Arsenal Thread - 2023/24

[bennyboy]

I dont disagree with they can step up, i was merely stating the general reaction is that the signing is that of someone whos done it week in week out at the level of the likes of Rodri, when in reality he has looked really good in a very average team.

He was until last season.
I thought his form was nowhere near his standards of the previous seasons.

 

[KentBlue]

I don't think Rice is all that, personally. And at that sort of money I think Arsenal have been well and truly shafted, but time will tell.

 

[balotellishaircut]

What are Rice wages, the gutter press seem to have left this out.

 

[The perfect fumble]

How to completely ruin a classic tune!

This shit is what they are....Small time.

 

[TinFoilHat]

I don't think Rice is all that, personally. And at that sort of money I think Arsenal have been well and truly shafted, but time will tell.

Prefer Annika myself.

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

Smith-Rowe is a good young player, he's proving that at the U21's tournament just now, his main problem is he always picks up niggling injuries, the last season was a wipe out basically.
Nketiah and Nelson haven't really reached those levels at senior level.

However, if you are talking about pecking orders, that Martinelli and Saka are seen as ahead of the rest.

Honestly, and I mean this with the greatest of respect, it's basically like saying teams may figure Foden out now.

He hardly touched the ball at the Euro's. Couldn't believe the amount of game time he got. Think that was only because Ramsey got injured.

 

[Bodicoteblue]

Arteta describing Rice as a ’lighthouse’
I hope he knows the purpose of a lighthouse is a warning to others to stay well clear or risk damage and destruction.

 

[Xhavenjoe]

Prefer Annika myself.

I am getting a pleasant recollection of her fine bottom as she jumped in and out helicopters.
I'm off to bed now.

 

[BlueAtuma]

Its more about the progression of football, the manner in which we play. For about three quarters last season we overloaded teams and were often too good in almost every game. We did come unstuck toward the end, it also didnt help in three of the toughest fixtures of the season we had to carry players who we would never have wanted to play. Holding featured against Liverpool and City away rather than Saliba, and Lokonga played at Old Trafford instead of Partey, all due to injury. This was the underbelly in the squad that over the course of the season that dragged the team down.

Given the scope of the squad this season, we have so much more depth, Arteta will be able to rotate without a significant drop off.

As for your Liverpool comparison, the following season after they won the league wasnt that a season were they were decimated by injury. Man United never played progressive football under Ole, they were counter attack merchants.

I dont believe football is random. We wont just not be able to shift the ball with purpose and get our players in advanced positions, while Saliba and Gabriel wont all of a sudden forget to play high up the pitch. Last year wasnt random, it was the work Arteta and Edu have put in. People who were surprised by it, simply couldnt see the signs that Arsenal were progressing. When Tottenham pipped us to 4th in 21-22, I knew deep down we were building something that would surpass Spurs level. Yet the cliche merchants like Gary Neville never saw it. He actually said there was 'no way' Arsenal could finish above Spurs in the 22-23 season.

Okay so let’s talk about the squad rotation/ squad depth first.

As of right now you’ve Signed Timber, Rice & Havertz. You’ve lost Xhaka and there’s talk about potentially losing Partey (This could be Media BS btw) but if you did lose Partey it’s basically 1 in 1 out in midfield, defensively Timber can cover CB & RB so okay you’ve got a versatile player there and the depth in defence has improved.

We’ll have to wait and see how the rest of window goes because if the above does happen with Partey, this comment about Arsenal having so much more squad depth this season and you can rotate without a significant drop off isn’t true is it. So let’s wait and see what happens.

I think Arsenal played some really good football last season and you are a good team what take that away from Arsenal fans. Anyway this talk about bad luck with injuries everyone gets injures part of the game but don’t forget you also had some good luck against Bournemouth, Villa, Utd.

About the whole progression Football Arsenal play, Teams adapt mate, they learn your strengths and weaknesses, they learn how to defend against you. Look at City & Brighton what they did to Arsenal last Season you got found out and Arteta didn’t have a plan B, he just kept on trying to play from the back and it didn’t work. More teams will clock on to this. If Arsenal are going to be better next season they need to have have a plan B because if they don’t there will be games where they come unstuck.

We’ll see what happens don’t have a crystal ball so don’t know whether Arsenal get better or not just don’t think it’s as easy as saying we’ve got young players so they WILL improve and we've got much better squad depth this season we I don’t think come the end of the summer will be true

 

[Shirley]

BBC sport reporting it’s £100 million that may rise to £105 million.

£100 million Rice can be a lighthouse