Expectations for Next Season

[SydneyGooner]

I'm still buzzing that the dictatorship is finally coming to an end but I'm already wondering what the expectations are for next season regardless of who the manager is next season.

I personally would expect a top four finish with a defence that concedes less than 35 goals in the league (something we haven't done since 2007/08) anything else is a bonus.

[SteveO 35]

We will appoint someone even worse than SFB, and the demise of this great club under this current owner and board will continue.

6th or 7th and not a trophy in sight. Far more things to be sorted before we could even dream about competing for the title. F++k off Kroenke

[Sean]

Top six or top four, depending on who the new manager is. At least the players will be coached.

Maybe with a good summer window and pre-season, we could be a dark horse challenger for the title.

[Jock Gooner]

Don't think we can expect anything more than a top 6 finish with hopefully some positive signs of a defence that is beginning to know what it is doing and some deadwood replaced by better quality players. This is going to take a bit of time guys.

[falkirk goon]

Being organised in defence and having a game plan which is adaptable for games against different teams will do for me.

[DB10GOONER]

Straight up if this turns into a Wenger thread or a new manager thread it is getting merged to sweet fuck.


Personally I want to see a proper DM, a top 20+ PL goals a year striker, a couple of top CHs, and a new keeper come in as a priority and see us defend properly.

As GG said titles are won from the back.

[Topside Northbank]

I just want to see a team coached and given direction from the touchline,improving the defense and playing with tactical awareness.

I certainly don't buy into the camp that thinks things will get worse before they get better league wise.

Top four challengers and certainly not a team that just seems to capitulate under the first sign of pressure especially away from home.

[sk-gtfo]

We will appoint someone even worse than SFB, and the demise of this great club under this current owner and board will continue.

6th or 7th and not a trophy in sight. Far more things to be sorted before we could even dream about competing for the title. F++k off Kroenke

This. All depends on who we get though, if we get Allegri, Ancelotti or Enrique we might do a bit better but when they are told we operate the "Leicester City model" I think they'll be looking elsewhere, wouldn't be surprised if we get Nagelsmann or Rodgers because they would work within the austerity model probably.

[markyp]

if the right man comes in i.e an Allegri or Ancelotti then we will finish top 4,those kind of managers alone will demand it,if the club bring in viera or arteta then we are fucked and I imagine a top 8

[StuartL]

Being organised in defence and having a game plan which is adaptable for games against different teams will do for me.

Absolutely, given our resources and players we already have anybody can come in and finish no worse than 6th.
A couple of desperately needed signings at the back and goalkeeper, coupled with tactics, structured defence, organisation etc and we could finish 3rd /4th

[northbank123]

Realistically difficult to see anybody challenging Man City unless they dip quite a bit. I think what we can realistically expect in terms of league performance is for us to be competitive with ‘the rest’ and not 10-15 points off the likes of Spurs, United, Liverpool and Chelsea.

In terms of style, the main priority is obviously to become a team which looks like it understands how To defend and tactically adapts, but we also need to start playing at a far higher tempo like Liverpool and Spurs rather than being pedestrian like United.

[northbank123]

Being organised in defence and having a game plan which is adaptable for games against different teams will do for me.

Absolutely, given our resources and players we already have anybody can come in and finish no worse than 6th.
A couple of desperately needed signings at the back and goalkeeper, coupled with tactics, structured defence, organisation etc and we could finish 3rd /4th

This is what I have to explain to people about how poorly we are doing.

Burnley below us have 15% of our wage bill. None of the other clubs below us spend half as much, and most probably are probably in the 10-25% bracket. How are arsenal meant to get any worse than consistently establishing ourself in this position?

The position of financial strength we had now is completely unlike anything any other arsenal manager has ever benefited from. Even in their darkest days then we wouldn’t have been this poor under Howe, Neill, Graham or Rioch with these comparative resources.

[g88ner]

You can't expect too much in the first season but I want to see tactical awareness and a coach who takes defending seriously.

[Henry Norris 1913]

You can't expect too much in the first season but I want to see tactical awareness and a coach who takes defending seriously.

pretty much this, some cohesion at the back, a bit of respect paid to opponents in terms of preparing and adapting our tactics to suit them.

[DB10GOONER]

Being organised in defence and having a game plan which is adaptable for games against different teams will do for me.

Absolutely, given our resources and players we already have anybody can come in and finish no worse than 6th.
A couple of desperately needed signings at the back and goalkeeper, coupled with tactics, structured defence, organisation etc and we could finish 3rd /4th

This is what I have to explain to people about how poorly we are doing.

Burnley below us have 15% of our wage bill. None of the other clubs below us spend half as much, and most probably are probably in the 10-25% bracket. How are arsenal meant to get any worse than consistently establishing ourself in this position?

The position of financial strength we had now is completely unlike anything any other arsenal manager has ever benefited from. Even in their darkest days then we wouldn’t have been this poor under Howe, Neill, Graham or Rioch with these comparative resources.

We would be worse under Neill. He was an appallingly shit manager. With that late 70s team we achieved fuck all bar one FA Cup. He drove Brady and Stapleton out of the club - our best 2 players by a country mile. Our attendances under him dropped to circa 20,000. Our football under him in the early 80s was horrible to watch. He hadn't a clue and not one of his ex-players speaks well of him.

I don't even count Rioch as a football manager never mind an Arsenal manager....