Arsenal is in a position to win both the Premier League and the Champions League; their quest to win the domestic cups will have to wait until next season.
Their chances of winning the league were boosted last weekend when they defeated Liverpool 3-1, but that was just the 23rd game of the season; they still have 15 other games to be consistent if they are to win the league.
In the Champions League, they are in the round of 16, where they will face FC Porto, whom some believe they will easily win and advance to the quarterfinals.
So, my question is this; “This season, which trophy do you believe Arsenal are more likely to win? The Champions League or the Premier League? Danny Murphy was asked the same question on talkSPORT’s White and Jordan, and he stated that Arsenal are more likely to win the Champions League than the Premier League.
He says that you can’t trust the Gunners to remain consistent until the final day of the Premier League, but you can count on them to show up in huge games they need to win, such as against Manchester City and Liverpool, which is why you can expect them to show up in crucial Champions League games.
In his own words, Murphy stated that Arsenal is more likely to win the Champions League than the league. Murphy said: “Well they’d have to do tremendously well at certain points in the season where they’d be trying to win the Premier League as well.
“But in one-off games… last year when Arsenal turned up to play City you kinda think, ‘They’re gonna get done.’
“They turn up to Liverpool and you think, ‘Liverpool are favourites.’ In one-off games this season, they’ve shown against Man City, beat them, against Liverpool, beat them, they can beat the best. Man City are the best team in Europe, they’ve beaten them.
“Away from home, they’ve gone to Anfield and got a credible draw, let’s see how they do at the Etihad.
“But in the Champions League when things can go [either way], you could argue they’ve probably got more chance of that than the Premier League with City’s history.
“Because in one-off games they’ve shown they’re capable. City over 38 games are relentless, City in the Champions League can have a bad day.”
Is he right? Do Arsenal have more chance of winning the Champions League this season rather than the EPL?
Daniel O
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I seriously hope that we have a full squad bar Timber to choose from because I believe we can make a splash in the CL with a fit squad. We are good in the head to heads would be my thinking
Can’t see any reason why the PL is beyond our grasp… IF we play with the consistency that should now be a given.
The CL is, of course, a knock out competition and MA’s record in ALL of the cups he has been in, is quite pathetic with his own group of players.
We know who we have to play in the PL, while the CL still has the big hitters in it and they knocked us out on a regular basis in this stage, QF’s, SF’s and the final under the more experienced AW.
No, for me it’s the PL.
Are you seriously claiming the PL title is a “GIVEN”, IF we play consistently now til the end?
I see no realistic chance for us at all to win the PREM , given our far less deep squad than City , that we still have to play them away and both are still in CL, where our less deep squad, when extra injuries occur, as they are bound to do, will affect us far worse than them.
I don’t think you are being unbiased and still let your heart rule your head KEN.
I make up my mind NEVER to allow that to happen.
No Jon, I’m saying if we play consistently at our best level, the PL is NOT beyond our grasp – are you saying it is then?
Our squad has been assembled over four years at a cost of nigh on £800,000,000 so any sane, deep thinking realist, such as myself, would certainly expect us to be challenging for the PL…. as we currently are of course.
Injuries are part of EVERY squad and depth of said squad likewise.
Apart from the obvious errors from MA in not buying a proven goalscorer and letting a top LB in Tierney leave, we have the squad to perform and that’s why we have already beaten city and pool in the PL and, in fact have taken 4 out of 6 points from the latter.
Glad to see your following your views, if it’s OK with you, I’ll follow mine, as they have sound reasoning behind them.
Surely Arsenal is better poised to win the champions league as opposed to the premier league.
In the champions league where things can go either way, one could argue we’ve probably got more chances of that than the premier league given the Citizens history of going in on one of their unbeaten runs.
The gaffer has shown he has a knock of pulling off victories in one off games, the Citizens over 38 games are relentless, but it’s a different kettle of fish in the champions league for the Citizens where all it takes is one bad day.
The legendary Klopp has his Liverpool outfit in this season premier league title race, but Arsenal has wrestle four points away from the Merseyside club and also beat the champions in the current campaign.
So the answer is a resounding YES
Yes, we could get lucky in UCL
We’ve made too many mistakes in EPL, but many European teams haven’t been familiar with Arteta’s tactics and our players’ abilities yet
We’re terrible in Europe, especially the CL, and MA has underperformed in European competition thus far, so the league remains our best chance out of the two.
If our record in cup competitions and Europe was half decent, i would be inclined to think, if we avoided City, we could get to the final. Then, anything could happen. But our record in these comps, with Artetas players and style is not great.
I completely agree that we have a higher chance of winning the Champions League than the Premier League for the reasons given by Murphy, as long as we play a strong side. Arsenal currently has one of the best defenses in Europe and that can be an advantage in the CL. It is because of mature defensive performances that Arsenal has been able to beat City twice this season,limiting City to just one shot on target; same as Liverpool.
One interesting fact about Arsenal this season is that we have the most points (12) in the PL this season in ‘big 6 clashes’ winning three and drawing three. It shows that our record is pretty good against the top teams based on the system being used this season. It is against the low-blocks that we have struggled e.g. Westham and Fulham. I doubt the big sides will play low blocks like WestHam. Most of them play open games which should work in our favour.
There’s a fear that our record in Cup competitions has not been great under Arteta. That is factual but it’s worth noting that Arteta has not always played his strongest side in Cup competitions-I don’t think he’ll do that in the Champions League considering he went with a very strong lineup in our last group game, despite having won the group with a game to spare.
Many teams in the past have won the Champions League despite not doing as well in their domestic leagues. The Chelsea side that won it against City comes to mind. Tottenham too made the final a few years ago, beating City on their way to the final,despite City being the better side in the EPL. The Chelsea side that won it against Bayern weren’t favourites either.Mourinho’s Porto as well. Real Madrid have won it too when Barca was the better side in the league. I don’t see why Arsenal can’t do it if they approach every game as a final. The EPL is much harder because of the consistency required.Mathematically, the probability should also be higher for the simple reason that if Arsenal is to make the final, there are only 8 games to play whereas there are still 15 more in the league. It’s easier to play 9 finals than 15 !
Sensible and welcome deeply detailed analysis.
👏
7 finals not 8. The final only has 1.
Why do you think MA would play his strongest team in one competition and not the other?
We are talking about the CL and the PL here – so WHY would he prioritise in one competition where two games could see him get knocked out, while the other has fifteen games to rectify any slip ups?
What about the level and quality of the opponent between the two competitions? From now till the end of the season and the final?
Theoretically we can win both; realistically we are unlikely to win either, but that’s just basic maths. Being in contention every season is really all you can hope for as a fan and far more than the majority of football fans across the country get to enjoy with their respective clubs.