know what the turning point was.
Routine 
We managed to bottle it but still win. Probably the best way to bottle it.
Three games left. Still expect City to take maximum points but it would be nice to be still playing for the title on the final day. So we need to just keep winning.
Until the next heart attack!
We managed to bottle it but still win. Probably the best way to bottle it.
Three games left. Still expect City to take maximum points but it would be nice to be still playing for the title on the final day. So we need to just keep winning.
Until the next heart attack!
What a NLD - would have been so painful to gift Spurs a point when we looked so comfortable until Raya's brain fart. Thankfully we had a nice lead by then or else it would have been different. I thought overall we were the better team and deserved the win. Saka or Havertz MOTM for me.
I feel like this is kind of a backhanded compliment. Havertz, Jesus, and Zinchenko fit into this mold, I guess, but every other transfer has been a very soild mix of investing in promising young players or established very good players like Rice, Partey, and Raya.
Aye, Arteta has assembled a squad of physical and stamina monsters who can run their socks off - our CBs, Rice, Odegaard and Havertz seem to be able to go all day. Defensively we are unrecognisable from the squad he inherited. I'm gutted we let 2 goals in against that lot today, looked like we'd keep a clean sheet for a while there.
They nearly threw 3 points away today but managed to hang on for a good 2-3 victory away to spurs.
I really hope Arsenal can win the PL but City are strong favourites.
I really hope Arsenal can win the PL but City are strong favourites.
Should beat Bournemouth and Everton at home. With United, have no clue which Utd turn up.
Spurs is the game arsenal need city to drop points, with spurs needing looking for top4 and last home game of the season. Gd might be important ?
Spurs is the game arsenal need city to drop points, with spurs needing looking for top4 and last home game of the season. Gd might be important ?
I’m arguing with an Arsenal fan in my house that Arsenal finishing second from here isn’t a failure of a season.
Have to feel for them. I really dont like arteta or their fans, but theyre an actual football club, and have been through 2 decades of rebuilding and theyll likely get cheated out of a title. And nobody will say anything, or query it, or question it. The premier league, regards city, these days is like seeing somebody being murdered in the middle of a busy restaurant, and everybody just carries on eating. Makes you question if its even happening, but you can see it right there in front of you.
I'd love for Spurs to do something against City but they're not in great form. Defensively they are poor and City will eat them up. Maybe they will improve by then but they had 2 weeks off before today (while we played 4 times) and up until Raya's error, you'd think we were the fresher side.
Spurs do need the points that's for sure. Setting up to be an interesting finish. Bournemouth first... can't afford to look past them.
It's not in Arsenal's hand right, if City win all the games then there is nothing Arsenal can do.
City still has to win 5 games, three of those away from home. We just need three. To be honest, the schedule now favours us but of course City control their own fate. Fulham and Spurs remain as our best hopes and we still have Man Utd away of course. Wish City were still in the CL.
No one will care? Seriously? We should start caring because they could potentially do 4 in a row, something we have never done. Just like they matched our greatest ever achievement, the treble. It’s not even too far to say they could overtake our trophy count sooner than people expect (dependant on their punishment for the 115). Remember fergie saying not in his lifetime? Well here we are.
people talk about how they obtained this success which is fair but their name is etched in the history books and still will be in 20/30/40 years time when the new generation won’t care how they got there, it will probably be the norm then! I see kids walking about in city kits ALL the time now, which would have never been the case when I was a kid. Players that would have played for United are going there and winning trophies were not close to touching. Take them seriously. It’s sad and horrible what is happening in football and they are the poster boys for it.. but they’re winning the big things and that’s something you can’t avoid.
Even if Arsenal bottle a couple of games from here, it’s been an excellent season. To be in a title race with City going into GW36 is seriously impressive.
Same, would be a shame if arsenal win all games and still miss out.
Ideally you win your two home games and lose to united and still win the league but don't see that happening. Need wolves or Fulham to have a game of their life. The hope being city games are all squashed together. But the annoying thing is their last two away games are both London so they can just set up camp and not worry about travel
They haven't a chance. Not because they're not good enough but because Spurs are City's game in hand and they are going lube up big time.
Depends if Spurs need the points for top 4. Looking at the difference between Villa and Spurs fixtures, I can't see Spurs getting 4th place unless Villa really mess up.
You don't realise how shit the shit teams are until you are rooting for them.
Take it to the bedroom