Arsenal Thread 2013/14

[Bilboblue]

We are stronger this year due to a combination of bringing in world class players, better pressing of the ball and more confidence. Plus many of young players like Ramsay have gone up a level. I think us and you are pretty much level. The three of us , city and chelsea look way ahead of spurs, man united and liverpool this season.

I think Spurs have a good midfield but they lack a quality defence and quality strikers. They look to powerpuff at time this season without bale.

And not having played anyone of note. Lets see how that defence holds up against real decent teams. It looked shaky enough
against Norwich.

Well we have beaten decent team like spurs, nappoli, bayern munich in march and have won 20 from our last 24 games.

We have a great attack and our defending mostly has been top class. Mertersacker and kos are the best center back partnership in the league.

To be fair gooner2, you played a Bayern team that thought they were already through and played at nothing like their usual intensity. Was still a good win, but surely even you know they wouldn't have been that lethargic if it was a lot closer? To compare, we beat them at home 2-0, comfortably the season before in the Champions League, they had already qualified from the group (yes I know yours was in the knockout stages).

I think a lot of people are right in questioning if you can do it against the top clubs, personally I think you will, there is a hell of a lot to be said for momentum and Arsenal have that in bucketloads right now.

Edit in: bad choice of words.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

Well we have beaten decent team like spurs, nappoli, bayern munich in march and have won 20 from our last 24 games.

Can I just nip this Bayern Munich thing in the bud now, because I've heard this mentioned a few times by Arsenal fans, and they always fail to mention that this was a 2-legged game which they lost on aggregate. It doesn't matter if you won the game if the other team were simply defending a lead. You failed to do what you had to do to go through.

And let's look at the other claim that you're unbeaten since March last year. Look at the list of teams. You can see them here.

You beat Swansea, Reading, West Brom, Norwich, Fulham, QPR, Wigan and Newcastle. And you drew against Everton and Man Utd (both at home, after the rags had already won the title). Don't get me wrong, it's impressive consistency, but it's not like the end of last season was much more difficult than the beginning of this season. And that sums up why it's stupid to mention these records over more than one season.

 

[gooner2]

And not having played anyone of note. Lets see how that defence holds up against real decent teams. It looked shaky enough
against Norwich.

Well we have beaten decent team like spurs, nappoli, bayern munich in march and have won 20 from our last 24 games.

We have a great attack and our defending mostly has been top class. Mertersacker and kos are the best center back partnership in the league.

To be fair gooner2, you played a Bayern team that thought they were already through and played at nothing like their usual intensity. Was still a good win, but surely even you know they wouldn't have been that lethargic if it really counted? To compare, we beat them at home 2-0, comfortably the season before in the Champions League, they had already qualified from the group (yes I know yours was in the knockout stages).

I think a lot of people are right in questioning if you can do it against the top clubs, personally I think you will, there is a hell of a lot to be said for momentum and Arsenal have that in bucketloads right now.

You make fair points but i still say it was a massive achievement to be only team to win in Munich last season.
Over the last three seasons we have beaten the likes of Barca, ac and Munich and pushed them all close. You are right to say people will wait to see what we do against Liverpool, Dortmund and united in next few weeks. That is fair enough. I think we are good enough though to beat all of them and as you so rightly pointed out we have got loads of momentum. We still need to keep our feet on the ground and respect our rivals. It is looking very good though for the season ahead.

-- Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:33 pm --

Well we have beaten decent team like spurs, nappoli, bayern munich in march and have won 20 from our last 24 games.

Can I just nip this Bayern Munich thing in the bud now, because I've heard this mentioned a few times by Arsenal fans, and they always fail to mention that this was a 2-legged game which they lost on aggregate. It doesn't matter if you won the game if the other team were simply defending a lead. You failed to do what you had to do to go through.

The point is we were the only team in europe to win over their last season and were a chance away from knocking them out. Will give us great belief against them if we play each other in the final this year. Their a long way to go in the season yet but we can take anyone in europe on our day.

 

[Maldeika]

Well we have beaten decent team like spurs, nappoli, bayern munich in march and have won 20 from our last 24 games.

We have a great attack and our defending mostly has been top class. Mertersacker and kos are the best center back partnership in the league.

To be fair gooner2, you played a Bayern team that thought they were already through and played at nothing like their usual intensity. Was still a good win, but surely even you know they wouldn't have been that lethargic if it really counted? To compare, we beat them at home 2-0, comfortably the season before in the Champions League, they had already qualified from the group (yes I know yours was in the knockout stages).

I think a lot of people are right in questioning if you can do it against the top clubs, personally I think you will, there is a hell of a lot to be said for momentum and Arsenal have that in bucketloads right now.

You make fair points but i still say it was a massive achievement to be only team to win in Munich last season.
Over the last three seasons we have beaten the likes of Barca, ac and Munich and pushed them all close. You are right to say people will wait to see what we do against Liverpool, Dortmund and united in next few weeks. That is fair enough. I think we are good enough though to beat all of them and as you so rightly pointed out we have got loads of momentum. We still need to keep our feet on the ground and respect our rivals. It is looking very good though for the season ahead.

-- Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:33 pm --

Well we have beaten decent team like spurs, nappoli, bayern munich in march and have won 20 from our last 24 games.

Can I just nip this Bayern Munich thing in the bud now, because I've heard this mentioned a few times by Arsenal fans, and they always fail to mention that this was a 2-legged game which they lost on aggregate. It doesn't matter if you won the game if the other team were simply defending a lead. You failed to do what you had to do to go through.

The point is we were the only team in europe to win over their last season and were a chance away from knocking them out. Will give us great belief against them if we play each other in the final this year. Their a long way to go in the season yet but we can take anyone in europe on our day.

I just had to.... ;)

He will console Özil after the match...

 

[gooner2]

To be fair gooner2, you played a Bayern team that thought they were already through and played at nothing like their usual intensity. Was still a good win, but surely even you know they wouldn't have been that lethargic if it really counted? To compare, we beat them at home 2-0, comfortably the season before in the Champions League, they had already qualified from the group (yes I know yours was in the knockout stages).

I think a lot of people are right in questioning if you can do it against the top clubs, personally I think you will, there is a hell of a lot to be said for momentum and Arsenal have that in bucketloads right now.

You make fair points but i still say it was a massive achievement to be only team to win in Munich last season.
Over the last three seasons we have beaten the likes of Barca, ac and Munich and pushed them all close. You are right to say people will wait to see what we do against Liverpool, Dortmund and united in next few weeks. That is fair enough. I think we are good enough though to beat all of them and as you so rightly pointed out we have got loads of momentum. We still need to keep our feet on the ground and respect our rivals. It is looking very good though for the season ahead.

-- Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:33 pm --

Can I just nip this Bayern Munich thing in the bud now, because I've heard this mentioned a few times by Arsenal fans, and they always fail to mention that this was a 2-legged game which they lost on aggregate. It doesn't matter if you won the game if the other team were simply defending a lead. You failed to do what you had to do to go through.

The point is we were the only team in europe to win over their last season and were a chance away from knocking them out. Will give us great belief against them if we play each other in the final this year. Their a long way to go in the season yet but we can take anyone in europe on our day.

I just had to.... ;)

He will console Özil after the match...

To be fair that is quite funny. Look at the moment bayern are the best team in europe but as chelsea showed in european super cup they are not unbeatable. We have beaten them before and we know on our day we are good enough to knock them out of the champions league. They are the team to beat this year their is no doubt about that.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

We have beaten them before and we know on our day we are good enough to knock them out of the champions league.

How do you know that? Teams as good as that have a habit of turning it on when they really need to, which they did against us. I have no doubt that Bayern would beat any team in the world right now in a game that really matters (which the European Super Cup doesn't). They're even better than they were last season. Anyone can beat anyone in a cup competition, of course, but the only way you'd beat Bayern is if they had a major off day.

 

[Maldeika]

You make fair points but i still say it was a massive achievement to be only team to win in Munich last season.
Over the last three seasons we have beaten the likes of Barca, ac and Munich and pushed them all close. You are right to say people will wait to see what we do against Liverpool, Dortmund and united in next few weeks. That is fair enough. I think we are good enough though to beat all of them and as you so rightly pointed out we have got loads of momentum. We still need to keep our feet on the ground and respect our rivals. It is looking very good though for the season ahead.

-- Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:33 pm --



The point is we were the only team in europe to win over their last season and were a chance away from knocking them out. Will give us great belief against them if we play each other in the final this year. Their a long way to go in the season yet but we can take anyone in europe on our day.

I just had to.... ;)

He will console Özil after the match...

To be fair that is quite funny. Look at the moment bayern are the best team in europe but as chelsea showed in european super cup they are not unbeatable. We have beaten them before and we know on our day we are good enough to knock them out of the champions league. They are the team to beat this year their is no doubt about that.

The thing is that you got your chance - but I doubt that you get a second. Bayern was playing without Ribery and Schweinsteiger that day, had 23 chances on goal were you had 5 (2 on target that were in) - whereas Bayern even had a shot on the goal post. Robben had one of this days when he does not see his next player. It is not that Bayern does not get better - they are still in a transition period.

It was one of this blip days - and I doubt that Arsenal will ever have a park the bus tactics that Chelsea can do that good.

And that might be the problem against Dortmund, too.

And yes - I am an Arsenal fan tomorrow. And a Schalke fan the whole week. It feels better when Schalke wins, too, when Dortmund is loosing. And there is the Schalke-Dortmund derby at the weekend.

But I guess even if Dortmund drops out of the CL and is only third in the Bundesliga - they will win the Europa League and will tell everybody that that is the coolest trophy of the world better than e.g. a double treble of Bayern... ;)

 

[Castiel]

We have beaten them before and we know on our day we are good enough to knock them out of the champions league.

How do you know that? Teams as good as that have a habit of turning it on when they really need to, which they did against us. I have no doubt that Bayern would beat any team in the world right now in a game that really matters (which the European Super Cup doesn't). They're even better than they were last season. Anyone can beat anyone in a cup competition, of course, but the only way you'd beat Bayern is if they had a major off day.

So you reckon Bayern didn't care about the Super Cup? That was an unusually charged game for a friendly and they certainly weren't having an off day. I'm hoping to meet them again in the CL knockouts for another thriller. They're starting to overtake Barca as my favourite side to meet.

If Arsenal are convincing against Dortmund tonight then they'll have addressed my personal doubts - but whether their squad can maintain it throughout the season is another matter.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

So you reckon Bayern didn't care about the Super Cup? That was an unusually charged game for a friendly and they certainly weren't having an off day. I'm hoping to meet them again in the CL knockouts for another thriller. They're starting to overtake Barca as my favourite side to meet.

The European Super Cup is the European version of the charity shield. Chelsea lost anyway, so I'm not sure what the point is.

 

[Castiel]

So you reckon Bayern didn't care about the Super Cup? That was an unusually charged game for a friendly and they certainly weren't having an off day. I'm hoping to meet them again in the CL knockouts for another thriller. They're starting to overtake Barca as my favourite side to meet.

The European Super Cup is the European version of the charity shield. Chelsea lost anyway, so I'm not sure what the point is.

We actually drew and were about 4 seconds away from winning with 10 men. We lost the shoot-out lottery, not a game of football. Regardless of the relative value of the competition, you can't say Bayern did not take that game seriously.