07/08 Arsenal vs 22/23

[Macho]

How is 2022/23 winning

March when this was debated the sentiment was a lot different.

Also, there are many that believe the current football player is better than the player 15 years ago by default.

 

[2Smokeyy]

Hleb was a better version of Grealish, yeah he’d DESTROY this team.

A @Hunta masterclass here. Unpopular opinion but I wouldn’t take any of our attacking three (Martinelli, Ødegaard & Saka) over Hleb in that year. This era is too focused on stats but Hleb was pretty much the link between everything our side was doing:



Makes a change from one of those scruffy footballers we have to put up with on the left. Fantastic player to watch.

 

[Riou]

The best Emirates era team, was one that had the brains of both these teams combined...2014/2015.

Managed by Arsène and captained by Arteta, 2 geniuses for the price of 1

 

[<<reed>>]

How is 2022/23 winning

Nostalgia merchants' 9/11

 

[Rex Stone]

Yes that team was about to start to go to bigger things but suddenly got taken away because of the limits of spending. This time will be different even tho all our competitors are extremely rich but we can take the further step.

Flamini kneecapped us. We started losing momentum when he left on a free.

We’d sold Diarra already and Gilberto was finished. Song was too young and Diaby then got f*cked with injuries.

 

[Blaziken]

March when this was debated the sentiment was a lot different.

Also, there are many that believe the current football player is better than the player 15 years ago by default.

Aah i see, people get to clouded by the present. The only think players have now compared to 08 is better fitness and sports medical science. We were way better as a team, with the ball and press resistant in 08 then now.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

I can never vote for a team that plays Almunia.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

07/08 would destroy this team.


Hleb alone would just run through it.

Hleb too soft and weak to make it in modern football. Everyone needs to be an athlete now, why Arsène started struggling in his latter years.

 

[<<reed>>]

Hleb too soft and weak to make it in modern football. Everyone needs to be an athlete now, why Arsène started struggling in his latter years.

Hleb played under Felix Magath at Stuttgart

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Hleb played under Felix Magath at Stuttgart

Never heard of that manager or football club tbh.

 

[Macho]

Hleb too soft and weak to make it in modern football. Everyone needs to be an athlete now, why Arsène started struggling in his latter years.

You say that but you've got him all wrong. He was riding challenges and retaining the ball in an era where kicking Arsenal players was allowed.

The current day where goals are expected from all the frontline, yeah Hleb would be a contentious player for sure I don't think a top 4 team's fanbase could tolerate his output.

 

[GoonerJay24]

Not only in my opinion was the 07 08 team better but also several other emirates sides.

This 23 team didn't have to overplay players much in European games. There's also not been as many injuries with this side.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Can’t really include the crock RVP on the 08 team as he barely played. No matter though, give me peak Ade with Hleb and Saka as creative wide men, with Cesc and Ode pulling the strings in the middle.

 

[teamsoutheast]

Saka has been our best player, best in the league too.

As I said before I don’t really like many of the players in this team, one or two aside, my current favourite still remains Martinelli. Saliba second.

In terms of pure football talent, this is probably the poorest Arsenal team I have ever seen.

Who don't you like and why (out of interest)?

 

[GoonerJay24]

View attachment 15434View attachment 15435


I think the current squad being better is fair analysis, but fit 11 against fit 11 I am surprised 22/23 won 95% of the votes.

Testament to how unbeatable we were looking at the time I guess.

Gilberto barely started that season, same with Van Persie and Walcott.

This was the main team

System - 451

Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Eboue Fabregas Flamini Rosicky
Hleb
Adebayor

Fabregas, Rosicky and Hleb would play with lots of freedom in possession and retained the ball well. Eboue use to offer width and defensive balance, Flamini had a breakthrough year as the defensive midfielder and same with Adebayor in attack.

Similarly to this season that 2008 team started off strong defensively with Sagna and Gallas in particular looking class. As the year wore on and games piled up instability crept in and we started making costly errors at the back.

I do think the 08 team was better on every level just because they again had more injuries to deal with (Rosicky, Toure, Van Persie, Flamini, Eduardo) but played in more competitions too.

Is the 2023 team even better than 2014 or 15 sides that went on to win silverware? I wouldn't say so.

 

[GoonerJay24]

Imo maybe Saka Martinelli Gabriel and Saliba have chance to start in 07-08 team.

But of course each era is different that team was more 442 nobody play this formation nowadays.

Most teams defend in a 442 block

 

[Gooner Zig]

Almunia was a massive liability for the 07 08 side

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Most teams defend in a 442 block

Yes but nowadays you rarely see teams play with 2 strikers or just tow Central midfielders. I liked 442 not sure why mangers stop using it

 

[Macho]

Yeah guys, in fantasy match ups you’re kinda assuming the players aren’t injured.

You guys aren’t really trying to put Nketiah and Holding against the 07/08 team

 

[SA Gunner]

Gilberto barely started that season, same with Van Persie and Walcott.

This was the main team

System - 451

Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Eboue Fabregas Flamini Rosicky
Hleb
Adebayor

Fabregas, Rosicky and Hleb would play with lots of freedom in possession and retained the ball well. Eboue use to offer width and defensive balance, Flamini had a breakthrough year as the defensive midfielder and same with Adebayor in attack.

Similarly to this season that 2008 team started off strong defensively with Sagna and Gallas in particular looking class. As the year wore on and games piled up instability crept in and we started making costly errors at the back.

I do think the 08 team was better on every level just because they again had more injuries to deal with (Rosicky, Toure, Van Persie, Flamini, Eduardo) but played in more competitions too.

Is the 2023 team even better than 2014 or 15 sides that went on to win silverware? I wouldn't say so.

You can make a strong argument on an individual player level, sure. The level of available quality, at lower prices was much more than it is today. Better value for money if you will. Just like there was better value for money 5-6 years earlier, where we picked up Arsenal legends for peanuts.

The difference comes in when you look at the balance of the teams. As you know its always a trade off in the end, with you sacrificing defensive organisation for less attack, and vice versa. 2007-08 being more attack focused, and 2022-23 being more defensively organised. Its strange me saying that because 07-08 had a better defensive record, and 22-23 had a better attacking record.

Ultimately, you need to be defensively solid first, and then use that base to attack and dominate. And its here where 22/23 pulls away from 07/08 for me. You could see the control of the game through 22/23's positioning and ability to defend with possession as early as the 3rd game of the season, even pre-season. I didnt see that enough with 07/08.

Hence why I think 22/23 is better overall. The only teams that are better are the Highbury teams.

Interesting debate to be had though... Numbers aside, there is a case to be made for 2007-08.