Hi Spurs, Just popping in to say, that I think you will get top 4 this season. You missed out by a point last season, and as far as I can see, all of City, Chelsea and Spurs have strengthened their teams but Arsenal, as usual have decided to dither and penny pinch. People have said this before but I really cannot see you finishing below Arsenal this season, unless they surprise us all and splash £60m+ on 2-3 big signings in the next couple of weeks. I expect maybe a panic buy or two from Wenger before the window closes, a £5 million signing of some random ass Tongolese player no one has heard of or something, but with the reinforcements the other top teams have made (bar Utd, who have signed no one, but are streets ahead of Arsenal anyway) I just cannot see Arsenal keeping their Champions League place this season. And it follows, as the team who have been knocking on the door of CL qualification for years (unluckily missing out due to UEFA that time) that it will be you guys who replace them, hopefully you will be able to perform as well as last time you were in it and help the PL get their coefficient up instead of leaving it all to Chelsea and United like Arsenal and City do. Good luck for the new season (Except against Chelsea )
i hope you are right, but i will never be confident of that happening while Wenger is still there. All the gunners that want him out are off their rockers.
Bodanki. I think with or without Bale we have genuine hopes of challenging for a top 3/4 position, a better team than last year if they can gel quickly. I will be fascinated/nervous to see how Mourinho deals with your team. My view is that you have too many very similar players (all of them top notch - and in Schurrle have bought another from what I can see) and it will take a "special" manager to put together a team that can challenge. Sadly (for us) you have a special manager. Good luck in being the second best team in London
Hi Bodanki. I know where you're coming from, but IMO it's still too early to call. You say Asrenal could strengthen. - i think it's a certainty. They'll buy a couple of marquee signings, IMO. Then we'll have very similar squads. We've got to be careful and work out where the balance in our squad is at the moment. - we've signed 4 new players already, and whilst there's the need for a clear out and AVB to get who he wants, too much disruption could be costly. we still need 2 more at least IMO, which is a minimum of 6 new players. That'll take come adjustment. Arsenal have a squad who know each other and are used to how one another play.There's a lot to be said for that.
I'll be amazed if Chelsea don't win the league this season. Your squad is miles better than ours, Arsenal's, Liverpool's and United's and I don't have faith in Pellegrini.
This is a good point. I think I wrote somewhere that I expect Arsenal to start really well (dreading first NLD!) but that lack of cover will see them fade later in the season if they don't address the size of their squad.
The problem for Arsenal is...who is available? I dont think there are that many Marquee signings available, let alone ones who will move to Arsenal over one of the rich clubs where they would get double the pay. Suarez was their last hope of a World class forward, and thats gone up the swanney. Arsenal's squad is decent enough, and as long as Wenger is there I cant see them spiralling down the table. But right now, with the new season starting in a couple of days and less than a month before the window closes, with no talks of any impending signings by Arsenal, the best I can see them doing is getting last minute panic buys, which rarely work out. You were one point behind them, your squad has improved, you have made 3 quality signings, I cant see you finishing below them this season, but thats just my opinion.
yep. I commented on here about a week ago, that, before gervinho was sold for 8m, Arsenal released/loaned/sold about 12 players for £2m. - surely it would have been better to have kept some for the depth, just incase? This is why I'm convinced they are bringing people in. you can't go into a Prem & CL season with out sufficient cover. Arsenal lacked depth last year in terms of game changers, very similar to us. They need to address it.
Mourinho was the most important signing for us tbh, what we have been crying out for since 2007 is management stability, I thought we had it in Ancelotti but then Roman released the Sack Hammer as usual. If anyone can get this squad to push for the title, Jose can. I will ignore the second best team in London crack If you lose Bale and get upwards of £80m for him, even if you spent only half that on your squad, and spent it wisely, never mind top 4, you could challenge for the title.
I think you guys are in a good position to get a top 4 spot but as long you play in a 5-4-2 formation. please log in to view this image
And thinking about it, having a team that will take your arm off if you try to take the ball away from them has to be a good thing.
If they've got the money to spend £40m+1 on Suarez, I expect they'll be able to compete financially in terms of wages. They wanted Rooney FFS! enormous wages! I agree with you, it does look good for us and I've said in other threads that as things currently stand, we're in a better position, IMO. But I just can't see them sitting back and resting on their laurels. They have a settled squad and will be fine for the first few games of the season (and beyond for that matter), so there shouldn't be any need to panic buy.
They are willing to spend (so they say), tho I am not entirely convinced that wasnt a ploy to placate their fans, as thy made that statement 3 days before the season ticket renewal deadline. But even still, no player, given the choice, would choose Arsenal over Chelsea, City, United, Barca, Real, PSG, Monaco or Napoli who all pay ridiculous wages that Arsenal cant even dream of. If a player is any good, then all those clubs I mentioned above will be going in for them. the only reason no one is going for Suarez is because: a) He is a discipline case b) He is suspended for the first 6 games of the season if he stays in England c) Liverpool will hold out for a ridiculous sum as he has years left on his contract; even if they do decide to sell, which it looks like they aren't. He was there only shot at a world class forward, Neymar, Falcao et all have al moved to other clubs (rich clubs). Like I said, the only players Arsenal will get now are panic buys, trust me. There will be no world class players moving there in this window.
I'd like too...but then I remember you're a Chelsea fan. TBF the way Arsenal finished the season (10 or so games after we beat them) they went on a great run. I can see why Wenger would believe they do not need to change much. A player of Suarez's ability in to apease the fans/season ticket holders and they are set. If we get Lamela, Erickson and Willian (or any of them) we will be very strong going forwards.
Careful, Bodanki, or you'll have some numpty Gooner calling you "deluded"! For the past three seasons, I have predicted that we'd finish above Arsenal, what with all the problems they've had with key players leaving, yet we always seem to manage to bottle it. Reknapp's was the the most disgraceful capitulation, when we really ought to have pushed for 2nd, let alone 3rd, and we still managed to finish behind Arsenal. The only reason we finished 4th was because you were so dreadful that season. I agree with you, if things stay as they are until the window closes, we should finish above Arsenal. Indeed, I'd like to think that Swansea have a chance of finishing above Arsenal. However, as I said above, I've now been bitten over three successive seasons, and I am not so stupid as to put my hand in the lion's mouth for a fourth time.
