Premier League 2017/18: We(nger) Go Again

[Liam Slamcock]

 

[al-Ustaadh]

"This was over before it started." How many times can you honestly say that and it be true? In Arsenal's case... Yeah...

 

[redanddread]

Sorry.....If you were able to speed this up a bit and turn off the sound it would resemble one of these slapstick ealy silent comedy films.

 

[Camus]

Looking at those **** seasons when it's clear we'll be fighting for 4th from very early on, we're probably ~3 point worse off then what we would in those season and get 4th. Problem is even if we hit par for the course with those season we'd still be 6th, behind Sp**s and 5 behind 4th.

We have regressed, but the bigger problem is we've allowed the likes of Liverpool and Sp**s to surpass us. We're no longer trying to fight for 4th with the likes of Everton, Villa or a poor Sp**s side. We're fighting for 4th against CL quality sides, potential PL title winning sides.

Something you'd call "mid-table" in the PL has completely disappeared. It's a top 6 instead of a top 4 and for the rest two game swings separate 18th and 9th. Burnley and Leicester are probably the only two you'd class as mid-table this season (that is of course if we're not pessimistic about our current situation). We are at the stage where you really shouldn't be dropping points to anyone beyond the top 6 given how big that bracket has become.

With that in mind and looking at our results this season, we really should have beaten Watford and Bournemouth, especially since we had taken the lead in both games going into the 2nd half. West Ham, Southampton and West Brom have all shown from previous and proceeding form that they're relegation fodder that we shouldn't have drawn against. Every other instances where we've dropped points is tolerable in my opinion.

So that's 12 we are worse off, that'd take us to 51, 2nd and 11 point behind City. Give or take a few points here or there that really where we should be, 2nd/3rd around or just below the 50 point mark.

Looking at the rest of the games we have and applying a best case scenario given our form this season, this is what I think will happen. Only "tough" fixtures we have left are City (H), United (A) and Sp**s (A). We should be getting 3-4 points at least from those games. From the other 12 games would should only be dropping 5-6 points. All together that would take us to 74-71 points. That won't be good enough for top 4. Means we either need to be flawless against the rest of the league or pull out 2 big results in those tough games.

 

[RammiXP]

Looking at those **** seasons when it's clear we'll be fighting for 4th from very early on, we're probably ~3 point worse off then what we would in those season and get 4th. Problem is even if we hit par for the course with those season we'd still be 6th, behind Sp**s and 5 behind 4th.

We have regressed, but the bigger problem is we've allowed the likes of Liverpool and Sp**s to surpass us. We're no longer trying to fight for 4th with the likes of Everton, Villa or a poor Sp**s side. We're fighting for 4th against CL quality sides, potential PL title winning sides.

Something you'd call "mid-table" in the PL has completely disappeared. It's a top 6 instead of a top 4 and for the rest two game swings separate 18th and 9th. Burnley and Leicester are probably the only two you'd class as mid-table this season (that is of course if we're not pessimistic about our current situation). We are at the stage where you really shouldn't be dropping points to anyone beyond the top 6 given how big that bracket has become.

With that in mind and looking at our results this season, we really should have beaten Watford and Bournemouth, especially since we had taken the lead in both games going into the 2nd half. West Ham, Southampton and West Brom have all shown from previous and proceeding form that they're relegation fodder that we shouldn't have drawn against. Every other instances where we've dropped points is tolerable in my opinion.

So that's 12 we are worse off, that'd take us to 51, 2nd and 11 point behind City. Give or take a few points here or there that really where we should be, 2nd/3rd around or just below the 50 point mark.

Looking at the rest of the games we have and applying a best case scenario given our form this season, this is what I think will happen. Only "tough" fixtures we have left are City (H), United (A) and Sp**s (A). We should be getting 3-4 points at least from those games. From the other 12 games would should only be dropping 5-6 points. All together that would take us to 74-71 points. That won't be good enough for top 4. Means we either need to be flawless against the rest of the league or pull out 2 big results in those tough games.

Do you watch our games? There is no chance we are flawless against the rest of the league. Our form suggests we are going to get around 65 points well short of what is required. This team is also about to lose its best player and the last 5 years have proven that we are absolute crap at signing players, so I have no hope on the replacement.

 

[Camus]

Do you watch our games? There is no chance we are flawless against the rest of the league. Our form suggests we are going to get around 65 points well short of what is required. This team is also about to lose its best player and the last 5 years have proven that we are absolute crap at signing players, so I have no hope on the replacement.

Which is why I said best case scenario.

 

[Gooner Zig]

Are we going back or is the rest of football advancing? Think we’ve been left behind. Ambitious owners, young managers, big budgets etc.

That's still going backwards.

 

[YeahBee]

it has gotten so worse that other teams fans now just pity us, they don't even banter with us and feel sorry for us, even empathetic

 

[Gooner Zig]

We have regressed, but the bigger problem is we've allowed the likes of Liverpool and Sp**s to surpass us. We're no longer trying to fight for 4th with the likes of Everton, Villa or a poor Sp**s side. We're fighting for 4th against CL quality sides, potential PL title winning sides.

This is the key point for me. You look at the current Top 4 right now

City - 62 points
Man Utd - 47 points
Liverpool - 47 points
Chelsea - 47 points

In a normal season, any one of United, Liverpool and Chelsea would legitimately be challenging for the title and then you have Sp**s who are also a very good team and currently better than us.

Whereas we haven't ostensibly improved at all which is scandalous given we have two of the best players in the league playing for us over the past three seasons.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

What are you lot whining about? Wenger has a 57 percent win rate. Enjoy our success. No one bar Fergie has done better.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Looking at those **** seasons when it's clear we'll be fighting for 4th from very early on, we're probably ~3 point worse off then what we would in those season and get 4th. Problem is even if we hit par for the course with those season we'd still be 6th, behind Sp**s and 5 behind 4th.

We have regressed, but the bigger problem is we've allowed the likes of Liverpool and Sp**s to surpass us. We're no longer trying to fight for 4th with the likes of Everton, Villa or a poor Sp**s side. We're fighting for 4th against CL quality sides, potential PL title winning sides.

Something you'd call "mid-table" in the PL has completely disappeared. It's a top 6 instead of a top 4 and for the rest two game swings separate 18th and 9th. Burnley and Leicester are probably the only two you'd class as mid-table this season (that is of course if we're not pessimistic about our current situation). We are at the stage where you really shouldn't be dropping points to anyone beyond the top 6 given how big that bracket has become.

With that in mind and looking at our results this season, we really should have beaten Watford and Bournemouth, especially since we had taken the lead in both games going into the 2nd half. West Ham, Southampton and West Brom have all shown from previous and proceeding form that they're relegation fodder that we shouldn't have drawn against. Every other instances where we've dropped points is tolerable in my opinion.

So that's 12 we are worse off, that'd take us to 51, 2nd and 11 point behind City. Give or take a few points here or there that really where we should be, 2nd/3rd around or just below the 50 point mark.

Looking at the rest of the games we have and applying a best case scenario given our form this season, this is what I think will happen. Only "tough" fixtures we have left are City (H), United (A) and Sp**s (A). We should be getting 3-4 points at least from those games. From the other 12 games would should only be dropping 5-6 points. All together that would take us to 74-71 points. That won't be good enough for top 4. Means we either need to be flawless against the rest of the league or pull out 2 big results in those tough games.

Top post.

 

[TheArsenalis]

That's still going backwards.

eve if the two are mutually exclusive, both scenarios are true. Sp**s are playing champions league we are not, liverpool is now considered a threat again. arsenal are only valid to arsenal fans. 10th and 8th place clubs have the same ambition of what would be successful league champagne as us. european football spot

 

[YeahBee]

Even if the unthinkable happens and Wenger gets guys like Auba, Malcolm (a CM and CB) in would your hope return?

we have structural issues, formation issues, tactics and defense issues that isn't solved even if Auba comes and scores a goal a game

 

[dashsnow17]

We will finish 6th, because we're the 6th best team. Not much else to say about the league this year. Europa League could be fun though.

 

[redanddread]

Even if the unthinkable happens and Wenger gets guys like Auba, Malcolm (a CM and CB) in would your hope return?

we have structural issues, formation issues, tactics and defense issues that isn't solved even if Auba comes and scores a goal a game

NOPE!

 

[redanddread]

We will finish 6th, because we're the 6th best team. Not much else to say about the league this year. Europa League could be fun though.

& it would be nice to win the League Cup....

 

[dashsnow17]

& it would be nice to win the League Cup....

It would, you're right. Can't see us beating City in the final if we get past Chelsea, but it would be a funny turn of events if we were to win the cup we've always failed to win under Wenger in our worst ever season with him. Typical Wenger thing to do.

 

[redanddread]

Arsène really should have just gone all in, the full 100 & and flattened the slimy ****face. He'd probably have had the entire WOB brigade change tack in a millisecond. The statue would have been erected the very next day.

 

[say yes]

Weighted League Table - GW23

Spoiler: Explanation

If you've not seen one of these before, it essentially weights results against the quality of teams faced. You're expected to take 3/6 points from your rivals, 4/6 from the middling teams, 6/6 from the weaker teams. Doing so would give you 89 points (up 2 from last season given the strengthening of the big clubs).

Spoiler: Big 6

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Man United, Sp**s

Spoiler: Middle Pack

Everton, Southampton, Leicester, West Brom, Bournemouth

Spoiler: Fodder

West Ham, Stoke, Palace, Swansea, Burnley, Watford, Newcastle, Huddlesfield, Brighton

City: +8
United: -2
Chelsea: -5
Liverpool: -9
Sp**s: -10
Arsenal: -13

and in a pretty graphic:

This is really bad.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Ahhh 6th place mediocre domestic season and then winning the Europa League to troll everyone. Just hook to my veins.