Premier League 2023/24: Our Race Is Run

[Riou]

I’m all for winning cups and that but let’s be real it cannot come at the expense of league performances.

100% agreed, but we should be able to do both.

Like how we used to do v United, or Pool v City recently...if the richer team proves too strong in the league, you finish 2nd to them but at least win a cup so you have some success.

That should be the minimum, imo.

 

[<<reed>>]

 

[Jasard]

100% agreed, but we should be able to do both.

Like how we used to do v United, or Pool v City recently...if the richer team proves too strong in the league, you finish 2nd to them but at least win a cup so you have some success.

That should be the minimum, imo.

I'm trying to remember how we went out of the cups this year. Wasn't it mostly god awful finishing? The league cup we had Nketiah, Nelson, Vieira playing. Players that basically only get picked for games that don't matter and then never play again - it's not good squad management. If we want our squad depth to help out with the cups then they need to be part of the team more (or replace them with players good enough to be at least).

 

[Riou]

I'm trying to remember how we went out of the cups this year. Wasn't it mostly god awful finishing? The league cup we had Nketiah, Nelson, Vieira playing. Players that basically only get picked for games that don't matter and then never play again - it's not good squad management. If we want our squad depth to help out with the cups then they need to be part of the team more (or replace them with players good enough to be at least).

The Liverpool cup defeat will hurt me more than any defeat this season, tbh.

Played them without Virgil and Salah, bottled a million chances...Klopp didn't want a replay due to them having the League Cup semi not long after/before, so put on a bunch of kids to either win it or lose it...and we score and own goal ffs!

Why

 

[IrishGooner93]

Everything points to a positive and sustained upward curve for this team. But i do worry about how many more title challenging seasons theyll have in them. Yes they're young but as we've seen with other teams and players in the past "mileage" matters a lot, mentally and physically.
There's only so many seasons a team and players can have going toe to toe with this city side before the emotional and physical side takes its toll. We've seen this with Liverpool who've had some down seasons in the last few years.
How do city keep doing it year after year , I'm sure their deep pockets and deep squad that pep can afford to refresh every year helps a lot.

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

Perhaps, that being said though, I think we have other games where criticism is more due. We did very well against the traditional top six (6-4-0). The games against Fulham and West Ham are maybe those you'd look upon with the most regret.

Agree, but they were a long time ago, I don’t think you can look that far back and see them as a turning point. It’s the run in where it’s decisive, where you know what is required.

 

[Sebastes]

It’s definitely a silly conspiracy but also it was an easy finish and he’s ****

The kind of easy finish that players score 54% of the time and miss the rest

I get what you're saying though

 

[OnlyOne]

Son scores that 11/10 times vs us

 

[Sebastes]

I’m not mad matey, also I don’t think I’m crazy either. I understand this horrible situation they were in.

I watched Son very carefully when I started watching the game, and his body language said a lot to me.

I won’t be surprised if Ange is referring to this as well in his post match.

You're definitely crazy. All these players want to compete at the highest level and they needed a win to be in with a shout for CL.

 

[Sebastes]

Time to put down a 110m bid for Paqueta with the reservation that they need a point for it on Sunday to be valid.

 

[Rasmi]

Bro, Son scores that goal 9 times out of 10.

The 10th time he fumbles it because it’s Arsenal who wins the league.

You understand why he does it, but don’t pretend that he doesn’t miss on purpose.

He didn’t miss on purpose. The keeper made a great save. If he really wanted to miss the logical thing was to blast it over over or outside of the post. Not hit the target and count on keeper making great save. Same with Kulu he did everything to score

Sp**s gave City a real fright and you saw their relief to the pen. Let’s not go down the conspiracy road now and become bad losers

 

[Batman]

100% agreed, but we should be able to do both.

Like how we used to do v United, or Pool v City recently...if the richer team proves too strong in the league, you finish 2nd to them but at least win a cup so you have some success.

That should be the minimum, imo.

That's where the market and academy come in. The last 2 seasons have been about building a first 11 good enough to go toe to toe with City for the league and in head to head matches. Now it's about building a squad good enough to do that and compete on the other fronts simultaneously. Depth and variety are the orders this summer.

 

[Nunowoolmez]

He didn’t miss on purpose. The keeper made a great save. If he really wanted to miss the logical thing was to blast it over over or outside of the post. Not hit the target and count on keeper making great save. Same with Kulu he did everything to score

Sp**s gave City a real fright and you saw their relief to the pen. Let’s not go down the conspiracy road now and become bad losers

The keepers position was absolutely perfect for that scenario. Son could have taken a touch & go around the keeper, but a few years back he still might have scored from that situation.

It was the chance & he blew it No way I think he did it on purpose, if he wanted to miss he would have just booted it into row z or shanked it wide, like @Rasmi says.

 

[IrishGooner93]

I think we need a midfielder, what type I'm not sure. More of a 6 or someone closer to an Ødegaard type further forward the way city would pair KDB and Silva. This would give us more incisiveness up front and technical ability. But rice as the 6 has issues in build up.
Then I think we need a winger that can beat a man more consistently. I don't really rate doku but someone like him in terms of dribbling. And also an explosive goalscorer. That could be the winger also.
Partey Zinny Eddie vieira Smith rowe most of them are likely to leave so we'll need some depth too.

 

[SteveEvets]

Last two seasons we went out of the League Cup to Brighton and West Ham, the FA Cup to Man City and Liverpool, Europa League to Sporting on penalties and the CL a narrow loss to Bayern. We were quite poor against Sporting but apart from that nothing about that record is particularly shameful. We were unlucky to draw Man City and Liverpool in the 4th and 3rd rounds respectively. If we had those same defeats to them in the semis or final it would have stung more on the day but I bet people would be less critical overall.

 

[Riou]

That was the weirdest game ever last night, NEVER want the fixtures to fall like that again hopefully...just felt too strange for everyone involved, including us Arsenal fans.

 

[Diesel]

West ham have been getting their ass kicked this year and are going to Ethiad. Lol. This will be over at half.

 

[BobFromParva]

Everything points to a positive and sustained upward curve for this team. But i do worry about how many more title challenging seasons theyll have in them. Yes they're young but as we've seen with other teams and players in the past "mileage" matters a lot, mentally and physically.
There's only so many seasons a team and players can have going toe to toe with this city side before the emotional and physical side takes its toll. We've seen this with Liverpool who've had some down seasons in the last few years.
How do city keep doing it year after year , I'm sure their deep pockets and deep squad that pep can afford to refresh every year helps a lot.

That’s a common assumption but if you check it out you’ll see that they have one of the smallest senior squads in the PL.
The main reason that they finish strongly every season is because they always have a very light preseason.
Their use of sports science is second to none, they manage their training schedule to hit peak in the latter half of the season.
It’s for this reason that they often start the season slowly, look half baked and out of sorts, usually lose or draw a few games and then finish the season like a steam train when other teams are starting to flag.
I’m sure that Arteta is fully aware of this, and that he’d do likewise if he could, but Arsenal couldn’t mimic that strategy this year because they were bedding in new players, that had to work as a functional unit this season, whereas city use a small core group of players and have most new signings working with the squad but generally not getting much game time until they’re into their second season.
I suspect that Arsenal will likely start following that pattern in future years as Mikel looks to employ the best of what he learnt in his time working with Guardiola.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

Ok let's get the mood in here back to some positive vibes.

Yesterday City were there for the taking, misplacing many passes too. They are on a good record but West Ham will want to send out Moyes on a high. The camera's are on the game too, the world will be watching. They will go for it, it won't be a Sp**s-like performance. Bowen does finish the chance that Son gets.

Also, a 14th placed Villa coached by ****ing Gerrard managed a 0-2 there, almost upsetting the 115. West Ham have a few players that can break on the counter. Paqueta might want to show something to his new employers.

Meanwhile we hit Everton for four and City will fans will get nervous.

 

[BaZZe]