Seven points away with two matches left? I think we can all agree

[redgunamo]

that this has been a proper title challenge, can't we :wengerIN:

[Rich]

goes on at the club.

Not just the manager, who is undoubtedly one of the best in the world, but also Bould, Rice and all the other coaches etc that have been part of it.

The physios, though... Don't get me started on the physios.

[Nicosia Gooner]

[71 Guns - channeling the spirit of Mr Hat]

it'll be different next season :cloud9:

[Pokster]

with his training methods??? He hinted that he has rushed Wilshere back too quickly in the past.

I can't see Arsenal employing crap Physio's when they spend top money on everything else

[redgunamo]

*Even though it wasn't his fault.

[Rich]

and Wenger is so desperate to succeed and make the fans happy?

[Peter]

:-)

[Nicosia Gooner]

were first 11

[redgunamo]

If you change the names, of course :-)

[Peter]

On the plus side we kept our centre backs fit for most of the season and giroud avoided long absences.

Having the four wide men out in the first half of the season was a bit much as well.

Next season is likely to be tougher still. A smaller squad tends to struggle to cope with the aftermath of a world cup/european championship. And we already know we start witohut walcott and (assume) diaby.

[Peter]

And obviously diaby

[redgunamo]

fannies for the midfield.

[Nicosia Gooner]

[Peter]

The 'fannies' as you call the. Are the ones doing all the running,btwisting, turning, tackling, getting nibbled at.

Strikers are great big poofters in my book.

[redgunamo]

It's the same story whether it's the Champions League or the Bucks & Berks Under 11s.

[Peter]

Now :-)

There have been times over the last five years or so where we have hit double figures and whole seasons where, from the first game, there has been no point at which we didnt have at least five missing.

This season was about average overall but we felt the concentrstion in certsin areas- wide men before christmas, central midfield after christmas)

[redgunamo]

through a season.

[Peter]

[Nicosia Gooner]

[Peter]

:-)

Seriously, the two swipes at the keeper before ozil's goal. Piss poor.

[redgunamo]

[Rich]

[Peter]

On end....equally costly.

Basically, its a **** excuse.

[gco40203]

If if if....if Giroud had scored one of his three chances away to man city, if Giroud had scored with that gilt edged chance vs chelsea at home, if Ozil had scored his penalty vs bayern. Its all ifs but the reality is that we were out of the title race weeks ago and every team has injuries or absences. After all Suarez missed most of the first 2 months of the season yet is player of the year and liverpool are still fighting for the title. The game today is not about 11 players its about a squad of 25. Chelsea put out a team on sunday that probably only had 3 or 4 who will play against Athletico yet still went to Anfield and won.

Reality is the same as every year. Our best 11 can be as good as anyone on its day but we have no strength in depth in defence or upfront and we don't have a midfield ball winner/controller nor a world class forward. Until those are fixed we will always be splashing around 4th place and can just hope that we can stay half a step ahead of those just below us. Over 38 games a team will finish pretty much where it deserves to be based on the strength of its squad.

[Nicosia Gooner]

[Peter]

If wenger is going to pander to them and injure our players he can f**k off :-)

[Nicosia Gooner]

Chelsea have a squad of 25 internationals plus another 27 out on loan

[Peter]

Yesterday was perfect for his left foot to place it around the keeper to the far post. Never entered his head.

Put him through on the keeper with time and he is likely to f**k it up.

A good plsyer but he will never be s great one.

Oh, and a big poofter as well :-)

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

We haven't realistically been challenging for the title for weeks now.

Since March perhaps?

[Peter]

[Bergkamp's Brain]

It is basically jockeying for position until the run in, which starts with 5 or 6 games to go. We shagged ourselves trying to keep up. By the time the run in started, we were well and truly out of it and trying to make sure we kept ahead of the chasing pack.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

TNWWI.

[redgunamo]

[7evens]

Bullied yet again by Stoke :-(

[Luis Anaconda]

next to our piddling 24




* Actually they only have 22

[:hehe:]

:hehe:

[Bergkamp's Brain]

Have we improved on last season, a little. Have we made a title challenge, most certainly not. Have we addressed the problems from previous seasons, not all of them, perhaps not enough of them.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

You may have a point however I am sure City fans may believe they would already be champions had Aguero stayed fit. United fans may believe they would be in the mix had they been more decisive in the transfer market summer, or had they appointed a different manager, or both.

You make do with what you have. We had injuries, we also had time to address some of them which we failed to.

[redgunamo]

after all. Whether the manager trusts all of them to do the job is another matter though.

Anyway, we never bring "money" into it when we beat Stoke City or Wigan Athletic, do we.

[Bergkamp's Brain]

[:hehe:]

[Luis Anaconda]

which is why I thought it was a strange criteria to use

[Bergkamp's Brain]

What guarantee is there that we would have been anywhere near the title race with those players not injured :shrug:

[:hehe:]

[Maravilloso Marvo]

Plus the other "27" out on loan, I've never heard of most of them.

KURT ZOUMA
CHRISTIAN ATSU
MATEJ DELAC
THORGAN HAZARD
THIBAUT COURTOIS
TODD KANE
BILLY CLIFFORD
WALLACE
KENNETH OMERUO
NATHANIEL CHALOBAH
BERTRAND TRAORE
GEORGE SAVILLE
ULISES DAVILA
MILAN LALKOVIC
CRISTIAN CUEVAS
JHON PIREZ
PATRICK BAMFORD
STIPE PERICA
PATRICK VAN AANHOLT
LUCAS PIAZON
RYAN BERTRAND
GAËL KAKUTA
SAM HUTCHINSON
MARKO MARIN
JOSH MCEACHRAN
ROMELU LUKAKU
VICTOR MOSES
ORIOL ROMEU

[redgunamo]

Just five points between us and Chelsea, after all.

[Bergkamp's Brain]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

Drawing with Everton and Chelsea is hardly shameful, is it?

Why do you hate this football club so much?

[redgunamo]

[Luis Anaconda]

Wherefore art thou, now, Romeu

[:hehe:]

[Bergkamp's Brain]

[:hehe:]

[:hehe:]