Arsenals chances of a top 4 finish this season

Eyepopper

Lowering the tone since 2006
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After finishing 4th last term they look set to lose their two best and arguably most experienced players this season Nasri more than likely to City who pipped them to 3rd last time round.

Many believe the title will be between City, Utd & Chelsea so it appears that Arsenal will be aiming for 4th this season, hardly progression from a team that were annual contenders for the league a few years back.

If they are fighting for 4th Liverpool and Spurs look to be their biggest challengers. With Liverpool having shown good form towards the end of last season under Kenny and spending freely this summer overhauling their squad it will be interesting to see how they perform.

How Spurs do is probably largely dependent on whether or not they can hold on to Modric, even if they manage to keep him for the first half of the season, its rare that Chelsea dont get their man these days and will they simply come back in for him in January (particularly seeing as he'll be able to play for them in Europe).

Overall Wengers 'ten year plan' seems to only be sliding Arsenal further and further away from competing for titles. Many will point to spending, particularly Chelsea and City, one whose bought a couple of titles and one who seems intent on doing the same, however Utd, despite the debt have managed to keep pace with both on the field up to this point.

So, predictions for 2011/12 for the Arse, will they be the surprise package and somehow mount a challenge despite losing more quality and experience or will it be a year where we see them slide further, out of the top 4 and towards an uncertain future?

Predictions?

I'm going to go for 5th with Liverpool taking 4th.
 
Let's hope so. As long as they aren't replaced by Liverpoo.
 
If they lose either/both of Fabregas and Nasri without replacing them then yes.
 
peterstorey said:
The graveyard of 'Arsenal 4 5th' is littered with corpses Boss.
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Up for a friendly bet Peter?

I think this is a very important season in your future. I think Wenger is hoping Nasri and Fabregas will do the business just once more before moving on and getting replaced by Wilshire and Ramsey. Personally, I think this window was the right one to ship Fabregas out, it might still happen.

We saw the deal Fergie struck with Ronaldo, one more season. he gave it his all for us and then got his move to Madrid, I reckon had he not got his move we'd have seen a very different Ronaldo the following season, much like I think we'll see a different Fabregas. I don't think he has belief in your team any more and if he feels he is battling for a Champions League spot rather than a league, I just can't see him fighting for you, Nasri will be trying hard to prove to whoever he is going to that he is worth a contract.

Personally I think you're going to struggle big time, a slow start will give you all sorts of problems.

I'm predicting 5th.

1. United
2. City +5
3. Chelsea +8
4. Liverpool +15
5. Arsenal +18
6. Tottenham +20
 
I suppose it is a fair claim to make considering that they finished closer to 4th than they did to 1st so in terms of momentum it doesn't look that good. Add the fact that they haven't had the best of pre-season, not even winning the Emirates Cup for one thing! But whatever you say about them they have some world class players and a world class manager and they're better than both Liverpool and Spurs. They should finish at least 4th.
 
Arsenal will still finish in the top four, they've got much better players than Liverpool.
 
I think they'll get 3rd personally, I think City will fall to 4th with the Champions League commitments.
 
City have shown themselves able to implode. We'll see if King Kenny can maintain the course he set last season - not overly impressed with the team he's built over the summer. Spurs need to keep Modric and find a striker.

Chelsea are the ones to look at that can implode. You have a new manager, an under performing striker, players built for a system completely opposite than the gaffer's, young new manager to the PL, etc. It'll be either bust or massive success.
 
peterstorey said:
We don't need a goalie and we will get a CB. We'll finish above City and Chelsea and maybe even you too.
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if you finish above Liverpool, I think you will have done well. Chelsea have an older squad but hardly over the hill and they will strengthen too.

City have strengthened.

Even if we dont get Sneijder, we will still take the title again.

The problem with Arsenal compared to the 3 you mentioned is, your squad lacks depth.

That has always been the main handicap.
 
Red Dreams said:
if you finish above Liverpool, I think you will have done well. Chelsea have an older squad but hardly over the hill and they will strengthen too.

City have strengthened.

Even if we dont get Sneijder, we will still take the title again.

The problem with Arsenal compared to the 3 you mentioned is, your squad lacks depth.

That has always been the main handicap.
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We had numbers but not depth of performance last year. We beat Man Utd and Chelsea quite comfortably and battered Man City in 2011.
 
Arsenal will finish above Liverpool and Spurs whatever happens to Nasri or Fabregas.

They have not made a sustained title challenge for seven years though(i.e. been in the hunt realistically going into the last 2 weeks) and that is not going to change this season. I'd be happy to end the trophy drought if I was them. They remind me of Atkinson era United.
 
Pete's had a great bet there, Arsenal to finish only in 5th for 75!

Arsenal will get fourth or higher IMO.
 
when we lost to Liverpool and Chelsea, you should have taken the chance. cant remember how many draws you lot had....the hunger was just not there.

I mention self belief, others may mention the mentality. That comes from the manager to the team.

Ferguson would never have surrendered so feebly.

all factors aside..that is the difference.
 
peterstorey said:
It's hardly outrageous, we're 9/1 to win it with City ludicrously priced at 7/2 and Chelsea underpriced at 11/4. We should be about 5/1, which is a live chance.
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Do you honestly think so? or is it just online bravado?
 
Am I the only one not seeing it with Liverpool? Dagleish had them playing well for sure but its different to manage a team through a full league season. And I can't remember the last time a Liverpool team rolled over as easily at Anfield for us as Kenny's team did last season.

As for transfers, they've been busy for sure. Splashing huge amounts of money on players that are really only top 6 standard. Certainly, I'm not quite as fearful of the might of Henderson, Adam and Downing as many fans and journalists seem to be. I imagine that we and Liverpool will be battling it out with one of City or Arsenal for 4th place. But ultimately, I feel that the top 4 this season will be exactly the same as it was last season, especially if we fail to buy a new striker.
 
fecking ridiculous thread title. Boss, you tart.

I'll go in on that bet Pexbo if that's alright, maybe for a little less, I reckon they'll come top four.
 
Boss said:
Personally,I'll give it another year for what I perceive to be the inevitable, but it's surely plausible for the upcoming season.

What does everybody think?

They haven't looked good in pre-season but of course we should not read too much into that.

They haven't recruited for the new season in any major way while the team that displaced them last season for third has. It's obvious they need to purchase someone for defence where they have too many poor players and a midfield general is required.

I still believe they missed a trick with Yaya Toure last year but then again look at his wages!

The mentality of valuable players like Fabregas and Nasri is surely under scrutiny and could hopefully prove detrimental to the squad.



So are they going to say hiiii to 5th?

oh and come on Udienese!
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I find it odd that when teams have good preseasons then it's a reason to be optimistic, but if a team crashes and burns during preseason then it shouldn't be looked into

africanspur said:
Am I the only one not seeing it with Liverpool? Dagleish had them playing well for sure but its different to manage a team through a full league season. And I can't remember the last time a Liverpool team rolled over as easily at Anfield for us as Kenny's team did last season.

As for transfers, they've been busy for sure. Splashing huge amounts of money on players that are really only top 6 standard. Certainly, I'm not quite as fearful of the might of Henderson, Adam and Downing as many fans and journalists seem to be. I imagine that we and Liverpool will be battling it out with one of City or Arsenal for 4th place. But ultimately, I feel that the top 4 this season will be exactly the same as it was last season, especially if we fail to buy a new striker.
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What are you talking about? We've played Liverpool twice since Dalglish took over: Our 1-0 win at home in the FA cup, and them beating us 3-1 at Anfield. Hardly rolling over for us it?
 
Arsenal will be top 4. They have a good team, better than Liverpool and Spurs.
 
Despite the inevitable late season collapses, Wenger's sides generally punch slightly above their weight. I wouldn't be surprised to see them competing for 2nd or 3rd late into the season.
 
sidsutton said:
what gives it away? :confused:
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Didnt even bother to see who wrote it. My bad. The fact remains though, they beat us soundly at Anfield. It's debatable whether it was a cup final for them but it does point towards them being formidable at home
 
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