I agree 100%.. Call me deluded, Leicester, nothing special about them, they just have a better manager than us!
Offical match day thread
- Thread starter PINKIE
- Start date
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With respect but this is fanciful stuff.
I'd put Leicester's above yours by quite a distance, United's too. All of Fofana, Soyuncu, Maddison, Teilemans, Castagne and Ndidi would walk into your team. So would Shaw, Maguire, Fernandes, Greenwood, Mctominay and Wan Bissaka. I'd gladly take any of the above players at Spurs and would put both squads well above ours too while I'm at it tbh. And by dint of Kane and Son being miles better than Arsenal's equivalents, I'd say we're above you too.
The much of a muchness is when West Ham and Everton are brought into the equation. The former are punching above their weight and Moyes has done an excellent job this season. The latter...huge investment and a big name manager but the jury is very much still out on them.
You're probably the 7th strongest squad in the league and would be above Everton and West Ham with better coaching. But to suggest you're the 4th strongest is stretching the imagination.
They have a seriously talented group of players (most of whom haven't yet peaked) with a lovely balance throughout the squad. Their recruitment strategy over the past 2-3 years has been exemplary and makes that of Spurs and Arsenal look embarrassing by contrast.
I'm fascinated by this perspective as it is my experience that loads of Arsenal fans place your squad much, much higher than it probably is. By contrast most Spurs fans I know say we're 5th or 6th at best. And we have the best striker in the league.
I'd agree with you, CK, in that we probably have the 7th best squad in the league. Some of the players we have are 'big names' e.g. Odegaard, Willian, but frankly, that means nothing if they don't perform on the pitch.
Where I take issue is Arteta making us perform worse than expected. He seems to want us to attack in a very structured way and to occupy specific channels/spaces. And if those areas are blocked, then we pass all the way back to the defence and try to build attacks from the back again, rather than sustaining pressure or counter pressing. There seems to be little room for improvisation for our attacking players to have a bit more freedom when they foray forward. It's very annoying, but it's been happening throughout the entire campaign. It's affected our performances, our attacking displays, our chance creation and, crucially, our results.
Where I take issue with the Arsenal board is that they should have seen what happened at Chelsea and observed what an experienced manager can do with a group of players not optimising all their qualities on the pitch.
You said yourself that Moyes has over performed massively with his group of players - which is exactly the point. Under the parameters of this ownership, we need a manager to overperform with our roster. If the current manager can't do that, we should get rid and find someone who can.
Right now, Arteta isn't even performing at a par level - he's underperforming significantly.
I think it is a bit simplistic to compare individual players. I think Leicester players have no expectation to win the league or finish top4. Whereas the weight of expectations on our players is huge. Not enough to finish top4, we also want good football to boot! You take out players from Leicester squad, I would not be doing cart wheels, having them in my team.. Danny Drinkwater as good as he was, disappeared off the radar at Chelsea!
Shout to Mohammed Elneny.
Much vilified, whenever he’s played this season he’s been really good.
Deserves recognition
Much vilified, whenever he’s played this season he’s been really good.
Deserves recognition
Shout to Mohammed Elneny.
Much vilified, whenever he’s played this season he’s been really good.
Deserves recognition
Hmm - not sure I agree, Piskie.
He's scored a few good goals and had a couple of good performances this season, like yesterday. But for the most part, he's been the usual Elneny. He's too risk averse. Doesn't progress the ball fast enough. Takes too long to release the ball. Sometimes wanders out of position leaving gaps in midfield.
I don't think we should let 1 or 2 good performances overshadow how average he's been overall. If a decent offer of around £15m comes in, we should sell.
He is what he is. He’s not going to turn into Patrick Vieira overnight, but as a squad player he’s been really decent.
When he’s been asked to come in he’s done a good job, okay he’s not the most dynamic DM but he’s tidy enough and he’s popped up with a few goals too.
I think his past reputation goes against him with a lot of fans, as he has been extremely average. But I think he deserves recognition for his contribution this season.
Around 7th, or maybe 6th. Didn't expect us to be fighting for the top places right away. Certainly didn't expect to be fighting to stay in the top half (of the table).
A question if someone knows the answer:
Scenario: We get into the Europa cup final....we lose to Man Utd. The winner (Man Utd) will then go into the UCL next season. However, as Man Utd will most probably qualify for the UCL via the EPL, what happens to their qualifying spot into the UCL via winning the Europa Cup? Would this mean Arsenal as finalist losers would by default get the UCL spot for next season or no one gets it?
Scenario: We get into the Europa cup final....we lose to Man Utd. The winner (Man Utd) will then go into the UCL next season. However, as Man Utd will most probably qualify for the UCL via the EPL, what happens to their qualifying spot into the UCL via winning the Europa Cup? Would this mean Arsenal as finalist losers would by default get the UCL spot for next season or no one gets it?
No one gets it.. I think was the same with the game in Baku... Chelsea already got Champions League, we ended back in Europa, except this time no Europe!
If no one gets it, doesnt that mean there would be an unequal (odd amount of teams) in the draw. No one getting it just does not make sense, but I hear what your saying re 2019.
I think it might go to one of the other countries with a good coefficent.
shame that! Not that I think that we deserve anything being runner's up to the 2nd rate UCL comp
shame that! Not that I think that we deserve anything being runner's up to the 2nd rate UCL comp
**** it, I do. Give it to us
**** it, I do. Give it to us
I really hope for Arteta's sake the "right" team is picked and they play like maniacs possessed tonight..but who bloody knows!!
Would be nice if we got it by winning it and UEFA, than kicks the 4th team from the Premier League, that could then be Chelsea, but what then happens if they won it? Has their ever been a 5 teams represent a country in the Champions League?shame that! Not that I think that we deserve anything being runner's up to the 2nd rate UCL comp
Maybe it's just me who likes him..but can someone explain with the issues we have at Left and Right back why Cedric can't get in the team, I actually rate him. Why would you not have him in at Left back instead of Xhaka? and Bellerin on the wing hmmmm not sold on him these days..gutted Tierney isnt fit to start!
He won't be on the wing. That's just BBC making up whatever formation they like.
Leno
Bellerin
Mari
Holding
Xhaka
Partey
Odegaard
Pepe
ESR
Saka
Auba
With Odegaard and ESR swapping.