Arsenal thread | 2025/26

[manimanc]

If you look at things logically, and not through the prism of a City or Arsenal fan, about 5 years ago there was a massive gap in quality between City and Arsenal, there wouldn't be a single Arsenal player even in the conversation of a combined team.

Over the next few years Arsenal started adding quality to the point that they ended up becoming City's rivals in the league. Then over the last couple of years City have dropped from 1st to 3rd, and I don't think it's outlandish to say that's because in these transition seasons the players they've brought in aren't as good as the players they have replaced, (YET) which were some of the greatest the league has seen.

So while I'm not a big fan of the combined XI chat, it would at least be debatable now when it certainly wasn't before surely?

......Parklife.......

 

[ChicagoBlue]

I think it’s arguably the most important position on the pitch. Heard of a guy called Rodri? Look how we fell apart last season when he came out of the team.

Ignores the point. You can be the best individual player in the world, but it doesn’t guarantee you’ll win anything.

Regardless, almost everyone in England believes Rice is a quality player, despite never winning anything with Arsenal, but you are entitled to your opinion that he isn’t. He would have been a far better purchase than Grealish has been!

 

[bridgeno1]

If you pull out of a international game because of supposed injury you shouldn’t be able to play the next premier game!

We all know this, Gabriel is a doubt for Arsenal next game it a lie he will be fit! They cheat in games so why anyone thinking he is injured they are wrong..

Ancelotti apologised for the injury in a press conference. This isn't a 'knock', it's a grade 2 muscle tear and the expectation is we'll be lucky if he plays again before Xmas. It's a blow as not only is he a key defender and leader on the pitch but he's arguably our biggest attacking threat too!

 

[alexmcity]

He would have been a far better purchase than Grealish has been!

Not at the time. We had Rodri and Gundogan back then, no place for Rice. But we needed Grealish who did very well in the Treble season. Maybe we would have won the Treble anyway, but that's speculative. Grealish played a role in that season and that alone justified the money we paid for him. Funnily enough, if we sell him for a non-big fee to Everton, he'd count as profit.

That said, Rice is an excellent player.

 

[TinFoilHat]

I thought about this the other day. But you can’t have a starting point that players, doctors and physios are dishonest - that’s a slippery slope

However, what I would say. Is if you pull out of a squad between the last club game and the first national team game, you should not be able to play in the next league game

I don’t think that is calling medical staff dishonest, I think that’s mitigating club/country row - Newcastle ‘lost’ Gordon and Hall, I believe. They shouldn’t be able to play V us

Doesn’t sound workable, though. If you genuinely twist your ankle so can’t play for a week but are fit in 2 weeks - we can’t really have a secret police monitoring minor injuries

The Spanish FA and Barcelona are currently accusing each other of taking the piss with Yamel being 'injured' before international games.

Wouldn't surprise me if England have the same issues with some clubs.

I wouldn't be surprised if all these injured players show up for their clubs at the weekend.

 

[Danny Tiatto]

Ignores the point. You can be the best individual player in the world, but it doesn’t guarantee you’ll win anything.

Regardless, almost everyone in England believes Rice is a quality player, despite never winning anything with Arsenal, but you are entitled to your opinion that he isn’t. He would have been a far better purchase than Grealish has been!

So you’re basically saying that Rices support cast at Arsenal isn’t good enough then?

I just find it ironic that Bellingham cops so much hate and accused of having a media PR campaign behind him to enhance his ability yet in my opinion the exact same thing is happening with Declan Rice.

I just don’t see what all the fuss is about. The guy works hard and runs around a lot but is a technically limited footballer who looks awkward on the ball and I dont think a team can win major trophies with him in their midfield.

So far I’ve been proven correct…

 

[GunnerGer]

You’ve already shown yourself to be a know nothing fukwit when you didn’t realise that last season was the only season you finished above us recently. 3 points more after we had a horrendous few months with 14 players out this time last season. You’ve got giddy on the back of starting the season well but you’ve made the same mistake that the Scousers have often made, you think good form is permanent. You’ve made no allowances for fatigue, loss of form, confidence & the fact you’ve shown for the last 3 seasons your form deteriorated after Xmas.

I mean, i made an error in my thinking that i owned up to that I'm not even sure anyone would have pointed out with the way i worded it, so if that makes me a 'know nothing fukwit' then ill take that.

I've not got giddy after the start of the season, i assume nothing when it comes to what will be won this season, believe me, i never make bold predications and I've been on here for over a decade. The overall point was that a few years ago, there was a big gap in quality between the teams and the squad, i think that gap has closed up as evidenced by the performance's over the last couple of seasons and this season. That means that picking combined XI's become a lot more subjective and supporters bias (on both sides) will kick in. That's all i was saying.

Oh, and this know nothing fukwit does remember that 2 seasons ago our form didn't deteriorate after Xmas, in fact we won 16 out of the last 18 games (& still won nothing). And if we are discussing injuries, would only be fair to point out that we lost a lot of our forwards the last few months of last season and had to play a centre midfielder up front February onwards.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Funnily enough, if we sell him for a non-big fee to Everton, he'd count as profit.

I’m not sure that’s true…but his sale price might be more than his amortization value on paper.

It’s hard to say you bought a widget for £100M, but it’s almost fully depreciated, so if you sell it for over £15M, you’ve made money, but we all have our angles.

There’s no doubting Grealish had his best season when we won the Treble, but it would be foolhardy to suggest Rice has not been a better purchase (even if for Arsenal) than Grealish.

 

[bridgeno1]

So you’re basically saying that Rices support cast at Arsenal isn’t good enough then?

I just find it ironic that Bellingham cops so much hate and accused of having a media PR campaign behind him to enhance his ability yet in my opinion the exact same thing is happening with Declan Rice.

I just don’t see what all the fuss is about. The guy works hard and runs around a lot but is a technically limited footballer who looks awkward on the ball and I dont think a team can win major trophies with him in their midfield.

So far I’ve been proven correct…

Teams can win major trophies with Rice, sadly for me that team is West Ham.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

I just don’t see what all the fuss is about. The guy works hard and runs around a lot but is a technically limited footballer who looks awkward on the ball and I dont think a team can win major trophies with him in their midfield.

So far I’ve been proven correct…

Again, your metric for being a good player is way off target, and you are now throwing in even more stuff.

I think he’s a very good player who would have been immense for City over the past few seasons. You think he’s “technically limited” and “awkward.” Got it.

Your view of “correct” is misplaced.

 

[Danny Tiatto]

Again, your metric for being a good player is way off target, and you are now throwing in even more stuff.

I think he’s a very good player who would have been immense for City over the past few seasons. You think he’s “technically limited” and “awkward.” Got it.

Your view of “correct” is misplaced.

Would not have even got into our midfield.

And I refuse to describe a squad player as immense

 

[super_city_si]

Would not have even got into our midfield.

And I refuse to describe a squad player as immense

Kind of on the same page regarding Rice. Dont think he would have suited our game and probably still doesnt. He's a good fit for Arsenal though and would have been superb under Klopp. He'll run all day long and give you everything he has. I also think he's not as technical as required for top tier players.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Kind of on the same page regarding Rice. Dont think he would have suited our game and probably still doesnt. He's a good fit for Arsenal though and would have been superb under Klopp. He'll run all day long and give you everything he has. I also think he's not as technical as required for top tier players.

He’s a better Nico Gonzales, who also takes corners and free kicks. He walks into the England team and the Arsenal team, and would have been the obvious and natural replacement for Gundo/Kovacic, even with Rodri fit and healthy…but he could have filled in for him, too, last year.

I give up. He’s shit and would be on the bench at City…got it!

(Delusional and I’m done.)

 

[Gordyola]

I’m not sure that’s true…but his sale price might be more than his amortization value on paper.

His book value will be >£20M due to, as you say, amortization anything more will be a book profit and count towards our PSR, although its not an issue for us

 

[Vienna_70]

I think it’s arguably the most important position on the pitch. Heard of a guy called Rodri? Look how we fell apart last season when he came out of the team.

That wasn’t only because Dave was injured.

Didn’t you notice that nearly all of the squad was injured at one time or another during the season. Some were even playing when injured, as they were the least hurt.

Not only that, they were all mentally exhausted too, after four years of constant pressure and very little time away from football.

 

[Danny Tiatto]

He’s a better Nico Gonzales, who also takes corners and free kicks. He walks into the England team and the Arsenal team, and would have been the obvious and natural replacement for Gundo/Kovacic, even with Rodri fit and healthy…but he could have filled in for him, too, last year.

I give up. He’s shit and would be on the bench at City…got it!

(Delusional and I’m done.)

There’s no need to start calling people delusional just because they don’t share the same opinion on a player as you do.

You obviously have Declan Rice posters plastered all over the walls of your bedroom and that’s fine. However there are quite a few of us who just don’t see what all the hype is about and don’t think he would be a good fit for Manchester City.

 

[Francis Crawford]

Teams can win major trophies with Rice, sadly for me that team is West Ham.

What? A competition that the leading 100+ clubs in Europe are not shit enough to qualify for?

 

[Vienna_70]

What? A competition that the leading 100+ clubs in Europe are not shit enough to qualify for?

It still counts as a major trophy.

Try telling West Ham supporters that it’s irrelevant.

 

[bridgeno1]

There’s no need to start calling people delusional just because they don’t share the same opinion on a player as you do.

You obviously have Declan Rice posters plastered all over the walls of your bedroom and that’s fine. However there are quite a few of us who just don’t see what all the hype is about and don’t think he would be a good fit for Manchester City.

Rice is a bit like David Silva or Santi Cazorla. Basically a player that other teams' fans don't appreciate so much because they don't see them week in/week out but when you do see them every game you realise they are a minimum 8/10 every match and are key to the team even though they don't get the headlines of other players.

 

[Danny Tiatto]

Rice is a bit like David Silva or Santi Cazorla. Basically a player that other teams' fans don't appreciate so much because they don't see them week in/week out but when you do see them every game you realise they are a minimum 8/10 every match and are key to the team even though they don't get the headlines of other players.

You’re kidding right? He gets nothing but plaudits and headlines and thats the point I’m trying to make.

How long did it take Rodri (a far superior player) to get the attention and recognition that Rice is getting now? Like I said if the guy wasn’t English he wouldn’t even be spoke about.