Can Arsenal still win silverware this season?
Coming off three losses in a row can be hard and trying to bounce back is always a challenge that is harder than it seems. Trying to regain momentum and belief in a squad that’s been found out of form is hard, but Mikel Arteta and Arsenal fans will be hoping the warm weather trip to Dubai has spurred something inside these lads to make a big push in the second half of this action packed season.
Last season we got so far and things started to fall off and go wrong. We were riddled with injuries and our almost perfect start to the season was snatched away from right under our noses and we were left looking lost and without silverware for another season. This season we started our season off well, winning the community shield, that I know most people don’t hold in the highest regards, but it was a good start to the season with a trophy.
We started the season in all four competitions, obviously getting back into The Champions League for the first time in years, along with the usual cup competitions (EFL Cup & FA Cup) and I think our main focus was, and is, Champions League football, which is understandable for a club that’s been without top level European football for so long, but I also think we dropped the ball quickly regarding the other competitions and maybe having so much focus on the UCL could come back to bite us come season’s end.
Being knocked out of the EFL by West Ham was a big surprise for Arsenal fans and I think Arteta too, and it really felt like he’s lost focus on the competition, which when you’re challenging for the biggest prizes in the world, it’s not that big of a deal, but when you start to underperform, it’s competitions like this you end up feeling like you missed out on.
We were recently knocked out of the FA Cup, which for an Arsenal fan, is a bit embarrassing. We have always been very good in the FA Cup and going out in the early stages wasn’t something a lot of fans would have expected. Yes, we were drawn against a tough Liverpool side, but I think we had more than enough chances to win it and it just feels like another opportunity missed.
The chase for the title is tough and there’s plenty of teams around us to compete this season. If we don’t bounce back soon, we could be in risk of losing what good start we have had. Do I think we can win the UCL or the League? Maybe, I think we’ve got more chance winning the league than the UCL but it’s not out of the question. But to do so, we need to really shape up and work hard, we’ve dropped too many points already.
What’s your thoughts Gooners?
Daisy Mae
NO MORE WINS! – Here is the latest DUBLIN ARSENAL video featuring OZZY, EAMONN, CRAIG and Jonathan look back at another 2-0 loss this time to Liverpool in the Fa cup
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This period is gonna show if Arteta has improved upon last season in his ability to reenergize the squad and put our season back on track. Last season you could see all the confidence and belief leaving the team after the Southampton game. It was clearly visible on their faces.
We have shown vs City and Liverpool that our team is no underdog and less talented than them. Just have to be more consistent and fix that atrocious finishing.
You are correct. It is not likely that Arsenal can win any silverware this season not even in the near future because Arsenal managements are not planning to win anything period. We should stop to live in a fool’s paradise. Arsenal appointed chiefs are successfully deceiving the Kronkes for them to stay longer than necessary. Nevertheless, the Kronkes will wake up one day.
For me, this was always going to be a consolidation season. If we finish in the automatic CL places, I will consider it a decent season. Of course winning the CL or the PL would be a dream but IMO not realistic to expect even if it is possible.
Losing Timber was very painful given the importance the manager puts on our Full backs. Let’s hope Timber fully recovers.
Havertz was a costly mistake IMO since the money we spend on him could have been used on a more obvious choice. Havertz seems to have been a cute choice trying to show how smart we are, seeing what no one else saw. Well, for that money, middle of the season, no one else is still seeing the smart investment.
Hopefully the manager one day will learn to rest Saka and do a better job rotating, but clearly he doesn’t have that much faith in his options beyond his preferred starting 11.
If we can make it to the end of the season and qualify for CL football, we could then hopefully invest big money in a striker capable of putting 20+ goals a season in the PL alone and correct the Havertz mistake.
But with Liverpool recovering after a poor season, Villa firing on all cylinders (for now), City always going to be there or there abouts finishing in the top 3 would be a decent result for our first year back in the CL.
Arsenal are historically woeful in Europe, especially the CL, so only a fool would expect us to win that.
League we have a better chance, although still very difficult beating City, and not possible with the amount of injuries we keep getting.
Yes poor conditioning of our players by the coaching staff, clearly not focusing on a good balance.
Everyone has injuries, it’s not an excuse or reason. People with poor character make excuses, not winners.
You said, “Everyone has injuries, it’s not an excuse or reason.”
So Man City would have still done a treble last season then if they had tons of injuries?
Partey, Timber, Tomi, Jesus missing makes no difference then, according to you. Clearly Zinny is just a good as a defender as Tomi and Timber. Nketiah is equal to Jesus. Wow, just wow!
When MA knew that Zinny is not a good defender then why was he hired? When he knew that Eddie cannot bang 10+ goals a season why was he rewarded 100K/week? Why was Elneny’s contract renewed? Why was Willock disposed for a paltry 20M and 10X worse Viera hired for 35M? 65M Kai + 35M Viera = 100M, add Tavares + Lokonga’s transfer fees and we could have had Mbappe or Victor O on our roster. And people have the audacity to support the manager after all these huge financial and footballing errors? How did Tomi pass the medical? How did Timber pass the medical? What is the difference between Ramsdale and Raya and why was Raya not hired last year. 35M wasted on Ramsdale. Maybe money grows on trees in someone’s dreams.
Name me one manager that doesn’t make mistakes in the transfer market? Just one, go on!
Zinny was signed to play a hybrid role, and not firstly as a defender. Which he has done to great affect.
Reserve strikers don’t often get 10+ in a season, which is why they are reserve playera. Nketiah maybe on a decent wage, but not a crazy one, so it’s still not too much an issue moving him on. By not resigning him, he would have moved on for a very small fee, then we would have to spend at least 30 million to replace.
Finally, if Eddie is such a terrible player, why is he doing very well and better than some other first choice strikers (that cost way more) in regards to EPL goals?
EPL goals
Wilson – 7
Jackson – 7
Edouard – 6
Richarlison – 6
Alvarez – 6
Ferguson – 6
Nketiah – 5
Joao Pedro – 5
Sterling – 5
Nunez – 4
Jota – 4
Elneny was an easy and cheap renewal to give us numbers as a reserve player. Good to keep some experience in reserve.
The fee for Willcock was actually a good piece of business considering he’d done absolutely nothing for Arsenal other than run around a lot.
Vieira one was a poor signing I agree on that one.
Kai way too early to judge, and he’s actually been one of more inform players over the last 6/8 weeks, so hopefully he’s starting to find his feet.
Tavares and Lokonga fee’s were very low.
As I said at the beginning, you won’t be able to name a manager that doesn’t get it wrong with transfers. The question is, does MA get more wrong than right? Of course not! MA has created huge squad value, and huge sell on fees should we sell. Just take Odegaard as an example. Signed for around 35 million, and easily worth 100-120 million, maybe more in todays market.
So the current squad value easily offsets money spent, and MA had to spend money anyway, unless you felt we should have kept the likes of Kolasinac, Mustafi, Ozil etc
Martin Odegaard is valued at between (in euros) 51 and 83 million euros, so nowhere near the ridiculous claim of between 100 and 120 (euros or pounds?) claimed. FACT that anyone can find out quite easily, rather than plucking figures out of thin air as usual.
MA has created huge squad value?
Apart from Rice, who cost us a reported £105, 000,000, our other top value players were not his signings were they?
Saka, Saliba, Martinelli (and Rice) make up more between them in value than the rest of the squad put together, according to transfer market.
Add Rice at, what, £120,000,000 and those four players make up half of the squads value.
Just check it out, add up the numbers and see that it’s FACTUAL.
Nketiah and Nelson not costing much?
On a reported £100,000 a week that means that it’s costing the club over £10,000,000 a year in wages and who, in their right mind would pay those kind of salaries for (in your words ( reserve players. FACT.
They will sit there for the length of their contracts and bleed the club dry.
Let’s look at the Havertz unbelievable reported £300,000 a week SALARY.
MA didn’t learn a single thing after giving Adebayour a similar contract and having to deal with the equally insane Ozil deal that Wenger and Gazidis gave out. FACT.
Name me one single manager who has repeated that kind of ridiculous contract negotiation, despite being warned twice?
Go on, just name me one, go on just one!!
Hahahah, so you honestly think in todays market Odegaard fee would start at 43 million and not get past 71 million pounds? And I am the one being ridiculous!
Just to prove how inaccurate your point is.
23/24 season attacking midfielder transfers in pounds:
Havertz – 64.5m
Szoboszlai – 60.2m
Mount – 55.2m
Nunes – 53.3m
Nkunku – 51.6m
How many of those are better than Odegaard?
So for all the players MA didn’t sign, he doesn’t get any credit in coaching them then? Off form at the moment, but you’d be hard pressed to find a better right winger than Saka over the last 2/3 years, and who has been coaching him for that period? In fact the vast majority of his career, MA has been his coach.
So if you won’t give MA credit for coaching these players who have improved, then you obviously cannot criticize him when players underperform, like Vieira for example. Otherwise you’d be contradicting yourself.
A massive stretch to say Nketiah and Nelson are bleeding the club dry. As I said, Nketiah has one more goal than Nunez and one less than Alvarez, amongst others, so he’s more than proving himself as backup player. Nelson can be moved on as well, and both you’d have to spend to cover for as well. I am not saying we shouldn’t get rid of them, I just pointing out the economics.
Bleeding the club dry, and actually damaging the value and integrity of the club would be someone like Ozil for example. MA dumped him asap and was proven correct in doing so given the woeful performances and trouble Ozil continued to cause everywhere he went.
I have heard Havertz TOTAL salary is maybe that if he meets certain targets. I’am not sure what his base salary is or even if the 300k is true? You obviously have proof, so show me the link for the evidence and I will happily change my mind on the economics of his transfer.
I can name one, Wenger. Wenger went for a kind a socialist wage structure, where he tried to spread the overall wages evenly as possible for most of the squad. So although we didn’t many players on super insane wages, we did end up with so many bang average players on high wages. Hence under Wenger Arsenal one of the highest wage bills in Europe, despite having an average squad of players.
I love a good debate! They’re getting easier!
Except KH, all are better than Ode, the Ode we see jogging on the field this season. No wonder Madrid let him go. Agree, managers do get 1 or2 transfers wrong, not a squad of more than 11 wasted/wasteful. This is even more worse than the final years of Wenger. The owners may not want to create instability mid way in the season, but trust me, Arteta will be sacked in May if he fails a top 2 or UCL finals. The writing is on the wall, KH has the experience I seeing the back of his managers in the past. I have no sympathy for Mikel as he has demotivated and discarded the men who made him No 2 last season for players not fit for a relegation team
Wow, I’ve heard it all now. Mount is better than Odegaard. I cannot believe you just said that. I’m genuinely in shock!
You should be in shock with 3 defeats In 5 games, just like Sheff Utd stats, just as I’m irritated with the results
INDIAN GUNNER, I AM PREPARED TO BET YOU HERE AND NOW, PUBLICLY ON JA, THAT IF WE DO NOT ACHIEVE SECOND IN THE PREM OR IN THE CL, ARTETA WILL STILL BE OUR MANAGER NEXT SEASON AND NOT SACKED NEXT SUMMER OF 2024 .
Any amount you wish to take my bet up to £5000. You wont take it though, not even for a ten pounds limit. Prove me wrong, IF you dare!
It’s a win win situation forArteta. If he’s sacked, he gets compensated, if he stays he gets his wages. Why should I lose money on some one or something that has ZERO value tome? I’d rather spend it on some better cause. If the owners cared for the club, they would sack him. Or we have another Wenger in the making. And wait for another 20 years for the EPL crown
Really! Getting easier?
Your not debating, your making unfounded claims that are SO easily debunked just by taking the time to check them out.
QUOTE : “easily worth 100 to 120 million, maybe more in today’s market” so show me where that figure comes from – I can easily refer you to the estimates I have quoted, just go online.
Secondly and once again, you ASSUME I’m not giving MA any credit – where can you FACTUALLY quote that?
What I said, in case YOU can’t read, is that he INHERITED Saka, Martinelli and Saliba.
It took MA months of playing Willian (yet another of his duds) and injuries before he gave Martinelli his chance and the player made it impossible to drop him.
The same with Saliba. He refused to name him in any of his squads for two seasons and then admitted HIMSELF that he had made a mistake, surely you haven’t missed that pearl of wisdom from MA?
Saka? UE was the one who gave him the breakthrough, but he has already been identified as the most gifted young player around. Tell me what you have seen him do differently under MA than before?
Now, I notice in this easy debate, that you didn’t address the four players who make up over half of our club valuation – Saka (youth) Martinelli (7 million pounds) Saliba (24 million pounds) and Rice (105 million pounds) – all reported figures in sterling of course.
To date, the club under MA has, again reportedly) spent in the excess of £700,000,000 so take away the £136,000,000 and that leaves a figure of £564, 000,000 PLUS – let’s go halves on Odegaard at £100,000,000 and we end up with a figure of £464,000,000 spent on players who have just been knocked out of the fa cup in the 3rd round against a Liverpool side with FOUR first team players out… in fact their B team… at the Emirates!!!
Havertz – go to transfer market (or any site that gives you reported salaries. Surely you KNOW where to look?
Thinking about it though, you obviously don’t, so check out Odegaard’s value while your checking and then apologise.
Now Nketiah! Your pointing out the ECONOMICS?
What economics? He’s on a reported £100k a week (check that out as well!) for doing what exactly?
Scoring one more goal than Nunez?
That’s great economics and the same goes for Nelson (check out his salary as well).
Finally, the manager I knew you would mention as surely as day follows night – your nemesis Arsene Wenger.
Now, I asked you to give me one example of ANY manager who, having inherited one £300, 000 a week player, then gave another player nigh on the same salary, after having to get shot of both… only to then award a third player the same grotesque salary?
Of hence under Wenger we had one of 5course you couldn’t, as I knew you couldn’t, but as I expected, along came this tirade of nonsense that didn’t answer the question I put to you.
I’ve plucked out yet another gem of yours “hence under Wenger we had one of the highest wage bills in Europe” so go ahead and show me the proof of that, bearing in mind your other quote “we didn’t have many players on super insane wages”.
Getting easier? It’s like taking candy from a baby, so let’s see how you get on looking for the facts for once, instead of using ridiculous soundbites.
OVER TO YOU.
Like I said, it is getting so easy, and uninteresting.
I knew you wouldn’t have that link.
I think you have just outsmarted yourself completely Jen – what a BS you really are
As I said, like taking candy from a baby.
I notice, as will anyone else interested in your waffle, that you don’t ACTUALLY supply the link, so rest assured, I will do my research and call you out once again…you accuse others of not knowing our club, you must be THE most embarrassing “fan” on JA as you know nothing whatsoever of any real relevance – a typical soundbite fan.
While waiting for Jens fictitious site, I looked myself and found this dated 16/1/2020 on sport bible that I thought might be of interest :
This from EUFA listing the top ten clubs in Europe regarding wage bills in millions :
1. Barcelona @ £450
2. Madrid @ £369
3. PSG @ £289
4. Man Utd @ £286
5. Bayern @ £270
6. Man City @ £267
7. Chelsea @ £236
8. ARSENAL @ £232
9. Pool @ £225
10. Juve @ £224
This, of course, doesn’t relate to the claim made by Jen that, under Wenger, we had one of the highest wage bills in Europe, but it is interesting to see actual FACTS from 2020.
Meanwhile, let’s see how Jens site compares with this shall we?
I couldn’t find it, but she actually says she has, so let’s compare the site and date – over to you Jen
Looks like someone ran away, very fast and without looking back!
HH YOU ARE BOTH INCHES AWAYFROM MODERSTION AGAIN
What is the value of the inherited players when he inherited them compare to their value now…
Jen Yes MA HAS increased the overall value of the squad, though from a very low base from the woeful days of Mustafi Sokratis and co and other rplainly DREADFUL so called “defenders”left behind by Wenger, that awful judge of a CB.
But he has spent a GREAT DEAL OF DOSH in doing so
No realist can deny, that though he HAS brought in a number of TOP CLASS players, such as Odegaard- though I dissent from your view he would fetch the sums you quote ,IF he were made available – and also Tomi, Rice and Timber (we presume), he has WASTED VAST sums on other not up to standard players, notably Viera, Lokonga, Tavares, and in particular, Havertz with his ludicrous £280k p w. Also the non needed Raya and HIS WAGES too.
IMO, AT BEST I could only describe MA’s transfer dealings as a curates egg, meaning “good in parts” and much of it WASTED, including wages for duds still here.
Some, like ELNENY, RIDICULOUSLY KEPT FROM WENGERS BAD OLD LAST YEARS.
Since the woeful days of the players you have named Jon, while spending shed loads of money, what have we actually WON compared to those woeful days of three cup wins??
As ALL FANS KNOW Ken,we have won ONLY the FA CUP, plus two discounted Community Shields, counted as silverware by a few non-realists fans, though “technically” they are right, as a trophy IS presented.
Hope that answers your surprisingly asked question!
I am sure you wanted more arguments from me, but I chose not to fall into THAT trap. Sorry old chum, but I am not as daft as you may care to think!
I will however gladly repeat,if only for your personal frustration, my previous TRUE remark about the woeful days of Mustafi, Sokratis and co!
But Jon old bean, that one fa cup was won with the players you deem to have been woeful in the squad.
£700,000,000 plus later and what have we got?
YES KEN, SO YOU NOTICED? ODD EH!
Of course a more mature view might well say that FA CUPS are sometimes won by very moderate teams; this century Wigan beat City and Portsmouth also won the cup. QED!!
Sorry if these pertinent examples don’t suit your agenda of the later Wenger teams being “superb and extremely successful”!!
Jon, your starting to do what Jen,, Jimbo, TMJW does and quote things I haven’t said.
“Superb and extremely successful” with Mustafi, Sokratis and Co?
Reference the quote please Jon or answer the question £700,000,000 plus and what have we got?
You seem to be under as misapprehension KEN, that I am giving MA a free pass for wasting a deal of that quoted figure of £700mill. SURELY YOU MUST HAVE READ SOME of my many posts castigating him for wasting huge chunks of it??
As for “superb and extremely successful”, as you are WELL AWARE, that was merely an ironic and poetic license type phrase , similar to one you used with me recently, I seem to remember.
What is “sauce for the goose” etc eh Ken!!
“Finally, if Eddie is such a terrible player, why is he doing very well and better than some other first choice strikers (that cost way more) in regards to EPL goals?”
3 goals in one game against one of the weakest teams in the division really pads those numbers for him – reminds me of adebayor scoring two hat tricks vs derby, which accounted for a quarter of his total during his breakout goalscoring season. Last season he scored about 0.34 goals per 90, and he’s probably a little better than that of you combine all his previous seasons – not bad for a backup (particular if you consider he’s often coming from the bench), but not great for the money he’s being paid imo
(I have to admit, I thought it would be much worse – the imo is necessary because I do think it’s subjective)
@jen…couldn’t have said it better….thanks!
PJ-SA both city, spuds, newcastle and pool have had more long term injuries than we have had.
Partey got injured playing at RB I do believe!!
I’ve read that MA hasn’t been able to play his full strength team once this year, which begs two questions :
1. Does he know his best team, after buying Havertz and then saying he doesn’t know where to play him and using Partey as a RB?
2. How does any fan know what MA’S best team is anyway? Just pure conjecture with no factual evidence to back it up as usual.
NO ARGUMENTS AT ALL ON YOUR POST THIS TIME KEN.
All true!
Ken1945
You’ve not understood what PJ-SA said. He said, and I quote “Everyone has injuries, it’s not an excuse or reason.”
So he is making it crystal clear that even if you were missing any amount of key players, it shouldn’t handicap the manager in anyway whatsoever. I massively disagree on that.
Take out Haaland, Ederson, Foden, Dias, Walker, etc, and there’s no way City would have done the treble last season. In fact, if just Haaland missed a few months we probably would have won the league, let alone many other injuries
Yet they are winning games with Haaland and De Bruyne out this season, why aren’t we without Partey and Timber, who is still an unknown PL player?
Your opinion once again as to whether we would have won the league – our collapse had nothing whatsoever to do with city or anyone else.
But we have been winning. We were top of the league only two games ago, and are only 5pts off at the moment, and that’s with lots of injuries since day one. Plus we’ve been doing very against the big boy’s as well, results and performance wise.
So considering MA has been severely handicapped over the last two years, and considering how young his squads are, I would say he’s getting great results. Unless you also think that missing any amount of key players has no affect?
@Jen’
the only reason City won the league last year IMO is because Pep was able to rotate/ rest KDB and have him available for the run in vs MA who
refused to rotate even when he could (there were many arguments on JA about this) and run his players to the ground prematurely.
We have got great results and excitement from the team last year but if the manager was world class we should have had the title.
Ken A wise fan would surely conclude that, although who is out with injuries IS a factor, what MOST matters is how GOOD OR BRILLIANT the remainder of the fit and available squad still is, as IS the case with City but NOT with us.
IF you disagree with that sentence, which I DOUBT you will, then I hope you will explain WHY you do1
I agree completely Jon, so with Timber and Partey being our only long term injuries and having spent over £700,000,000 on new players, where IS the depth that we should by now have?
Why not ask MA instead of me Ken? You are plainly not keeping up with my many posts this season where I am constantly castigating MA for wasting huge chunks of that quoted figure of £700millonon sub par players and ridiculous wage contracts and much besides.
I was under the impression you READ most of my posts Seems you dont though!
I DO read your posts Jon, that’s why I’m asking your OPINION as to why we achieved things with Sokratis and his ilk, but we can’t seem to do that with Saka, Saliba, Martinelli, Rice etc!?. Just your opinion Jon, nothing more and nothing less.
By the way, does your offer of a bet include if MA hands in his resignation?
I already explained my opinion whyKen , which to repeat in words of one syllable(figuratively speaking),is because FA CUPS are often a complete lottery, depending largely on luck in the draw.
I recall we played non league teams, Lincoln and Sutton, in the quarters inTWO of those winning cup seasons.
Only titles and CL prove a real top team. This year for example, we drew out of the hat mighty Liverppool in the third round at a time when we lack all form and they are bang in form.
THAT is the sort of thing that often decides cup trophies, as you are well aware, but NOT Prem titles.
And as for MA “resigning”, “as if”, only Wenger did that and even that WAS UNDER COMPULSION ONLY.
The bottom line is that we are far closer now to winning a title, even up against City ans Liverpool, THAN IN ANY YEAR UNDER WENGER since the Gallas sulk at Birmingham, way back in 2008. Or to put it more honestly, a full DECADE before he was FORCED to resign or else be sacked.
Thanks Jon.
By the way Jon, did you also “recall” that we played city and chelsea along the way.. actually the semifinal and the final itself?
@PJ-SA
RealTalk 👍🏾
Yes, the club’s history in Europe has much to do with its future in Europe.
Grabbing into thin air! Very entertaining.
I am waiting for your response in the other article.
Wow, you really put me in my place with your incredible intelligent.
Easy to do, especially as the word is intelligence!
Haha
Omg, it’s literally playground stuff! No adults on here?
If Partey is feet for the second part of the season and if we can get a decent signing this window (not necessarily a striker, a good MF or fullback can also reinvigorate us), then we stand a chance in PL, and CL is sometimes also about draw and luck.
What convinced you in the first place, that we could win anything this season? I prepared myself for a top-4 race. I believe our young team over performed last season and our squad is still not ready. You win big games with a really god team, but you need a top squad to win big titles, and we aren’t there yet. Still too many holes in the squad. Unfortunate injuries is part of it, but we need class cover for serveral starters, a stronger competition among the players. With that said, we are not out of the race yet, so lets hope!
Tough to say but anything is possible in football. Some teams pick incredible form while some decline. Hope the positives favour Arsenal.
A lot depends on whether the winter break in Dubai re-energises tired bodies and minds.
Much is made of Havertz’s arrival but there are times when I think that Xhaka’s departure has had an unsettling impact. Although unpopular in some quarters, he had a good season so in this season it seems like losing a player to injury (if you follow my drift)
If, as the media predict, that we have a quiet transfer window, then Arteta will have to search through his years in football as a player, coach and manager to bring about a fresh start to 2024. Im sure he isn’t sitting on his laurels in Dubai.
As for winning any prizes at the end of the season, it’s impossible to know. I suspect we’ll get a better indication in our first game next week. More incisive passing and a spurt of speed would help rather than the monotony of a slow build up and sideways passing.
Rightly or wrongly, I’d expected us to kick on from the nearly season of 2023. Perhaps the extra workload in the CL has impacted quality on the home front. Weirdly, I feel we have a decent chance of doing well in the CL as it’s a cup competition and anything can happen
I agree. We must keep an open mind regarding the things you mention. It’s virtually impossible to know with any degree of certainty what is going on out of the public’s eye and we have to stay positive about the possibilities. Your comment about Xhaka is very well taken. Also, he was a very strong personality and I believe a strong part of the culture off the pitch.
I share your feeling on the UCL. If we can maintain a stout defence anything is possible in the knockout stages. I’m less hopeful in the PL where MC is getting KDB back and Spuds (uugh) is getting Maddison back. But again you never know about injuries and a hundred other things including luck itself.
BB
Absolutely agree about Xhaka’s leadership qualities and your take on KDB. The thought of the Spuds finishing above us is too awful to contemplate
I know what you mean, I’ve been fighting it all season, lol.
Am I missing something here, Xhaka had one good season, the rest were red cards that cost us games, and average performances, sorry don’t buy it
And that good season was only stand out because the other 5 were a disaster. He also, in his last season, contributed to our downfall at Liverpool and ultimately the season. Have people got so short memories?
Yeah, that downfall at LP cost us the season.
I didn’t think Xhaka was a disaster but at times his hot headedness let him down as you so rightly pointed out last season at the Liverpool game . To pin what happened on the remainder of the season on him is a touch unfair imo. He wasn’t the greatest but how many times was he dropped by Wenger, Emery and Arteta? Our team wasn’t stacked with outstanding players for yonks.
No, you got it right, one good season on the pitch.
That’s true, but that good season made a big difference and that hasn’t been replaced
Disagree with you BB.
Ask yourself why two very experienced managers, with numerous trophies under their belts, selected Xhaka every time?
Likewise, the inexperienced MA made it his very first priority to keep Xhaka at the club WHY?
Because he saw something more than AW and UE, moved his position and the rest is history.
A great piece of management by Mikel if you ask me!!
Hi Ken, not sure we disagree very much if at all. I don’t believe the other 5 seasons were a disaster by any stretch of the imagination, and I agree that Mikel’s great piece of management resulted in a good prior season on the pitch. I personally believe that the main reason MA wanted to keep Xhaka at the club was his influence in the clubhouse in addition to skills he could better utilize (as he had always done with the Swiss national team). It’s interesting to note that Leverkusen is still undefeated and on top of the Bundesliga.
👍👍👍
Much to agree with in your comments.
Losing Xhaka after his best season ever was really unfortunate. He would have given us added midfield strength and leadership. Might also have popped up with some goals.
It will be really difficult to win something if the squad is not strengthened in this transfer window.
Improving from one season to the next is normally expected but often not straightforward. It is really difficult to determine if players will be able to sustain high level performances from game to game.. This is particularly pertinent for younger players whose progress is not always linear.
I agree that it is impossible to know how the season will pan out especially given the closeness of several teams at the top of league. I doubt that Arteta will make massive changes to the setup but will probably want to seek much more efficiency amongst our players when chances arise.
Spurs are likely to finish above us, so our chances of a top four place is by no means guaranteed. And for all the talk we won’t be getting the striker we need. In effect we’ve started to decline earlier than last year so we may as well use the rest of this season as a preparation for the 24/25 season and make sure we secure Europa League qualification.
We can still win UCL
It would be highly improbable. But it’s a knockout competition, so a lucky team could win it
Remember about Porto and Mourinho or Inter and Mourinho. Barcelona and Real Madrid played better in the competition, but Mourinho still won it
Everything could all come down to a fit Thomas Partey availability, I wouldn’t write the gunners off just yet, down but surely not out.
yes i think unlikely Arsenal win any silverware this season now
out of both the domestic cups
still in the race for the League but up against two two in form experienced campaigner’s in Liverpool and Man C
while one may faulter, it is very unlikely they both will
also Spurs and Villa are strong and more than capable of taking points off us, if not title chances themselves, even a resurgent Man U
there is still the CL, i.e. crowned the best team in Europe, which we clearly are not, but as a Cup competition anything can happen
if we are honest with ourselves we probably outperformed last year and got a bit lucky
so talk of not improving on 2nd being failure is a bit childish
that said CL qualification next year is the minimum requirement
That’s doubling down if ever there was an example AB!!
We should have WON the damn title, not finished 2nd and, since then, have spent over £200,000,000 on new players.
Finishing in the top four was not good enough for AW and UE, so what, exactly, are your measurements for MA, considering the above?
yes Champions League was good enough for AW and UE – my we have short memories, it took us 7 years to fight our way back to the Champions League and 6 months later it is treated like an entitlement – childish
Really good article that gets one thinking.
Why did one think we would win something this season?
Last year’s performance in the PL.. nothing else, as we got knocked out of the domestic cups early on and yet again!!
Also our performances at the beginning of the season, the CS win over city and subsequent league win after what seemed ages (and it was of course) playing second fiddle to them.
I agree with SueP regarding Xhaka and also the fact that he brought in Raya fractured last seasons close knit play.
Signing Declan Rice has been a masterstroke, but blaming Havertz is a no no for me.
We go on about Timber being such a miss, but how on earth we can have such faith in a player who has only seen action for a few minutes is ludicrous – he could turn out to be the next Ashley Cole, but we can’t believe that yet.
Injuries? The only long term ones have been Timber and Partey, so all this waffle about MA never being able to field his strongest team is just conjecture and an excuse.
City, pool, spuds, newcastle have ALL had worse injury problems and that’s a FACT.
It’s the style of play that MA has changed, along with the loss of Xhaka and the introduction of Raya, that’s causing doubt and I see where Daisy Mae is coming from, but it’s not to late to change back and we shall see if MA is worth the reported £8,000,000 salary or after five seasons of winning nothing with HIS players, a rethink will be necessary – I hope not!!
Speaking for myself only its not a case of “losing confidence”, but in facing the plain and obvious reality that a team with no proper striker will not win any major honour.
I have accepted some weeks ago that our only chance of silverware this season was the FA CUP.
Well now that is gone too and the Prem and CL are mere pipedreams for those who refuse to face reality.
I have never refused to face reality , however bleak it may seem at the time.
I am aware that buiding a deep squad of ALL good enough players takes longer than many will allow.
Of course, I fully agree with and accept that fans who say MA has made incoming transfer HUGE mistakes, as well as some top buys too, are CORRECT. Also loaning such as Tierney when we currently have NO proper LB.
IMO, we have wasted funds on HAVERTZ, VIERA, PEPE, LOKONGA , TAVARES, SOARES, ELNENY . Not allhave cost much in transfer fees but ALL are paid wages and that adds up to a great deal thrown, essentially, down the drain.
I am also well aware that to start again from scratch with a new manager is NOT going to happen and even if we tried – which we wont – it would only set things back much further still.
I now expect, though do NOT DEMAND, top four and a decent run in the CL, HOPEFULLY, WITH LUCK TO THE SEMIS.
But the botton line is our squad is far too shallow in quality with a good number of playersSTILL HERE, who OUGHT never to have been anywhere near a club of our standing.
And I have not even mentioned(til now) the needless waste of money, mostly wages so far, on a new keeper we did not and still do NOT need!
As evidence for our squad being TOO shallow in quality, why else do some fans think such as SAKA IS BEING VASTLY OVERPLAYED?
Of course that is not a wise thing to have done and it is costing us weekly in his reduced perfs this season compared to previous ones. Likewise with Martinelli.
I PREACH AND URGE FANS TO BE FAR MORE PATIENT AND NOT TO MAKE UNREALISTIC DEMANDS. .
But the DAILY mountain of evidence on JA of rants shows very starkly that such advice falls on wilfully deaf and uninterested ears. SIGH!
“plain and obvious reality that a team with no proper striker will not win any major honour.”
Bring picky, city did it with jesus as their main striker in 20/21. They only had aguero, who was on his last legs and missed almost the entirety, and ferran Torres, who is fairly similar to jesus and often plays as a winger, as their other options. If I remember correctly, gundogan occasionally played as a false 9 as well. Paints an unfortunate picture of how good the rest of their side was compared to ours. In any case, it is possible to win the league without a “proper” striker, however everything else seemingly has to be incredibly good.
Agreed with your other points.
DAVID it seems to me, having looked closely at precisely HOW you have carefully phrased your post, that in fact, though you perceive a difference in our views, such a difference is NOT THERE AT ALL, IN REALITY!
Your apt sentence beginning” Paints an unfortunate picture”… etc renders the prevous point you tried to make, as not at all relevant.
AND IN FACT you agree wholeheartedly with me on the KEY point! No serious fan can possibly compare our current squad including Jesus, to Citys when JESUS WAS WITH THEM.
No serious comparison at all and THAT is my KEY POINT!
Conclusion: OF COURSE , IF you boast a deep squad full of real top class players with no duds, a la Elneny Soares, Havartz, Viera etc among them, then and ONLY THEN can you win a title without a PROPER STRIKER.
Sorry, its to Davi not David. Apologies to you!
Yes, you are exactly right – I certainly agree with you on the key points. I was being picky on the point that a certain type of striker is an absolute requirement, but that city side is an exception to the rule.
It’s possible signings like Vieira, havertz, timber, white and tomiyasu were intended to be along the lines of those that helped to win city the title without that CF, as they’re all seen as highly versatile, however, not all of them (thinking mostly of havertz and Vieira from that short list) have been able to perform to the required standard in their primary positions, let alone when asked to make use of their versatility.
DAVI, I suggest then that to sum up what we both agree, Citys squad right now and for some several years past has been an excellent one with (virtually) no sub par players, whereas ours right now AND for a great many years past – going right back to our Invincibles – has been full of holes with far too many sub-standard players at the level we need.
and Firmino with Liverpool
so in fact prior to Haarland ‘the freak of nature’ turned up every League winner for the past 5 seasons had “no proper striker”
the only “proper” strikers in that period were Kane and Lukaku, so umm, a “proper striker” actually guarantees nothing
Firmino is a different case – he played the CF role very well and in some important respects, dominated defenders, even when he wasn’t scoring a lot himself. Chelsea won the league at least once with drogba acting similarly – great strikers but not great goalscorers (drogba did score a lot in a couple of seasons, but won scored 12 or less in 3 of the 4 titles he won)
we have two “not great goal scoring” strikers now, you want add a third…
my point is that the statement “no proper striker” = “no League title” is just not backed up by the facts
and if you have to go back as far as Drogba then effectively concedes the debate
All true..this team isn’t winning anything this year, and you summed up most of the reasons why.
I never and dont expect us to win anything, except a cariboo cup thingy, but we couldn’t even muster a bit of a scuffle for that. Our manager is not able to beat the likes of Pep and Klopp, when it comes to strategy and tactics, good enough for the top trophies. We are back in the top 4 thanks to the money invested but the guille and nous needed from the manager to win at the top table, sadly, is not there. Im afraid he is badly wanting on that score. Last season, i think will be as good as it gets. The kronks have thrown the kitchen sink at it but it is starting to overflow and we are hitting our financial ceiling. We have no wiggle room left, to throw more at it and it would probably be a waste of time.
two matches vs Man C
one win and one draw
and both results done to Arteta strategy and execution
so if anything one on one we have upper hand
two matches vs Liverpool
one draw and one loss
so less impressive, but outdone by ourselves not Klopp who was forced in to low block due to our pressure (very un-Klopp)
I dont know what you mean by upper hand? At the end of the season, the trophies dished out, tells you who won the war. Whats this upper hand? We had the “upper hand” last season and lost the war.
your own point Reggie was our weakness is Arteta because he is unable to match Pep and Klopp
so I simply made the factual observation that Arteta head to head against Pep and Klopp in the League this season is 1 win – 1 draw – 0 losses
and you can definitely put the win against Man C down to Arteta strategy and execution
I am not making title credentials out of it, just pointing out the facts are not on your side
Yes, this season in the league, he got a win against City at home, but that was rare and a draw away at Liverpool but again, a rare occurance. But over the last four years and i predict the same this. When the going get tough and the trphies are dished out Pep and Klopp will have done better, overall than Arteta. Yes head to head counts, but not as much as titles, when they are dished out.
I agree, Reggie. The worst thing is for all that money spent our squad is really poor. We have a good first XI but only 3 players that would feature in any EPL XI. So much money has been wasted on poor or average players.
Kai Havertz: will come good but will take time.
Trossard: really, really slow and average.
Vieira: technically good but no substance.
Jorginho: fabulous at Chelsea but too slow now.
Zinchenko: technically gifted but weak.
Jesus: works hard, skillful, no end product.
Kiwior: promising, not given enough games.
Lokonga: promising but of little substance.
What I find the most frustrating is the seemingly awful man-management MA displays, giving players like ESR loose change in game time, or completely freezing out others such as Tierney and now Ramsdale.
Arteta is a gifted coach but is woefully inept and in-game and personnel management.
Frankly, I’m staggered you had to begin with. This team is not good enough to win anything meaningful and neither is this manager.
This season, as well as the last one, shows that Arsenal will not win the league with Arteta for only one reason – he cannot rotate his players
Yes. Arsenal can the win the league 100%.
Calling back Marquinhos from Nantes loan is a very brilliant decision.
If Arteta can stick to this squad for the second half of the season, he will end with trophy:
DRIVERS – Eddie, Jesus, Saka, Marquinhos, Odegaard, Zinchenko, Nelson, Martinelli, Timbre
OCCUPIERS – Saliba, White, Tomiyasu, Partey, Rice, Kiwior, Magalhaes, Havertz, (promote Lino Sousa from Academy), (callback Omar Rekik from Wigan), [sign Onana from Everton], [sign Chalobah from Chelsea]
It’s very simple.
The club should stop being emotional and just cash-in on the tactical misfits in the squad! These are Trossard, Jorginho, Vieira, Elneny, Cedric, and Emile. They are bound to be appropriate elsewhere, but not in this current Arteta-ball system, bcos they are neither natural drivers nor occupiers.
1. Full backs are not good enough.( White and Zinchenko are average)
2. No threat on the bench.( the best you get is an inconsistent Trossard)
3. Havertz is no number 8( can’t string passes, can’t spread the play, can’t carry the ball forward)
4. No competition for our wingers and Odegaard ( Saka and Martinelli have been poor this season. check Doku and Graelish competition, Jota,Diaz, Gakpo battling it out at Liverpool)
5. Our main striker can’t hit 15 goals( says his job is not to score goals, who is going to get us the goals to win the championship?Saka is no Salah)
Can they win this year as currently constructed? In a word, NO. They don’t score nearly enough goals and they are too wasteful with scoring chances. Most of that is down to a lack of finishing ability from the center forwards
My goodness, what a lot of words written on this subject!
I think we do have a problem this season, and I wrote the following at the start of this season:
Arsenal will struggle just to get into the top 5 this season
Havertz would become the Albatross around Arteta’s neck
Granit Xhaka has gone to join a better team than Arsenal.
I based these thoughts on the players we brought in over the summer.
Havertz was no replacement for Xhaka, especially as a team leader.
Raya was not going to replace Ramesdale as a character in our defence
and, as it turned out, Rice, who has NOT replaced Partey, since Rice is playing in front of the back four, and not on the right of midfield.
This season I believe Arteta has changed the fabric of our Arsenal team, along with it’s balance.
This is why I believe we need to restore the balance.
We really need Zubimendi on the left of midfield, and we need Rice or Partey on the right.
I would also say we need Ramsdale back in goal (we haven’t paid for Raya yet).
Arteta will of course never do what I think we ought, which is why I think we will be lucky to finish in the top 5!!
I’m losing patience with plastic fans.