Arsenal Thread | 2024/25

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bridgeno1 said:
Well I think Arsenal can and will go again, but you're correct about pundits having a short memory, as if City will suddenly forget everything they've done to win 4 PLs on the bounce and start to crumble! Isn't gonna happen. City are the team in possession and it will take an almighty effort to overhaul them. I think when Liverpool did it they win pretty much all their matches for the 1st half of the season. Might take something like that.

As an aside, Arsenal's transfer policy over the last 12 months seems to be based on signing tall players with exceptional hair. Someone pointed out on an Arsenal group that Iniesta kept Arteta out of the Spain national side and that Arteta is compensating by signing only tall players with great hair!!!
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But thats my point thats just what you think, theres not a massive body of work to suggest it, we have been there or thereabouts for 10 seasons ish now arsenal have for 2 there isnt a massive body of work to suggest u can and will apart from the fans and some pundits really want you too. Im not saying you wont im just saying the reasoning is the same reasoning that the rags and dippers have for their entitlement in that you were once good and you're almost there so it will happen and it might but theres as much reason to think it wont as it will.
 
mancboy said:
But thats my point thats just what you think, theres not a massive body of work to suggest it, we have been there or thereabouts for 10 seasons ish now arsenal have for 2 there isnt a massive body of work to suggest u can and will apart from the fans and some pundits really want you too. Im not saying you wont im just saying the reasoning is the same reasoning that the rags and dippers have for their entitlement in that you were once good and you're almost there so it will happen and it might but theres as much reason to think it wont as it will.
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Yep agreed. There's no logic in the argument that this year is Arsenal's year. City haven't declined and Arsenal haven't signed peak Messi. So logic would dictate it will be pretty similar to last year and small details, injuries etc may decide it.
 
bridgeno1 said:
Yep agreed. There's no logic in the argument that this year is Arsenal's year. City haven't declined and Arsenal haven't signed peak Messi. So logic would dictate it will be pretty similar to last year and small details, injuries etc may decide it.
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You've got to have that inkling that it COULD be your year though, you've done well the last 2 years.

For what it's worth I would rather it be you than those rag or scouse cunts.
 
bridgeno1 said:
Yep agreed. There's no logic in the argument that this year is Arsenal's year. City haven't declined and Arsenal haven't signed peak Messi. So logic would dictate it will be pretty similar to last year and small details, injuries etc may decide it.
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How has your tactical approach changed this season? If it’s the same approach, but with slightly different personnel, it gives teams more of a chance of shutting you out.

Pep seems to evolve each season, from pacy wingers to inverted playmakers, inverted fullbacks to false centre backs.

That seems to be as important to our success as anything else.
 
mexico1970 said:
You've got to have that inkling that it COULD be your year though, you've done well the last 2 years.

For what it's worth I would rather it be you than those rag or scouse cunts.
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Yeah it COULD be our year, but like I just pointed out on another thread, there's no mystery about City. Put simply City are a team of excellent technical players who are superbly coached and have a hardcore winning mentality. To overcome them you need to be better than City at all 3. Not easy at all! The one thing Pep needs to keep an eye on is the hardcore winning mentality, to make sure that hunger remains, as the player ability and coaching ability is unquestioned.

So far Pep's managed to keep the winning mentality there and whenever you sense he feels the team are getting complacent he tends to come out with a public statement ti the effect that they will be on thin ice if he even gets a whiff of them not going full tilt, and that tends to have the desired response.

I think Arsenal have the hunger and desire that City do. I think they also have excellent technical players. At the moment though it's clear than whilst Arteta is an excellent coach, he isn't Pep (nobody is) and that's the big challenge for Arsenal.
 
Alan Harper's Tash said:
How has your tactical approach changed this season? If it’s the same approach, but with slightly different personnel, it gives teams more of a chance of shutting you out.

Pep seems to evolve each season, from pacy wingers to inverted playmakers, inverted fullbacks to false centre backs.

That seems to be as important to our success as anything else.
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Arteta has evolved each season - this year if you look at the acquisitions of Calafiori and Merino, both of which can play on the left I think he'll try to make us more of a threat on both flanks instead of relying on Saka on the right and worldie passes from Odegard in the middle. We were pretty lightweight on the left last season as Martinelli wasn't great.

I think there will be a lot more ball carrying from defence into attack on the left this season and to transition faster to beat the low blocks evergone plays against us (and which City have had to deal with for over 5 years already). But it will be evolution rather than revolution.
 
bridgeno1 said:
Arteta has evolved each season - this year if you look at the acquisitions of Calafiori and Merino, both of which can play on the left I think he'll try to make us more of a threat on both flanks instead of relying on Saka on the right and worldie passes from Odegard in the middle. We were pretty lightweight on the left next season.

I think there will be a lot more ball carrying from defence into attack on the left this season and to transition faster to beat the low blocks evergone plays against us (and which City have had to deal with for over 5 years already). But it will be evolution rather than evolution.
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That’ll be what defines the season really. Perhaps you need a Saka backup that is right footed and can beat a man on the outside too.

Not sure you need a mega striker as you score enough goals, but they can’t hurt if any become available.
 
bridgeno1 said:
He's a defensive midfielder. That's like saying Rodri is shite because he's only scored 21 goals in 174 games for Man City where loads more goals are scored than in other teams!
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Nothing to do with his goal scoring record.
More about the amount of games he has played in 207 since 2017.
Who's position is he taking.

 
bridgeno1 said:
Obviously if Rice gets injured he can slot in and another player like Partey or Jorginho comes in.
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So you haven’t bought him to cover for Rice, you have bought him to go straight into the starting 11 to replace someone? Very confusing. We don’t have a best starting 11 and that’s the difference between the two sides. You pretty much know how you will line up as Lego head flogs the same players to death, like Klipperty used to. We have no idea who will line up and that’s the beauty of what the club has done these past 10 years. Whoever does start barely weakens the side. Should be a good game when we play in a few weeks.
 
Eds said:
So you haven’t bought him to cover for Rice, you have bought him to go straight into the starting 11 to replace someone? Very confusing. We don’t have a best starting 11 and that’s the difference between the two sides. You pretty much know how you will line up as Lego head flogs the same players to death, like Klipperty used to. We have no idea who will line up and that’s the beauty of what the club has done these past 10 years. Whoever does start barely weakens the side. Should be a good game when we play in a few weeks.
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I think that's the point, he comes in and provides options.

You say you don't have a best starting XI but you do have some outfield players who, if fit, are in your starting XI against all but the weakest sides. Haaland, Rodri, KDB, Foden, Stones. You may rotate other places but those boys are nailed on to play against any PL team from mid table onwards. So 5 outfield players.

Last season we had to play the same starting XI a lot because of squad depth and injury to Timber but this season, bringing in extra players hopefully alleviates that. However, if we put Arsenal in the same scenario as above this season (playing any decent side) it's nailed on that Saliba, Odegaard, Rice, Saka and White start. Again that's 5, same as City. The idea is that Calafiori can replace either Gabriel at CB or play LB, Merino can slot in midfield but so can Partey, Jorginho, Nwaneri. Jurrien Timber is a superb player who can play anywhere across the back line or in midfield.

What we don't have is decent cover for Saka. City for sure have more options up front.

I get it that Arteta tends to play the same starting XI every game, and for sure Saka gets gassed in particular. Nwaneri is potentially a better player than Saka but is only 17 so not this season. But Arteta does have options this season to mix it up a bit.

We can slice it and dice it all we want but the reality is the main difference between the sides is Pep and Rodri. Aside them Arsenal are better at the back than City, but City have better offensive weapons. But the reality is, Pep is the GOAT tactically and Rodri can dominate a match and lock up midfield. So if Arsenal and City went head to head and were both at 100%, City would most likely win because of those factors. But because the PL isn't based on 1 match, Arteta is trying to boost the average level of performance in each game so we eke out an extra point here and there. If that's not enough to win the league, so be it, we're up against a fantastic team. In fact, ok, I'm a Gooner and think the invincibles were an unbelievable team with some all time great players but they never won the CL or a treble. So on that basis this City side is the greatest PL side there's ever been. The facts back that up.

So in that context it's like being the guy who finishes 2nd to Usain Bolt - sometimes if you've done your best and maximised your performance and you still can't beat the opponent then you have to respect that.
 
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Villa away tomorrow. Tough game, they mugged us at Villa Park last season so we owe them (in fact they beat us home and away). After that it's home to Brighton but then away at Spurs and then away at City, so a pretty tough start.
 
bridgeno1 said:
Villa away tomorrow. Tough game, they mugged us at Villa Park last season so we owe them (in fact they beat us home and away). After that it's home to Brighton but then away at Spurs and then away at City, so a pretty tough start.
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You deserve it!
 
As has been said before, the two head to head games are the key - effectively 2 six pointers. We all know what happens after Xmas every year - we put our foot down (it will be a surprise if it doesn't happen again) so Arsenal have to be virtually perfect until then to build enough of a gap so that the pressure doesn't affect them and it is mathematically impossible for us to catch them.
It will be interesting to see if they get a more difficult CL group this time.
 
BerkshireBlue said:
Still relying on rapists then. Despicable team with disgusting morals
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I must have missed the trial and consequent conviction. Anyway I'm not discussing this point further as I'm not privy to the information but just think on how ridiculous your statement is.
 
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