Arsenal Thread | 2025/26

[Nightmare Walking]

Out of their squad the only one I'd consider for City is Trossard.

They're very strong at CB. Rice and Saka are both quality. They then have a lot of very good players. They don't have any elite players though and their manager is not good enough. Added to the over emotional state of the management, players and fam base, they imo do not have enough to win the major trophies.
When you look at our teams who have won titles, they all had world class players through the spine of the squad. Arsenal just don't have that. They have very solid defence and that's not enough.

 

[madloaf]

Out of their squad the only one I'd consider for City is Trossard.

Don't be daft.

 

[waspish]

Still top of the league I see, suppose it helps when you have linesmen not giving blatant offsides and refs not giving nailed on pens against you in every game you play.

Can you imagine the state their fans would be in on the internet if they had to put up with the officiating we get!

We get one decision we know social media will erupt the media will go on about it for a week! Look at what Arsenal Liverpool have had decisions wise won’t be talked about if those were for us the media be all over it today and all week! No wonder referees a reluctant to give us anything even a concrete decision..

 

[Craig]

They're very strong at CB. Rice and Saka are both quality. They then have a lot of very good players. They don't have any elite players though and their manager is not good enough. Added to the over emotional state of the management, players and fam base, they imo do not have enough to win the major trophies.
When you look at our teams who have won titles, they all had world class players through the spine of the squad. Arsenal just don't have that. They have very solid defence and that's not enough.

Really solid squad but yes lacking the real elite players. Only one i’d disagree on is Saka. I don’t think there are many better than him on the right in world football. Teams also get 2/3 on him as they know he’s there only true creative outlet

 

[malg]

When you have two Arsenal fans come up to you (as I did last night) saying: "Yeah, we won. But fuck me, we are boring!" then you know it's bad. Their desperation to win a trophy, any trophy, at any means is more important than anything else.
From the (admittedly) very little I have seen of them this season it's like Arteta has turned into Sean Dyche with less tactical knowledge.

However this season pans out I thank fuck I do not follow the modern-day Wimbledon that the Tarquins have become.

That should be their only concern. They need to win a trophy. By any means necessary. I'm sure the players believe if they get over the line with one trophy then others will follow.

All they've had for years is abuse about not winning trophies and their spend on transfers, so I think for them it's just about getting silverware. I noticed yesterday that the players didn't go over the top, nor Arteta, it was one of the coaching staff who was behaving like they'd won't be CL.

January to March will be a very interesting time.

 

[malg]

We get one decision we know social media will erupt the media will go on about it for a week! Look at what Arsenal Liverpool have had decisions wise won’t be talked about if those were for us the media be all over it today and all week! No wonder referees a reluctant to give us anything even a concrete decision..

I think yer man Odegard is a good footballer and Rice is decent as well.

 

[waspish]

I think yer man Odegard is a good footballer and Rice is decent as well.

Funny and we all know your a rag

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

OK. At this, nearly the halfway stage, I think it's reasonable to assess this current Arsenal team in the following terms:
Very difficult to score against. Solid defence, well drilled, decent keeper now. I don't think there's much arguing with that. Considerably better at stopping balls going through the middle than we are.
Not very creative. For my money, this Arsenal team is not as easy on the eye as the team of two or three seasons ago. Yes, they get the job done. But the manner in which they get it done — so often, set pieces, penalties, own goals by the opposition — will always leave them vulnerable to a VAR decision that goes against them (and yes, that can happen to them, as it can happen to anyone), or a wicked deflection in their box, etc. These 1-0 and 2-1 (and sometimes 2-0) victories make me think of the double winning side of 1971 (another team that had a Rice playing in it, curiously): not very agreeable to watch, but getting-the-job-done level.
Above all, what I'm utterly convinced of is this: what you're seeing is what you're getting. Arsenal are not suddenly going to go up a level. They don't have another gear. I see no evidence of it.
Nobody in their right mind would say we're playing at our best level. We might not go up a level, we might not be able to go up that gear in the new year — there's no guarantee of these things — everybody can see that this is a team that is becoming. Arsenal's is a team that has arrived at what it is, and what it's going to be.
Being as fair-minded as possible, that's my take, for what it's worth. I still have them favourites. But the scrap is on.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

fam base

Love it.
Blud base?

 

[Nightmare Walking]

Love it.
Blud base?

It was actually a typo, mate. I went to edit it and thought it was actually quite apt :-)

 

[the-ecstacy-of-eight]

"Insignificant foot-to-foot contact" is a new one on me.

 

[bridgeno1]

OK. At this, nearly the halfway stage, I think it's reasonable to assess this current Arsenal team in the following terms:
Very difficult to score against. Solid defence, well drilled, decent keeper now. I don't think there's much arguing with that. Considerably better at stopping balls going through the middle than we are.
Not very creative. For my money, this Arsenal team is not as easy on the eye as the team of two or three seasons ago. Yes, they get the job done. But the manner in which they get it done — so often, set pieces, penalties, own goals by the opposition — will always leave them vulnerable to a VAR decision that goes against them (and yes, that can happen to them, as it can happen to anyone), or a wicked deflection in their box, etc. These 1-0 and 2-1 (and sometimes 2-0) victories make me think of the double winning side of 1971 (another team that had a Rice playing in it, curiously): not very agreeable to watch, but getting-the-job-done level.
Above all, what I'm utterly convinced of is this: what you're seeing is what you're getting. Arsenal are not suddenly going to go up a level. They don't have another gear. I see no evidence of it.
Nobody in their right mind would say we're playing at our best level. We might not go up a level, we might not be able to go up that gear in the new year — there's no guarantee of these things — everybody can see that this is a team that is becoming. Arsenal's is a team that has arrived at what it is, and what it's going to be.
Being as fair-minded as possible, that's my take, for what it's worth. I still have them favourites. But the scrap is on.

This is a pretty fair assessment IMHO. Particularly on the VAR thing. For example we clearly were better than Everton yesterday but were ahead only through an idiotic penalty. And then VAR doesn't award Everton one of the most blatant penalties you'll see. Had that been awarded and scored, there was no evidence in the match before that to indicate that we'd have gone up the other end and scored quickly.

I think there's maybe another gear Arsenal can flip up into but at the same time we aren't suddenly going to turn into a peak Brazil side.

 

[Mancity1980]

Well despite these deficiencies we find ourselves top of the league and champions league. So if City go on a crazy run and Arsenal remain as they are then City will win the league. If City stay as they are and Arsenal stay as they are then Arsenal will win. And if Arsenal get better than they are currently then Arsenal will win.

City are definitely playing better than Arsenal at the current moment though and I'm glad the game at the Etihad is in April and not coming up soon. A lot of football to play before then though with many twists and turns. I suspect by then it will be a 2 horse race between City and Arsenal with Villa dropping out of the Top 4

If city stay as they are and Arsenal stay as they are city will win. You cannot continue to struggle to score and keep on getting 3 points, sooner or later points will be dropped. If you improve significantly then yes you will win but can you honestly see that happening? I can’t.

We are fast approaching the half way point of the season and it is getting interesting, there is a blue shark behind you waiting for blood in the water.

 

[ysmsa]

"Insignificant foot-to-foot contact" is a new one on me.

Nah mate, it was used the other week when Phil never got a Pen at Newcastle!

 

[Mancity1980]

OK. At this, nearly the halfway stage, I think it's reasonable to assess this current Arsenal team in the following terms:
Very difficult to score against. Solid defence, well drilled, decent keeper now. I don't think there's much arguing with that. Considerably better at stopping balls going through the middle than we are.
Not very creative. For my money, this Arsenal team is not as easy on the eye as the team of two or three seasons ago. Yes, they get the job done. But the manner in which they get it done — so often, set pieces, penalties, own goals by the opposition — will always leave them vulnerable to a VAR decision that goes against them (and yes, that can happen to them, as it can happen to anyone), or a wicked deflection in their box, etc. These 1-0 and 2-1 (and sometimes 2-0) victories make me think of the double winning side of 1971 (another team that had a Rice playing in it, curiously): not very agreeable to watch, but getting-the-job-done level.
Above all, what I'm utterly convinced of is this: what you're seeing is what you're getting. Arsenal are not suddenly going to go up a level. They don't have another gear. I see no evidence of it.
Nobody in their right mind would say we're playing at our best level. We might not go up a level, we might not be able to go up that gear in the new year — there's no guarantee of these things — everybody can see that this is a team that is becoming. Arsenal's is a team that has arrived at what it is, and what it's going to be.
Being as fair-minded as possible, that's my take, for what it's worth. I still have them favourites. But the scrap is on.

I was with you until those last 3 lines. Forget the bookies and the media I have us as favourites.

 

[Vienna_70]

If city stay as they are and Arsenal stay as they are city will win. You cannot continue to struggle to score and keep on getting 3 points, sooner or later points will be dropped. If you improve significantly then yes you will win but can you honestly see that happening? I can’t.

We are fast approaching the half way point of the season and it is getting interesting, there is a blue shark behind you waiting for blood in the water.

You are Benjamin Mandy, and I claim my cinq Euros!

 

[bridgeno1]

If city stay as they are and Arsenal stay as they are city will win. You cannot continue to struggle to score and keep on getting 3 points, sooner or later points will be dropped. If you improve significantly then yes you will win but can you honestly see that happening? I can’t.

We are fast approaching the half way point of the season and it is getting interesting, there is a blue shark behind you waiting for blood in the water.

You've defended well the last few games but before that it was keystone cops stuff at the back. So we need to take a longer view.

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

They are awful to watch.

Diving and playing for free kicks, wrestling at corners, long throws, time-wasting. Total anti-football with a free pass from the London media. I would rather Chelsea, Villa, even Liverpool win the title if we can’t do it.

 

[BridgyDids]

Out of their squad the only one I'd consider for City is Trossard.

Good lord… now that is a take

 

[the-ecstacy-of-eight]

Nah mate, it was used the other week when Phil never got a Pen at Newcastle!

Thought that was "natural momentum from the challenge" or some other such bollocks explanation which had never been heard before and will never be heard again.