This is where I am. Because it’s January it feels further into the season that it actually is. Arsenal are in a fantastic position now but there is a lot of games to be played. If they go further into Europa League that could hamper things has City has the squad depth no other club can match.
Mikel Arteta | Lego Pep watch
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This is where I am. Because it’s January it feels further into the season that it actually is. Arsenal are in a fantastic position now but there is a lot of games to be played. If they go further into Europa League that could hamper things has City has the squad depth no other club can match.
You can't have it both ways.. you're either the best team in the country like plenty of Arsenal fans on here and elsewhere are more than happy to tell you they are so therefore, failing to win the league from here should be considered as a failure.. or you're still in a false position and it's only a matter of time before City overtake you.
Which is it?
Agreed.
How about option 3?
They are a good team with a lack of squad depth (especially in terms of cover for Partey) and a run of bad form / injury crisis could derail their title challenge easily.
The only way their season could be seen as a failure at this point forward is if they somehow manage to miss out on top 4 IMO.
I don't see them dropping off really. Sure the lead might be cut and city can go on stupid runs, but I'd be surprised if they don't get around 90 points. No idea where they've found this form but they've been class in pretty much every game and very very rarely have had to actually grind out a win. Fair play. Didn't see it coming in a million years. Can see them ignoring Europa League too to keep full focus on the league.v
If Arsenal can keep a couple of key players injury free and City continue their patchy form then they can 100% win the league. Unfortunately I don't see either of these things happening. City will go on a good run and Odegaard will get injured at some point. I do hope I am wrong though.
Yeah they've got themselves into a fantastic position. At the going rate they are on course to eclipse City's centurion record. They can afford a slight dip just because how strong they've been. Guess this is the model we need - young, hungry and talented players.
Fair feck to him. He will win it while Pep and Klopp are still here.
And they look good. IMHO they will trash City.
And they look good. IMHO they will trash City.
There’s a lot of posts about City v Liverpool making the league as bad as La Liga so the EPL isn’t that great that are in danger of being brought up.
Maybe its because they’re called Arsenal and that name carries something but this really would be an all time shock title win
That's not how it works..
We aren't even halfway into the season. Our issue is depth, which hasn't been tested a lot yet. There's a good chance it will be tested throughout the season. Not to mention we lack experience quite a lot, especially in this position, which can't be understated.
And you say this like we're in denial. Go on Bluemoon and they all say Arsenal are playing the best football in the league currently. You'd be hard pressed to find many people who disagree, although seems to be quite a few on here.
Move over Pep and Klopp. It's Arteta and Ten Hag's time. Back to the glory days of SAF and Wenger. I love it. love it I say. So Happy, Happy New Year!
Think it was Nedum Onuoha on Amazon Prime who said something interesting this week, about how City would be thinking 90 points will win the league. Arsenal on current trajectory will reach that.
It's still early days and I expect City will reel them in but it's no fluke that they are setting the pace. No wild xG metrics, they've only lost one game (that was nothing like the usual Arsenal OT performance), they are creating lots of chances and they've scored in every league match so far. City may well do the double over them, but like that season Leicester won it (where Arsenal won both matches), it may count for little when you are inconsistent.
If Partey is out, then their league chances are fecked. It'll be interesting to see how they cope with Sunday-Thursday routine too and if Arteta is prepared to go deep in the EL.
It's still early days and I expect City will reel them in but it's no fluke that they are setting the pace. No wild xG metrics, they've only lost one game (that was nothing like the usual Arsenal OT performance), they are creating lots of chances and they've scored in every league match so far. City may well do the double over them, but like that season Leicester won it (where Arsenal won both matches), it may count for little when you are inconsistent.
If Partey is out, then their league chances are fecked. It'll be interesting to see how they cope with Sunday-Thursday routine too and if Arteta is prepared to go deep in the EL.
Yes, our ability to always create chances and score is something that has surprised me. After the last few years of having lots of meaningless possession, it's all clicking now. Even City and Haaland's heroics haven't scored in every game (their 1-0 loss to Liverpool). I was worried that that may change when Jesus got injured but we've scored 7 goals in 2 games so far. Long may it continue.
Not so Lego. Deserves to rename this thread.
Your front four is great (and I'm not counting jesus in that). Goals and goal threat from all which is needed. No reliance on just one (eg saka)
I was really interested to see how you navigated the game every three day period but it's defo been impressive. Every winning team also needs luck (and some things have fallen your way)
I went to Emirates earlier this season as my father in law is an arsenal fan. Most impressive was the fans and atmosphere not being toxic but felt more expectancy that once you conceded, there was an initial shock but belief.
And they said I only defended him because of sexual attraction and not his managerial ability. Well one doesn’t preclude the other
I’m happy to admit I thought he was getting an easy ride due to pep links and because he acted like a top manager people assumed he was but it’s undeniable he’s got them playing like a real side at the moment. The fact they’re even in with a chance (I think it’s 50/50 now) is a real credit to him be interesting to see if he keeps it up this season and next.
I think no european football last year has really benefited them. That extra time to work with the squad and develop their football is showing dividends this season and in parts last season to be fair. I’m hoping ten Haag gets the same backing from us
I think no european football last year has really benefited them. That extra time to work with the squad and develop their football is showing dividends this season and in parts last season to be fair. I’m hoping ten Haag gets the same backing from us
Lego Pep 
Always cracks me up
Always cracks me upOr… we’ve been the best team in the country so far but are competing against one of the greatest squads ever assembled with half of the season to come.
If we fall short we have to hold up hands up and say the best team won. I’m not sure why that would translate into “bottling it”, though.
Feels like a bit of a reach.
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Definitely. One of the reasons the criticism Arteta was getting in this thread was over the top was an underestimation of how difficult a job he’d walked into was. As well as the fact the club was in freefall when he took over, it was a disjointed squad which needed to be overhauled. When he and the other decision makers decided to go about targeting a specific age and profile of player, it was obvious that rather than an instant turn around, they were opting for a longer term plan with the knowledge it’d be a bumpy road.
With regards to ETH he’s made the job look a lot easier than it is. As well as coming off a season where the clubs confidence was at rock bottom, and two previous managers who had distinctly different approaches from each other, you also had the Ronaldo situation. He’s managed to deal with everything superbly while still bring pretty fresh to the United role.
When you realize that Arteta needed 3 years to mount a title challenge, ETH is doing a brilliant job. Think Utd will be in the thick of things by next season.
Difference is Arteta is gdoing it with a young squad and therefore has a more natural higher ceiling. As good as we are playing now. We can improve significantly with the organic growth of Saka, Martinelli, Saliba, Odegaard getting better.
ETH is relying on quite a few veterans like Casemiro, Bruno, De Gea, Varane, Eriksen.
This Arsenal team still has big room for improvement, and Arteta is in total control. ETH has done well, but im low key confident Arteta is ahead more ahead of the curve.
We didn't really employ the signing strategy the first couple of windows though. We signed the likes of Cedric, Mari, Willian, Partey while resigning the likes of Luiz and Aubameyang his first couple of widows.
We don't know if the strategy would have naturally shifted going forward, but I'd certainly say the horrible start of 20/21 certainly accelerated plans, starting with the emergence of ESR and the capture of Odegaard, and became really obvious with the players we signed the following summer.
As long as Utd stick with ETH, they have plenty time to get a more coherent strategy, Martinez and Antony are both young enough and they have young talents like Garnacho emerging. Having the manager, DoF and owners all aligned with that is key though.
Yes, the organisational setup of the club is also key. Clearly that has been lacking with the Glazers and they haven't had much of a transfer strategy, ultimately resulting in overpaying for several players who overall haven't (so far) lived up to their high price tags (eg Maguire, van de Beek, Fred, Sancho). We were similar until Arteta took over and overhauled the team. ETH is doing as well as he can be expected to considering things behind the scenes seem messy to say the least. That being said, he was also backed heavily in the transfer market in the summer. It will be interesting to see what will happen with the new owners.
He really is doing an excellent job. Fair fecks to him. And it's refreshing to see a team other than City or Liverpool at the top.
People here thinking that the good old glory days Arsenal is back are kidding themselves. And Arteta became a world class elite coach all of a sudden? Come on…
This is a fluke of a season just like when Leicester won the league. It happens.
This is a fluke of a season just like when Leicester won the league. It happens.
You should probably google the 2016 PL title winners. I promise you you'll be even more shocked.
An all time, not the all time.
8th / 8th / 5th to dominating title winners. Arsenal winning isn’t being accepted as the earthquake shock it should be seen as. Especially with the EPL isn’t as great as people think posts that popped up over the last few years
Liverpool had a similar trajectory under Klopp. 8th / 4th / 4th with 75 points to finishing 2nd with 97 points.
In the same way as Liverpool, its down to good coaching, patience and making the right moves in the transfer window. Having Saliba, Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus took us to another level.
But they nearly won the league a few months before Klopp took charge. In fact they probably should have
Liverpool came 6th (25 points behind winners Chelsea) the season (14/15) before he took charge.
They were crap by the time Klopp came in.
You're one of the richest clubs in the country. So, no it won't be an "earthquake shock".
Why can't you just be happy if you win the title? Are you all going to be like the Liverpool fans and start demanding that everyone on a Utd forum sing praises of the ultimate footballing miracle?
2 decent teams faced all season. 5 points dropped.
When we played United, they weren't that decent. Yet, you include them and exclude Spurs/Liverpool/Chelsea.
Interesting..
Constant circus with him on the touchline.
Plonker
Is there a bigger twat in the league?
so ennoying when things arent going his way
Can understand his frustration today going by the highlights. Shocking from VAR.
Lopetegui looks like he could run him close. Must be a Spanish thing