Arsenal away Thursday 8th January at 8pm

[SB]

Not looking forward to this one as the confidence they could get from a solid win against us could set up their season. Hopefully Hugo is back or I think we need to play Chiesa as our number 9 as Gakpo can’t be expected to start 2 games so close together after his injury lay off.

[Exiled_red]

Dreading this one to be honest

[SB]

Dreading this one to be honest

At least it won’t be against a low block which might suit us.

[Exiled_red]

Nothing suits us at the moment

[peterbread]

The boring football we play and the **** house tactics from Arsenal will make this game horrible to watch.

Wouldn’t it be great to scam a win here and score from a set piece where their keeper is fouled and some shocking VAR decisions go our way to top it all off.

[danperkins]

One of the best squads in football, one of the best sides for set pieces & probably the best defence in football.... yeah we aren't winning this one.

[Harv]

hopefully slots last game.

Can't stand the guy, excuses excuses and more excuses with this fraud

[vlahka]

We're going to get humiliated as they prance about laughing and hugging and their fans singing our songs. Hoping its Slots last game too and he takes his entire back staff with him.

[Slinky Skills]

Although I think we'll lose, I'd like to see the team play with some bottle and some desire just for once this season and show some fight. Just get the ****ing foot in and scythe them down and get them rattled, that's the least the travelling support should expect.

[Doc_Piptorious]

One of the best squads in football, one of the best sides for set pieces & probably the best defence in football.... yeah we aren't winning this one.

Not so sure about that. The not winning bit (which I assume means we will be beaten by them?).

Some of our better results this season were in games people expected us to lose.

Real Madrid
Arsenal
Villa


On paper Arsenal should beat us, for the reasons you gave, but have a sneaky suspicion that they might be a game where we either go at a team (a la against Real) or that the other team's **** house tactics slows that team down to our current ponderous level and it becomes a 50/50 game as a result.

[Norbs]

This one could be really messy

[Exiled_red]

One of the best squads in football, one of the best sides for set pieces & probably the best defence in football.... yeah we aren't winning this one.

I don't think they have one of the best squads in terms of quality, I think they have good squad depth - a lot of players who can come in to the side and slot in seamlessly without a drop off in quality, which means that they are consistent in performances and results. That's good for them and will win them the title this year but it's not what I would call the best - sorry if that is somewhat pedantic

[danperkins]

Not so sure about that. The not winning bit (which I assume means we will be beaten by them?).

Some of our better results this season were in games people expected us to lose.

Real Madrid
Arsenal
Villa


On paper Arsenal should beat us, for the reasons you gave, but have a sneaky suspicion that they might be a game where we either go at a team (a la against Real) or that the other team's **** house tactics slows that team down to our current ponderous level and it becomes a 50/50 game as a result.

That would make it all the more galling if we played like we did at Madrid again vs Arsenal, as it shows we actually can press, we can work, we can get stuck in... so why are we not doing it in all the games? The answer to that lies with the managers tactics and how he wants us to play & it is exactly why he won't be here in the summer imo.

[rudedog]

That would make it all the more galling if we played like we did at Madrid again vs Arsenal, as it shows we actually can press, we can work, we can get stuck in... so why are we not doing it in all the games? The answer to that lies with the managers tactics and how he wants us to play & it is exactly why he won't be here in the summer imo.

The teams we struggle against don’t play like Real Madrid. It’s much easier to press teams that play higher up the pitch. For teams that sit back, we need to commit more players into their half which then exposes us to counter attacks.

Hopefully Arsenal come at us

[danperkins]

I don't think they have one of the best squads in terms of quality, I think they have good squad depth - a lot of players who can come in to the side and slot in seamlessly without a drop off in quality, which means that they are consistent in performances and results. That's good for them and will win them the title this year but it's not what I would call the best - sorry if that is somewhat pedantic

Ah sure it's all about opinions, personally when I talk about best squads/squad depth, they are the same to me. If you have good squad depth, to me it means you have quality throughout the squad which they 100% do imo & as you said, there is no drop off in quality when they rotate or players come in, that is true. Can you name many others sides with a squad as good as them?

Raya/Kepa

Timber/White/Gabriel/Saliba/Hicapie/Mosquera/Calafiori/Lewis Skelly

Odegaard/Rice/Eze/Zubimendi/Saka/Trossard/Martenelli/Merino/Madueke/Nwaneri

Gyokeres/Havertz/Jesus

It's a ridiculous squad, so versatile & exactly why they are going to win the league & probably challenge in the cup competitions in the final stages.