Arsenal 2023/24 - Born to be runner up

DJ Jeff said:
Still don't think they're anywhere near as good as last season but Rice has been a great signing
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Best defence in the league so far by numbers
Much better depth everywhere from the midfield to the defence
Attack is where we can improve but even there third highest scorers in the league

And one point worse off than last year

People were saying here that we'd struggle to make top 4 this year, and just a few weeks ago people were saying how we are nearly 5th so I mean based on those expectations we have done great.

I feel the league this year is a lot tougher. We have so many teams fighting for the top 4 spots. We still need a proper number 9 I feel as Jesus is not that. But otherwise quite pleased
 
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I thought they'd dip tbh, just because they were playing CL so more intensity and three games a week.

In reality it was a pretty kind draw in CL so hasn't impacted them for the following weekend fixture.

Start of the season Arteta strangely wasn't playing Gabriel and so the defence looked vulnerable. Surprise surprise he comes back alongside Saliba and they become more secure.

Rice has been a great signing. British midfielders always seem to be deemed not worthy unless they're of the box to box profile that Bryan Robson, Gerrard, Lampard and indeed Bellingham all are but go to a game where Rice is playing and watch him live, he is a superb reader and positions himself expertly infront of the back 4.

Arsenal I think compared to last season when Rob Holding was the main back up going into April, have the defensive structure to win the league. Interested who they sign further forward in January, Toney been mentioned.
 
Rooney in Paris said:
You mean the expectations you just made up?
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????

Expectations from United posters here. Maybe have a scroll through the predictions thread. I didn't want to name specific posters as I'm not here for confrontations as I quite like this forum. The point, which you missed deliberately probably, I was making was considering how so many wrote us off for a top 4 spot we are doing well. I'm quite happy with where we are in terms of points and our depth. The one area where we can improve is get a good center forward but we will have to see what the club does in Jan.

I don't see how any of what I said warranted a snarky response but carry on as like I said I'm not here for any confrontations.
 
FootballHQ said:
I thought they'd dip tbh, just because they were playing CL so more intensity and three games a week.

In reality it was a pretty kind draw in CL so hasn't impacted them for the following weekend fixture.

Start of the season Arteta strangely wasn't playing Gabriel and so the defence looked vulnerable. Surprise surprise he comes back alongside Saliba and they become more secure.

Rice has been a great signing. British midfielders always seem to be deemed not worthy unless they're of the box to box profile that Bryan Robson, Gerrard, Lampard and indeed Bellingham all are but go to a game where Rice is playing and watch him live, he is a superb reader and positions himself expertly infront of the back 4.

Arsenal I think compared to last season when Rob Holding was the main back up going into April, have the defensive structure to win the league. Interested who they sign further forward in January, Toney been mentioned.
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I actually don't think we'll sign a striker in January now, i have a sneaking suspicion that if we get a sniff that we have a chance at Osimhen in the summer we might hold out & try for that move. I think any January moves might depend on outgoings, ie if Partey leaves we'll sign a midfielder.

Numbers wise we might be a bit short of defenders with Tomiyasu away to the Asian Cup in January, with Timber's injury we basically have 5 defenders then for 4 positions, so wouldn't be surprised if there is a Kiwior type signing this January as well.

I don't expect major things though, i'm not sure we would have massive wiggle room with FFP perhaps?
 
Hope Arsenal win the league. Proper club unlike City and anyone but Liverpool.
 
ArtetasHair said:
????

Expectations from United posters here. Maybe have a scroll through the predictions thread. I didn't want to name specific posters as I'm not here for confrontations as I quite like this forum. The point, which you missed deliberately probably, I was making was considering how so many wrote us off for a top 4 spot we are doing well. I'm quite happy with where we are in terms of points and our depth. The one area where we can improve is get a good center forward but we will have to see what the club does in Jan.

I don't see how any of what I said warranted a snarky response but carry on as like I said I'm not here for any confrontations.
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https://www.redcafe.net/threads/predict-the-top-6-2023-24-edition.478409/

First two pages only five people have you outside the top four.
 
ArtetasHair said:
????

Expectations from United posters here. Maybe have a scroll through the predictions thread. I didn't want to name specific posters as I'm not here for confrontations as I quite like this forum. The point, which you missed deliberately probably, I was making was considering how so many wrote us off for a top 4 spot we are doing well. I'm quite happy with where we are in terms of points and our depth. The one area where we can improve is get a good center forward but we will have to see what the club does in Jan.

I don't see how any of what I said warranted a snarky response but carry on as like I said I'm not here for any confrontations.
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I thought they would struggle to finish 2nd and there'd a be a very close fight for top 4 between a lot of clubs - I still think Pool are probably the ones to run City close rather than you lot - but it's looking like an interesting season given City continue to look more fragile when teams actually take them on and don't sit in. I do wonder given how football works in cycles if Arteta's move to a bit more of a pragmatic approach (which is what I think when I watch you now compared to last season) is going to pay off though, a lot of teams are playing high risk, high lines and it seems a lot more of the big teams are leaking goals compared to previous years, top 5 places last year compared to now GA.

Team 22/23GFGAPointsTeam 23/24GFGAPoints
Arsenal331137Arsenal291133
City401432Pool321431
Newcastle281127City361630
Spurs271826Villa332029
United202026Spurs282027
 
The Trossard to midfield move has been what this team has been crying for all season and I have no idea why it took till gameweek 13 to finally do it. He looked excellent in the role during pre season and then Arteta just insisted on keeping Havertz there until it was no longer tennable.

That said, I will admit that Havertz has been better. But the skill set between the two of them is just a night and day difference. And the way that Trossard has chemistry with Zinchenko in the midfield has been a real chef's kiss as well.

At this point I wouldn't mind giving Havertz a few starts up top though. Jesus just can't find the net in the league
 
tomaldinho1 said:
I thought they would struggle to finish 2nd and there'd a be a very close fight for top 4 between a lot of clubs - I still think Pool are probably the ones to run City close rather than you lot - but it's looking like an interesting season given City continue to look more fragile when teams actually take them on and don't sit in. I do wonder given how football works in cycles if Arteta's move to a bit more of a pragmatic approach (which is what I think when I watch you now compared to last season) is going to pay off though, a lot of teams are playing high risk, high lines and it seems a lot more of the big teams are leaking goals compared to previous years, top 5 places last year compared to now GA.

Team 22/23GFGAPointsTeam 23/24GFGAPoints
Arsenal331137Arsenal291133
City401432Pool321431
Newcastle281127City361630
Spurs271826Villa332029
United202026Spurs282027
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I might be reading your table wrong, but is this comparing after 14 games last season to after 14 games this? I think after 14 matches last season we had 34 points and City had 35 points. We had scored 35 but let in 14.
 
GoonerBear said:
I might be reading your table wrong, but is this comparing after 14 games last season to after 14 games this? I think after 14 matches last season we had 34 points and City had 35 points. We had scored 35 but let in 14.
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I'm filtering the PL by matchweek (which is hard as the games weren't as neat as this year, matchweek 16 is when you both have 14 played) but it's showing as my table illustrates. Arsenal P14, Pts 37 and City P14 Pts 32.

Edit for reference, Your win at Wolves and their loss to Brentford.
 
tomaldinho1 said:
I'm filtering the PL by matchweek (which is hard as the games weren't as neat as this year, matchweek 16 is when you both have 14 played) but it's showing as my table illustrates. Arsenal P14, Pts 37 and City P14 Pts 32.

Edit for reference, Your win at Wolves and their loss to Brentford.
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Apoligies tom, just checked the individual results and it looks like you are right, I was just checking the form table on Transfermarkt and filtering from Matchday 1 to Matchday 14 and it gives a different outcome.
 
GoonerBear said:
Apoligies tom, just checked the individual results and it looks like you are right, I was just checking the form table on Transfermarkt and filtering from Matchday 1 to Matchday 14 and it gives a different outcome.
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No apology necessary, think the WC messed up the matchweek scheduling so you have to look through 14,15 and 16
 
I think Arsenal are still trying to get the balance they need to really push for the title this season. And that balance is having the high quality defensive organisation, in addition to the penetrating attacking play which can consistently create openings in opposition blocks.

We saw this extra penetration against Wolves at the weekend, and its the success of these attacking adjustments in addition to the defensive organisation, that will push Arsenal to the level needed to compete with the real City.

I do think top 3 is Liverpool, Arsenal and City and then Chelsea, Newcastle, United, Spurs, Villa for the final 2 spots.
 
Zagoon said:
I think Arsenal are still trying to get the balance they need to really push for the title this season. And that balance is having the high quality defensive organisation, in addition to the penetrating attacking play which can consistently create openings in opposition blocks.

We saw this extra penetration against Wolves at the weekend, and its the success of these attacking adjustments in addition to the defensive organisation, that will push Arsenal to the level needed to compete with the real City.

I do think top 3 is Liverpool, Arsenal and City and then Chelsea, Newcastle, United, Spurs, Villa for the final 2 spots.
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I think we need the left 8 spot sorted. At the moment, looks like Trossard/Havertz will rotate there and to be fair, they're good options. Havertz has improved in the last few weeks and hopefully he's more settled into the team now. But I think that's the missing piece of the puzzle. I still have hope Havertz will make that spot his as Arteta intended, but he's so versatile that I think that works against him sometimes and he gets a bit lost.

Against Lens and Wolves (where we should have been 3-4 up by HT) we played some of our best football so far this season, so perhaps we've finally clicked into gear. We also now have our front 5-6 players all fully fit and playing together, and you can argue that they're yet to hit top form on an individual level.
 
GoonerBear said:
I actually don't think we'll sign a striker in January now, i have a sneaking suspicion that if we get a sniff that we have a chance at Osimhen in the summer we might hold out & try for that move. I think any January moves might depend on outgoings, ie if Partey leaves we'll sign a midfielder.

Numbers wise we might be a bit short of defenders with Tomiyasu away to the Asian Cup in January, with Timber's injury we basically have 5 defenders then for 4 positions, so wouldn't be surprised if there is a Kiwior type signing this January as well.

I don't expect major things though, i'm not sure we would have massive wiggle room with FFP perhaps?
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I am not sure where we stand exactly on FFP. Depending who is talking we are either at the roof or it is not a problem. Surely if Chelsea is able to keep making room somehow, we should be able to magically find it as well. Seems to be a set of rules only some clubs abide by, but that's for another discussion.

We are a little short when that all kicks off in January, but maybe a loan deal or promoting a youngster will suffice here? I am curious if we pull for one more position players. We haven't replaced Xhaka, and we are not getting enough goals upfront. One of the two to be filled?
 
GoonerBear said:
I actually don't think we'll sign a striker in January now, i have a sneaking suspicion that if we get a sniff that we have a chance at Osimhen in the summer we might hold out & try for that move. I think any January moves might depend on outgoings, ie if Partey leaves we'll sign a midfielder.

Numbers wise we might be a bit short of defenders with Tomiyasu away to the Asian Cup in January, with Timber's injury we basically have 5 defenders then for 4 positions, so wouldn't be surprised if there is a Kiwior type signing this January as well.

I don't expect major things though, i'm not sure we would have massive wiggle room with FFP perhaps?
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I don't know where this comes from, but I highly doubt Arteta is looking for a striker. He needs a Partey replacement if he leaves in January. That's probably it.
 
They've got the luck of Liverpool and facing them in a title race. Will be fun.
 
They’ve scored 9 goals in the last 5 minutes this season. Sickening.
 
WeePat said:
They’ve scored 9 goals in the last 5 minutes this season. Sickening.
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Which is why I was saying in the match thread that their winner is quite inevitable. The ref would play on till they score. If they were winning he'd have blown at 94 mins :lol:
 
And that's the reason why Arteta has gone for more control this season. Turning games into end to end "basketball matches" is not good enough if you are constantly going to face counter attacks based of lost balls.

Arsenal played with a 3-1 mostly in their build up, and Luton looked to target the central pivot player for the quick turnover.

Arsenal are looking for that balance between control + defensive organisation, and riskier play which enables more access to high quality attacking zones. Once Arsenal get that balance, or can apply it better in games, will Arsenal really push City for that Premier League title.

Perhaps that balance returns with Partey and/or Timber coming back, in addition to the key players remaining fit over the season. Perhaps another midfielder comes in, this January.

Good win tonight, but this is not the type of football that will beat City over 38 games.
 
This will only make their spring downfall all the more tasty. I miss the olden days of Arsenfam, midgets, rants, infighting. You know, the good Arsenal days.
 
That was a pretty obvious penalty that was somehow missed there. Great that we got the last minute goal but common...how can VAR miss that? Meanwhile they will look to cancel out the next goal where the guy is offside by a hair strand.
 
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