Arsenal

[Charly]

You have to admit they've had some ****ty luck with injuries.

Klopp was on a similar point trajectory last season to Slot. Injuries destroyed that season. Slot has made a decision tactically where we run less, so it might not just be luck. There is some science to it. But, id rather be thought of as lucky than not.

[vlahka]

They can **** off. They out spend us every year in transfers. We bought 1 player for nothing money and dont even use him.

[Kenneth]

You have to admit they've had some ****ty luck with injuries.

But they've had the opposite prior, when we were hammered by injuries they had none for a whole season and almost won the league. Swings and roundabouts.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I agree that injuries have hit them but I also think that they are not a top top team. Some of that is personnel and some of that is tactical. A few years ago they reminded me a little bit of us after a season under Jurgen - you could see they had big potential and a few key players would have made them take the next step.

We signed Allison, Virgil and Fabinho at the time and the team just went to a totally different level. They signed Rice, Raya and Havertz. Not the same level at all.

It could be difficult for Arteta this time next year imo. He spoke about a big summer last week which suggests that he will go large for players again. Probably a striker which could make a big difference to them in fairness but what does he do with 70m Havertz then?

I think if they get it wrong this summer then he will be under pressure next season

Imo a hell of a lot of it is tactical. They have had a very good squad for the past three or so seasons, but as each season goes by their style of play and set up appears to get more cyncial and risk adverse than the season before.

Rarely seen a "big" team play for set pieces as much as they do, and how many of their creative players play has gone from being free flowing to almost mechanical looking.


Even with injuries (Funny how when we have lots of injuries the pundits etc say it is a squad game and to get on with it), they have pretty good back ups for most positions. Some of their young players coming through look good too.

You watch guys like Saka. A few seasons ago he was looking to test full backs every chance he got and he would ride more challenges in the hope he could wriggle past and then be clear on goal. Now you watch him and you can see the falling down at the hint of contact coming as he tends to slow down a little before flopping.

They just stink of a team whose manager has a Plan A and very little else when that plan hits a wall. Sure they have enough quality in the squad to get results despite the reserved way of playing, but you always get the feeling that with a better manager that exact same squad might be worth 10% more points a season.

[Le Chef]

You have to admit they've had some ****ty luck with injuries.

They have but all teams have squad depth to cope - The fact that everyone knew they needed a striker in the summer yet they failed to recruit one, and again in the winter window (half arsed bid for Watkins) shows poor management IMO.

[frank the tank]

I agree that injuries have hit them but I also think that they are not a top top team. Some of that is personnel and some of that is tactical. A few years ago they reminded me a little bit of us after a season under Jurgen - you could see they had big potential and a few key players would have made them take the next step.

We signed Allison, Virgil and Fabinho at the time and the team just went to a totally different level. They signed Rice, Raya and Havertz. Not the same level at all.

It could be difficult for Arteta this time next year imo. He spoke about a big summer last week which suggests that he will go large for players again. Probably a striker which could make a big difference to them in fairness but what does he do with 70m Havertz then?

I think if they get it wrong this summer then he will be under pressure next season

[Sus]

Nah...you really don't and you most certainly don't need to make excuses for them.

They aren't good enough to win a title it's that simple.

Based on the last couple of couple of seasons they *should* have been the team best placed to take advantage of Citehs implosion and for a number of reasons they couldn't.

Truth be told the league has been a procession for us this year.
Arsenal were third in the league and 7 points behind us when Saka got injured in January.

The injuries argument is just a coping mechanism from their fan base. This was their best chance of a title in a generation and they royally ****ed it up

I think both things can be true at the same time.

Last season, in hindsight, was their big chance, and the fact they couldn't crack 90 points in either of the last two seasons show they're ultimately not good enough.

Having said that, they have been unlucky with the number, severity and narrow focus of their injuries this season, which has derailed their season.

They probably wouldn't have won it anyway, but I don't think they'd be so far behind us if Saka and Odegaard had been fit all season

[spud_gun]

You have to admit they've had some ****ty luck with injuries.

Nah...you really don't and you most certainly don't need to make excuses for them.

They aren't good enough to win a title it's that simple.

Based on the last couple of couple of seasons they *should* have been the team best placed to take advantage of Citehs implosion and for a number of reasons they couldn't.

Truth be told the league has been a procession for us this year.
Arsenal were third in the league and 7 points behind us when Saka got injured in January.

The injuries argument is just a coping mechanism from their fan base. This was their best chance of a title in a generation and they royally ****ed it up

[DerKrampus]

You have to admit they've had some ****ty luck with injuries.

[SB]

Doing a little happy dance, not that they were overturning the 12 points anyway but another excuse for them to use.

[maxwellbaxter]

From the BBC......Gabriel out for the season....

Arsenal's win percentage is 63.50% across the 159 games in which Gabriel has featured since the defender's Premier League debut.

That win-rate drops to 40.90% in the 22 games Gabriel has missed in the league during that time.

[spud_gun]

[rudedog]

Mm-noom-ba-deh
Doom-boom-ba-beh
Doo-boo-boom-ba-beh-beh

[Doc_Piptorious]

No that sounds more like United’s perch, unused for 20 years or whatever it is

A leaky gutter would be more appropriate for them.

[SB]

Nah would be just a traffic light covered in pigeon ****.

No that sounds more like United’s perch, unused for 20 years or whatever it is