Actually, I'm not wrong, we ARE NOT doing better than last season, having more goals and less goals conceded doesn't automatically= better than last season, WE HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF POINTS FROM LAST SEASON, so how the f--k is that better than last season? You're being truly desperate now if you want to argue we are doing 'better' than last season because of 7 more goals and 4 less goals conceded, that is the epitome of desperation. My negative outlook has been wrong? HAHAHA, yeah ok, because sitting 6th, and being 18 points behind United isn't negative enough. ONCE AGAIN you have just proven what I have been saying, that fans like you aren't actually that concerned about what's happening and don't think it's too bad and yes, you are somewhat SATISFIED with our position. Now again, you will say, SHOW ME WHERE I SAID THAT. the very fact you write this: Your negative outlook of the season has therefore been largely wrong Is the proof in the pudding. So according to you, even though we're 6th, 18 points behind United, on same points as last season (no progress), my negative outlook is still wrong, da ****kkkkkkk.
The one with their heads buried are people like you, trying to argue things are moving good when we sit 6th, and 18 points behind United. We have the SAME AMOUNT OF POINTS AS LAST SEASON so far, please tell me how exactly that's better? Even if we had 1-3 more points at this stage to last season that STILL wouldn't be something to go yapping about as some major improvement. The true test of how far we progress is how close we finish to the top teams, and what type of challenge we make on the league, which thus far, has been utter sh!t. 18 points behind United, but heyyyyyyyy folks, NOTHING TO SEE HERE.
Please try to articulate your agruments better 87. To my mind, progress this season would be finishing in the Top4 with less of a points gap to the leaders than last season, while maintaining or bettering the performance in the CL & FA Cup. This graphic shows: http://www.not606.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20890&d=1358955802 That for the last 2 years Arsenal have been finishing further from the top than the previous year. This slide must be reversed for me to believe tangible progress has been made.
Let's wait until the end of the season to determine if we've got better, worse or remained the same. In fact, we will soon find out if our current team has it in them, during the business end of the season. We have Spurs, Chelsea, Everton and Liverpool all breathing down our necks and this would be a true test of our players.
No, I'm less happy (when it comes to Arsenal anyways) another Season going by without challenging or making an concerted effort to challenge. We're on the same number of points as this time last Season but this year Tottenham,Chelsea and Everton are all stronger. So its still going to be harder to make the tope four. Ooohh and we sold one of the Worlds best players to United. We're still not moving forwards.
This. To beat last season's 70 point haul Arsenal can only drop 11 points in their last 15 games. Not impossible, but well above the standard seen so far. Saying that, I have nothing against the positive vibes on here
Tottenham were in a much more favourable position this time last year. Whether or not they had a better squad is debatable.
Footballs a funny old game, Spurs were in a much better position yet fluffed it majorly, handing us 3rd. When the pressure is on, players start to fade and the tiredness really starts to set in. This time of the season, it becomes more mental than anything. That's why Manure keep on winning, they have the strongest collection of mentally strong players.
NEGATIVES THIS SEASON 1. Spurs, Everton and Liverpool have stronger squads. How many players did each lose vs. who they've brought in? Spurs losing VDV and Modric's loss seems to have had little impact with Dembele and Dempsey ablely covering PLUS adding Vertonghen and Loris and reinforced Spurs defense....It's not debatable 2. We incurred far more injuries for the 1st half of last season. Remember how many games we had few to no full backs? Wilshere was out all season, TV was missing, Sagna leg break. We are where we are this season on the same points despite having a pretty decent run of keeping a fit squad. More injuried will be tough to cover for. Imagine Gibbs out (God forbid) for 2 months and Santos coming in!! 3. We had the best player in the league who could single handley win us points last season. We have some talented players now but none who can win us points in the same way 4. Chelsea have no Champions League distractions 5. Our competitors have all strengthened with (seemingly) decent additions; *Spurs - Holtby *Chelsea -Ba *Everton - Leroy Fer?? *Liverpool - Sturridge, Coutinho
..and I expect Spurs to have another slip up this year. But I do think they have more strength throughout their squad and a better manager this term. To me they look a little more resilient. I wouldnt bet against us getting into the Top four but I think it will be a very close run thing.
... yet they were eight points better off at this point last season. It is still very much debatable as to whether this Spurs squad is better than the one last season.
I would suggest that squad and team wise, spurs are much weaker than last year: They lost a lot of squad players in; King, Corluka, Nelson, Bassong, Kranjar, Piennar, Modriv, VDV, Dos Santos, Saha, Cudicini. They brought in; Sigursson, Vertonghen, Dembele, Lloris, Dempsey. That's hardly an improvement. Plus they have less points. It really is quite debatable.
It is debatable otherwise this debate would not be happening, but your comment that Spurs are much weaker than last season has no basis in fact. Of the 'losses' you list only King, Modric and VDV are actually losses the others we wanted to move on. Take into account that we have played half a season without half of our first choice outfield players, BAE, Adebayor, Parker, Kaboul, Dawson, then we have done pretty well. Stronger or weaker it's a close call, we have not replaced VDV but maybe Holtby will be the answer there. Dembele is not another Modric he is a different type of player and stronger in some areas. Much weaker? that's your hope, but that's all it is.
i doubt we can count on Spurs imploding as badly as last season, so there's a good chance they'll do as well, or better.
We must go on a run, starting from todays Liverpool game. We need to get a win or draw. A loss will put more pressure on us and we can't afford that as Feb draws in.
Arsenal87 Would it be unreasonable to ask that you also wait until after that game before damning our chances in the self same competition?
I agree, I would like to add that DM is also a position that needs attention as we all know. And Sagna has also had a inconsistent season compared to his usual standards. All said the squad are ticking over and if we can keep the fighting spirit we've shown in the last few games we may be good for a top four slot and maybe... just maybe a cup final!?
