Arsenal (A) - Sun 21st Sept, 16:30 | PL | Pre-Match Thread

[BringBackSwales]

So obviously Pep will do a Pep and completely change a winning line up. Exhibit A, 2021 CL final....

Which was FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO. “Funny” after everything Pep has won for us people still have to go back to a game that went wrong

 

[69FACUPfinal]

Which was FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO. “Funny” after everything Pep has won for us people still have to go back to a game that went wrong

Because it gave me trauma all through that summer mate. And whilst I've had massive family health traumas since then, the memory of thar needless messing with the line up will never go away. Since then we've won a lot - and far more than Arteta ever will, but you have to acknowledge that Pep does have a tendency to mess with line ups.

 

[BringBackSwales]

So obviously Pep will do a Pep and completely change a winning line up. Exhibit A, 2021 CL final....

Exhibit B

6 premier leagues
4 league cups
2 fa cups
1 champions lesgue
1 super cup
1 club World Cup
3 charity shields
The best football I’ve seen at City in my lufe

Not to mention the players that have come to City because of Pep - oops I just did

But maybe it’s best to fixate on one that went wrong, nearly 5 years ago

 

[Saddleworth2]

I don’t think this is a guarantee.

I think it’s entirely plausible (actually I think it’s likely) that after losing a few to us, they’ll lose a few to Liverpool and then either us or Chelsea will come back to the fore and they’ll lose a few to them too and they end this era with half a dozen 2nd and 3rd places without ever getting over the line.

I’m just not convinced Arteta is good enough, or that the players they’re buying are quite good enough to carry the rest over the line. When we were winning titles you could point to 4/5 of our starters and say they were the best in their position in the league - Haaland, KDB, Rodri, Walker. With Liverpool they could say the same about Van Dijk, Salah, Robertson, Alisson.

Looking at Arsenal I don’t think any of their players are the best in their positions - maybe Saliba.

Saliba, Zubimendi, Rice, Saka , are up there mate. Maybe not the very very best but not far off. The have strength in depth too. I think they may win one.

 

[Father Paul]

I still don't think that we're credible title challengers this season - for defensive reasons - but to say that it's a 2-horse race if we lose is crazy, so early in the season with nobody really having hit the ground running.

I know Liverpool are on maximum points, but having given up three 2-goal leads in just 5 games they'll be worried about Arsenal, Chelsea and even Spurs, who've only conceded once so far.

Arsenal to win the title for me, so I'm happy to treat tomorrow as a free hit. That way it shouldn't interrupt the positive momentum so much?

They went 2 up again today and look like extending their lead at the top.

 

[pee dubya]

I don’t think this is a guarantee.

I think it’s entirely plausible (actually I think it’s likely) that after losing a few to us, they’ll lose a few to Liverpool and then either us or Chelsea will come back to the fore and they’ll lose a few to them too and they end this era with half a dozen 2nd and 3rd places without ever getting over the line.

I’m just not convinced Arteta is good enough, or that the players they’re buying are quite good enough to carry the rest over the line. When we were winning titles you could point to 4/5 of our starters and say they were the best in their position in the league - Haaland, KDB, Rodri, Walker. With Liverpool they could say the same about Van Dijk, Salah, Robertson, Alisson.

Looking at Arsenal I don’t think any of their players are the best in their positions - maybe Saliba.

Totally agree.

Honestly last season was their chance, Liverpool were good, but the points tally was very low compared to the last seasons.

They've improved this Summer but so has everyone else.

I think they're a very solid side, but not exceptional. To win the league I think they're relying on 2 or 3 other sides to underperform.

 

[pee dubya]

Anyone else already tired of the fans that joined us after we became successful?

Rediscovered the ignore button this Summer, after not really needing it over our rise to success.

It's better.

 

[LesBleuMiserable]

So obviously Pep will do a Pep and completely change a winning line up. Exhibit A, 2021 CL final....

I keep having flashbacks of of that day. Was thinking then and still now play the same away side that beat PSG and perhaps we have a few more than 1 CL trophies.

 

[CC1]

So obviously Pep will do a Pep and completely change a winning line up. Exhibit A, 2021 CL final....

He makes one mistake !!!! Why don’t you focus on what he has achieved - some of which is unprecedented

 

[Zenmanc]

Mission impossible.

Those movies always end mission accomplished.

 

[Zenmanc]

Anyone else already tired of the fans that joined us after we became successful?

TBF there are a ton of sky's falling Eeyore on his worst day old timers that wear me down with their constant life on the ledge shoes on the wrong feet takes and reactions.

 

[69FACUPfinal]

Exhibit B

6 premier leagues
4 league cups
2 fa cups
1 champions lesgue
1 super cup
1 club World Cup
3 charity shields
The best football I’ve seen at City in my lufe

Not to mention the players that have come to City because of Pep - oops I just did

But maybe it’s best to fixate on one that went wrong, nearly 5 years ago

Remind me to avoid you irl.One of those types who likes to have the last word.

I am far from being alone in continuing to be annoyed about that CL fiasco.

 

[pbueno16]

Team momentum and the form of most I expect to start give me hope we can get at least a point out of this. Playing Reijnders as an extra goal threat would be nice, but I don't think we'd have the security in the middle against Rice-Zubimendi-Odegaard.

 

[ninjamonkey]

9 points behind and out of contention before October if we lose tomorrow

 

[coolcity]

Because it gave me trauma all through that summer mate. And whilst I've had massive family health traumas since then, the memory of thar needless messing with the line up will never go away. Since then we've won a lot - and far more than Arteta ever will, but you have to acknowledge that Pep does have a tendency to mess with line ups.

The one point absolutely everybody misses us that you don't know whether it will be a winning line up or not until after the event.

The other point is that Chelsea had the measure of us that season and knew exactly what to expect so there's a lot of light to changing that. It either works or it doesn't, but football doesn't work like that, you could field the exact same XI vs the exact same XI a week later and win 3-0.

Remember when we beat Huddersfield 10-1 then drew them in one of the cup comps not long after? If I remember correctly we drew 0-0 and took a couple of replays to get past them, eventually winning 1-0.with more or less the same team because it's all we had.

 

[coolcity]

9 points behind and out of contention before October if we lose tomorrow

No such thing as being out of contention in September in the real world.

But I guess you're one of those who said we had no chance of CL football this season.

 

[Eaststander1]

I wouldnt play Reijnders in this one.


Id go for a Rodri and Nico G

Think we will need that physicality though I dont think there is anyway Pep will do this.

Rodri clearly isn't fit even if he continues to think he is!

 

[coolcity]

Team momentum and the form of most I expect to start give me hope we can get at least a point out of this. Playing Reijnders as an extra goal threat would be nice, but I don't think we'd have the security in the middle against Rice-Zubimendi-Odegaard.

Funny how nobody rated Rice when we were allegedly interested in him, but now thinks he's a threat now he's at perrenial losers Arsenal.

I can also guarantee that if we keep the same side and lose you'll all be saying Pep should have freshened it up.

 

[BringBackSwales]

So obviously Pep will do a Pep and completely change a winning line up. Exhibit A, 2021 CL final....

I’ll add one more thing here. In all his time with us Pep has rarely kept the same team 2 weeks running (thus week being an exception) and he has done what people think are mad/weird tactical things - ball playing keepers, false 9’s, inverted full backs, midfielders regularly playing at full back, why the fuck do people call Pep out for the times it goes wrong? They are so heavily outweighed by things going right but it can’t be right every time. But hey ho it’s still regularly dragged up 5 years on.

 

[BringBackSwales]

Remind me to avoid you irl.One of those types who likes to have the last word.

I am far from being alone in continuing to be annoyed about that CL fiasco.

No you are right there are other muppets who continue to drag it up 5 years later. Pep has always changed his line ups, regularly doing surprising things, on balance I think he’s done it very much to their advantage. If that’s having the last word so be it