Viv Andersons Tache wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 2:01 pm
Retro Gunner wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 11:22 am
A question for Viv and Nutty. Come the end of this season, what will success look like in your opinion? What will the team need to achieve to warrant calling the season a success?
We finished last season 5 points behind City and 17 points ahead of Liverpool.
Last season we went out of the FA Cup in the 4th round and the EFL Cup in the 3rd round...first round for us (I think De Zerbi was managing Brighton
).
We then spent over 200 million in the summer....but didn't buy a striker. This, by the way, took Arteta's 4 year spend to 700 million, which makes nonsense of Viv's blaming funds for having dross on the bench.
This season we went out of the FA Cup in the 3rd round and the EFL Cup in the 4th round in an embarrassing performance against West Ham
.
Under Arteta, exiting domestic cups almost immediately has become a habit.
Last season we went out of the Europa in the first knockout stage on penalties, this season we squeaked through the CL first knockout stage on penalties.
So, after spending over 200 million last summer, we've totally fucked up the domestic cups again, so it's all on the PL and CL. How far do we have to go in the CL and how will the final PL have to look for you to say it's been a success this season?
Ok I think the question is a good one so I’ll answer but first harping on about the 700 million. This is a joke. You do realise that between 2009 to 2019 city spent 1.5 billion on players and this was before the vast recent inflation whilst we had wenger running the club into the ground. They are now up on ffp because of this. Look at their bench at the weekend. There’s 250 million in players they signed on their subs bench! Give that to Arteta and he’ll get you a title, trying to suggest we’ve wasted money is absurd. Our major signings like white and Rice have worked out.
The question id say …
Lose at the Etihad and fall away to third in the league then go out of CL next round. I’d say you couldn’t class it as a success as it’s probably the baseline of achievement. It’s meh for me not punishable by death by any means as it points to us establishing regular champions league qualification 2 years in a row just full of what ifs.
A gallant 2nd by a short margin and a champions league semi final would qualify as a real success for me. Would show last season wasn’t a one off and that we are here to stay and made definitive progress in Europe with loads of prize money. Rebuild, chop wood and go again !
That said I fully believe from what I’m reading here that even if we actually won the title you would have people saying “‘bu bu bu but he signed Havertz!”
Why do you always introduce straw men into the debate? I didn't make a judgement on the money he spent (I could but I didn't) and therefore didn't use the word waste. My point was simply that he's had 700 million in 4 years....which interestingly is more than keeping pace with your City figure of 1.5 billion in 10 years.
Anyway, the clear point I was making was that after a reasonably successful league campaign last season (I could forgive the collapse when viewed overall) and finishing 2nd, 17 points ahead of Liverpool, Arteta then spent in excess of 200 million in the summer. As such, no room for excuses if we end up below the scousers and we need to be a very close 2nd to City at worst.
In fairness, that's what you said re the league finish this season and I agree that a CL semi final would be a successful progression.
Regarding your comments about the EFL, considering we've won fuck all since 2020, don't you think it might be a start? You consider it beneath us, yet City, Liverpool and Chelsea (including when they were going well) all try to win it and actually do so. I see that with your usual selective approach, you don't mention the failures in the FA Cup....do you think we oughtn't bother with that either?
Anyway, at least you're brave enough to go out on a limb about what would constitute success. Haven't heard from Nutty yet.