I think it started in the second half against Arsenal. We all see different things which we either do or do not read into these things and for me the second half against Arsenal told me Liverpool were going to fade. They didn't sparkle against City and tonight, apparently, they were rubbish if the Liverpool board is to be believed.
Our game is in between Chelsea at home and Cardiff at home. Considering the Europa League ties aren't too long after this, we don't have the squad to compete in 3 competitions, so I think we'll field a rotated side against United at The Emirates. I personally don't think we'll win, but would be bitter-sweet to be proven wrong. On the one hand, I never want us to lose any game, and getting knocked out by United would be the second-worst feeling in football. On the other hand, the league and Europa have to be our priorities for the season. We need to get Champions League football one way or another, especially as the Arsenal Supporters' Trust have predicted us to make a £70m loss (two consecutive seasons of no CL football, very little from player sales, costs increasing, Kroenke using the club as collateral...), so if that means sacking off the FA Cup, then I'd reluctantly accept a loss to them. Sometimes you need to think about the bigger picture even if it results in short-term pain.
Every time I see that celebration, I cringe more and more. And the worst part was, I knew what was coming as soon as he did that!
The image of Arsene Wenger, his icy cold hand clutching his 4th Place Trophy, will haunt your place for quite a while yet. That run of CL qualifications masked an awful lot of problems that are still to work their way through the club.
Yeah, it's unfortunately true. Words cannot explain just how much of a mess he, and the previous regime, put us in. Wenger is a huge reason why we have spent 2 consecutive seasons out of the Champions League and is also why our wage structure has caused so many problems. We have lost significant income and our wage bill is rising. Ornstein literally said the reason why the club have been reluctant for Kroenke to invest is because we may struggle to comply with FFP and the Premier League's wage controls as things stand. So the previous regime - of which Wenger was a HUGE part of - are massively to blame for our financial ineptitude. It's given us loads of headaches because we've not been able to propel forward in the way we want to. Wenger's insistence on giving long-term contracts to players that simply weren't up to scratch, and putting them on high wages they wouldn't get anywhere else (e.g. Elneny, Jenkinson, Perez...), is also why we are in our current predicament. We have an ageing squad, filled with average players, on high wages that are difficult to shift. He was also responsible for keeping incompetent coaches at the club. Have you seen what Szczesny and Fabianksi said about former goalkeeping coach Garry Peyton? Here: https://arseblog.news/2018/11/video-szczesny-and-fabianski-talk-wenger-jenkinson-and-gerry-peyton/ Shocking revelations and lack of professionalism from a supposed top club. People say that we only started spending big in the last few years. And to an extent, it is true. We didn't spend big money until 2013, but a large quantity of signings Wenger's made since then haven't exactly been raging successes. Even before that, we were still comfortably spending £15m-£20m on players (which, at that time, was still a fairly high sum) that proved to be a waste of resources. Our scouting network, and Wenger's renowned ability for finding 'hidden gems', in his latter years was clearly not what it used to be. A mixture of poor purchases, misguided sense of loyalty to certain players, mishandling players' contracts, rewarding underperformance of backroom staff and bad man-management skills have all contributed to where we are right now.
Even at the time I questioned why Arsenal signed Arshavin as that deal seemed completely out of character for the club's transfer policy at the time, as they paid £24m for a 27-year old player effectively because of his form at the Euros (which took place six months earlier) rather than their policy of bringing in youngsters to develop, and they paid a reasonably hefty fee considering both Arshavin and his agent were PO'd with Zenit for scuppering proposed moves (not least to Barca and Spurs) the previous summer
It's even more important for the Brighton match that the ref is strong. We can't have Pool getting back on track for their "entitled" finishing position by even more dodgy refereeing. They've already benefited by goodness knows how many points by virtue of their kindness. Another dive by Salah needs a card not a penalty!
Much I would like to, its far too soon to right Liverpool off, so they have lost 2 matches in a row, one against the reigning champions (and the team regarded by many as one of the best in recent years) and their 2nds lost to a Wolves side that beat us just 2 weeks ago and that defeat gives them a weekend off before the midweek games league games at the end of January which may help them. As Brian said we will know more after the next few games but I wouldn't be surprised they get a tight win at Brighton at the weekend, and then win the 2 home matches that follow. I certainly doubt that we will have closed the gap between now and the end of January.
Actually had this argument with NSIS on the PL board recently with him arguing we had the much stronger squad which i disagreed with. I have also had the same conversation on our board and just don't understand why so many accept the narrative that you have a small squad without actually looking at it in relation to the other teams i similar positions. My view is apart from City we are all about equal just with different areas of weakness ours being FB exacerbated by loaning out Clyne.
Actually think spurs have the deepest squad if you dont take into account injuries that have hit. They have the deepest players in defence and attack and their cms are only lacking rotation because of chronic injuries and where they are weakest (obvioisly not including city)
