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Premier League 2015/16: 2nd of 92 clubs in England
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Country: England
Despite the awful transfer window, I think we are the second best team in the league behind Man City.
Welbeck's injury is unfortunate, but I wonder if it may force Wenger to move Alexis more centrally. If Giroud and Theo continue to fire blanks we may turn to Alexis at CF, and I wouldn't be surprised if he performed brilliantly now that he has adjusted to the EPL.
Also, I think the return of Wilshere after the international break could be huge. This is a big year for him, but he is also one of our most direct players. He makes things happen and is always attacking the goal.
It will be hard for us to win the league, but it would be amazing if the players that Wenger has put so much faith in repaid him this season.
Indirectly, the European Championships might help us a lot because we have a lot of young players who need to have big seasons if they want to make their nation's squads. That additional motivation could be big.
Welbeck's injury is unfortunate, but I wonder if it may force Wenger to move Alexis more centrally. If Giroud and Theo continue to fire blanks we may turn to Alexis at CF, and I wouldn't be surprised if he performed brilliantly now that he has adjusted to the EPL.
Also, I think the return of Wilshere after the international break could be huge. This is a big year for him, but he is also one of our most direct players. He makes things happen and is always attacking the goal.
It will be hard for us to win the league, but it would be amazing if the players that Wenger has put so much faith in repaid him this season.
Indirectly, the European Championships might help us a lot because we have a lot of young players who need to have big seasons if they want to make their nation's squads. That additional motivation could be big.
GDeep™
League is very weak
City will win the league, Aguero is an absolute killer and even if he gets injured they have a replacement as back up who is better than most starter's in the league - Bony.
Ottamendi has been signed, Fernandinho has started the season incredibly well, then you have De Bruyne, Sterling, Nasri and Silva.
We'll most likely get 3rd, Utd are too **** to finish above us.
Ottamendi has been signed, Fernandinho has started the season incredibly well, then you have De Bruyne, Sterling, Nasri and Silva.
We'll most likely get 3rd, Utd are too **** to finish above us.
goonerwarsh
Established Member
Yeah I wouldn't write us off just yet. We haven't exactly given ourselves the best chance with a f**king terrible transfer window but it's only four games in. Yes we had a terrible result for the first game, the Liverpool game though we were crap for the most - the result itself isn't a disaster, and we've scraped a couple of wins at difficult grounds. At this stage whilst we're playing crap, it's just important to get the wins under our belt. The old marathan not a sprint cliche is true here.
I don't think we'll win the league but it'll be a f**king boring year if we're all just going to throw in the towel now. Let's at least wait until our terrible christmas away defeats in the cold and rain and our plucky exit in the champions league before we concede defeat! We might just get lucky and something clicks in the team and we go on a bit of a run, who knows.
I know it feels all miserable now but for all we know we might stick ol Jeff and Joel Campbell in the team and they become the best Premier League duo since Ruel Fox and Peter Beardsley!
I don't think we'll win the league but it'll be a f**king boring year if we're all just going to throw in the towel now. Let's at least wait until our terrible christmas away defeats in the cold and rain and our plucky exit in the champions league before we concede defeat! We might just get lucky and something clicks in the team and we go on a bit of a run, who knows.
I know it feels all miserable now but for all we know we might stick ol Jeff and Joel Campbell in the team and they become the best Premier League duo since Ruel Fox and Peter Beardsley!
Hegemony
Active Member
Pretty much share the opinion that first is out of reach; City have strengthened unbelievably. Saying this anything can change in a couple of weeks.
Doubt Utd will finish above us; with Van Gaal in charge you can always expect a few falling-outs and bizarre decisions. Think they'll finish 4th. Liverpool will probably get 5th, a bit closer to the top 4 this time around. Sp**s are s***, shouldn't mention them.
Arsenal pushing for 2nd is a possibility if Chelsea continue to have problems. If rumours are to be believed and Abramovich isn't getting on with Mourinho then maybe we're looking at back-room problems. Hopefully they continue melting, even though the realist in me knows they'll get back to their best. But by the time they get it together, maybe it'll be too late; we can hope, after all you can't live for a second without it.
I'm going with 2nd. Got a feeling we'll pull it together and start tallying up the wins, but still fall short. Despite a few weak points we have a decent squad and we've leant how to handle big occasions a little better. Though the summer was a bitter disappointment, we still got a WC goalkeeper and a squad that can work wonders if they pull their socks up.
Doubt Utd will finish above us; with Van Gaal in charge you can always expect a few falling-outs and bizarre decisions. Think they'll finish 4th. Liverpool will probably get 5th, a bit closer to the top 4 this time around. Sp**s are s***, shouldn't mention them.
Arsenal pushing for 2nd is a possibility if Chelsea continue to have problems. If rumours are to be believed and Abramovich isn't getting on with Mourinho then maybe we're looking at back-room problems. Hopefully they continue melting, even though the realist in me knows they'll get back to their best. But by the time they get it together, maybe it'll be too late; we can hope, after all you can't live for a second without it.
I'm going with 2nd. Got a feeling we'll pull it together and start tallying up the wins, but still fall short. Despite a few weak points we have a decent squad and we've leant how to handle big occasions a little better. Though the summer was a bitter disappointment, we still got a WC goalkeeper and a squad that can work wonders if they pull their socks up.
Mastadon
Established Member
We also have the most settled squad in the league with the longest serving manager. City are running hot but they won't run away with it. Our squad isn't suddenly bad because we failed to sign anyone what we need is for Giroud/ Walcott to step up and/or hit purple patches which they are well capable of doing and fire us onwards. Our defence is the strongest it has been in recent memory. We could have a really good season if things fall into place.
RandyMarsh
Established Member
It's funny actually, seeing the official PL squads that got submitted yesterday, Arsenal have the largest squad out of the top 6 clubs! I suppose our injury problems balance it out though lol whether we've got the most balanced squad in terms of the quality differences between starting players and the replacements, is debatable.
Imo we've got the 3rd best 1st team on paper and the second best squad behind City.
Imo we've got the 3rd best 1st team on paper and the second best squad behind City.
Coolin
Doesn't appreciate the mighty Nacho
I picked 2nd. I think we're capable of beating most teams. Not even just "on our day". I just think we have better players than most clubs in the league. We all face the same 19 teams. We don't necessarily have to be better than City to win the league. We just have to do better than them against the teams in the league.
GDeep™
League is very weak
When you compare our attack to City and Chelsea, we just don't have as much quality.
Costa, Hazard, Willian, Pedro etc, as well as Aguero, Silva, Sterling, De Bruyne are top players. We have Sanchez.
Rest of our attackers compare with back ups from Chelsea and City - Bony, Remy, Falcao, Giroud, Welbeck etc.
Costa, Hazard, Willian, Pedro etc, as well as Aguero, Silva, Sterling, De Bruyne are top players. We have Sanchez.
Rest of our attackers compare with back ups from Chelsea and City - Bony, Remy, Falcao, Giroud, Welbeck etc.
Country: Iceland
City spent near 100 millions on two attackers. We can spend max 40 million on player each summer, given that Wenger find that player which seems very hard.
Thats how far we are behind at the moment. Unrealistic asking Arsenal to compete with City and Chelsea.
Thats how far we are behind at the moment. Unrealistic asking Arsenal to compete with City and Chelsea.
I wouldn't say there's much between Willian and Theo tbh. Willian is a better footballer but Walcott will score and provide a hell of a lot more.
But still I agree with your comparisons, I think that's why most, myself included, are eager to see Ox stay injury free and go up a couple of levels. So his name can be in that top bracket.
Kroket
Trusty and Sensible
Right now Willian's an okay player at best, he's a good dribbler and does a lot of defensive work but until he manages to add some end-product to his game I certainly wouldn't call him a top player.
I agree with the general point though, City and Chelsea have more reliable, game-winning players than ourselves or United.
I agree with the general point though, City and Chelsea have more reliable, game-winning players than ourselves or United.
Dennis_Bergkamp_10
Established Member
Too early to tell. The next four or five PL-games will tell us a lot. Quality-wise, I'd expect us to end third, but seeing Mourinho implode we could get second.
But after four games there's no real logic to support that.
But after four games there's no real logic to support that.
Gooner n Proud
a.k.a. nasri_8 and Voice of Flamini
Walcott and Ramsey are amongst the best attackers in the league and based on their best seasons respectively ahead of,quality wise, Willian and Sterling. De Bruyne and Pedro its too early to judge how dominant they'll be in the premier league, last season Di Maria was expected light up the EPL but we all know the story
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http://www.footstats.co.uk/index.cfm?task=Leagues
So I was shown these stats, and they just break my head. It makes everything seem like Giroud's fault, because they show that statistically we SHOULD be 1st. We have had the most shots and conceded the second least amount of shots. This shows that our midfield is creating many chances, and the defenders+goalie are doing a good job at keeping danger away.
Now of course stats aren't everything as there are outside variables. Some of our shots might be hit-and-hope from far out, we played a team with a red card, and we have all faced different teams all together. Stats of course do not mean everything, they are extremely black and white. We can't be carried away and be naive and say they mean it all.
Despite this, it frustrates me, because people are defending Giroud, hell I really want to, but those stats show he hasn't been putting things together, that he has little to no excuse for his performances. The finishing of the whole team in fact has been very poor. Shots have repeatedly been right at the goalie, weak, or off target. This is the issue for me, our lineup is not as big of a problem as I think people make it look out to be, we have the chances, but noone is converting.
The good to take out of it is that this means we are title challengers. Being able to boast most chances per game and second least concession of chances per game is quite good, it shows balance. It may be 4 games in, but are start is better than the 7 points on the board. The stats show the system works with Giroud, that he, and the rest of the team, are needing for the most part to just keep playing how they are with the addition of shots in the net. Maybe this viewpoint comes off shallow, but it is worth noting. I think 2nd or 1st. Man City biggest rivals, Chelsea + ManU to fight if they get their own bigger issues fixed.
So I was shown these stats, and they just break my head. It makes everything seem like Giroud's fault, because they show that statistically we SHOULD be 1st. We have had the most shots and conceded the second least amount of shots. This shows that our midfield is creating many chances, and the defenders+goalie are doing a good job at keeping danger away.
Now of course stats aren't everything as there are outside variables. Some of our shots might be hit-and-hope from far out, we played a team with a red card, and we have all faced different teams all together. Stats of course do not mean everything, they are extremely black and white. We can't be carried away and be naive and say they mean it all.
Despite this, it frustrates me, because people are defending Giroud, hell I really want to, but those stats show he hasn't been putting things together, that he has little to no excuse for his performances. The finishing of the whole team in fact has been very poor. Shots have repeatedly been right at the goalie, weak, or off target. This is the issue for me, our lineup is not as big of a problem as I think people make it look out to be, we have the chances, but noone is converting.
The good to take out of it is that this means we are title challengers. Being able to boast most chances per game and second least concession of chances per game is quite good, it shows balance. It may be 4 games in, but are start is better than the 7 points on the board. The stats show the system works with Giroud, that he, and the rest of the team, are needing for the most part to just keep playing how they are with the addition of shots in the net. Maybe this viewpoint comes off shallow, but it is worth noting. I think 2nd or 1st. Man City biggest rivals, Chelsea + ManU to fight if they get their own bigger issues fixed.
Country: Canada
Not just Giroud that's been missing chance though, is it? Walcott and Alexis have both missed multiple sitters in recent games.
For that reason I also put blame towards "the team" in general at some points, but the wrongs of the whole team do not right Giroud's wrongs. In our team I don't see him as a pure striker, as he plays a role of assisting as well, but I think he deserves most of the blame. He is the central forward, he is failing at his primary objective.
Country: Canada
The attack as a whole has not been firing properly. As you say, Giroud has a role to play in assisting, and he has created some chances that others have missed. We've also still struggled to score when he's not been on the field, so I don't think its as simple as blaming him.
The chances have been there though, for a bunch of players, and and I think they will start to go in.
I think we'll see more of Walcott at CF also. He could easily have had two goals last game, and he's not going to continue to miss like that.
Who knows, but I guess we can't do much worse. It will surely pick up. As I tried to say, the stats are somewhat positive, as they show we are not doing much wrong. Just get it in the back of the net really, team has been messing up easy shots, it won't happen forever. They will be frustrated and work on that.
Country: Canada
Exactly, I mean even Alexis has been fluffing it one on one. That kind of stuff is not going keep happening.
