Arsenal thread | 2025/26

youngbob said:
I don't think Arsenal will top 90 points this season but I don't think anyone else is gonna get past 80 points, so it's theirs imo. Arsenal will wobble. Every team does. But I don't think anyone's good enough to punish them for it. They've hit a sweet spot with this team in terms of quality and depth - I think even 82/83 points will be enough for the title this year.

They're currently at a similar point to where we were at between 2017-2024. Not as good as us, but the other team had to be 100% perfect and hope that we had an off-day in order to get any points off us. Chelsea gave absolutely everything to that game yesterday and Arsenal were off their usual standards. Still they get a point at Stamford Bridge. We've seen ourselves in the past that 10 men can make it harder for City to break a team down.

Just don't see where we get 6 more points than them over the course of the rest of the season.
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Of course they gave everything. They were down to 10 men. Usually you do have to up your efforts to get a result under those circumstances.
 
AFCAndy said:
It was a poor performance and you'd have hoped we'd put 10 men to the sword. But there are caveats. This wasn't a football match. They played like it was their cup final and came to kick us off the pitch. The red was a leg breaker. They should of had 3 red cards. Cucerella should have had about 6 yellows. The ref favoured them throughout letting them get away with murder. This gets no card:



Saka was well below par aside from his assist. We've had an injury crisis too. No Havertz, no Saliba, no Gabriel, no Trossard, no Jesus. That meant Hincape and Moscuera both starting together for the first time.

Martinelli/Madueke/Gyokeres all out for month or 2 and they only just came back yesterday - Bayern for Martinelli. So they're well off being match fit.

We've played Spurs, Bayern and Chelsea in the last 7 days, players were tired
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Piss off to gooner sites if you're going to whinge about the refereeing, there was no foul in this clip and Hincapie was elbowing and smashing people without a red too, and if you want to moan about screaming in people's faces, he did it to Neto, also Merino kept fouling in the second half without getting booked, it was a physical derby with both teams making snide tackles and I thought Taylor did well overall considering the nature of the game.

Watch our game against the Geordies last week to see a team really getting kicked off the pitch with no punishment.
 
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Danny Tiatto said:
This guy just doesn’t get it does he? Im not sure how we can make it any more clear to you.

Yes a point away at Stamford Bridge in isolation isn’t a poor result. However looking at the greater context you played against 10 men for over an hour and any team with title aspirations should be taking advantage of that situation. You were presented an open goal and you failed to take advantage of it.

So no drawing away at the team coming 2nd isn’t a poor result. Drawing away with a team down to 10 men for over an hour is though.

It’s also a result that has left the door open for both City & Chelsea and heck even Liverpool gained 2 points on you and have a set of favourable fixtures coming up. If it becomes tight at the top towards the end of the season you’re done.
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We lost at home to Leeds in 2021. They played 45 min with ten men. We conceded in the 91st minute and lost the game 1-2, and they only had two attempts, and scored from both. Typical City well and truly alive that day.

Anyway, I am not here to defend Arsenal. Just simply saying it isn't always easy against a team a man down.

However, we did go on and win the league :)
 
brian the blue said:
After their game at Villa they’ve got every difficult away game out the way. Expect them to run away with it from here on in.
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They should walk it with the way City and Chelsea are if any of them kick in with a purple patch and are hovering come March the real Arsenal will turn up..............he aint got any excuses he got the squad hes got challenging teams in transistion he fails this time then he should be gone hopefully ............ i mean how many chances or how much help do you need .........ffs that Spurs game was fooking pathetic your hated rivals basically turning up and handing you the win :(
 
BlueHammer85 said:
And yes, better than Kante. I rate him as one of the best complete midfielders there is currently.
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World Cup/Champions League/Premier League winner, N'Golo Kante? That Kante?

Maybe I haven't watched enough of Declan Rice but I've never seen him play against some of the best teams I've ever seen and thought that was an incredible performance. Kante on the other hand.
 
Main Stand Hotdog said:
World Cup/Champions League/Premier League winner, N'Golo Kante? That Kante?

Maybe I haven't watched enough of Declan Rice but I've never seen him play against some of the best teams I've ever seen and thought that was an incredible performance. Kante on the other hand.
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People have lost their minds

I honestly think if Rice wasn’t English his profile would diminish massively.

People keep telling me how good the guy is but I just can’t see it. He looks very awkward on the ball. His workrate is impressive and he can whip in a nice corner but I just feel he is a pretty limited footballer.

Surround him in midfield with players like Xavi,Iniesta, Busquets & Rodri and I think he would stand out and look like a complete donkey
 
Danny Tiatto said:
People have lost their minds

I honestly think if Rice wasn’t English his profile would diminish massively.

People keep telling me how good the guy is but I just can’t see it. He looks very awkward on the ball. His workrate is impressive and he can whip in a nice corner but I just feel he is a pretty limited footballer.

Surround him in midfield with players like Xavi,Iniesta, Busquets & Rodri and I think he would stand out and look like a complete donkey
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Think you've summed him up perfectly there.

He's a decent player but he's hardly a maestro capable of dictating the flow of play like the players you listed. But even for breaking up play, regaining possession and athleticism he's nowhere near the level of Kante. Dare I say he isn't even at the level of our beloved Gaz Baz.
 
BlueHammer85 said:
View attachment 176333

And yes, better than Kante. I rate him as one of the best complete midfielders there is currently.
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Can you tell me what Declan Rice does better than what Jordan Henderson did? Henderson was a very decent player who was a key part of title and Champions League winning teams. Rice has not reached that level.
Rice is nearer to Jordan Henderson ability wise than he is to Kante. I seriously doubt he will achieve as much as either.
 
AFCAndy said:
It was a poor performance and you'd have hoped we'd put 10 men to the sword. But there are caveats. This wasn't a football match. They played like it was their cup final and came to kick us off the pitch. The red was a leg breaker. They should of had 3 red cards. Cucerella should have had about 6 yellows. The ref favoured them throughout letting them get away with murder. This gets no card:



Saka was well below par aside from his assist. We've had an injury crisis too. No Havertz, no Saliba, no Gabriel, no Trossard, no Jesus. That meant Hincape and Moscuera both starting together for the first time.

Martinelli/Madueke/Gyokeres all out for month or 2 and they only just came back yesterday - Bayern for Martinelli. So they're well off being match fit.

We've played Spurs, Bayern and Chelsea in the last 7 days, players were tired
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What do you think about the lack of yellows for time wasting during your "performance" at Etihad last season? Do you think the referee "favoured" cheating Arsenal that day?

Every team has an injury crisis at some point. We had players on the pitch for several games last season, because they were the least injured.

Every game we’ve played over the last eight seasons has been a "cup final" for our opponents.

Excuses, excuses, excuses.
 
Danny Tiatto said:
Better than Kante? Really?

27 and has won nothing and history suggests his style of play will catch up to him when he reaches 30.
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I know I'm biased, but I reckon Fernandinho is as good as we’ve seen in the Premier League era.

He basically patrolled the midfield on his own. He was the link between the defence and the five-man attack that Pep used.

Yes, I know all the players pressed, but Dinho was a one-man midfield for us.
 
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Vienna_70 said:
I know I'm biased, but I reckon Fernandinho is as good as we’ve seen in the Premier League era.

He basically patrolled the midfield on his own. He was the link between the defence and the five-man attack that Pep used.

Yes, I know all the players pressed, but Dinho was a one-man midfield for us.
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No that’s a fair shout. I would have Dinho on par with Kante and would certainly have both ahead of Rice.

We saw what happens to this type of player though. They can become a liability at an earlier age than other positions.

How many more years has 27 year old Rice got playing at the current level that he does?
 
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