personalities’ will say we need to move on from Arteta, but proof of connection is in the players. No one wants to leave.
I wouldn't read too much into what was a generic response from a player during an active season. He'll want to leave if we keep losing players and trophies we should be winning. And the football my god what a bore fest.
Arsenal are shit. Liverpool with the blessings of PGMOL and Arne Slot's magical powers to prevent injuries (last night's injury to Trent doesn't count) show how miles ahead Liverpool is to this garbage, backwater team of Arsenal.
Not sure what you are saying. Everyone is literally saying Liverpool are where they are on merit and should be taken seriously even next season. You seem to be part of the few who believe that Liverpool are shit.
Where are Arsenal on round 29 2024/25 though?
You also swear we had exceptional seasons last 2 years and last year, Liverpool are almost on par with those 2 seasons or better. Surely Liverpool should be described as exceptional too yea?
Ah no I forgot. They are only top because PGMOL helps them and hates us plus santa gave them a magical recipe to avoid injuries and loads of good luck.
In 2022/23 I don't think we deserved to be where we were and getting just 1 injury that killed our season proved that. I was also, consistently on the record, saying that our last ditch wins are a sign of weakness not strength as if you are that good of a team, you won't leave it to the last second as consistently as we did. I was getting pelters from the biggest Arteta fans at the time. We weren't ready and it would have been a miracle had we pulled it off with the squad we had. I even had to make myself clear that I thought 2nd place that year was an achievement on it's own as everyone thought I was hating by predicting we'll end up short.
Liverpool in 23/24 were leading the pack and I talked about how they're winning games in a similar fashion to us the season before and how unsustainable that was. Pool fizzled out as expected later in the campaign.
We were actually a much better team in 23/24 than in the year before. I think the turning points were that Newcastle goal, wrongly given in about 3 or 4 paragraphs and then during our game at Anfield, Zinchenko's mistake for Pool's equalizer and then the failed pass by Martinelli in the dying seconds. I would say we didn't win the title because City showed an unbelievable level and PGMOL fked us in that Newcastle game.
But if I'm looking at just ourselves, our inability to deal with mid-block against Newcastle, Villa twice, Fulham twice was something we should have worked on to prevent going into the new season. Well, we again came out with Odegaard as our #10 so that was always going to be hard and it's been. Our best games this season have been either without Odegaard (PSG, Leicester), or with Odegaard barely a factor in the game (Brentford, City).
We've been having creative issues in the previous 2 years and in this season as well. It's literally been Saka + sometimes Trossard and that's it. That's not how a fully working attack should look like and the players + manager should be applauded for trying as hard as they have to keep pushing when it was never easy for us.
I wish we bring at least 1 creative player in the summer as I said, it could be a creative winger, or a creative player through the middle like Cunha. I don't mind as long as we get to see some new ideas. If we could have that Trossard performance against PSG in more than half his games, he would have been a stunning player for us. But that display showed me what difference having a proper #10 could potentially bring to our game. Hopefully Nwaneri is that guy so we can move the funds to the other positions.
raps is the resident xG expert and the stat’s biggest proponent, until you ask him Liverpool’s xG difference for the season where he goes: sorry, no hablo ingles.
The funniest thing about raps is everyone thinks he’s a lunatic who needs help based on his Ode fixation alone, even posters who dislike Ode agree. But as soon as he starts talking ref conspiracy and VVD red cards half the forum is like; ok, we all know he’s nuts but he has a point there.
It wasn't the point in the summer though. Not even close. You are lying to yourself about that. The absolute vast majority would have told you what a special player he is, how he's our heart and soul and if not the best, probably 50% of all would have told you he's our most important player for right now and our future.
Part of the same majority were the fans who decided he deserves to be voted Player of the season in back-to-back years.
There used to be maybe up to 3 posters that shared that opinion with me here back when. Out of all the people that post here.
I used to get 30 dislikes in the previous site when I opened my mouth about him when Pedro changed the format of the blog to allow likes and dislikes.
You lot were doing the same to Pierre as well, thinking he's obsessed. You lot were calling him and me names. You (not sure if you specifically) were calling him old and senile and a bunch of other names I can't seem to bother to remember. Just because he had a different opinion on Odegaard - proven right btw. I hope the old man's fine and is still playing golf.
Things have definitely changed but there are still more than 50% that think Odegaard is him and find excuses for his shocking, embarrassing performances especially as a club captain.
I'm annoyed cause again, the French league has produced some stunning talent and at one time we used to have that market locked in, until Wenger decided to go English yuf and the biggest French talents we got were Kos, Giroud and Lacazette.
The last super talented French player in our team before Saliba, is Nasri and that transfer was 17 years ago.
In that time the French NT more or less dominated world football. After the rumors about Benzema and Mbappe to only get Giroud out of that national team is quite disappointing.
Arsenal are not going to win any trophies this season. The reason for this is obvious. Too many
injuries to key players this season notably Odegaard, Saka and Havertz, plus of course White,
Martinelli and Jesus.
The departure of Edu for whatever reason did not help, because we needed to recruit a Centre
Forward in January.
Our priority now is not winning Champions League. That is not going to happen in absence of
a striker. What is the imperative is to finish in top 4 and qualifying for Champions League.
The reasons are obvious. One is the revenue and two is the ability to recruit top players in those
positions which need strengthening. Frankly we need to recruit at least 5 new players.
Specifically we need to recruit a new DMF to replace Partey and of course a CF to replace Havertz in starting lineup. Then we need a LW to replace Trossard, a goalkeeper to replace
Neto and finally a promising CB to replace Kiwor if he leaves.
Assuming that Tierney, Zinchenko, Jorginho and Sterling also leave this summer additional
replacements will be needed.
My viewpoint is that a successful team/squad needs a minimum of 20-22 experienced players whoare good enough to play in first team and the remaining places can be taken up by promoting a couple of players in Academy. The two for next season should be Dowman and a third string goalkeeper.
The bottom line is that we must never again leave the manager short of players as was case this
season.
Arteta needs also to reevaluate how the team is playing. Season 2023-4 was in my view the
correct way to play. I was unimpressed with the way that the team has played in 2024-5.
I'm sure he did not say the same about the first leg when two Liverpool players were booked for delaying the restart of the game, holding on to a 0-0 draw for dear life against a rampant PSG team that should have won by 4 or 5 goals, including a first half pen + red card not given to Konate that would have completely decided the tie early on.
No wonder PSG players were so surprised about how easy it was to play against Liverpool, nobody in France was worried, their biggest newspaper's cover title said "Mission Possible".
After the first tie and the way PSG roasted Pool, their players had supposedly said how Arsenal and Bayern felt the more complete teams compared to Liverpool.
But ask an Arsenal fan and they'll tell you how shit we are.
Again, stop listening to those voices in your head raps.
No one here ever said Pool were amazing at any point of the season, just that they deserved their league position which, your beloved xG difference stat you only keep quoting only whenever suits your childish agenda proves beyond doubt.
Like Jamie said, mix it up a bit bro, hit a gym, get laid( pay for it if you must), get some oxygen into your brain…….or not.
Nothing more to be said there. Complete and utter dominance against a Pool team with zero important injured players. They got spanked in both legs. This is with a blatant pen + red not given to Konate. If that had happened like it should have, it would have been one for the ages.
We were about to spank them as well, then PGMOL and 2 injuries (Gabriel and Timber) during the game happened.
Should we count the 9 penalties as well? Or the pens that should have been given against them? Or the 7 or 8 times they should have had a player sent off? The only red card they have received is that blatant direct red to Robertson https://streamff.com/v/0a797804 . There was no escaping that red but the others, yes.
The David Coote video didn't drop for no reason. But you're free to believe what you want.
All I know is, we got red carded for literal joke shit. Literal joke.
While VVD's been elbowing players left, right and center with no issues whatsoever, their players been kicking the ball after a signal, no issues, while we were fucked for Saliba's foul against Brighton, they were spared for worse incidents and given some ridiculous penalties.
The two teams were refereed differently but if you don't agree, it's okay.
And even after all of that, we were 7 points behind them up until Havertz got injured after Saka, Jesus and Martinelli.
Since a video of a PL referee got "leaked" in hating their club and ex manager, PGMOL had the freedom to give everything in Pool's favor and actually "HAD" to do it so they come out of that as clean as possible.
If PGMOL weren't giving calls in Pool's favor, they would have faced a ton of unwanted attention. They've received every 50/50 and more than that really, everything but that Everton goal in the derby.
The genius part of it, what if that video "leaked" so PGMOL could influence games in Pool's favor without having to worry about it, cause you know, the public opinion is how a PL referee publicly spoke about his hatred towards them.
Even if the "leak" was real, the PGMOL organization looks very much on a mission to "prove" there is no bad officiating going against Liverpool. By giving all the decision in their favor.
You cannot explain to me Rice's and Trossard's second yellow cards. Liverpool have gotten away with way, way, way bigger offenses than that this season. A PGMOL title on display.
One of the accepted no-nos of club transfers is never buy players because of their excellent form in international competitions like the WC or the Euros
We definitely bought Calafiori and Merino, partly off the gloss from the Euros - see how that’s worked out.
Liverpool bought the Georgian goalkeeper, Mamardashvili, with his excellent performances in the Euros in mind. Problem is that, he’s been a shit show this season and I bet they’ll be rueing making that transfer as they did.
I hope we don’t make that mistake a third time by signing Niko Williams.
Don’t believe me, just watch 1-2 FULL Bilbao games and make up your minds.
I can guarantee you I was reading news and commentators were talking about it during the EURO about our interest in Cala and Merino. Like during the group stages.
I said “partly”, they may have been on a short list but their competition form definitely drove them up that list. Their Euros form also boosted the asking price of the selling clubs, those are undeniable facts.
Why else would we have paid about £30 million for a 28 year old journeyman plodder like Merino who had ONE season left on his contract?
I don't think Merino showed that much there tbh. For sure he was bought because of his performances for Sociedad.
Cala had a brilliant Euros but you should agree, he's as good as he showed there so I don't think we were deceived in any way with him. We bought exactly what we saw during the Euros.
He’s not even a better defender than Kiwior, when you take away his goals. He’s just an emotional player who has a knack for doing well in the opposition box. I realized it very quickly when he faced Tyler Dibblin at the Emirates. He spent more time touching his hair than defending.
-Merino is a plodding journeyman with average speed, average tackling, , slowed thinking and a very wide turn like a super tanker. You sw what happened when he moved into the midfield after Partey was pulled out at United?
Cala wouldn't look as bad when defending at CB cause most CFs don't have the same pace and mobility wingers have. I agree that he's not performed up to par defensively as a full back.
On Merino, I didn't have an opinion when he arrived. I saw the logic behind it, having another pair of legs for the inevitable moment when Partey gets a bad injury... Well, I haven't been impressed at all. I still haven't seen much but from what I have seen, I don't rate him.
Cala does better in front of goal than most center backs but shows defensive naivety when he’s in defensive positions. I’ve never seen Wan Bissaka dominate anyone so thoroughly. At some point he even started flicking the ball over Cala!
Merino is just unsuited to the league. I dare say…and I may get pelters for this…Elneny was better that than him.
Re Berta, we all know what we need. If he gets those kind of players in then he's succeeded. If not we know what kind of hire he is. If he can stop Arteta from breaking players then he'll be great
Arteta had 5 full seasons of Saka not breaking, 5/5 full seasons for Gabriel as well, Rice on the way of 2/2 seasons not breaking, White was healthy for 3 full seasons.
Slot has one season of healthy Salah and VVD and suddenly he's the messiah. Bukayo was healthy for 5 seasons. Hello?
Raptora, all is well with Arsenal. We lost the league because of injuries, bad luck and PGMOL hate us, only. No fault of ours. Liverpool are the worst champions ever, were lucky and heavily helped by PGMOL. Next season we don't need to do anything we'll walk the league. Probably win it by April cos we are the best ever.
Konate and Trent limping off in extra time of what looked like a track meet of a knock out CL game against the hottest team in Europe , one rolling over his ankle and knee on sideline’s turf, the other yet unknown although probably less serious, is not exactly comparable to Havertz doing his hammy in Dubai…….or is it.
Of course it is……….when you live in tha same space raps lives.
Nah, there were a stat how at Feyenoord he's had players remain healthy yada yada yada and of course that reached the blog and was used against our manager and as a proof that Slot has special ways compared to our abuser of human rights. How Liverpool even targeted him because of that track record. You know it.
We were in a better position than Liverpool before the season started.
We'll be in an even superior position in the summer when they'll either lose for free or renew on gigantic wages their old stars + Trent's inevitable switch to Real Madrid on a free. From a team with 4 world class players, there's a chance only Alisson stays put.
It's up to the owners/directors to give a war chest to Berta and Arteta, hope they hit a homerun with the players they bring in.
I've said already in the last week or so. Next season, assuming the management is given the required money (~150-200m), and I expect that to happen, it's do or die for Arteta.
I would support him staying beyond next season only if:
- we win either or both PL and CL obviously
- we win the FAC and collect about ~85 pts plus but we don't win the title
- I could be swayed in keeping him if we get close to 90 pts but it's not enough
In any other situation, we should look into bringing in a replacement. Who would that be? Inzaghi, Alonso, Flick, Zidane, Enrique, Iraola.
Liverpool will lose those 3 but you'll be shocked they'll be replaced. Jota can go back to the wings, they sign a striker, a defender that can have VVD's kind of impact when he came and get a RB. For me, it's easy to replace Trent. What he possess can be compensated with a different style and system. Liverpool will then have the mentality advantage.
We are Arsenal fans so obviously will be biased to Arsenal but you are in for a long ride if you think we'll show much superiority over Liverpool.
We still don't have a striker, don't have a credible 10, dnt have an 8, and 11. We need as much work as Liverpool to even stand a chance.
What don't you agree with? Liverpool are on their way to have 3 world class players leave on a free. If they decide to offer new contracts to a 33 yo Salah and 34 yo VVD, they might be even more fucked long term. If they don't they lose 3 world class players with Trent going to Madrid. For free.
Yes, the equivalent of that in our team would be losing Saliba, Gabriel (or Rice) and Saka in one window. For free.
Or you don't agree we have a spine solid as fuck compared to a Liverpool team without 3 of their 4 world class players?
We already had this spine and we are losing the league to them. They ate maturing and will get better, you may say, but that's not a given. Kai is a part of the problem of this team not a solution (unless he plays at 10 floating in from the right, that's where I rate him).
Everyone universally agrees tht we need a 8, 11 ( our options there aren't serviceable anymore) 9 and you more thn everyone believe we need a 10 (i believe that too And I think we already have him in Kai)
Our spine is all about stopping the goal (apart from Saka). If they all play consistently next season without injuries, our problems will still persist. We'll stop goals but won't score plenty.
Defences will win you the league only when you habe strikers and forward players to put the ball in the other net.
That's PGMOL difference and we should have been ahead really. Even not counting the 7 red cards Liverpool were spared, even the ridiculous pens they've received, just from the mistakes in our games, we should have been +8 and they be -1 so we should have been ahead by 2 points. Add VVD, Konate and Szobo's red cards, we should have been comfortably first.
After Havertz' injury, in addition to Saka, Jesus and Martinelli, our offensive power was dusted. Before that, PGMOL was the main character.
I know you don't agree but 7 points difference in 25 rounds, that's PGMOL difference. We should have been ahead of that point, really. After we lost all Saka, Havertz, Jesus and Martinelli, that's when we lost tempo.
You're already putting up an advance excuse by saying if the management gives a certain amount and he fails....he will have to make do with whatever he's given as do other managers, he's been here 5 gojng on 6 seasons, the squad is his, the additions in the summer will be his, it's okay to say that should be his last chance at it
I say it cause we sold well last summer and we'll sell a few more this summer + we'll probably save on the wages of a few players.
After the below average spending we had in the last 2 windows, I expect a decent chunk of money to be made available for the management to use.
The management has done a top job in raising the income of Arsenal FC. I can absolutely say that Arteta/Edu have been supported well enough for our reality and while I understand why we were more careful with our spending in the last 2 seasons, I expect the upcoming summer to be our most important window in a long time and for a long time going forward, including both the past and the future.
Berta can become a cult hero if he makes the right moves in his first window.
All you need to know if Arteta has the ability to spot talent isto compare the 2022 purchase of Vieira from Porto for €35m plus €5m in add-ons, versus PSG buying Vitinha for €41.5m from Porto. He has been fabulous while Viera is abysmal. Why did Arteta not recognize that Vitinha is a far superior player then Viera at Porto? He doesn't have that ability.
Hopefully Berta will put an end to buying players who are pants or are being played out of position.
Every manager in the world plays their best players in every game of significance. Pep? Klopp?
Pep - Rodri, prime KDB, Haaland, you name it. They play every game.
Bellingham is on 3000 minutes this season and would have been on more had he not missed games due to an injury and a red card. Last season - 3730 minutes then a EURO playing 700 minutes there and during the international games. Same thing last season for Dortmund - 3550 minutes. He's 21 yo.
Raphinha? 3350 mins. Has started 40 out of the 42 games Barcelona have played. He puts on a defensive shift as well.
Yamal? 3000 minutes this season already. 3000 minutes last season. He's 17 yo.
Mbappe? Has been clocking over 3500 mins per season of club football since has was 18. That's 8 seasons in a row. And he's all about making high pressure runs non stop.
I can keep going.
All managers play their best players in almost all games. You think Arsenal wingers are the only ones that help in defence? Give me a break.
Don't name players in other leagues that are not as physical as PL football. KDB crocked Rodri crocked (Haaland picking up lot of injuries). Are you even for real???
"Stop giving excuses for the mismanager of a coach we have. He beasted his players for years." is what was said.
I'm saying that every manager does it.
De Bruyne has had injuries in his whole career. It's speculation to say it's exactly because he's played a lot of minutes in high pressure in his career. Why was Diaby crocked without playing much? Reece James?
Haaland had bigger issues in Germany compared to City. That the PL is beasting him is not correct.
Rodri crocked after playing 33000 minutes of club football over the last 10 years and suffering exactly 4 injuries. He had missed 8 games in his career before he torn his ACL. 8 games over 10 seasons is insane, 5 of the seasons at City.
PSG LEFT SURPRISED BY LIVERPOOL’S LEVEL AND TIME-WASTING ANTICS
PSG players have been left surprised by the level displayed by Liverpool in Wednesday’s Champions League RO16 first leg at Paris’ Parc des Princes. Arne Slot’s Reds eventually came away 1-0 winners courtesy of Harvey Elliott’s 87th-minute dagger, but the runaway Premier League leaders were indebted to a supreme goalkeeping performance from Alisson Becker. PSG were so dominant that Luis Enrique’s Parisiens were far from resigned despite the daunting prospect on their hands to win the second leg at Anfield, according to L’Equipe.
PSG players are reportedly “obsessed” by Tuesday’s game at Anfield. Internally, the Ligue 1 leaders were even left surprised by the margin of their domination against Liverpool, whose level has also taken them aback. PSG players feel Arsenal and Bayern Munich – their adversaries in the league phase – are stronger and more complete as a team than Arne Slot’s Reds.
Liverpool’s time-wasting antics have also taken PSG by surprise. Centre-back Virgil van Dijk entered the books for doing so, but Slot denied the Premier League leaders intended to make the game as short as possible.
_____________________________________
Correct. PSG should have blown them away by a margin based on the performances in both legs.
They'll be surprised on Tuesday when much better teams than them felt the full force of what Anfield can do the opposition. Can't say they haven't been warned. Ask Messi! This team is a level above the team that smashed Barca.
_________________________________
Their delulu fans think this Liverpool team is better than the one that reached 97 pts and won the CL. Goodness gracious...
You don’t realize that you’re indirectly mocking your team? That a weaker Liverpool squad is about to walk the league title in a year that promised to be ours??
That team would have won the league in the past two seasons let alone this one. This Liverpool side are a good side but it was their season interms of circumstances.
That pool side was a Monster. One of the best I have ever seen to be honest.
PSG have an excellent technical level. Their wing forwards can all take the ball on the half turn. Their midfielders are above average on the ball as well.
Yeah sure Havertz and Merino cover ground and play different positions to varying degrees, but graft is one their two main qualities.
Real difficult to get to the next level when you are paying two all rounders in Havertz and Merino close a combined 400k per week in wages. A real expensive opportunity cost
Martinelli and Jesus are replaceable. But are very good players.
Jesus makes more us more fluid. When he is healthy, he is the wing type forward who can fit in with PSG types
Martinelli works hard, especially in big games. Does the running of two men on the left. Managers love that type. At 6m pounds at time of purchase, you keep him. Intensity and speed are qualities that our forward line sorely lacks. Can't sell the only guy who does that.
Havertz and Merino as central players actively hurt our style of play. Their off the ball qualities do not make up for the aggressively average on ball ability. Especially at a combines 400k per week. 65m and 275k a week for Havertz is an overpay
It felt good to make PSG look like an ordinary team when we played them. One of our best games in the last decade. We showed the level we can play had we had our players healthy and without VAR bs.
Kvara has 2 goals for them. Against Brest (7-0) and Monaco (4-1). Doue (a top talent) and Muani (our savior according to some) played that day so yeah.
Dembele was a miss for sure. We had Odegaard out so it balances out (lol).
personalities’ will say we need to move on from Arteta, but proof of connection is in the players. No one wants to leave.
I wouldn't read too much into what was a generic response from a player during an active season. He'll want to leave if we keep losing players and trophies we should be winning. And the football my god what a bore fest.
2022/23 Round 29
Arsenal 72 pts
2023/24 Round 29
Arsenal 67 pts
2024/25 Round 29
Liverpool 70 pts
Arsenal are shit. Liverpool with the blessings of PGMOL and Arne Slot's magical powers to prevent injuries (last night's injury to Trent doesn't count) show how miles ahead Liverpool is to this garbage, backwater team of Arsenal.
Not sure what you are saying. Everyone is literally saying Liverpool are where they are on merit and should be taken seriously even next season. You seem to be part of the few who believe that Liverpool are shit.
Where are Arsenal on round 29 2024/25 though?
You also swear we had exceptional seasons last 2 years and last year, Liverpool are almost on par with those 2 seasons or better. Surely Liverpool should be described as exceptional too yea?
Ah no I forgot. They are only top because PGMOL helps them and hates us plus santa gave them a magical recipe to avoid injuries and loads of good luck.
I've not called our last 2 seasons exceptional.
In 2022/23 I don't think we deserved to be where we were and getting just 1 injury that killed our season proved that. I was also, consistently on the record, saying that our last ditch wins are a sign of weakness not strength as if you are that good of a team, you won't leave it to the last second as consistently as we did. I was getting pelters from the biggest Arteta fans at the time. We weren't ready and it would have been a miracle had we pulled it off with the squad we had. I even had to make myself clear that I thought 2nd place that year was an achievement on it's own as everyone thought I was hating by predicting we'll end up short.
Liverpool in 23/24 were leading the pack and I talked about how they're winning games in a similar fashion to us the season before and how unsustainable that was. Pool fizzled out as expected later in the campaign.
We were actually a much better team in 23/24 than in the year before. I think the turning points were that Newcastle goal, wrongly given in about 3 or 4 paragraphs and then during our game at Anfield, Zinchenko's mistake for Pool's equalizer and then the failed pass by Martinelli in the dying seconds. I would say we didn't win the title because City showed an unbelievable level and PGMOL fked us in that Newcastle game.
But if I'm looking at just ourselves, our inability to deal with mid-block against Newcastle, Villa twice, Fulham twice was something we should have worked on to prevent going into the new season. Well, we again came out with Odegaard as our #10 so that was always going to be hard and it's been. Our best games this season have been either without Odegaard (PSG, Leicester), or with Odegaard barely a factor in the game (Brentford, City).
We've been having creative issues in the previous 2 years and in this season as well. It's literally been Saka + sometimes Trossard and that's it. That's not how a fully working attack should look like and the players + manager should be applauded for trying as hard as they have to keep pushing when it was never easy for us.
I wish we bring at least 1 creative player in the summer as I said, it could be a creative winger, or a creative player through the middle like Cunha. I don't mind as long as we get to see some new ideas. If we could have that Trossard performance against PSG in more than half his games, he would have been a stunning player for us. But that display showed me what difference having a proper #10 could potentially bring to our game. Hopefully Nwaneri is that guy so we can move the funds to the other positions.
raps is the resident xG expert and the stat’s biggest proponent, until you ask him Liverpool’s xG difference for the season where he goes: sorry, no hablo ingles.
The funniest thing about raps is everyone thinks he’s a lunatic who needs help based on his Ode fixation alone, even posters who dislike Ode agree. But as soon as he starts talking ref conspiracy and VVD red cards half the forum is like; ok, we all know he’s nuts but he has a point there.
You are free to believe whatever. Ode has been proving me right all season long.
It’s not whether you’re right about Ode, it’s about how often you make the point you weirdo lol.
Ask a normal question and most people would agree Arsenal need more creativity from mid, some will even agree Ode himself needs an upgrade.
Nothing wrong with either, until of course you start hammering it 50 times a day, which you do.
It wasn't the point in the summer though. Not even close. You are lying to yourself about that. The absolute vast majority would have told you what a special player he is, how he's our heart and soul and if not the best, probably 50% of all would have told you he's our most important player for right now and our future.
Part of the same majority were the fans who decided he deserves to be voted Player of the season in back-to-back years.
There used to be maybe up to 3 posters that shared that opinion with me here back when. Out of all the people that post here.
I used to get 30 dislikes in the previous site when I opened my mouth about him when Pedro changed the format of the blog to allow likes and dislikes.
You lot were doing the same to Pierre as well, thinking he's obsessed. You lot were calling him and me names. You (not sure if you specifically) were calling him old and senile and a bunch of other names I can't seem to bother to remember. Just because he had a different opinion on Odegaard - proven right btw. I hope the old man's fine and is still playing golf.
Things have definitely changed but there are still more than 50% that think Odegaard is him and find excuses for his shocking, embarrassing performances especially as a club captain.
Do any of my posts indicate to you I give a shit about what majority here thinks?
For me it’s always been Saka.
Ode, I can take or leave him.
He’s a tidy player on the ball with a nice short range passing , right attitude and work rate.
Arteta seems to love him so he stays no matter how often you set your hair on fire.
But do tell, in the event we decide to sell him, how do we go about getting the 70-80m fee projected by you for a complete waste of space AM.
I’m all ears.
This Désiré Doué lad is a gem! PSG are very lucky to have him. He would be prefect for us: skills, great technique, creativity and composure.
I'm annoyed cause again, the French league has produced some stunning talent and at one time we used to have that market locked in, until Wenger decided to go English yuf and the biggest French talents we got were Kos, Giroud and Lacazette.
The last super talented French player in our team before Saliba, is Nasri and that transfer was 17 years ago.
In that time the French NT more or less dominated world football. After the rumors about Benzema and Mbappe to only get Giroud out of that national team is quite disappointing.
Arsenal are not going to win any trophies this season. The reason for this is obvious. Too many
injuries to key players this season notably Odegaard, Saka and Havertz, plus of course White,
Martinelli and Jesus.
The departure of Edu for whatever reason did not help, because we needed to recruit a Centre
Forward in January.
Our priority now is not winning Champions League. That is not going to happen in absence of
a striker. What is the imperative is to finish in top 4 and qualifying for Champions League.
The reasons are obvious. One is the revenue and two is the ability to recruit top players in those
positions which need strengthening. Frankly we need to recruit at least 5 new players.
Specifically we need to recruit a new DMF to replace Partey and of course a CF to replace Havertz in starting lineup. Then we need a LW to replace Trossard, a goalkeeper to replace
Neto and finally a promising CB to replace Kiwor if he leaves.
Assuming that Tierney, Zinchenko, Jorginho and Sterling also leave this summer additional
replacements will be needed.
My viewpoint is that a successful team/squad needs a minimum of 20-22 experienced players whoare good enough to play in first team and the remaining places can be taken up by promoting a couple of players in Academy. The two for next season should be Dowman and a third string goalkeeper.
The bottom line is that we must never again leave the manager short of players as was case this
season.
Arteta needs also to reevaluate how the team is playing. Season 2023-4 was in my view the
correct way to play. I was unimpressed with the way that the team has played in 2024-5.
Arnie Slot speaking about the Liverpool vs PSG game; “ It was the best game of football I have ever been involved in”
If its true that he did say that, then respect to the man.
I'm sure he did not say the same about the first leg when two Liverpool players were booked for delaying the restart of the game, holding on to a 0-0 draw for dear life against a rampant PSG team that should have won by 4 or 5 goals, including a first half pen + red card not given to Konate that would have completely decided the tie early on.
No wonder PSG players were so surprised about how easy it was to play against Liverpool, nobody in France was worried, their biggest newspaper's cover title said "Mission Possible".
After the first tie and the way PSG roasted Pool, their players had supposedly said how Arsenal and Bayern felt the more complete teams compared to Liverpool.
But ask an Arsenal fan and they'll tell you how shit we are.
I thought it was the best CL game of the season thus far.
It easily could’ve been a semifinal.
Liverpool the ‘luckiest’ club in Europe mantra taking a bit of a hit facing PSG this early one might think.
It will be awkward if PSG make the final or more.
Also, do we root for Villa or PSG when they face each other next round.
Looking for some guidance on that from Pedro
Again, stop listening to those voices in your head raps.
No one here ever said Pool were amazing at any point of the season, just that they deserved their league position which, your beloved xG difference stat you only keep quoting only whenever suits your childish agenda proves beyond doubt.
Like Jamie said, mix it up a bit bro, hit a gym, get laid( pay for it if you must), get some oxygen into your brain…….or not.
On aggregate:
Liverpool (1.98) 1-1 (5.33) PSG
Nothing more to be said there. Complete and utter dominance against a Pool team with zero important injured players. They got spanked in both legs. This is with a blatant pen + red not given to Konate. If that had happened like it should have, it would have been one for the ages.
We were about to spank them as well, then PGMOL and 2 injuries (Gabriel and Timber) during the game happened.
The worst PL champion in a very, very long time.
You again seem to be confused raps, no one is saying PSG didn’t deserve it.
They did.
But they play in France and aren’t part of the EPL.
What’s Pool’s xG difference stat for the league?
Cmon, don’t be shy, you must have it in there somewhere
Should we count the 9 penalties as well? Or the pens that should have been given against them? Or the 7 or 8 times they should have had a player sent off? The only red card they have received is that blatant direct red to Robertson https://streamff.com/v/0a797804 . There was no escaping that red but the others, yes.
Yada …yada…yada
Liverpool are shit ….Liverpool are lucky…Liverpool are PGMOL’s love child
…. and yet, Liverpool are winning the league on a stroll, at a canter, in Slot’s first season after a summer when all they bought was Chiesa.
Like I told you, the joke is on us.
The David Coote video didn't drop for no reason. But you're free to believe what you want.
All I know is, we got red carded for literal joke shit. Literal joke.
While VVD's been elbowing players left, right and center with no issues whatsoever, their players been kicking the ball after a signal, no issues, while we were fucked for Saliba's foul against Brighton, they were spared for worse incidents and given some ridiculous penalties.
The two teams were refereed differently but if you don't agree, it's okay.
And even after all of that, we were 7 points behind them up until Havertz got injured after Saka, Jesus and Martinelli.
At this point, I’m guessing you’re a kid
14y/o max.
I withdraw my earlier suggestion of getting laid or hitting the gym, unless a gym in question accepts minors.
Wasn’t it Liverpool and their former manager was that was singled out by David Coote?
You’re undermining your own points mate.
Don't you get it?
Since a video of a PL referee got "leaked" in hating their club and ex manager, PGMOL had the freedom to give everything in Pool's favor and actually "HAD" to do it so they come out of that as clean as possible.
If PGMOL weren't giving calls in Pool's favor, they would have faced a ton of unwanted attention. They've received every 50/50 and more than that really, everything but that Everton goal in the derby.
The genius part of it, what if that video "leaked" so PGMOL could influence games in Pool's favor without having to worry about it, cause you know, the public opinion is how a PL referee publicly spoke about his hatred towards them.
Even if the "leak" was real, the PGMOL organization looks very much on a mission to "prove" there is no bad officiating going against Liverpool. By giving all the decision in their favor.
You cannot explain to me Rice's and Trossard's second yellow cards. Liverpool have gotten away with way, way, way bigger offenses than that this season. A PGMOL title on display.
One of the accepted no-nos of club transfers is never buy players because of their excellent form in international competitions like the WC or the Euros
We definitely bought Calafiori and Merino, partly off the gloss from the Euros - see how that’s worked out.
Liverpool bought the Georgian goalkeeper, Mamardashvili, with his excellent performances in the Euros in mind. Problem is that, he’s been a shit show this season and I bet they’ll be rueing making that transfer as they did.
I hope we don’t make that mistake a third time by signing Niko Williams.
Don’t believe me, just watch 1-2 FULL Bilbao games and make up your minds.
I can guarantee you I was reading news and commentators were talking about it during the EURO about our interest in Cala and Merino. Like during the group stages.
I said “partly”, they may have been on a short list but their competition form definitely drove them up that list. Their Euros form also boosted the asking price of the selling clubs, those are undeniable facts.
Why else would we have paid about £30 million for a 28 year old journeyman plodder like Merino who had ONE season left on his contract?
I don't think Merino showed that much there tbh. For sure he was bought because of his performances for Sociedad.
Cala had a brilliant Euros but you should agree, he's as good as he showed there so I don't think we were deceived in any way with him. We bought exactly what we saw during the Euros.
No I don’t agree
-Cala can’t defend to save his life
He’s not even a better defender than Kiwior, when you take away his goals. He’s just an emotional player who has a knack for doing well in the opposition box. I realized it very quickly when he faced Tyler Dibblin at the Emirates. He spent more time touching his hair than defending.
-Merino is a plodding journeyman with average speed, average tackling, , slowed thinking and a very wide turn like a super tanker. You sw what happened when he moved into the midfield after Partey was pulled out at United?
Cala wouldn't look as bad when defending at CB cause most CFs don't have the same pace and mobility wingers have. I agree that he's not performed up to par defensively as a full back.
On Merino, I didn't have an opinion when he arrived. I saw the logic behind it, having another pair of legs for the inevitable moment when Partey gets a bad injury... Well, I haven't been impressed at all. I still haven't seen much but from what I have seen, I don't rate him.
Cala does better in front of goal than most center backs but shows defensive naivety when he’s in defensive positions. I’ve never seen Wan Bissaka dominate anyone so thoroughly. At some point he even started flicking the ball over Cala!
Merino is just unsuited to the league. I dare say…and I may get pelters for this…Elneny was better that than him.
And until Saliba re-signs then these are nice words but nothing more
Re Berta, we all know what we need. If he gets those kind of players in then he's succeeded. If not we know what kind of hire he is. If he can stop Arteta from breaking players then he'll be great
How is he supposed to stop arteta breaking players? Is he going to be picking the starting line up??
Arteta breaking players... Give me a break.
Arteta had 5 full seasons of Saka not breaking, 5/5 full seasons for Gabriel as well, Rice on the way of 2/2 seasons not breaking, White was healthy for 3 full seasons.
Slot has one season of healthy Salah and VVD and suddenly he's the messiah. Bukayo was healthy for 5 seasons. Hello?
Raptora, all is well with Arsenal. We lost the league because of injuries, bad luck and PGMOL hate us, only. No fault of ours. Liverpool are the worst champions ever, were lucky and heavily helped by PGMOL. Next season we don't need to do anything we'll walk the league. Probably win it by April cos we are the best ever.
We have heard you now.
raptora’s shitposts are entertaining but divorced from reality.
In a normal Arsenal year Pool don’t win the title he says while they are already on more points than we’ve been on most years.
But I guess he means the last two years of 89 and 86 points respectively which they still may better with 9 games to go.
It won’t matter though if they do, that’s the whole point of shitposting.
Konate and Trent limping off in extra time of what looked like a track meet of a knock out CL game against the hottest team in Europe , one rolling over his ankle and knee on sideline’s turf, the other yet unknown although probably less serious, is not exactly comparable to Havertz doing his hammy in Dubai…….or is it.
Of course it is……….when you live in tha same space raps lives.
But I was told Slot has ways to prevent that from happening?
‘But I was told Slot has ways to prevent that from happening?’
That’s just the voices in your head, raps.
Just ignore them.
Nah, there were a stat how at Feyenoord he's had players remain healthy yada yada yada and of course that reached the blog and was used against our manager and as a proof that Slot has special ways compared to our abuser of human rights. How Liverpool even targeted him because of that track record. You know it.
Next time a Slot team loses his entire starting front line to a hamstring injury you might have an opening to start that conversation.
This wasn’t it.
We were in a better position than Liverpool before the season started.
We'll be in an even superior position in the summer when they'll either lose for free or renew on gigantic wages their old stars + Trent's inevitable switch to Real Madrid on a free. From a team with 4 world class players, there's a chance only Alisson stays put.
It's up to the owners/directors to give a war chest to Berta and Arteta, hope they hit a homerun with the players they bring in.
I've said already in the last week or so. Next season, assuming the management is given the required money (~150-200m), and I expect that to happen, it's do or die for Arteta.
I would support him staying beyond next season only if:
- we win either or both PL and CL obviously
- we win the FAC and collect about ~85 pts plus but we don't win the title
- I could be swayed in keeping him if we get close to 90 pts but it's not enough
In any other situation, we should look into bringing in a replacement. Who would that be? Inzaghi, Alonso, Flick, Zidane, Enrique, Iraola.
Liverpool will lose those 3 but you'll be shocked they'll be replaced. Jota can go back to the wings, they sign a striker, a defender that can have VVD's kind of impact when he came and get a RB. For me, it's easy to replace Trent. What he possess can be compensated with a different style and system. Liverpool will then have the mentality advantage.
We are Arsenal fans so obviously will be biased to Arsenal but you are in for a long ride if you think we'll show much superiority over Liverpool.
We still don't have a striker, don't have a credible 10, dnt have an 8, and 11. We need as much work as Liverpool to even stand a chance.
Trent is already being replaced with that new academy product.
Salah and Trent are leaving but VVD could easily stay and play at his level another season or two.
But the idea they lose Salah and drop to 6th or 7th in the league can only be cooked up in a brain of a desperate Arsenal fan.
Totally agree, Tom.
That's not true at all.
The spine of Liverpool - we've got that. We are there. We're not losing anyone this year.
We've got Raya, Saliba, Gabriel, Rice, Saka and I'll add Havertz although I know you don't rate him. But that's a spine solid as fuck.
They've got 4 world class players, 3 will probably leave. On a free.
It's like if we lose Saliba, Gabriel and Saka in one window. We might but not this summer.
How can you say we need as much work? It's not even close.
What sort of delusion is this? Sorcery??
What don't you agree with? Liverpool are on their way to have 3 world class players leave on a free. If they decide to offer new contracts to a 33 yo Salah and 34 yo VVD, they might be even more fucked long term. If they don't they lose 3 world class players with Trent going to Madrid. For free.
Yes, the equivalent of that in our team would be losing Saliba, Gabriel (or Rice) and Saka in one window. For free.
Or you don't agree we have a spine solid as fuck compared to a Liverpool team without 3 of their 4 world class players?
We already had this spine and we are losing the league to them. They ate maturing and will get better, you may say, but that's not a given. Kai is a part of the problem of this team not a solution (unless he plays at 10 floating in from the right, that's where I rate him).
Everyone universally agrees tht we need a 8, 11 ( our options there aren't serviceable anymore) 9 and you more thn everyone believe we need a 10 (i believe that too And I think we already have him in Kai)
Our spine is all about stopping the goal (apart from Saka). If they all play consistently next season without injuries, our problems will still persist. We'll stop goals but won't score plenty.
Defences will win you the league only when you habe strikers and forward players to put the ball in the other net.
We need much work. As much as Liverpool
I won't say our players will get better. Nwaneri will, Dowman will, the rest might even regress, we can't be sure.
We didn't really have that spine cause Saka and Havertz got injured. Up until that point, we were 7 points behind them- https://www.worldfootball.net/schedule/eng-premier-league-2024-2025-spieltag/25/
Round 25
Liverpool 60 pts
Arsenal 53 pts
That's PGMOL difference and we should have been ahead really. Even not counting the 7 red cards Liverpool were spared, even the ridiculous pens they've received, just from the mistakes in our games, we should have been +8 and they be -1 so we should have been ahead by 2 points. Add VVD, Konate and Szobo's red cards, we should have been comfortably first.
After Havertz' injury, in addition to Saka, Jesus and Martinelli, our offensive power was dusted. Before that, PGMOL was the main character.
I know you don't agree but 7 points difference in 25 rounds, that's PGMOL difference. We should have been ahead of that point, really. After we lost all Saka, Havertz, Jesus and Martinelli, that's when we lost tempo.
You're already putting up an advance excuse by saying if the management gives a certain amount and he fails....he will have to make do with whatever he's given as do other managers, he's been here 5 gojng on 6 seasons, the squad is his, the additions in the summer will be his, it's okay to say that should be his last chance at it
Talk about excuse……. whatever happens in the summer TW Arsenal aren’t replacing Odegaard.
That’s the only excuse raps needs for an eventual failure might it happen next season.
I say it cause we sold well last summer and we'll sell a few more this summer + we'll probably save on the wages of a few players.
After the below average spending we had in the last 2 windows, I expect a decent chunk of money to be made available for the management to use.
The management has done a top job in raising the income of Arsenal FC. I can absolutely say that Arteta/Edu have been supported well enough for our reality and while I understand why we were more careful with our spending in the last 2 seasons, I expect the upcoming summer to be our most important window in a long time and for a long time going forward, including both the past and the future.
Berta can become a cult hero if he makes the right moves in his first window.
All you need to know if Arteta has the ability to spot talent isto compare the 2022 purchase of Vieira from Porto for €35m plus €5m in add-ons, versus PSG buying Vitinha for €41.5m from Porto. He has been fabulous while Viera is abysmal. Why did Arteta not recognize that Vitinha is a far superior player then Viera at Porto? He doesn't have that ability.
Hopefully Berta will put an end to buying players who are pants or are being played out of position.
https://www.goal.com/en/lists/mikel-arteta-ripped-unacceptable-mistake-two-seasons-running-ex-arsenal-star-claims-not-world-class-manager/blt3944ee5fcdc8126a
I see Trent and Konate are expected to miss the Carabao cup final.
I was lead to believe injuries don't happen under Slot.
Jeez rap, you make arguments with so much agenda, it looks insane really
No, but I was actually told Slot protects his players in a way they don't get injured. What happened?
Stage is set for Joe Willock to get the winner on Sunday.
I miss Arsenal going to Wembley finals. The last four FA cup wins were joyful times for me
So you prefer FA cup to Champion League.
Stop giving excuses for the mismanager of a coach we have. He beasted his players for years. Pedro hammers on it like it’s a compliment, but it’s not!
Most of your comments tonight reek of downplaying Liverpool’s success this season, masking our failures. It won’t work!!
Next season, like the Wenger years, we’d still be battling with how PGMOL screwed up our season, instead of professionally dodging their traps.
There’ll be recurrent excuses next season! I’d be there!!
"He beasted his players for years."
Every manager in the world plays their best players in every game of significance. Pep? Klopp?
Pep - Rodri, prime KDB, Haaland, you name it. They play every game.
Bellingham is on 3000 minutes this season and would have been on more had he not missed games due to an injury and a red card. Last season - 3730 minutes then a EURO playing 700 minutes there and during the international games. Same thing last season for Dortmund - 3550 minutes. He's 21 yo.
Raphinha? 3350 mins. Has started 40 out of the 42 games Barcelona have played. He puts on a defensive shift as well.
Yamal? 3000 minutes this season already. 3000 minutes last season. He's 17 yo.
Mbappe? Has been clocking over 3500 mins per season of club football since has was 18. That's 8 seasons in a row. And he's all about making high pressure runs non stop.
I can keep going.
All managers play their best players in almost all games. You think Arsenal wingers are the only ones that help in defence? Give me a break.
Don't name players in other leagues that are not as physical as PL football. KDB crocked Rodri crocked (Haaland picking up lot of injuries). Are you even for real???
"Stop giving excuses for the mismanager of a coach we have. He beasted his players for years." is what was said.
I'm saying that every manager does it.
De Bruyne has had injuries in his whole career. It's speculation to say it's exactly because he's played a lot of minutes in high pressure in his career. Why was Diaby crocked without playing much? Reece James?
Haaland had bigger issues in Germany compared to City. That the PL is beasting him is not correct.
Rodri crocked after playing 33000 minutes of club football over the last 10 years and suffering exactly 4 injuries. He had missed 8 games in his career before he torn his ACL. 8 games over 10 seasons is insane, 5 of the seasons at City.
From last week
PSG LEFT SURPRISED BY LIVERPOOL’S LEVEL AND TIME-WASTING ANTICS
PSG players have been left surprised by the level displayed by Liverpool in Wednesday’s Champions League RO16 first leg at Paris’ Parc des Princes. Arne Slot’s Reds eventually came away 1-0 winners courtesy of Harvey Elliott’s 87th-minute dagger, but the runaway Premier League leaders were indebted to a supreme goalkeeping performance from Alisson Becker. PSG were so dominant that Luis Enrique’s Parisiens were far from resigned despite the daunting prospect on their hands to win the second leg at Anfield, according to L’Equipe.
PSG players are reportedly “obsessed” by Tuesday’s game at Anfield. Internally, the Ligue 1 leaders were even left surprised by the margin of their domination against Liverpool, whose level has also taken them aback. PSG players feel Arsenal and Bayern Munich – their adversaries in the league phase – are stronger and more complete as a team than Arne Slot’s Reds.
Liverpool’s time-wasting antics have also taken PSG by surprise. Centre-back Virgil van Dijk entered the books for doing so, but Slot denied the Premier League leaders intended to make the game as short as possible.
_____________________________________
Correct. PSG should have blown them away by a margin based on the performances in both legs.
On aggregate: Liverpool (1.98) 1-1 (5.33) PSG
tomdonovan
They'll be surprised on Tuesday when much better teams than them felt the full force of what Anfield can do the opposition. Can't say they haven't been warned. Ask Messi! This team is a level above the team that smashed Barca.
_________________________________
Their delulu fans think this Liverpool team is better than the one that reached 97 pts and won the CL. Goodness gracious...
You don’t realize that you’re indirectly mocking your team? That a weaker Liverpool squad is about to walk the league title in a year that promised to be ours??
Lol that is hilarious.
That team would have won the league in the past two seasons let alone this one. This Liverpool side are a good side but it was their season interms of circumstances.
That pool side was a Monster. One of the best I have ever seen to be honest.
Had they won the CL along with the prem & prob Carabao cup,their fans & the media would have been insufferable.Pride comes before a fall.Always.
Liverpool were favorites to win the CL. Until 25 minutes ago.
In their minds & the English media.Arrogance has a habit of biting you in the arse.
PSG have an excellent technical level. Their wing forwards can all take the ball on the half turn. Their midfielders are above average on the ball as well.
Yeah sure Havertz and Merino cover ground and play different positions to varying degrees, but graft is one their two main qualities.
Real difficult to get to the next level when you are paying two all rounders in Havertz and Merino close a combined 400k per week in wages. A real expensive opportunity cost
Add to it, the combined 450k Jesus and Martinelli are drawing weekly.
Martinelli and Jesus are replaceable. But are very good players.
Jesus makes more us more fluid. When he is healthy, he is the wing type forward who can fit in with PSG types
Martinelli works hard, especially in big games. Does the running of two men on the left. Managers love that type. At 6m pounds at time of purchase, you keep him. Intensity and speed are qualities that our forward line sorely lacks. Can't sell the only guy who does that.
Havertz and Merino as central players actively hurt our style of play. Their off the ball qualities do not make up for the aggressively average on ball ability. Especially at a combines 400k per week. 65m and 275k a week for Havertz is an overpay
It felt good to make PSG look like an ordinary team when we played them. One of our best games in the last decade. We showed the level we can play had we had our players healthy and without VAR bs.
The PSG you see now are at a higher physical level than in the Fall.
They are on an upward trajectory. Excellent side who will get better.
Their recruitment is quality and are appealing to young talents and established stars (maybe Vinicius, Konaté).
Dembélé was out and now they’ve added this Kvara dude.
This is not the PSG we faced.
Let’s not start belittling our well deserved win agains them.Its demeaning.
Kvara has 2 goals for them. Against Brest (7-0) and Monaco (4-1). Doue (a top talent) and Muani (our savior according to some) played that day so yeah.
Dembele was a miss for sure. We had Odegaard out so it balances out (lol).
Agreed. Enrique is doing a fantastic job. They are an exciting team and a joy to watch. Maybe this finally will be their year.