Well, the Premier League really is turning out some batshit crazy results.
I’m currently watching a very lost Manchester City lose 5-2 to Jamie Vardy’s Leicester AT HOME. West Brom went 3 up against Chelsea before bottling it and drawing the game, Frank Lampard is no longer the plucky upstart, he’s a greedy chequebook manager getting called a fraud after 3 games. Jose Mourinho was joy suckered by Newcastle United, cancelling out the ‘will Spurs actually be amazing this season’ vibe I had after they turned over the Saints last week. Son also picked up an injury.
United were bang average, having to earn a penalty AFTER the game finished to beat the ever-improving Brighton (told you Potter was good). The OGS miracle of spending a shit ton of money last season to give United the lowest points 3rd place in EPL history might be landing for some now as, you know, not a miracle. Still, I’ll take the MSM propping him up like the only thing stopping his genius flowering is the wicked United board that won’t sanction another £150m worth of talent on his ‘vision.’
Everton also won again, keeping them top of the league. Carlo has some saucy players, I’m not sure he’ll have enough all season, but they’ll certainly be better.
So what have we learned? Well, the Premier League is going to very tough this season. The top 6 is probably going to look like more of a top 8 for quite a bit. I think Liverpool, as things stand, look like the most obvious standout (only the hottest takes here). But 2nd to 8th looks like it will be very unpredictable. Hey, who knows, we might see a SHOCK winner like in 2016 this season? Could it… no… but?
Arsenal really needs to add to their squad if we’re to play in the upper echelons of that top 8 scenario. We’re well-coached, young players are improving, and the senior players left are a lot more accountable. We still need to add a bit of depth if we’re going to be a force for the full season.
The wheels of speculation have gone into overdrive over the past few days. We’ve bid for Houssem Aouar. The Lyon top dog, Aulas, is telling the world the player will stay (standard practice from him), and the top french pubs are saying we’re about to go back in with a bigger bid. Creativity is the absolute #1 requirement from this window. Even Auba agrees.
“Of course we are in favor, I will not hide it. Even if he is a Lyonnais”
I appreciate a lot of people are worried that Houssem doesn’t have 19 assists to his name, but I think his play is about more than hardcore assists (and Lyon were shite last season). He’s a vertical mover of the ball, something we only really have with Xhaka and Ozil. More than that, he can move with the ball at his feet, and he’s great in tight areas. We don’t have many tricky fast players that can open up the field in a split second. Aouar can do that. Add to that we’ve seen him put in dominant performances against dominant teams in the Champions League… well, he just makes a lot of sense. Also worth noting that he’s only 22. The perfect signing as we move to a model that supports resale value and the circle of transfers in and out. Player was also non-committal on his future after the game today.
“We’ll see what will happen in the future”
EXCITING NONCHALANCE.
I think we’ll also continue to pursue Thomas Partey until the death. I suspect he’s more of a ‘if these 4 things happen’ type reach, but he’s another one that gives us elements we don’t have currently. Firstly, the biggest thing Partey gives us is elite level experience at the very highest level. He’s played in huge games and come out on top. He’s an ultimate competitor playing for a monster of a manager. He also gives us the mobility we desperately lack in midfield. He’s aggressive and rapid over short distances. His height, weight and overall frame also makes us more imposing. We’ve been weak from setpieces, he adds something. We’ve had to build out a very body heavy structure when out of possession, he gives us options to change that. Partey also comes from one of the most rigidly defensive systems in football, firstly, give me some of that, secondly, he might have more attacking inclinations that could come to bear fruit in a more progressive system.
Sign those two, we are being more than realistic when we hope for top 4 this season.
We still might see some other signings. If Lacazette leaves, we might be a little short in attack. I still worry that we’re a bit light in the keeping area. But overall, we have created a pretty decent squad without going too crazy. Elneny looks like he could be a really decent squad player this year. Reiss is doing his best to make a statement that he’s ready for us this season. We have a whole group of young players that are really hungry.
Still, as Mike Tyson says, everyone has a plan until that get smacked in the mouth. Liverpool, tomorrow night, is Mike Tyson. They are a team of brutal warriors. We’ve had two really decent games against them. Last season, we turned them over in the league, despite being totally mauled by them. We then used that confidence to win the FA Cup. This season, we were much more structured against them and we were more than equal to the 1-1 draw.
We’re now into the season. Liverpool will be fitter, sharper, and they have buried a couple of teams. The game to look at from a tactical perspective might be the Leeds opener where they were run very close. Leeds kept on getting in behind their defenders with quick counter attacks and long balls in behind their defence. Arsenal has to work out a way of dealing with their waves of pressure and there can be no West Ham like lapses.
My hope, as always in these games, is that we’re at least competitive. That means everyone showing up to execute a good game plan. The interesting thing to watch out for this season is how coaches approach us now they know we’re not going to be the same old Arsenal. There’s a body of Arteta work to look at. I don’t for a minute think we’ll ever be predictable, but I also think there will be more answers to what we’re doing. Everyone knows about the overload to Auba switch. They all know that we play out of the back like demons. They’ll know we are pressuring for turnovers in their area. It’s all very exciting knowing that we have these clever ways of playing in different parts of the game.
I am very much looking forward to this game. Let’s see what Arteta has planned! See you in the comments. x
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Boom!
I’ll take Europa too
Wouldn’t want to be on the end of one of these bad penalty decisions
And the Bills are up 14-0 on Kroenke’s Rams
First eleven
Made the first team again
Houssem Aouar in his post-match interview after Lyon’s 1-1 draw away to Lorient today: “I will give you an interview after the match but I will not talk about my future.” [Canal+]
Bamford is keeping everyone grounded on here.
All it takes is for a team like Leicester or another of that standing to get in a groove and get on a run and Arsenal have a competitor for top four and you have your unfancied team making things difficult. We have seen it before.
As for the continuous arguments about who has better squads we have also seen this doesn’t fit to the script in the past. It’s about the time and the moment and teams gaining momentum.
I am worried about tomorrow’s game. But I don’t assume that we will be 4-0 down after twenty minutes. I regard that as a sign of progress.
I’m actually somewhat optimistic about tomorrow’s game. I think we can get the result given we don’t make silly mistakes (here’s looking at you, Xhaka and Luiz).
Bamford,
Name the stakes, I’ll take your bet on Leicester over Arsenal.
I’m all for going Buster Douglas on Liverpool.. but after he beat Tyson he went on the pizza eating tour and was never heard from again.
Hopefully, we are little more sustainable then that.. Reinforcement news would be a huge boost this week.. especially when we are playing Pool twice. It could get demoralizing x 10 if we come up empty in the transfer window,
Make it happen … Mr. Edu. The sand is running out of the hour glass.
The thing that impressed me about Aouar was his quick running with the ball and running with the ball in crowded areas. Not afraid of traffic and the physical side on the ball.
Definitely a player that can break the lines.
Ceballos too slow for that.
Agent Auba.
“Of course we are in favor, I will not hide it. Even if he is a Lyonnais”
At least if nothing else we’ve got 3 matches to get done this week and then a couple of days before the window closes.
The comments section could be lively if we don’t do anything with the interlull coming up.
Oh yeah nice piece Pedro.
Marc, if we get beaten 3-0 on Monday, the internet will explode
21-3 Bills. Suck on it, Kroenke!
After watching City today and Pool’s first two games, I’m confident that we’ll scalp some big teams this year especially if we bring in midfield reinforcements. We’ll get way more than our customary 4 points off the big boys.
With an improved Everton and very skilled Leicester and moneybags United, this season will be fun and will spring quite a few surprises. Points will be dropped all over. Consistency at home will be key.
Few years back we lost to ManU 3-1, if I’m not mistaken. I never saw Arsenal players playing harder than that day. So there’s losing, and then there’s giving up. Tomorrow I want to see the effort first and foremost. Good result would be an added bonus.
Pedro
I have no idea what’ll happen tomorrow – if you offered me a draw I’d take it but I think the fans will take anything other than a spanking in their stride. It’ll be no signings that’ll push them over the edge if after all the links and interest in 2 specific players.
Let’s hope we get them done.
It’s all setting up for the team expected to win tomorrow to bottle it. It’s happened all over Europe this weekend.
Aulas speaking to @OLTV_officiel: “We must have confidence to recover [after today’s result]. The players should question themselves. The players who want to leave should show up.”
West Ham look more dangerous than Wolves, who are one player short of being able to suit up an all Portuguese starting eleven.
Aulas saying he wants 40-50 million euros just sounds like he wants us to add a little bit more cream to that pudding.
40 – 50 million is quite a move from €50 million or fuck off
So last season anything less than third with this squad was abject failure?
This season if we get Partey + Aouar top 4 doesn’t seem like a stretch?
But get ready for a battle of the top 8…….
I’m willing Arteta to do well, but the double standards here are staggering.
Rich
Pedro can be a little sensitive when it comes to people claiming he’s moving the goal posts. His toy’s come out of the pram almost as quickly as if you’d hidden his oatmilk.
So last season anything less than third with this squad was abject failure
——
Rich, has anyone actually said that?
Very competitive top eight.
Emery alas just couldn’t really smash that top eight in his last throes at the club.
Crept in the top eight but couldn’t smash it.
Antonio is a handful, surprising CG hasn’t jumped on his bandwagon yet.
Marc I think his analysis in this post is pretty spot on.
This could be the most exciting PL ever, unfortunately Liverpool looking strong favourites.
If we get 5/6th with this squad? I think Arteta has hit par.
If he gets top 4? He’s overachieved.
I’d rather win some more silverware than finish top 4, give me a Europa league, FA cup or League cup over finishing 4th any day of the week.
The club and team have got to make a credible challenge for top four.
It’s no good sitting on an FA Cup.
We all know it’s the league campaign that tells us how good a team really is.
10/10 Post
The 2020/21 Covid Champions could be anyone
Arsenal in the frame
Everton in the frame
Leicester City in the frame
Liverpool Favs
Tom
Yes Pedro was saying so at the start of last season, he also said Arsene finishing top 4 season on season was failure, and Emery finishing 5th, 2 points off 4th, and getting to a Europa final was abject failure.
Now he’s injected a bit of realism, because the manager is “his guy”
If we get 5/6th with this squad? I think Arteta has hit par.If he gets top 4? He’s overachieved
Yep
28-3 Bills. Kroenke will be pissed. Aaahh, the small joys.
People can say it’s competitive but really apart from Liverpool and Man City and even they are not the same side from previous seasons they aren’t any really truly top teams in it.
They all have their weaknesses. Some teams could emerge better than as seen before.
I expect Arteta to make a very good shot of top four and so should everyone else.
I don’t think Pedro has moved the goalposts. Top 4 under Arsene was a more than reasonable expectation given the quality of the squad and the competition. Emery had everything at his disposal and couldn’t do that. The reason we are panting at the prospect of two signings is because the quality of our squad is so poor relative to those of most of Arsene’s years. How many of the current members would have made the 2004 squad? Auba, Tierney…….. who else? None of the defense, certainly none of the midfield. Arteta is doing very well with what he has… Read more »
NJ
That’s bullshit – we’ve got a decent selection of players in defence and good options in attack. What we don’t have is a central midfield.
“Top 4 under Arsene was a more than reasonable expectation given the quality of the squad and the competition”
Wenger built the quality of the squad and in his latter years had spent a crazy amount of money doing it and still fell out of the CL.
Last year, the expectation was high because we has just spent £72m on a winger. This year, we can sign only a defender, a backup GK and a winger through free transfer. We are not competing at the same level as other top EPL teams.
I thought i had seen it all with AKBs, now the diet Pep fanboys have taken mediocrity to newer heights
It won’t do from posters to change the expectations from just a year ago just because they prefer the present manager to the past one.
Previous expectations shouldn’t disappear inside a year.
Ishola
Agree but we know who’s guilty of not only allowing it but pushing it.
Nelson
Are you telling me expectations fall and rise because of one winger called Pepe.
One player.
Ish, kind of basic to tell people that their opinion on a football team can’t change inside an entire year. Almost child-like. Especially when you look at how many things have changed.
This season we should be better.
Pepe, Ceballos, Tierney, Gabriel, Saliba is essentially €210 million worth of talent.
Bellerin is now fit.
Saka, Nelson, Niles, Willock, Nketiah, Smith-Rowe are all a year older, and you’d expect some internal improvements there.
We’ve got an exciting young squad of players, sprinkled with some decent experienced heads, with the right recruitment, we could be challenging in a couple of seasons
Pete
Wait, what opinion of yours regarding this team has changed? Do you no longer think this is a “top four quality” squad?
Pedro
But I thought these changes were for the better.
And they do indeed seem to be for the better.
All the talk before was that we must get back into Champions League ASAP.
Now it’s ahhhh give them time. Plenty.
The longer you are out of Champions League the more dangerous and critical it can become.
Pedro
Wrong – the expectations for a club like Arsenal do not change on a yearly basis and the squad Arteta now has which he mostly but not exclusively inherited is nigh on identical to what Emery had for the start of last season.
Ishola difference between expectations and predictions. Top 4 should be the goal always the expectation and prediction depends on the final squad for me. Marginally better than last season and the expectation right now is top 6 small chance of top 4 depends highly on others fucking up. Get in Aouar and Partey and despite me still wanting a new RB and still thinking that we need another CB and Coutinho type I would expect a serious top 4 tilt. We end up addressing the midfield with Partey and Aouar and addressing the starting 11 to the tune of 4… Read more »
This club was challenging for the Champions League just two seasons ago.
The club then went awry with Emery. The club had a dreadul few months last season.
If Arteta can’t mend that timescope and make a credible challenge for top four this season then he may not be the manager that we think he currently is and may become.
Bamford, this squad is more than capable of top 4.
Arteta’s 32 game record. Won 20. Drawn 6. Lost 6. This, after picking up the most broken squad in 38 years. We also won two trophies against top 6 oppo.
Think you need to give up your squad poverty comments, they didn’t hold up last season and they don’t now. We had a ‘shite manager’ problem.
Ishola
Last year, we started with a league position #5. After adding a winger (supposed to be a superstar) of course the expectation was high. This year we started with a position #8. Of course the expectation is lower. If you couldn’t understand this simple fact, I have nothing more to talk to you.
Chezzer unlucky there.
Marko
I am not demanding top four.
I’m expecting at least a credible challenge for top four under Arteta.
We have to see some progession from Arteta as well as the team.
What really true progress is going to be shown by winning another FA Cup or League Cup?
Emery was a successful penalty kick away from making top 4 the poor form that went through the start of last season should be relatively simple for a good manager to help correct.
After all it is Arteta who told Willian he’s going to win the CL within 3 seasons. That will be in either his first or second attempt.
Nelson
Maybe your expectations were sky high because of one solitary player and his price tag but others realise one player with a big transfer price doesn’t necessarily mean instant success.
Sid
“I thought i had seen it all with AKBs, now the diet Pep fanboys have taken mediocrity to newer heights”
You being an Emery fan boy shouldn’t be talking about mediocrity , he took us to newer lows.
Rich,
“So last season anything less than third with this squad was abject failure?This season if we get Partey + Aouar top 4 doesn’t seem like a stretch?But get ready for a battle of the top 8…….I’m willing Arteta to do well, but the double standards here are staggering”
Coaching will never be Arsenal problems ever again. The Club hired a generational coach. If Arsenal fail this season is because Raul spent this season transfer fee last summer and Edu didn’t sign the players Mikel wanted. Trust the process, it’s a long term project.
Aouar and Partey?
You know we’ll end up with Jorginho and Felipe Anderson. 😬
Marc, that’s just chest-thumping. Marko has is right, expectation is top 4, the manager has said so. However, there are a lot of changing variable from August last year. Chelsea’s 200m spend, United will go out and dump a load more cash, City, Liverpool, Spurs, Wolves and Everton have all improved.
Other clubs have made major jumps and we haven’t yet. Still time, Aouar and Partey would be huge, huge signings.
” this squad is more than capable of top 4.”
Capable of or should be getting?
GunnerDNA, keep typing under your tears… at some point, you’ll get over your embarrassing lust for the worst manager of the last 30 years of Arsenal.
Marc
“nigh on identical to what Emery had for the start of last season”
Well, actually, it should be better than what Emery had. We’ve added Willian, Gabriel and Saliba, and a number of younger players are a year older and more experienced. And there is reason to think we will add one or both of Aouar or Partey.
If Emery was supposed to finish top four with last season’s group, then I think it’s reasonable to expect the same of Arteta this season. No?
Wolves looking very ordinary.
Kulusevski a really nice player. Hard to tell about his pace, is he quick, or is this league slow enough for Mikhi to run through an entire midfield looking like Bolt?
Pete
“this squad is more than capable of top 4”
OK, so this is a top four quality squad, IYO. Duly noted.
Pedro
After 3 matches how cam you claim anyone has improved? Expectations for some of them might have improved but that’s all.
You can’t tell me Xhaka is for for purpose and then tell me everyone else is better.
All this talk of clubs spending big money.
It’s clear that many of them are getting it wrong.
Chelsea and Man United are nowhere near truly top sides atm.
I agree about the competiveness because you have teams like Leicester that can go on runs now but Arsenal fans have got to demand that we are in the shake up.
Bamford
Agree – what’s good for the Emery should be good for the Arteta.
Look, what I’d like to know is how Wolves, who are above Arsenal in the Elite Power Rankings, are currently being spanked 3-0 by West Ham – who we beat a week ago?
What does everyone else think of the Power Rankings? Would you amend them after every game, and why?
Cheers
Marc, shall we wait until the end of the season before drawing any conclusions as to whether adding 7 players to the tune of 250m to your squad was an improvement?
Pedro
Player poverty isn’t an excuse.
We should be demanding top 4 whatever happens. This club absolutely needs to get back into the champions league pronto. We’re fucked if we don’t
Wow, just seen Wolves getting a spanking from West Ham.
The scrappy win against the hammers last week ain’t looking so bad now…
Arsenal have a huge week ahead of them on and off the pitch. Let’s hope those behind the scenes working on transfers and the players that have a tough couple of matches coming up have the bottle to pull through
Azed, how our season pans out will be based on reality, not on what people thought Emery should be doing at the start of a totally different season.
If we don’t sign Aouar or Partey, we are less likely to meet the expecations that the club has set.
Sign those two and we’re a different beast. Sign Aouar and we’re still in good shape.
Pedro
That was my point – Chelsea have improved their squad but I’m not convinced they have the manager to turn that into performance.
What we are learning this season is that no club is invincible and we have a good chance of finishing in top 4. Arsenal need to focus on each games as it comes and not worry about so-called reputations. Tomorrow is another Cup Final as far as I am concerned. Liverpool may be a better team on paper, but they have lost their last two games against us. Let’s judge our prospects after the game and not based on some of the posters personal opinions about how poor our team are. Leicester have shown today that reputations mean nothing if… Read more »
No arguments on that handball.
azed
It wasn’t then it was is the complaint from a few on here.
So Arsenal’s win over West Ham is looking pretty good now…..boy, this season will be all over the place. Wolves getting slain by the very ordinary West Ham.
“Leicester have shown today that reputations mean nothing if you build a good team.”
Right on brother
Marc, world-class players will make a difference to an average manager. Just look at how United transformed when they spent 60m on a creator. They’ll have a much better keeper as well.
Pedro, “GunnerDNA, keep typing under your tears… at some point, you’ll get over your embarrassing lust for the worst manager of the last 30 years of Arsenal” Says the fan who always brings up the worst manager name to justify his love for Mikel. You probably don’t know but some of the stats you come up with to justify your crush for Mikel is laughable. You was acting like you invented Stat DNA when Emery was in charge all of a sudden you forget the what the word stats mean. You got tired of riding the sitting beside Pep and… Read more »
Last summer, many claimed that Arsenal has won the TW. There was a general expectation that we were going to waltz into the top 4. This season, Chelsea has won the TW. ManUtd has spend again money. Despite losing Chilwell, Leicester has improved the overall quality of their squad. Arsenal main advantage over its top 4 rival is that Arsenal has actually improved their defensive side, both in term of personnel Gabriel, Saliba but also tactically: Arteta makes Arsenal more difficult to beat. The issue remains of how to open low block team. This year top 4 is still expected… Read more »
I thought West Ham had a really good game against us.
Mikhi with the assist
Football is a team game, you build teams. I don’t buy into the idea a club could spend £2billion, and then straight away perform at a level City did for two seasons, and Liverpool have for the last season and a half. Teams are built, it’s about finding the right balance, and making signings that make sense. A lot of people look for external improvement, but we’ve gotta lot of talented young players, our squad is littered with youth players that won the PL2 3 seasons ago. The rest of this window will be as much about clearing players out,… Read more »
Emery greeting his ass spanked by FCB!
Pedro
Still won’t stop points being dropped where they shouldn’t and that will make the difference between the team finishing in 3rd and the team finishing in 7th or 8th.
The whole point of this is just your refusal to admit you were hyper critical of Emery and give Arteta allowances. No more – it’d be a lot easier if you’d just admit it or at least recognise that it may have happened even if it was an “unconscious” move of your part.
GunnerDNA, little refresher.
2 trophies
Arteta has already beaten more top 6 teams than Emery
20 wins, 6 losses, 6 draws
Arsenal have conceded 1 or less goals 24 times in 32 games in all competitions including 13 clean sheets (uncoachable defence)
4 wins on the bounce so far this season
Conceding less shots, taking more
Like, what are these underlying problems you’ve identified that the club isn’t already addressing?
Namely: Shit from setpieces | Lack of creativity in the final 3rd | Mobility in central midfield
Marc,
I was spot on about Emery, who spent 150m. I’ve been spot on about Arteta, who hasn’t spent much and has mad huge strides on the poverty squad.
I’m not sure you can be too harsh on a correct outcome.
Arteta will need to take the hand brake off sooner or later, and then we may see what this team is really made of . As of now, I expect much of the same. Unless we get a player of the calibre of coutinho in. I do have my doubts about Aouar as I’m not sure he will give the team what it needs. I’m not sure if he has a final ball in his game, he looks more a kovasic or type player( which is not a bad thing) who buzzes around a lot, is neat and tidy on… Read more »
Anyone want to wager that West Ham finish above Arsenal? I’ve spunked my pants after one performance and think they’ll win the league now.
Rich, I agree with most of what you say… but we need a couple of game changers. There’s no proper DM or creator in the squad. Partey and Aouar would be huge for a limited midfield.