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it's been a crap season all round.
Looking around the top 4
Liverpool (were in a final, won the league with ease)
Newcastle (in a final and won)
Man City (bad season for them but in a final)
Then you have 2 traditional rivals Spurs and United (maybe not in recent league form)
but both extremely likely in a final.
Arteta needs to win it imo, otherwise the highlight of the season is beating Real Madrid or maybe City,
We always seem to fall apart right at the end. happens every year.
So you'd rather be in the bottom five of the PL but get to the EL final?Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas
You'd rather win the league cup than finish runners up and CL Semi Finalists?
hmmmmmmm.
Nah we need to start winning something.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich
This is where Arteta fails, we never get the job done. there has been a good atmosphere in recent years but the grumbles have returned.
also I don't want us to throw cup competitions. if this squad start winning cups the momentum will carry on.
The Europa and Conference leagues have fallen victim to greed and stupidity of UEFA and played straight into the hands of the PL.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas
No other league in Europe offers up serious competition outside of its best three or four clubs. Now that UEFA have stopped the CL clubs from entering the Europa league after the prelims? the odds of United & Spurs, as bad as they are, of reaching the final were dramatically enhanced. UEFA really didn?t think that through at all.
The PL & CL still remain the only real benchmark of a clubs real worth, and on the count, probable runners up and CL semi?s does represent progress of sorts, much as we?d all like a bit of silverware.
That is actually a very good point re CL teams not dropping into the Europa League.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7sisters
We haven't fallen apart at the end this season. We were never really together.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas
To be honest, this season is a big disappointment whatever happens in the Champions League. Obviously were we to win it nobody would care about the rest of the season. But the fact remains we have performed well below our best pretty much all season. That is a big concern, and one that Arteta needs to put right next season.
We can't have this again. There is just too much quality in this side for us to be stumbling through games every week.
He will but it will take time. I think we're all pleased with the foundations of the project. Look how secure we are from a defensive standpoint. But because we don't score enough we draw too many games.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas
The next piece of the jigsaw is to improve us in attacking areas. We are clearly way short of where we need to be there. We have also had really terrible luck this season with injuries.
- A striker who can share the load with Havertz.
- A wide player (ideally comfortable on both sides) to likely take Martinelli's spot / challenge him.
- Zubimendi (who will allow Rice a more free role).
- A centre back (Huijsen from Bournemouth, perhaps).
Chelsea also likely in a final. Sad seens.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas
That particular competition is beyond farce tbf. Chelsea slinging on 16 year olds and barely a first 11 player throughout. Embarrassing.Quote:
Originally Posted by pjlincs
:nod: Spot onQuote:
Originally Posted by 7sisters
If this season's side had the injury record of the season before, we'd have won the title. Been unlucky.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter
A CB, Rich? If everyone one is fit our second choice CBs are White and Kiwior - you'll struggle to find better depth than we have, I think. And Tomi can play there in an emergency.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich
Other three I agree with, let's hope
See, I don't agree with that. I think the problem has been fitness, rather than injury (I know how stupid that sounds!). Rice, Saka and others were exhausted at the start of the season and didn't get going. Odegaard got injured and was raced back as our season looked like unravelling. The injuries from that point effectively removed team selection as an issue, as Arteta was left to pick what he had left.Quote:
Originally Posted by PSRB
We started the season with stuttering performances and they just continued as we never found any momentum. And a series of atrocious refereeing decisions made it even worse.
Worth remembering we had injuries last season. Partey missed almost the entire season. Timber did miss the entire season, and Tomiyasu most of it. Key injuries, but not quite the same volume overall.
Summer off, two or three key signings, and most of all a chance to sit down and work out how to get us back to the side we are. Find that rhythm that has been missing, and shelve the stop start antics. We need to be dominating games week in, week out. That is the only way to win the league.
I'm sorry about this, Wes. But I completely agree :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by WES
Kiwior's recent performances have shown he is a definite keep. But he needs to be trusted, and he needs 15 games a season. We can't pick Gabriel every week and leave him sat there rusting. He is good enough to play in this side and has shown it very clearly.
We do not need a centre back.
I saw Kiwior taking some criticism for his performance against PSG.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter
Personally, I didn't see it. Timber, however, looked terrified of Kvarta.
Well it sounds like we are open to a market opportunity and Dean Hijusen at 50mill may be just that. Could be looking at our first choice centreback for the next decade. But his arrival would mean a departure for one of the two you mention. Kiwior's stock must have risen in recent weeks and offers less flexibility than White (who can operate at RB and in midfield).Quote:
Originally Posted by WES
No smoke wihtout fire and it sounds like we are fighting with Liverpool and Real Madrid for the boy at Bournemout. I think he is a once in a geneation type footballer when you see how good he is on the ball.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter
I couldn't see an issue with Kiwior. Or Timber, I thought he played well.Quote:
Originally Posted by WES
The key to playing PSG is possession. When they don't have it, they are not great and they can wobble. Partey and the real Odegaard would have made the difference. We are going to need the captain to reappear in Paris.....
Is he left footed or right footed?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich
I'm not sure that just telling the captain to play better will work. If he could score / have a good game tomorrow that might be the key to Wednesday.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter
Both footed. Has played as a left sided central defender this season but has a wide range of passing with both feet (like Cazorla did). He's played as a righted sided CB for Spain this season.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter
If Saliba does go in the next couple of years then you'd have a ready made replacement for just 50m.
If that worked, you would like to think Arteta would have tried it :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich
We just need a miracle from him....
Well..... Arteta has surprised us before. And it would be quite funny if he spends another 50 million on the defence and doesn't sign a striker :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich
I can?t see it, as much from the player?s side as ours. He has a clear pathway at several top clubs; with us, he?d be in a similar predicament to Heaven when he opted to leave for United.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter
A player of his potential would only choose to come here in the event that Saliba or Gabriel walked.
We have a 30m backup keeper coming in too :hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter
In Arteta?s defence; I suspect he is one of four who get a say in our dealings (the other three being Josh Kroenke, Tim Lewis and Berta)
The first job is convincing Partey to stayQuote:
Originally Posted by Rich
If I?m Arteta and want him (and I can?t see how he wouldn?t) then perhaps we agree to loan him back to AFCB next season and tell him that he?ll be first choice the season after. Gabriel is 28 and this year so the next 18 mths might be a good time to cash in.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7sisters
Doing that would also potentially let us pay his release clause in instalments. I.e. give them 15m this summer meaning we can do other business that require more urgent investment
I quite agree but not for Saudi money. Which means that the player needs to want it & I would question that with the bile he has to endure most weeks from other fans.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter
But if he does then a 1+1 deal would make sense for all parties/parteys.
Yes agreed it's a garbage season absolutely garbage bar a miracle in the CL.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Vegas