Raja Posted May 17, 2022 Author Share Posted May 17, 2022 You could probably spin the Arsenal season to whatever narrative one wants given the way it has played out and you wouldn't be completely wrong. Pre-season, with signfiicant turn over in terms of the squad, and a whole host of new players, the target was very much getting back into the Europa League. But we performed above expectations, but injuries to our most important players ( Partey, Tierney, Tomiyasu), and an inability to come up with a plan on how to play without him cost us ( Brighton, Palace & Soton), we eventually did find a way to play without him once Elneny was put back in the squad but all season we have been a team that finds it hard to get over defeats and that is what has unfortunately happened again. We have a thin squad, and we chose not to reinforce in January whereas Spurs brought in two players that have proven to be key for them and that gamble has come back to bite us a little. There are lessons to be learned though, I like Arteta but I think he needs to manage his squad better than he does at the moment. In the end we just weren't good enough - we've lacked goals all season from a striker and eddie has done well but also missed crucial chances. There is obviously disappointment because we were so close, and it's only going to be harder next season with United back in the mix, but it's a vast improvement over last season and the season before that so at least we're headed in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raja Posted May 17, 2022 Author Share Posted May 17, 2022 On the plus side, I actually won't mind watching the all or nothing prime series that was filmed for this season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baxus Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Not having watched much of Arsenal this season, my impression may be off, but it seems to me that they were all over the place this season. They had good runs and they had bad runs, they had decent results against some top teams and yet they had a couple of losses in a row to teams in bottom half of the table. I guess that's to be expected from a team in rebuilding and with so many youngsters in the squad, but there will come a time when that excuse runs out and the team needs to start performing at top level. Maybe that would come next season or the season after that, but it will come and it will be very interesting to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polishgenius Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 14 minutes ago, baxus said: but there will come a time when that excuse runs out and the team needs to start performing at top level. Maybe that would come next season or the season after that, but it will come and it will be very interesting to watch. It pretty much has to be next season, you'd think. Most likely assuming no Conte melty over the summer Spurs will be stronger than they are now, we're hopefully unlikely to be as bad as we have been this year, and while it's too soon for Newcastle to really expect top four, they'll be interested in the Europa League spots. Arsenal will have to improve just to stand still, they can't afford to fuck about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consigliere Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 53 minutes ago, polishgenius said: It pretty much has to be next season, you'd think. Most likely assuming no Conte melty over the summer Spurs will be stronger than they are now, we're hopefully unlikely to be as bad as we have been this year, and while it's too soon for Newcastle to really expect top four, they'll be interested in the Europa League spots. Arsenal will have to improve just to stand still, they can't afford to fuck about. Don't forget about Leicester. They've had a bit of a disaster this season too but will likely be competing once again those EL places at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskaral Pust Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Arsenal lacked goals for a lot of this season. They could pick up a lot more points next season if they recruit a good striker (which is not easy or cheap) and see their youngsters mature some more. OTOH they don’t have good depth for fatigue or injuries, especially with lots of EL games next year. They’ve had only PL matches since January, and still they struggled for depth. Arteta will need to manage his squad better, which doesn’t seem to be his strong suit. The recent resurgence with Elneny and Nketiah should raise questions about their long absence until that point. Spurs are in a race to prolong and capitalize on this recent momentum before Kane or Son get injured or tired or Conte melts down. Two good transfers in January barely mitigates a few years of poor transfers. And they still do best when their opponent accommodates their counterattack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskaral Pust Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 If Ox cannot get a start in what is effectively the second eleven, then hopefully he’s making the appropriate career plans. Only the GK and one of the CBs today would be in our usual first eleven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Chatywin et al. Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Where does Messi rank now among the top players? I see it's being reported he's coming to MLS next year despite probably being way too good for the league. Normally guys are completely washed in Europe before they come slum it over here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 11 minutes ago, Iskaral Pust said: If Ox cannot get a start in what is effectively the second eleven, then hopefully he’s making the appropriate career plans. Only the GK and one of the CBs today would be in our usual first eleven. Yeah, but the one playing ahead of him is probably Elliott who would’ve played a lot more if he hadn’t had the injury. Still, it does look like Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Liverpool career is probably effectively over. Speaking of Elliott I think this is the best he’s looked since he came back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rorshach Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Oooof. I hope that knee didn't twist too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskaral Pust Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Poor Gomez. I hope that wasn’t too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskaral Pust Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 16 minutes ago, ljkeane said: Yeah, but the one playing ahead of him is probably Elliott who would’ve played a lot more if he hadn’t had the injury. Still, it does look like Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Liverpool career is probably effectively over. Speaking of Elliott I think this is the best he’s looked since he came back. It’s not just Elliott though. Minamino, Jones and Milner all started tonight too. Ox is far down the pecking order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polishgenius Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 58 minutes ago, Consigliere said: Don't forget about Leicester. They've had a bit of a disaster this season too but will likely be competing once again those EL places at least. True, although I think for Leicester a lot depends on (1) how they replace Tielemans and (2) what they ultimately do with Vardy because for all that he's still their sharpest scorer I do think some of their issue comes from an only partly successful tactical shift to account for his lessening pace (which has indirectly led to less protection for their defence). Although it is fair to say that a lot of their issue is also just having to play their DMs at CB for half the season. Tielemans will be tough though. For all that he's also part of their weakness, in that he can be discouraged and muscled out of games and fades late, they're such a different team when he's not involved and getting similar passing quality will be tough- I feel like a gradual integration for Soumare was the idea but he ain't that guy really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consigliere Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Forest are bottling it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Horse Named Stranger Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 I see, Joel almost as good as Maguire Matip, has put Liverpool ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskaral Pust Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 That’s a really good win by the second string. It would be nice if the finishing was better but they pretty well controlled that game and came back from an early setback. I hope Gomez doesn’t have a serious injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polishgenius Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 1 hour ago, Tywin et al. said: Where does Messi rank now among the top players? I see it's being reported he's coming to MLS next year despite probably being way too good for the league. Normally guys are completely washed in Europe before they come slum it over here. I mean, he's only got six goals playing for by far the most over-funded team relative to their league in the world. 13 assists, which is a good return (second in the league to Mbappe) but less impressive when you're passing to Mbappe and the next guy down, Benjamin Bourigeaud on 12, is setting up the legendary Martin Terrier and Gaetan Laborde. Like he's still good, he'll still be top in MLS but there is a reason he's being linked to that move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Horse Named Stranger Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 3 minutes ago, polishgenius said: I mean, he's only got six goals playing for by far the most over-funded team relative to their league in the world. 13 assists, which is a good return (second in the league to Mbappe) but less impressive when you're passing to Mbappe and the next guy down, Benjamin Bourigeaud on 12, is setting up the legendary Martin Terrier and Gaetan Laborde. Like he's still good, he'll still be top in MLS but there is a reason he's being linked to that move. All true, but tbf, I think he wanted to play in the US before ending his career in Argentina all along, if I am not mistaken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 That’s class from the Forest keeper. About time someone just stood their ground and didn’t let the taker just stick it down the middle in a shoot out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raja Posted May 17, 2022 Author Share Posted May 17, 2022 That is probably one of the best goalkeeping perfromances I have seen during penalties by Samba. Absolute boss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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