Lawyers can do nothing if your FA want to screw City / your gov wants to discourage state ownerships.
ARSENAL OFFICIALLY BOTTLE IT! Arsenal fans now backtracking....2nd will be a great season for us! Surely that has to be seen as a failure??
- Thread starter RedPed
- Start date
You're right (I hope you're right about United too). Surely somebody could get that Chelsea side playing? The players they've bought...
Fully agree here. If it is considered a "failure" retrospectively then it is only so because they raised the bar so high during the season, which in and of itself is a success.
Exactly. It is not an even playing field. City operates illegally. Arsenal have been constrained for years by profit-seeking owners (like United).
In a week they’ve gone from being bullish about the title to now giving up hope with a 4 point lead
It would be disappointing for sure, but this season isn't a blip in terms of this Arsenal team. I don't think anyone could pinpoint a player in the squad playing above expectations and the team should improve in first team quality and depth next year. Most fans on here seem to simultaneously think Arsenal are an average team with a bit of luck, but also bottlers for losing against City with a 60+ goal striker.
We've averaged about a 5 point lead or so for quite a few months, by virtue of having an easier early schedule, which has likely been cut to 1 point with 7 games left. It feels like we started in the outside lane and we're just moving round the bend now and getting an accurate picture.
Arsenal have 7 games left, whilst City will likely play 12 in the same time frame and will likely prioritise Champions League if it comes to that. Any result at City and I think it will start to feel 'back on'.
We've averaged about a 5 point lead or so for quite a few months, by virtue of having an easier early schedule, which has likely been cut to 1 point with 7 games left. It feels like we started in the outside lane and we're just moving round the bend now and getting an accurate picture.
Arsenal have 7 games left, whilst City will likely play 12 in the same time frame and will likely prioritise Champions League if it comes to that. Any result at City and I think it will start to feel 'back on'.
We maybe could have started in August if they the glaziers and Co. had got their act together and both Ten Hags wish list weeks earlier instead of messing around and overpaying. As it stood If we had started well Antony would not have been signed either.
It's only a disappointing season for them if they go backwards next year. We all tried to put a brave face on at the end of the 13/14 season saying it was progress and that we were happy to be back in the CL. Then we fell apart after Suarez left and it made narrowly missing out the year before more disappointing than it would've been if we'd pushed on.
Compare that to missing out on the CL in 17/18 then winning it in 18/19, or missing out on the league by two points in 18/19 then winning it the following season and you get the idea.
If Arsenal miss out on the league but continue to develop and grow next season then this season won't be a big issue. If they miss out on the league and end up outside the top four next season then it's a huge opportunity missed. One that might not come along again any time soon.
Compare that to missing out on the CL in 17/18 then winning it in 18/19, or missing out on the league by two points in 18/19 then winning it the following season and you get the idea.
If Arsenal miss out on the league but continue to develop and grow next season then this season won't be a big issue. If they miss out on the league and end up outside the top four next season then it's a huge opportunity missed. One that might not come along again any time soon.
It's weird, I never see it like that. I still think about that game against West Ham in 1995 and things like the 4-4 with Everton regardless of what we did in subsequent seasons. It hurts to be so close and fumble it.
Not a failure but a big missed opportunity.
They also won't get as close to the title for many more seasons either.
They also won't get as close to the title for many more seasons either.
I think it makes it easier to take if you go again the following year and achieve something. Maybe it's because you're so used to seeing United win things whereas I've seen a large number of disappointing seasons at Liverpool.
We’ve played 20% more games than them this season, in a year where the calendar has been condensed to accommodate a winter World Cup. Let’s see how they do vs us next year with more games and a more level playing field before arsenal fans start making predictions about who’s going to be the top two for the next 5 seasons.
Personally I've never *really* felt like we could win the league until the past month or so. Up until then I was always "one game at a time". If we get pipped by City it would be disappointing of course but really, everyone expected that anyway. Still a much better season than I expected. Hopefully it's just the beginning for this team. 
The journey matters imo. To write off the whole season as failure ignores how great it was for the fans to watch their team play well and challenge till the end. If Spurs finish 4th, which set of fans do you really think had a better season?
The premier league is extremely competitive, and personally I want to enjoy watching United, but I know that even if we get it right we can't win it every year, but if we're playing well and watching us play isn't a chore like how it was last season, then it's a good season in my books.
The premier league is extremely competitive, and personally I want to enjoy watching United, but I know that even if we get it right we can't win it every year, but if we're playing well and watching us play isn't a chore like how it was last season, then it's a good season in my books.
It's neither a success or a failure, the line isn't that fine. You couldn't call a season where they went from not being in the Champions League for 6 or 7 years to finish 2nd a failure. But it's ultimately very disappointing if they don't win it from where they were and not a success from that position.
If you walked round the corner and you seen an elephant on top of a tree. You would think how the feck that get there but it’s gonna fall anyway.
Other than zinchencko and Jesus. I don’t think any of the other players have face the pressure of the run in.
Was never going to happen.
however if you think back to august and their aims for the season it is a success and next season if they are in that position again they will probably walk it.
Other than zinchencko and Jesus. I don’t think any of the other players have face the pressure of the run in.
Was never going to happen.
however if you think back to august and their aims for the season it is a success and next season if they are in that position again they will probably walk it.
If I was an Arsenal fan, finishing 2nd wouldn't feel like "success", not after being well on top of the league for most of the season.
"Failure" seems like too harsh a word, but I'd find it hard to console myself with "oh, we never expected to finish 2nd!"
If you were behind for most of the season and playing catch up, fair enough. But not when the title was within your grasp.
"Failure" seems like too harsh a word, but I'd find it hard to console myself with "oh, we never expected to finish 2nd!"
If you were behind for most of the season and playing catch up, fair enough. But not when the title was within your grasp.
imagine you are in the pub and ronnie O’Sullivan comes in asks you for a game of pool race to 5. He breaks but misses leaves easy clearance. You break and finish the next one 2-0 up. He breaks nothing goes down you clear up you go 3-0. Then nothing goes down in your break he hits form he wins 5-3. It was inevitable at the start before the game it felt good having a wee chance /sweat. But are you proud you won 3 legs?
When you’ve been specialists in failure for so long, I suppose coming second will seem like winning the World Cup. All season we’ve been hearing how amazing Arsenal are alongside the smugness of Lego Pep and now that they’ve started stumbling they’re playing the humility card.
It’s like going on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and getting to the million pound question with all three lifelines intact. You start celebrating prematurely.
You then use all three lifelines and answer the question incorrectly. Sure, you’ve gone home with £32,000 but that will be considered a failure when you compare it to what you could’ve won and you’ll be one of the myriad unmemorable contestants.
It’s like going on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and getting to the million pound question with all three lifelines intact. You start celebrating prematurely.
You then use all three lifelines and answer the question incorrectly. Sure, you’ve gone home with £32,000 but that will be considered a failure when you compare it to what you could’ve won and you’ll be one of the myriad unmemorable contestants.
They may very well now go and have a season Liverpool had under Brendan Rodgers after they bottled the league. They have given everything to win the league and have got favourable moments to help them. It should be a major disappointment if they don't win it.
Can they repeat it next season? Well they may very well do a Liverpool under Klopp and win it but chances are they will do a Liverpool under Rodgers and have an average next season.
Can they repeat it next season? Well they may very well do a Liverpool under Klopp and win it but chances are they will do a Liverpool under Rodgers and have an average next season.
Impressive trolling thread, with a good amount of shit spouted throughout. Well done all
It is all Xhaka’s fault
It would be a disappointment, but anyone who uses the phrase 'bottled it' just looks completely silly and deluded in this case.
It's a young team up against a team with near limitless resources, arguably the best manager in world football and a team of players with wealth of experience when it comes to the business end of the season and winning titles.
Anyone with an ounce of sense would say it was either expected or highly likely that this would happen, and that city would run Arsenal down due to the above reasons.
You're up against a team who is winning every single game, and so you are expecting a young team who has not been in this position to basically be perfect and match that, and anything short of that is "bottling it"? Just doesn't make any sense at all to me.
This whole thread just comes across as a bunch of bitter people who 1. Don't like Arsenal/Arteta or 2. Don't like Arsenal fans...and are thus sinking the boot in to make themselves feel better or just out of spite.
Again, a disappointment as there was a small opportunity there (if a young team could continue to get flawless or near flawless results) but 'bottling it' is an utterly stupid take.
It's a young team up against a team with near limitless resources, arguably the best manager in world football and a team of players with wealth of experience when it comes to the business end of the season and winning titles.
Anyone with an ounce of sense would say it was either expected or highly likely that this would happen, and that city would run Arsenal down due to the above reasons.
You're up against a team who is winning every single game, and so you are expecting a young team who has not been in this position to basically be perfect and match that, and anything short of that is "bottling it"? Just doesn't make any sense at all to me.
This whole thread just comes across as a bunch of bitter people who 1. Don't like Arsenal/Arteta or 2. Don't like Arsenal fans...and are thus sinking the boot in to make themselves feel better or just out of spite.
Again, a disappointment as there was a small opportunity there (if a young team could continue to get flawless or near flawless results) but 'bottling it' is an utterly stupid take.
No matter what word you’d use to describe falling to second place — either failure or success — it does feel as though this is the one season where all the stars were aligned perfectly for Arsenal, a Halley’s Comet of a season not to return again any time soon.
Hope they bring Wiltord back for that City game.
I couldn't stomache the smugness after they defeated us in the last minute.
Hilarious how many of them have suddenly changed their tune
. I said many times to their fans 'Wait until the season end because City have been there, done that many times'. City know how to deal with the pressure of these title run ins.
Hilarious how many of them have suddenly changed their tune
. I said many times to their fans 'Wait until the season end because City have been there, done that many times'. City know how to deal with the pressure of these title run ins.It definitely does. It will be extremely disapointing to fail so close but it will be a good season that gave the fans a lot of good times. Almost every weekend was a great weekend watching this team. Compared to the dire spectacle we had to endure for the last decade (with the exception of those funny Fa Cup runs) we've come from very far.
2nd is a failure for them. They’ve been top of the league all season. They’re out of Europa and all cup competitions so there’s no excuse to bottle the league.
Not a failure to me. I'd considered United and Arsenal pretty similar at the start of the season. If United had been top all year but ended up losing out then I wouldn't see that as a failure. Hugely disappointed yes of course. But it would still be a way better season than I was ever expecting.
I know a heap of Newcastle fans and I don't know one who considers '96 a failure, despite them being 13 points clear at one stage; they all see it as one of the greatest in living memory.
I know a heap of Newcastle fans and I don't know one who considers '96 a failure, despite them being 13 points clear at one stage; they all see it as one of the greatest in living memory.
Typical Arsenal fans! At least the scousers would have the decency to have a proper meltdown for us to enjoy.
Gone all bearish, I've watched City past few matches and the control they have in games is fecking unreal.
Maybe arsenal could turn them over on counter attacking football - lots can happen before the close.
Sad, I've forgotten what it was like being in the title race.
Glad you took the time to read all the comments, take in all the shitposts and really enjoy the ambience of this thread.
Who said I did that like? There was enough nonsense spouted on page 1 to be able to cover what I said.
Personally I've never *really* felt like we could win the league until the past month or so. Up until then I was always "one game at a time". If we get pipped by City it would be disappointing of course but really, everyone expected that anyway. Still a much better season than I expected. Hopefully it's just the beginning for this team.
Never change Arsenal fans!
Blowing a 2 goal lead in space of eight days is pretty much the definition of bottling it. This is without getting into the fact that Arsenal have been leading for pretty much entirety of the season and had an 8 point lead at halfway point. If there's anyone being silly or deluded, it's the Arsenal fans who are unable to digest the harsh reality that their team has potentially bottled a golden opportunity. But, carry on being defensive, good chunk of you had already prepped the excuses as early as in March.
Especially after celebrating the title after the first 3 games of the season.
I second that. Unclassy thread - second place for Arsenal is still a great achievement. It's not like we're better off, and i don't get the need to call Arteta "Fraudteta".
I still think they'll win the league however. They've been better than City the whole season and Martinelli is doing great. Jesus back too.
But bantering them a lot when we're still not achieving the same stuff seems small time to me. Reminds me of when Liverpool-fans couldn't stop blabbering about their wins against us when we won the titles.
With all due respect, the title is Arsenal's to lose. If they beat City they should go on to take it but it's fascinating to see how it will play out. Are we supposed to be so stoic that we can't enjoy a little banter in the meantime, especially given that United fans would prefer that neither team wins the league?
Getting second place, let alone staying in first for so long, is still a huge achievement.
We'd be the same if the roles were reversed. Some of us were getting carried away just 1 month ago.