I wasn't trying to stifle debate, it was more that despite winning the last 1/4 of the season last year, and with nearly all our team getting better, the most common prediction is that (without signings) we will do worse. Just doesn't seem to make sense to me. I think these players earned the right to be given a bit of a chance. I want a couple of signings. that I admit, but I don't think this is the time to go making wholesale changes to the first 11 so that we have to wait another year for players to settle in. If we are going to win, we are going to need some of those young players to step up, even if we do get one or two signings.
Without a TOP class striker we have no chance of challenging. Our whole game is based on a high line and offensive play. An Arsene Wenger side without a World Class striker is like an Italy side without Top centrebacks.
But once again, Giroud is entirely capable of being a "World Class striker". When Drogba came to England he had just been 3rd top scorer in France, wasn't even top scorer like Giroud (btw Hazard was 3rd top scorer behind Giroud). Hazard was absolutely piss-poor last season, much worse goal-scoring record than Giroud, and everyone is ****ing over him, yet Giroud is maligned. Don't understand it at all. Podolski is also a top, top striker that was playing injured last year. These two are more than capable if they step up and play their best. (Should also add that Drogba, in his first year in the PL only scored 10 goals)
Nothing wrong with having faith in our players but it would be madness going into a new season with those 2 as our striking options...
I liked the look of Giroud, and I do believe he did well enough in his first season to justify being given plenty of game time next season. I have also always thought that Podolski is a class act, but that is mainly based on his performances for Germany and he could be one of those players who is particularly suited to international football, but I do think there could be more to come from him. I think the comparison with Hazard is harsh, he is a quality player who had an excellent first season in English football and he is an attacking midfielder not a striker and I think most of us are delighted if our midfielders are chipping in a with a goal every 4 games and 20 assists a season
He plays the same position as Podolski and Walcott, but my point is a fairly general one. Chelsea finished 2 points above us and yet they are considered "Miles" ahead of us for next season. I just don't get it. I know it has been frustrating the last few years, but this set of players were not part of that, and don't need to carry the burden of previous disappointments.
But they do carry the culture of failure at your club. Your delusion is incredible. Arsenal are not miles behind chelsea but they are miles behind united. Wake up
Well, most people are putting Chelsea ahead of United for next year. Logic takes a back-seat here. If Arsenal are close to Chelsea, but miles behind United, then it stands to reason that Chelsea are "Miles" behind United as well. So do Chelsea fans admit that they have "No chance of winning anything next year"? Of course not.
We win trophies regularly, Arsenal don't. We were miles behind United last season so I would be arrogant enough to say we will finish ahead of them. Hopefully with the Jose factor we can challenge them though. I am hoping for 80+ points
You seem to be missing the point that the big difference with Chelsea is they have gone from Di Matteo / Benitez > Mourinho, whereas Arsenal have gone from Wenger > Wenger and United have gone from SAF > Moyes. People are expecting Chelsea to be much better because they have a considerably better coach, Arsenal have the same coach.
Where did Wandering Yid say the signings don't matter? But yes, you are right, the coach is the most important thing. Jose would get more points out of the Arsenal squad than Wenger even if the football is not as pretty
Hate to agree with that, but that's probably true. Jose would do what we did in the final third of the season, but he would be able to see it through for a whole season. Also, he would clearly win us a trophy or two, even with our current squad. The guy is a master at that and his mentality is to collect trophies, so he would do everything he can to win a few cups. Sadly, Wenger has the lost his ability to win trophies. He has totally muddled his policy on the FA and Carling Cup, and those are the only two trophies that our squad can win.
Personal I dont think jose could have had a net spend of pretty much zero over the course of 5 or 6 years and got us in the champions leauge every year, no a hope in hell im afraid.
That's because he is a different type of manager to Wenger. He would not been able to work under our board and would have quit ages ago, but in a one-off season, I have no doubts that he would get a top four spot AND win us a trophy. Also I wonder how Wenger would cope with the pressure of potentially winning things if he moved to someone like PSG.
No he really is'nt. Giroud is a workhorse but he does'nt have the technical ability to ever be considered 'World Class'. He's a good solid second choice or impact player but he clearly does'nt have 'World Class' ability. If you look at Giroud's game then look at other TOP target men - Drogba, Cavani, Ibrahimovic, Huntelaar, Higuain, Gomez etc.. it's clear the guy lacks that little bit of 'sharpness' that these guys have. In fact if we compare Giroud with Higuain (the guy alot of fans want us to bring in). 1 Last year Giroud scored 12% (1 in 8) of the chances created for him while Higuain managed an impressive 33% (1 in 3). 2. Higuain completed 74.8 percent of his passes, a figure admittedly ranks below Arsenal's team average of 86 percent last season. But Giroud's completion rate was even lower at a mere 64 percent. 3.As for shot accuracy, Higuain out-performed Girouds 65 percent to 49 percent (according to Squawka). 4.According to WhoScored's defensive statistics Higuain was more effective in that area as well. Higuain completed more tackles (0.8 per game compared to 0.6) and committed fewer fouls (0.7 compared to 1.0) than Giroud. Comparing their career stats is even less flattering for Giroud - despite the fact the Frenchman spent most of his career in France's lower leagues. At 25 and 26 respectively, Higuain and Giroud both have time to develop. Higuain, however, is a far more polished product at this stage of his career.
It was eight years ago. He has got used to just fighting for CL places in that time, so the sudden change of expectation would test him, and if he does not sign a new contract with us, we might just see how he copes with that test next year.
