2024/25 Season

[fidget]

We need to strengthen this window to give ourselves the best chance.
It'd be criminal not to.

[SB]

We need to strengthen this window to give ourselves the best chance.
It'd be criminal not to.

How many times have we said that on here though over the years only to be left scratching our heads when the TW closes?

[Buzzo]

How many times have we said that on here though over the years only to be left scratching our heads when the TW closes?

Yep. I’m pretty sure we will be saying the same come Feb 1st!

[SB]

Yep. I’m pretty sure we will be saying the same come Feb 1st!

Rinse & repeat.

[red g]

I think so also. Our down turn in form is so far three draws in 6 games in the league. One defeat still all season. Top scorers and I think we’ve conceded the least goals. This season there are more teams capable of taking points of the teams at the top than ever before and let’s face it no City and a far weaker Arsenal.

All the years (decades) of being not quite good enough is why we have to enjoy moments like this. It’s better than being 6th and trying to fathom how we overturn a 14 point gap in 18 games.

One of the great truisms in sport is that pressure is a privilege. It’s so true. Every other supporter in the league would prefer to be in our position.

And those 3 draws were against the form team in the PL, 2nd place and a Scum team who always up the game.

No panic yet for me. SHould have won all 3 games too.

[BigChief]

Arsenal seem to have fluked a win (if only Sels was as **** as Kinsky). They might beat Villa off that confidence boost too. All this with a strike force of Martinelli, Trossard and Havertz. And an under performing (mentally exhausted?) Odegard.

If they can put a run together, even 2 or 3 games, then we sure as **** can too. Doesn't matter what calibre of opposition we face, Everton or Ipswich. We have Salah, Gakpo and a returning Jota.

Arsenal just had 100+ minutes in the FA Cup. Then games every 4 days until end of February where they can't rest a single player. Dinamo Zagreb are fighting to finish in the lucrative CL qualifiers so they won't be going easy on Arsenal. I still think (hope) we can win the title by end of February before Arsenal enter their easy run of league fixtures.

[BobTheCharmer]

Arsenal seem to have fluked a win (if only Sels was as **** as Kinsky). They might beat Villa off that confidence boost too. All this with a strike force of Martinelli, Trossard and Havertz. And an under performing (mentally exhausted?) Odegard.

If they can put a run together, even 2 or 3 games, then we sure as **** can too. Doesn't matter what calibre of opposition we face, Everton or Ipswich. We have Salah, Gakpo and a returning Jota.

Arsenal just had 100+ minutes in the FA Cup. Then games every 4 days until end of February where they can't rest a single player. Dinamo Zagreb are fighting to finish in the lucrative CL qualifiers so they won't be going easy on Arsenal. I still think (hope) we can win the title by end of February before Arsenal enter their easy run of league fixtures.

They were all over spurs. If their win was a fluke, so have plenty of ours been this season.

[Kenneth]

Arsenal's passing and general play is a level above ours, primarily because they move the ball loads quicker than us. But they struggle to score because they're weak up top. They're a quality striker away from winning the league imo.

[Exiled_red]

I think the problem we are facing is tiredness as certain players have been over played, add to that injuries etc and people coming back and I feel that's why we have hit a bit of a slump. I know we have been playing less intense football than we were under Klopp, but we are usually in games until the end, we haven't had many games put to bed where we could rest players. I would have liked to have seen more minutes for players like Elliott in midfield Endo having been played to give Gravenberch a rest etc. I fear that like last season we tiredness is catching up with us.

That said we are in a strong position, we shouldn't get down hearted about a few results. I think that the recent title races with City have made many of us feel that any slip up is massively costly, I think this season is going to be a more 'normal' title race with teams slipping up and dropping points.

[Sus]

Arsenal's passing and general play is a level above ours, primarily because they move the ball loads quicker than us. But they struggle to score because they're weak up top. They're a quality striker away from winning the league imo.

Hmm I’m not sure I fully agree with that. They looked sharp yesterday against an underpowered, naive Spurs side who gave them plenty of space and lots of errors

In other games they have looked incredibly laboured on the ball, with far less variety in terms of their passing than us or City for example. They seem to have a Plan A which is to work a team out of shape on the right and look for a pullback but not much of a plan B or C

[rudedog]

Arsenal's passing and general play is a level above ours, primarily because they move the ball loads quicker than us. But they struggle to score because they're weak up top. They're a quality striker away from winning the league imo.

Considering what they have spent, they’ve been poor for large parts, really negative and risk averse. I don’t think they have won more than three games on the trot so far (and that’s when their best player has been available).

Their struggles go beyond the need for a goal scorer, they don’t create enough chances from open play because Arteta is too focused on not conceding.

[Scratch]

Arsenal's passing and general play is a level above ours, primarily because they move the ball loads quicker than us. But they struggle to score because they're weak up top. They're a quality striker away from winning the league imo.

I don't think it is tho, when we want to we can zip the ball around as well as/better than Arsenal, and we've shown that in many games. But we seem to be more measured in our approach under Slot, moving the ball around the back line and probing more, before bursts of 1 and 2 touch passing. It would be nice if we did it for the 90 minutes, but I feel our method of play is more sustainable over a season, will keep players fresher and will hopefully result in less injuries over the course of the year.

[BigChief]

Hmm I’m not sure I fully agree with that. They looked sharp yesterday against an underpowered, naive Spurs side who gave them plenty of space and lots of errors

In other games they have looked incredibly laboured on the ball, with far less variety in terms of their passing than us or City for example. They seem to have a Plan A which is to work a team out of shape on the right and look for a pullback but not much of a plan B or C

I don't think it is tho, when we want to we can zip the ball around as well as/better than Arsenal, and we've shown that in many games. But we seem to be more measured in our approach under Slot, moving the ball around the back line and probing more, before bursts of 1 and 2 touch passing. It would be nice if we did it for the 90 minutes, but I feel our method of play is more sustainable over a season, will keep players fresher and will hopefully result in less injuries over the course of the year.

[The_weatherman]

IF, we were to manage to close this title, which is by no means a given, if would be a massive feat since Slot is still learning about the league, it's massively different to other leagues, the schedule, cups, intensity and the quality of other teams, IMO it would be massive for someone with only a single Dutch domestic title to his name.

[fidget]

And without any help in the transfer market from our owners