Can't blame Sky with the hype and headlines. They're really desperate now that Liverpool aren't going to challenge and the "Best League in the World" needs someone to keep the league interesting. Also, if it was Liverpool who were chasing City this season, would the two penalty decisions go against them? I'm not sure.
Arsenal 22/23 - go to new thread
- Thread starter horsechoker
- Start date
It was a foul. The ref had no choice but to award a penalty in that situation.
Their fans are insufferable but I wouldn't mind seeing them pip City to the title. Not gonna happen though.
Top 4 for them looks a realistic target, maybe a trophy too if they have a bit of luck with injuries.
Top 4 for them looks a realistic target, maybe a trophy too if they have a bit of luck with injuries.
Disagree - look at how Jesus crumpled to the floor and the way he fell compared to how he was touched. Surprised it wasn’t overturned.
I think the league is definitely weaker competitively this season. Chelsea dropped a level and the whole Abramovic situation would have impacted their momentum irrespective. United in transition and Spurs / Liverpool certainly aren't firing.
The good thing about Arsenal is this form isn't out of the blue. They bottled top four last season due to inconsistencies but have regained form they had in moments last season with the addition of quality in select positions. Everything's clicked in place but they are still performing well which is the foundation of their results. That's what important because a team that performs always does well over the long run. The only way they will nullify their progress is either injuries or opposition teams figure some of their attacking play out.
The good thing about Arsenal is this form isn't out of the blue. They bottled top four last season due to inconsistencies but have regained form they had in moments last season with the addition of quality in select positions. Everything's clicked in place but they are still performing well which is the foundation of their results. That's what important because a team that performs always does well over the long run. The only way they will nullify their progress is either injuries or opposition teams figure some of their attacking play out.
Arsenal have finally found a system after tinkering for many years. We just need to add more players with quality to improve the squad. After what happened last season team should keep focus and get into the 74-76 point zone. City have league on the toast though.
I agree, Arsenal looks like the only top club that has significantly improved from last season. Liverpool have dropped a lot (so far), Tottenham/Chelsea/United roughly similar to last season. Chelsea and United dealing with new managers too, though it seems United's "transition" has been going on for years. City look just as strong as last season, perhaps stronger now with that beast up front. Watching them play and annihilate teams so often, I don't know how we're are above them sometimes.
We bottled top 4 last season for 2 main reasons IMO - Parteys injury and not replacing Auba. We've fixed the latter (though we'll see if Nketiah will be enough backup, I feel prob not) but we still have a huge gap between Partey/Xhaka and our other CM options. Elneny is decent backup but we need to upgrade, and he's out injured anyway of course. Jury is out on Lokonga - I see why Arteta's kept him on but he still seems a bit too lightweight for me.
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I'm desperate for a trophy this season, ideally the Europa. We're obviously not winning the league, but top four and a trophy and this becomes a phenomenal season. Top four and the Europa and it's the best season since we left Highbury.
Top 4 is about what I'd expect. Good start so hopefully we can deal that earlier this year and spare us a scrap with fecking Spurs.
Still want to see how this team deal with a few poor results. Last year the defence crumbled against mid table sides in succession.
I actually think United will be pressing City this season, rather than us or Chelsea or anyone else.
Still want to see how this team deal with a few poor results. Last year the defence crumbled against mid table sides in succession.
I actually think United will be pressing City this season, rather than us or Chelsea or anyone else.
And why would United or Chelsea push Man City rather than us?
Disagree, I think it will be Arsenal depending on how long you can keep your starting 11 fit.
I think the key difference between Arsenal/City this season is your squad depth. An injury to Jesus/Martinelli/Partey/Saliba will hurt Arsenal a lot, while City always have Gundogan/Mahrez/Grealish/Dias on the bench.
I don't think anybody will be pushing city this season if I am honest. They cruise along winning games 3/4-0, rotating as they go with that ridiculous bench.
I do wonder what happens if Haaland gets injured though. I don't know much about Álvarez, although he has looked quite sharp from the little I have seen.
We won't be pushing City, no one will. They'll be way ahead of the pack by end of Feb/March. It looks like Ten Hag is building something promising but it's still waaaaay too early, we're going to be inconsistent all season - top 4 is our goal, and hopefully we build on that next summer (except we won't cos we have cnut owners and our financials aren't looking great).
Utd are miles better than last season where we were an absolute shambles. We won’t be anywhere near the title kind you but I wouldn’t be that surprised if we get top four.
We are ALWAYS in the transition phase these years, though.
Read it again, he didn't say Chelsea would push Man City over Arsenal.
Arsenal will slowly drift away from the title race but should easily be best of the rest and finish second. Last 2 places will probably be Chelsea and Tottenham but United are in with an outside shout if we can start putting some form together.
Tottenham are an injury to Kane or Son away from being in trouble.
Tottenham are an injury to Kane or Son away from being in trouble.
Arsenal are playing some lovely stuff.
Have to say though I did find it amusing that they got joy against Liverpool by playing direct and on the counter. Both goals from open play created the same way.
When United did that to Arsenal at OT there was a lot of moaning and allegations of sitting deep and playing counter attacking football..
Against teams that like to dominate possession with a high line this is the way to counter it. And is the reason United beat both Liverpool and Arsenal comfortably.
Arteta said as much post game yesterday.
Have to say though I did find it amusing that they got joy against Liverpool by playing direct and on the counter. Both goals from open play created the same way.
When United did that to Arsenal at OT there was a lot of moaning and allegations of sitting deep and playing counter attacking football..
Against teams that like to dominate possession with a high line this is the way to counter it. And is the reason United beat both Liverpool and Arsenal comfortably.
Arteta said as much post game yesterday.
We didn't really play on the counter though seeing as we had more touches in the Liverpool box than any other side against Klopp bar City once. The goals came from counter attacks, but wouldn't say we sat deep.
Liverpool dominated possession in the game and had you sat deep in the first half. You scored both your open play goals by playing direct, vertical and on the counter in the first half..
Its actually good from Arteta as he confirmed the approach post game. Just found it funny given the moaning directed at United/Ten Hag when the shoe was on the other foot.
They had 55% possession. Since when is that dominating?
We sat deep for a period from 25m to HT, agree with that ye. But the rest of the game wouldn't say we really sat deep.
How you can call the first goal a sitting deep counter attacking goal, when it was in the first 2 minutes of the game is a bit confusing tbh. It was just a fast flowing move.
Tbh I have no issue with counter attacking anyway, but I think it's not a tactic a title winning team can use consistently. On occasion it is always a useful tool. But again, I wouldn't say at all that last night we just sat deep and looked to counter. We had a mix of things, fast countering being one of them.
They had more possession as the out of form away side against the home team that literally plays to dominate possession…
Your goals come from nicking the ball and playing direct (like United did bar the Antony goal which was just superb team work).
Just pointing out the hypocrisy that’s all
I totally agree first half. We struggled to beat their press when building and they had the midfield locked down.
2nd half I think we were the much better team and took the game to them. They still managed to equalise and create 1 or 2 more opportunities though.
The 2nd half performance for me was more pleasing than the result, because it's the first time I've actually seen us impose our game on them in years. It shows we can actually reach that level, that I've not seen us do to them probably since the 4-1 FA Cup game under Wenger. That's how dominant they've been over us.
They had more possession as the out of form away side against the home team that literally plays to dominate possession…
Your goals come from nicking the ball and playing direct (like United did bar the Antony goal which was just superb team work).
Just pointing out the hypocrisy that’s all
Liverpool also play to heavily dominate possession, so something had to give way.
Again, I don't see many similarities in how the two matches went, but agree to disagree.
Agree with you here
Hopefully it’s opened some Arsenal fans eyes in terms of tactics etc
I can't remember what my comments were post game vs you guys, but you set up tactically to take advantage of your own teams strengths and take advantage of our weakness, so you got it spot on. I don't even think it was a negative approach.
To be honest, those that complained must have short memories, and if that was me I include me in that as well
Arsenal are much further ahead under their evolution with Arteta than United with Ten Hag. It’s clear Arteta wants to dominate the ball like City but it’s also good to be able to move away from this depending on who you play against.
I’ll be interested to see you v City and what approach you play
That's pretty impressive display by arsenal. Don't know they will able to maintain this intensity for entire season. But so far they are excellent.Credit to arteta for develop them into consistently performing unit.
Without any doubt what City will walk the trophy, probably with a 10-12 point cushion. Arsenal are a lock for top four, though it will be interesting to see how they respond to adversity. I still have my doubts about their back line but they’re earned the points they’ve amassed.
You're ignoring the third goal from a penalty which was a sustained period of possession flooding their box with attack after attack. We also likely have a mental block against Liverpool. They've been thrashing us consistantly for quite some time now. Yesterday was a very tough game, they're the best side we've played this season despite their league position. Thiago is a sublime midfielder to watch.
Of course, just like the Antony goal was ignored by some Arsenal fans in terms of being critical of United.
As if Leicester 2016, Conte 2017, Mourinho 2015 never happened.
Think every Utd player had a touch in the build-up to that goal. But yeah..counter attacking, sitting deep blah blah blah conveniently being parroted when they lost to us.
I know, I know. I don’t think they all were like that but many were.
Probs a bit more humble after their approach yesterday
It was a bull shit penalty to be fair so understandable as to why people are ignoring it.
Interesting that most Arsenal fans I know are very happy with our back line. We have quite good depth and versatility there, as evidenced by Tomi slotting in at LB. Sure, gone are the days of 1 nil to the Arsenal but we have much better balance in our team. Our playing style and high line will probably always mean there's a risk of being exposed esp against the top teams. And one or two players may always have an error in them.
I think Gabriel is the clear weak link but the rest look good.
Yh. He has time to improve but his mistakes are costing us at times.
Indeed. What people need to understand, is that sometimes it's not through choice, sometimes you are also forced to sit back, through the sheer quality of play of your opponents, like we've been many times the last few years.
Our home game vs Man City last season was the first time I seen this team not surrender meekly to them or Liverpool, the first time I thought yeah, this team could have another level or 2 in them. We went on to shoot ourselves in the foot that game, but I think we surprised City that day.
Going away from home and coming away with positive results in these top 6 games is another barrier we have to overcome. Didn't manage it at you guys, so still got all that to prove.
It hasn't actually cost us points yet. The goals goals vs United didn't come from a clear Gabriel error IIRC but just getting caught out as a team. Antony goal was a very well worked goal from United.