Joey Barton has stated that he believes Arsenal will miss out on Champions League football for the second time running this season.
The Gunners finished fifth last term, missing out on the top four by a single point to Liverpool, and after a disappointing window you would hardly say they will definitely make the Champions League places, but Barton is much the more critical.
The former Burnley midfielder, who is currently banned from playing due to a breach in betting rules, claims that the Europa League is generally a six-point burden, and that a tough season is ahead for the North-London side.
Joey said: “I don’t think they’re going to get into the Champions League spots this year, and they’ve got a Europa League campaign to contend with. Any side that’s in that, you usually reckon it’s worth a negative of six points with the travelling on a Thursday night and playing Thursday and Sunday.
“[Arsene] Wenger has created great teams down the years, but for him it’s a tough one. You saw the Liverpool result and everyone is saying he should have gone [at the end of last season] and his critics are back out of the woodwork, so he’s in a tough position and it’s not going to get any easier.
“Getting [Alexis] Sanchez back on the pitch is going to be vital for them, getting him happy and back playing because anything they’ve done well over the last couple of years has been through that man, so the transfer window closing and him still being an Arsenal player is a massive plus.
“[Danny] Welbeck being back is also a big plus, but their problems are the same problems, and that central defensive area will be their Achilles heel this season.
“They’re going to score goals but they’re not going to be able to keep the clean sheets to mount a title challenge.”
Will our defence leave us short of the top four? Will Alexis get back firing before it’s too late? Will the Europa League cost us a place in next term’s CL competition?
Pat J
wenger can at times be deceptive therefore if lemar is on the cards for a £92m appearance after january (as we are sometimes led to believe) this could well be just a ploy so as our rivals have no idea of where our football agenda is or who our player focus is on.
it seems to be that whenever we show interest in a player others show interest in our target and put the spanner in the works. its all very well if he does turn up this winter but i suspect its a smokescreen so as we complement the side with a centrl-def of merit. should we manage it then our season dynamic will improve: we’d have santi back and 1 more option it could well be VVD or monaco’s Glink (who knows?).
Everton are gone as a top 4 team.
Liverpool win 4-0 one week and lose
0-5 their defence being worse
than Arsenals. “Pool are not
contenders for 4th place let alone title pretenders.
Why do people say Thursday-Sunday is a problem?
Same break between games as Wed – Sat.
Utd and City are in a dog fight for the title.
Chelsea Spurs and Arsenal fighting for 3rd-4th-5th..
Liverpool and Everton fighting for 6th-7th.
Maybe Barton is dissing Arsenal because he wants our odds to blow right out
while he is readying a big plunge so he can collect big time 🙂
barton’s attempt at forecasts are a sure indication of what WILL NOT happen season 2017/18
Who cares what Barton thinks.
Let Wenger be given highly respected,this is the right time for him to leave the club,let not be ashamed and show bud example to be sacked away like Cristal palace coach,Wenger we respect you and we need the respect to react on Arsenal fans to be happy like other clubs.
It seems to me Joey Barton is keeping a grudge against Arsenal, especially Wenger. The reason should be Wenger’s option not to sign him when it looked likely that he was going to be signed.
First, Barton is most definitely NOT a star, more like a dying ember.
Second, he talks regurgitated tripe.
Third, he is not genuine.
Fourth, he is desperately trying to forge a media career…..God help us all.