BrilliantArsenals chances of a top 4 finish this season
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
Brilliant deal with itLlorente and Sahin are available.
They'll finish mid table at this rate
I think they will be competing for 3rd with Chelsea. Liverpool and Tottenham both seem a class below in terms of squad depth and quality.
Newcastle seems the team most likely to stir it up in the race for the 4th spot. They have a lot of quality and many solid players, and barring long term injuries to their key players this season could be their chance.
Newcastle seems the team most likely to stir it up in the race for the 4th spot. They have a lot of quality and many solid players, and barring long term injuries to their key players this season could be their chance.
I think they'll be alright, granted today they drew but they looked good and came up against a resolute Sunderland defence.
Add to that i question if they are worse than Liverpool, Newcastle or Tottenham. And i can honestly say they arent so they'll probably be fine
Add to that i question if they are worse than Liverpool, Newcastle or Tottenham. And i can honestly say they arent so they'll probably be fine
I'm still calling it that they won't make the top four.
Look at Spurs, Liverpool and Newcastle..Arsenal will finish in the top 4 because of the weaknesses of others.
Kyle Walker twice the player of Rafael apparently
They'll be fine. As in a CL place, fine. There's good talent there and Podolski and Giroud are good finishers. A little to early to talk about them not making top 4. Title, no, of course.
If only they had a really class striker to put away some of those chances.
Shit, wait, they did...
You really have to wonder what is going on with the gooners right now. Has wenger completely lost the plot? Thats two summers in a row where they've sold off their best players.
If I was a gooner fan I'd be absolutely fuming. Especially considering how late in the transfer window it is right now. They are going to end up panic buying a few guys now, if even, and that is never going to turn out well.
If I was a gooner fan I'd be absolutely fuming. Especially considering how late in the transfer window it is right now. They are going to end up panic buying a few guys now, if even, and that is never going to turn out well.
Not this shit again.
Spurs only need a striker or two really, other than that they look strong enough imo.
Newcastle have a good team, unless they have injury problems they will be up there for sure, and they have proven goalscorers, Arsenal don't anymore.
Yeah, I'd say that same thought has been going through most gooners minds this last week...
That United fans are always stuck into same preconceived shit and never be willing to come out of it, despite being proven logically that they are full of shit?
Well there is one for sure who think so.
Wenger lost the plot a long time ago when he started thinking he could win trophies by relying on young players and over-rated players from the French League, that and becoming Arsenal's accountant and just selling off players who can do the job for a profit.
Van Persie carried them to 3rd last season, Fabregas and Van Persie carried them to 4th the year before and Fabregas carried them before that.
they don't have anyone to fall back on now either, no-one in their team is established as a top player in the premiership and they didn't bring anyone like that in either.
I think thats always been his mode of operation though. Going back to the days of him selling off overmars and petit etc. this was always his management style. Its been successful up until the last 5-6 years where he has had to face ourselves and chelski getting/nurturing some of the best talent in the world.
Maybe the difference right now is he isn't replacing the talent he sells at the same rate as yesteryear. When overmars/petit were sold they already had henry and vieira coming into their own. Even when vieira, henry, reyes, ljungberg, etc. were shown the door he had cesc/van persie/clichy etc. waiting in the wings.
The last two years have seen him buy players that might not necessarily have been his first choice. I mean we know for a fact he missed out on goetze for example. Mertersacker was a panic buy and he never properly replaced clichy either.
You think Gotze was ever to be sold by Dortmund?
I won't go on about the Van Persie stuff given it's been discussed plenty but I'll give my opinion on what I thought of Arsenal today.
It's always dangerous to judge teams early on in the season because quite often (as was the case with Spurs and Arsenal last season), they're often in the middle of getting their team for the season in shape at that time because the window has another few weeks to go before it closes. But a few things struck me from todays game:
1. For a manager whose teams have always looked to play possession football based on intelligence on the ball (although not necessarily off it), Arsenal seem to have somehow collected a bunch of fairly daft footballers. Girvinho, Walcott, Diaby, Ashravin etc all have their strengths but intelligence is definitely not among them.
2. What the hell is Arshavin (I'm spelling differently now, one version is bound to be right) still doing at Arsenal? Barring the early spell when he did well, he's looked like he couldn't be the least bothered about playing for Arsenal. I'm not sure how such a disinterested character stays at a club managed by a top manager like Arsene.
It's always dangerous to judge teams early on in the season because quite often (as was the case with Spurs and Arsenal last season), they're often in the middle of getting their team for the season in shape at that time because the window has another few weeks to go before it closes. But a few things struck me from todays game:
1. For a manager whose teams have always looked to play possession football based on intelligence on the ball (although not necessarily off it), Arsenal seem to have somehow collected a bunch of fairly daft footballers. Girvinho, Walcott, Diaby, Ashravin etc all have their strengths but intelligence is definitely not among them.
2. What the hell is Arshavin (I'm spelling differently now, one version is bound to be right) still doing at Arsenal? Barring the early spell when he did well, he's looked like he couldn't be the least bothered about playing for Arsenal. I'm not sure how such a disinterested character stays at a club managed by a top manager like Arsene.
Well for 40m euros you'd believe that they would think about it. Dortmund aren't exactly in the best financial shape either.
Arsenal have never even touched 20m for a player, so i call call bullshit on that one.
We lost out on Mata, if you need an example.
Dortmund doesn't need to sell any players.
They are in a very healthy financial position and have even room in their wage budget for wage increases for a few more key players.
In contrast to us they managed to get rid of almost all their debt, well okay that's a bit unfair considering they only had a fifth of our debt to begin with.
Then again they probably only have a fifth of our revenue.
They've done well for a club who were on the brink of bankruptcy back in 2005. As you've pointed out they are still in debt to the tune of 50m+ as a result of having to buy back their own stadium.
I don't think they are in as dire a situation as before, but nor are there many clubs in the world that can refuse to even look at a 40m bid.
According to ESPN there were 23 shots for Arsenal today with 70% possession. Pretty impressive on the face of it.
Unfortunately, they only had 3 shots on target, Sunderland managed 2 with only 4 shots.
Unfortunately, they only had 3 shots on target, Sunderland managed 2 with only 4 shots.
Definately was one way traffic for most of the match. Reminded me a bit of our matches last year where the other team would just park the bus. The gooners just didn't put away the (rare) chances they had. Credit to MoN for organising his team well but they didn't deserve the point.
what a difference a certain dutch forward makes...
Steve Kean would solve Arsenal's problems
That's the third time today I've seen you make this post. Stop it!
I'll chill for todayHe's one of those players who peaked and lost that sporting drive when he landed that first big contract. Seems likable even but what a sporting douche to just dial it in like that - he's a lot better than this
Well everything their officials said over the last transfer periods was pointing towards the direction that they weren't even giving it a thought. Not even for 40+ mio. €.
If you sell your best players you can make a lot of money of it but you have lost quality in your squad that will be hard to replace.
I mean Arsenal is the best example they made so much money due to their transfer business but never managed to repeat the success they had not to long ago.
People always start this talk about Arsenal early doors but we all know come May they'll be up there as usual.
We have a good starting XI, but our backup options are either limited journeymen or youngsters with promise but no experience. Europa League will mean we won't be anywhere close. Not that I care, I want us to attack that competition.
Arsenal still look most likely to get top four to me.
Imagine Suarez for Arsenal. Rewrite the history books for most shots off target
I reckon that this is the season they finally miss out on the CL
I hope so at least. There owners are disgraceful in terms of the model they are running...
I hope so at least. There owners are disgraceful in terms of the model they are running...
Not so fast. Who is up there for forth?
Spurs? Based on today's performance and their lack of a striker to partner Defoe, I don't think so.
Liverpool?
Newcastle? That back four doesn't inspire confidence
I still think Arsenal will be up there though I believe a midfielder will be of concern now that Song has left.
They will again be fighting for it. And in the end, will end up coming 4th. It's just routine.
They had little penetration yesterday. Diaby is a pointless player, Arteta offers little when playing so deep, Podolski didn't seem to like playing through the middle, Gervinho is clueless.
Arsenal will still be up there. Wilshere is to come back and Sahin would be a good signing. Eventually you imagine that their forwards will start knocking in the goals.
However if one of Spurs or Newcastle have a good season then they won't require that many points to pip Arsenal to 4th place.
Arsenal will still be up there. Wilshere is to come back and Sahin would be a good signing. Eventually you imagine that their forwards will start knocking in the goals.
However if one of Spurs or Newcastle have a good season then they won't require that many points to pip Arsenal to 4th place.