One thing that I found surprising about Arsenal's trip to Norwich was that they flew up there.
Luton to Norwich. 14 minutes in the air!
Luton to Norwich. 14 minutes in the air!
Rival watch
- Thread starter Spurlock
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Fair comments TMT, but I'd say relatively speaking WE HAVEN'T HAD a much better start.
I'd say it's about the same, we have two more points, they've had the harder fixtures, let's see after 12 games where we stand.
I expected QPR to get something out of the Everton game, and expect Liverpool to do like wise.
I can't stand watching Everton normally BTW, but this season they do seem to be playing some good stuff.
I still think if we finish above Arsenal we'll get CL, but that we won't finish above them.
To me, it was pretty obvious that they look vulnerable to pace, especially on the wings. I'm sure that won't have gone unnoticed, by Fergie, amongst others.
Having said that, if that midfield trio all stay fit, they will take some beating. They are just different class.
After 12 pl games will you guys have played 6 home and away, I know for us we will have played 5 home and 7 away. not sure about Arsenal and Chelsea
its their midfield which worries me especially if Wilshere is fit and raring to go and we alll know about Cazorla and Arteta, much of the build up will be about RVP against his former team but I dont see him having an outstanding game on the day he might get an assist though, Koscielny hasnt been in top form of late but Mertesacker has but he hasnt got a great deal of pace, so that seems to be where we could get the chances from, especially if Hernandez plays but dont see that happening.
Yep we will have, as will Arsenal. That's when I think it will be fair to judge, as the games we have played will be of roughly equal difficulty too.
I don't see yourselves and Chelsea as rivals, as I think the 'big 3' are on a different level to us and the rest of the country, but obviously for Utd, they should benefit when their home and away games come into equilibrium.
RVP and Rooney will slaughter Mertesacker and Vermaelen but at the same time Cazorla and Walcott will make short work of Rio Ferdinand and Evans. Arsenal should drop Giroud (who is pony) and play Walcott down the middle for this game because from what we've seen of Bale, Dembele and Kightly your backline simply can't handle players with pace that are prepared to run with the ball. Arsenal will still have the 8-2 in their minds at well.
It's set up to be one of the games of the season and I predict over 5.5 goals
I see your point but I think it does. I've always been a believer in form at the beginning does matter. Winning breeds confidence, just ask QPR. They aren't really a bad team (individually) but they've got in a slump and can't get out of it. With Reading its different as they genuinely don't possess the quality.
Arsenal are already in a position whereby if they fail to beat United a week Saturday that's their title chances done and dusted for another year. You can chase one team that is 12/13 points ahead but realistically not 3.
QPR you'd imagine will lose to Arsenal and if so that leaves them with 3 points from 9 games with some tough away games at Sunderland, Stoke and United as well as some winnable games at home to Southampton, Reading and Villa. Even with 10 points from those games that's about 13 points nearly half way into the season. With tough home games coming up in the 2nd half of the season to the likes of City, United, Arsenal and even Newcastle you'd have to say their ambitions already can't extend beyond a 14th/15th place finish. West Ham on the other hand have started well and have an outside chance of a top 7/8 finish.
You can't win anything starting well, but you can certainly lose a lot starting badly
If it were at the Emirates I'd say the opposite. I wouldn't be able to see anything but a win for Arsenal
judging from the Norwich game ,a lot of people are overestermating the goons ,i don't think they are that good,and there defence is just as dodgy as our's ,and they still don't have a proven goalscorer dispite buying plodolski and giroud
A nice sly dig there Luke
United started last season well and got nowhere. Chelsea started slowly but excelled towards the end and won 2 trophies so yes as a Chelsea fan I'm fully aware a good start means nothing.
Much like Spurs we won't know how good Arsenal really are till we see their first XI or something close to it playing together. I said before that I believe in terms of first XI the London clubs have closed the gap on the Manchester clubs significantly.
I think Spurs are much better than Arsenal going forward but Arsenal are more solid at the back. That is probably a reflection on both league games where we've played them. I make Arsenal at their best stronger than Spurs but not by much at the moment. Everything seems to run through Cazorla at the moment but I'd expect that to change when Wilshere and Diaby come back.
They could do Totsfan, if they do I reckon you lot will get in. One thing for sure is that club and its fans have become far too complacent.
I actually think in hindsight not being assured of top 4 going into the CL Final was the best thing that happened to us as we were the same.
Everton are in the mix but as we saw yesterday they will drop silly points. Apart from City and maybe Arsenal I can't see anyone going to WHL and winning whereas I can see a air few teams winning at Goodison and that will be the difference I reckon
I actually think in hindsight not being assured of top 4 going into the CL Final was the best thing that happened to us as we were the same.
Everton are in the mix but as we saw yesterday they will drop silly points. Apart from City and maybe Arsenal I can't see anyone going to WHL and winning whereas I can see a air few teams winning at Goodison and that will be the difference I reckon
Yes, I accept your point. However, the context of the original debate was where we would finish versus The Goons. I don't believe we'll be challenging for the title - certainly not his year, anyway. In that context, whoever has had the best start is somewhat irrelevant.
Also, You need only lose 2-3 games in succession, and whatever confidence you may have built up can quickly disappear. As we saw with Spurs at the end of last season.
Arsenal seemed to be going well until Norwich,they continue to confound. I've looked at it and cannot understand why they lost it.
Like us they've had a lot of injuries, and like us and indeed the vast majority of teams cannot cope with this problem. also we lost two top players in Modric and VDV, they lost an even better one in RVP. Gervinho has shown promise this season, but he's no RVP and was ineffective v Norwich.
Wilshere coming back should help, but it may take him a while before getting back to his formidable best. He may never be as good again, there's no certainty he will after such a long-term injury.