Premier League 2025/26: Race For The Title

[Trilly]

The injury crisis at city might have killed their season before Guehi can come in to fix it. The two extra games is great news for us and the points they’ve dropped since the injuries have been an absolute gift.

 

[Synical]

@Riou you'll love this

 

[boonthegoon]

The injury crisis at city might have killed their season before Guehi can come in to fix it. The two extra games is great news for us and the points they’ve dropped since the injuries have been an absolute gift.

The 2 extra games aren't guaranteed

 

[DJ_Markstar]

Anyone else feel really disconnected from the club atm? Love Arteta and always have done, even when we were finishing 8th etc.

However, something and I’m not exactly sure what it is has left me feeling very disconnected to this club right now.

Part of me thinks a major reason for this the stuff we play is so far from what I grew up on with Arsenal ( started following in 2009 and not saying I want to go back to this and I do massively appreciate the mentality and culture MA has implemented at the club ) I do find it difficult to watch. It is so rigid and the gaffer is unbelievably stubborn.

I was watching highlights from 22/23 today and I have never adored an Arsenal team so much. Attacking football, young squad, extremely likeable players. I find the current squad much harder to relate to / love.

I still go to most games and watch every game religiously but I desperately want to refind my spark with Arsenal but there’s something with this squad / setup I can’t get on board with.

I do think there’s other factors at play here, increased expectations, decline in atmosphere from a few years ago, unbearable online discourse over certain players etc but I believe the above is a major factor in this. I don’t want this post to come across the wrong way, I am delighted we are one of the best teams in the world and i am desperate for us to win it is just bugging me majorly that I’m worried it won’t mean as much to me as it would have a few years ago as it will be the first I see us lift.

As someone who grew up watching Arsenal in the late 80s and early 90s I can tell you that this current way of Arsenal playing (defensive solidity as a path to dominance) is something ingrained in Arsenal DNA. Even the early Wenger teams were based on an Arsenal back 4 that were famous for catching strikers offside, which he inherited from George Graham.

This latest iteration of Arsenal is very much in keeping with tradition and we're arguably better to watch now than those sides, although definitely not as pretty as the Wengerball sides we're nowhere near as ugly to watch as opposition fans would have you believe.

 

[Jamie99]

As someone who grew up watching Arsenal in the late 80s and early 90s I can tell you that this current way of Arsenal playing (defensive solidity as a path to dominance) is something ingrained in Arsenal DNA. Even the early Wenger teams were based on an Arsenal back 4 that were famous for catching strikers offside, which he inherited from George Graham.

This latest iteration of Arsenal is very much in keeping with tradition and we're arguably better to watch now than those sides, although definitely not as pretty as the Wengerball sides we're nowhere near as ugly to watch as opposition fans would have you believe.

You'd know those who started watching Arsenal under Wenger's mid to late years from the way they spout this narrative. I got introduced to Arsenal by a friend of my brother's during Wenger's early years due to Kanu's presence in the team. The defence was pretty damn solid. Although the attack was/is superior to what we have now. I was still quite young back then but I can see the correlation of that early team to what we have now. Difference being the individual quality of the forwards (in fact almost all the players), as there was generally exceptional individual talents in the 90s to early 00s globally. That period was the peak of football in my opinion.

Anyone expecting Arteta to be Wenger is saying he should be a copycat with no originality to his coaching. Wenger inherited the best defence in the league (he confessed it himself) and built the midfield and attack on it. Arteta has literally followed the same script by building from defence to midfield and he's trying to sort out the attack.

I personally shudder to think what this team will accomplish when the attack is eventually sorted. Glory years ahead if you ask me.

 

[omurphysjaw]

I will keep this short. I loved how we attacked under Wenger but grew to hate the way we would concede cheap despite the pretty football. Does anybody really miss getting slapped up by the likes of Chelsea anymore? Or Bayern execs high fiving when they draw Arsenal in the CL knockout stages?

Yes I wish the handbrake would come off a bit more, but we haven't won the league for 22 years, a trophy in 5, and we're trying to win the league against one of the most dominant teams the PL has ever seen in City. Things were always going to tense.

I don't care how we do it this time, just win the league!

 

[merciarsene]

We're absolutely awful online, it cannot be overstated. Loud, wrong, disrespectful, and just overall proudly ignorant. We can't wait to tear down our own players. Every time I come here, I literally spend half the time feeling like I have to defend some of our key players, some of the best players in the world who have given us years of service, strong performances, and have proper resumes, from getting unfairly lambasted. Rice and Ødegaard are getting killed and didn't even really play lmao. It's ludicrous. I just gotta start ignoring this nonsense.

I take it that you missed the kroenke takeover - wenger resignation period. This is positively joyous and supportive in comparison

 

[james1609]

As someone who grew up watching Arsenal in the late 80s and early 90s I can tell you that this current way of Arsenal playing (defensive solidity as a path to dominance) is something ingrained in Arsenal DNA. Even the early Wenger teams were based on an Arsenal back 4 that were famous for catching strikers offside, which he inherited from George Graham.

This latest iteration of Arsenal is very much in keeping with tradition and we're arguably better to watch now than those sides, although definitely not as pretty as the Wengerball sides we're nowhere near as ugly to watch as opposition fans would have you believe.

I do appreciate this and have always been told this by my dad who has watched us since the early 70’s. I think it’s probably just a case of adapting my view towards the way we play and appreciating it for what it brings us.

As per the wider point, I think my lack of recent feeling for Arsenal is strangely due to how good I know that we are as a team. I loved 22/23 so much because it came out of nowhere. Before that, I loved every win because we weren’t great and I often didn’t expect it.

It almost feels abit robotic to me at the minute. Score a set piece, win game, repeat. I don’t personally feel much for this group of players. I know that it is most likely a conscious effort from Arteta for them to not be as emotional, as this is what has cost us before but I do like to see some personality in the team. Rice, for example I love what he brings on the pitch, but find him quite a performative character.

Many will see this as a strange point of view and I’m sure typical response will be ‘so you enjoyed seeing us get beat 6-0 away to Chelsea’ and that I ‘do not want us to win’. I want us to win the title more than anything, I just want to feel it like I would’ve done a few years ago. If I didn’t follow Arsenal out of pure habit I probably would be taking a break right now.

 

[merciarsene]

I will keep this short. I loved how we attacked under Wenger but grew to hate the way we would concede cheap despite the pretty football. Does anybody really miss getting slapped up by the likes of Chelsea anymore? Or Bayern execs high fiving when they draw Arsenal in the CL knockout stages?

Yes I wish the handbrake would come off a bit more, but we haven't won the league for 22 years, a trophy in 5, and we're trying to win the league against one of the most dominant teams the PL has ever seen in City. Things were always going to tense.

I don't care how we do it this time, just win the league!

I dont think anyone will argue that buying a seasoned invincible team defender for 50m as a backup to our backup is not preferable. It is nice to be able to have complete squads instead of having to scrounge and prioritize. I dont this club now is going to be forced to sell a cesc, nasri rvp in their prime. Different eras

 

[blrgooner]

City currently outside the top 8 in the CL which is perfect. Means they're forced to go strong in the last game or risk 2 extra games and even winning might not be enough.

Yeh but I think they will win their last game at home. I also want Sp**s and Chelsea to finish outside top 8 since their playoff game would then come around the time we play them.
In case of Chelsea we might have an actual midweek break after ages and then play them while they may have a huge second leg UCL game.
WIth Sp**s, it kinda depends on the Carabao cup. If we win against Chelsea, then the wolves game in EPL needs to be rearranged because that would be on the same day as Carabao cup final. So that game might be rearranged to the midweek before Sp**s game. So It could be Wolves(A) and Sp**s(A) in the same week which is not great especially if Sp**s finish top 8 and get a midweek break

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

The Invincibles drew 12 games in that PL campaign.

I have no doubt that if social media / the internet was as big then as it is now there would be people saying we weren't clinical enough, players were crap, manager doesn't know what he's doing etc

I don't know it is a psychological defence mechanism or looking for attention but a portion of people thrive on being negative no matter what.

Lots of good people obviously but a vocal minority of our online fanbase often doesn't paint us in a good light

 

[Tnegs]

22 years without a title is a long time. It’s understandable the level of anxiety some are going to have about getting it across the line. I personally find the bipolar nature of this place to be quite entertaining. Just enjoy the ride while it lasts.

 

[bastun]

I was completely and utterly disconnected from the Club around the late stage Wenger period, just an overwhelming feeling of apathy.

Arteta and his terrorist-style antics have pulled me right back in

Your first sentence hits hard. I remember being so disconnected from the club late Wenger and whole of Emery period. We were a laughing stock. Had to watch Sokratis and Mustafi defend. Big six teams beating us left, right ,center. The famous Watford away game where they had like 35 shots, 15 on target.
The periods we had to endure after we moved to the Emirates...we deserve every luck and trophy on the planet.
Regardless if some fans like his football or not , Arteta changed our lives. As far as I am concerned , he's got all my respect. Right now we are one of the best if not the best team in the world.
Hopefully in the end of the season we will lift the PL and some domestic cup and who knows , we can dream to finally winning the CL

 

[Wattsy]

Regardless if some fans like his football or not , Arteta changed our lives. As far as I am concerned , he's got all my respect. Right now we are one of the best if not the best team in the world.

Spot on. We're incredibly lucky to have him and perhaps even luckier that we didn't dive straight in with him post-Wenger.

I view it as a badge of pride that seemingly every club/fans foolishly compares their managerial situation to him. Sure, I understand the point in some instances where clubs have to overcome difficult periods to reap the rewards of a manager - 'give him time', 'Arteta had time and look at him now' - but very few of those are comparable to Mikel Arteta. He's operating at a much higher level.

He's one of a kind and I think he only rubs opposing fans up the wrong way because they know how good he is and how dangerous he's made The Arsenal.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

The Invincibles drew 12 games in that PL campaign.

I have no doubt that if social media / the internet was as big then as it is now there would be people saying we weren't clinical enough, players were crap, manager doesn't know what he's doing etc

I don't know it is a psychological defence mechanism or looking for attention but a portion of people thrive on being negative no matter what.

Lots of good people obviously but a vocal minority of our online fanbase often doesn't paint us in a good light

Indeed. Imagine AM during weeks like these, while we rested Henry during our FA Cup loss to Man Utd, lost the Carabao Cup semi final to effing Middlesbrough over two legs and on top of it losing to Chelsea in the QF of the Champions League.

AM would be raging and asking for top managers like David Moyes or Sam Allardyce to instil some defensive stability in the club.

 

[viktor]

Your first sentence hits hard. I remember being so disconnected from the club late Wenger and whole of Emery period. We were a laughing stock. Had to watch Sokratis and Mustafi defend. Big six teams beating us left, right ,center. The famous Watford away game where they had like 35 shots, 15 on target.
The periods we had to endure after we moved to the Emirates...we deserve every luck and trophy on the planet.
Regardless if some fans like his football or not , Arteta changed our lives. As far as I am concerned , he's got all my respect. Right now we are one of the best if not the best team in the world.
Hopefully in the end of the season we will lift the PL and some domestic cup and who knows , we can dream to finally winning the CL

the only time i stop watching arsenal when arteta era in 20/21 season because i think in that season (even since beginning in first half of the season) is worse than entire emery era & wenger era (his last season 17/18)

we also won nothing in 20/21 season which make even worse after finished 8th & i know emery lose at europa league final in baku 4-1 is really really bad but atleast i still follow & watch arsenal in first half of the season until end of the season because there in moment we go with win streaks

 

[squallman]

Indeed. Imagine AM during weeks like these, while we rested Henry during our FA Cup loss to Man Utd, lost the Carabao Cup semi final to effing Middlesbrough over two legs and on top of it losing to Chelsea in the QF of the Champions League.

AM would be raging and asking for top managers like David Moyes or Sam Allardyce to instil some defensive stability in the club.

View attachment 42922

View attachment 42923

I mean you're posting from our last title win...


Since then you can easily post periods from the last 21 years where we had a series of draws or losses that cost us the title....

 

[Thrice]

Indeed. Imagine AM during weeks like these, while we rested Henry during our FA Cup loss to Man Utd, lost the Carabao Cup semi final to effing Middlesbrough over two legs and on top of it losing to Chelsea in the QF of the Champions League.

AM would be raging and asking for top managers like David Moyes or Sam Allardyce to instil some defensive stability in the club.

View attachment 42922

View attachment 42923

Still remember that deflating loss against Chelsea in the CL. A historic Invincible season couldn't have been further from my mind at that moment.

 

[viktor]

 

[2Smokeyy]

Didn’t realise the last part actually aligns. We have:

Everton (Mar 15)
Bournemouth (Apr 11)
Fulham (May 2)

At home after each knockout round. If we get a decent draw then go really strong in the first leg to get a positive result, we can rotate in the above and keep players fresh for The Emirates 2nd leg. Lining up to be a very good season hopefully we don’t fumble our opportunity.