As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
So if the results go to plan then we will get drawn against one of those teams ? Hope we get drawn against the toughest team in the draw and they trounce us home and away in this cunting competition At long last it appears that many of the akb are realising that there will be no big transfer spree this summer, that there will be no top quality signings as a show of ambition and that our hopes for the new season are going to be based around a team that finished 20+ points behind the winners of the poorest quality division in living memory When an animal is dying the humane thing to do is put it out of it's misery.....that animal is arsene fc and the life support has been champs league qualification and now it is time to switch off that machine, get rid of the c.unt in charge and move on accordingly - you all know it is for the best in the long term
Cockerill's chin wrote:It was 16 points behind manure Augie, not 20+.
I agree with the sentiment, just not the facts
True, it was 16pts but in fairness, we closed the gap on United by 5pts AFTER they'd won the title and we were still fighting hard for our 4th place trophy.
They lost at home to Chelsea and drew 5-5 to West Brom. I'm not sure either of those results would have happened if United still had something to play for. Even drawing with us 1-1 at the Emirates might not have happened if United hadn't already won the league.
Either way, we were miles behind United all season. In points and quality. For Wenger to say we can compete with them (+Chavs and Citeh) for the title even with no additions is ridiculous.
Like I said g88ner, I agree with the sentiment that we did not compete.
16pts is what it is though. I wouldn't agree that last year's league was the worst in living memory. That's just a gross exaggeration. Manure and 2 oligarch teams who have spent a fortune. We have an emerging Spuds with an 80m player. If this is the worse league in living memory, it's been a very short life.
Cockerill's chin wrote:Like I said g88ner, I agree with the sentiment that we did not compete.
16pts is what it is though. I wouldn't agree that last year was the worst in living memory. That's just a gross exaggeration. Manure and 2 oligarch teams who have spent a fortune. We have an emerging Spuds with an 80m player. If this is the worse league in living memory, it's been a very short life.
16 points may have been the final margin but the reality is we were completely out of the title race (not that we were ever really in it) inside the first 10 games - again. Yet again. City and Chelsea won't underperform in anything like the same way as last season - and we're meant to believe we've got a hope of any faux title bid lasting into 2014? Not a chance.
Cockerill's chin wrote:Like I said g88ner, I agree with the sentiment that we did not compete.
16pts is what it is though. I wouldn't agree that last year's league was the worst in living memory. That's just a gross exaggeration. Manure and 2 oligarch teams who have spent a fortune. We have an emerging Spuds with an 80m player. If this is the worse league in living memory, it's been a very short life.
A team containing johnny evans, Rafael, a 47 year old ginger *word censored* and a 54 year old sleazy Welshman (as regular starters) pissed to that league title and you don't think that it was a weak league ? Is there any title winners over the last 25 years or so that last seasons title winners are better than ? Spending a fortune doesn't necessarily mean spending it wisely or getting quality so not sure what your points are re those teams that spent a fortune cos leagues are decided on the pitch and not in the bank accounts and those two oligarch teams were pish poor last season. Weakest standard of a league for 25 years without doubt
Absolute nonsense Augie. There is a strength in depth to the premiership now that hasn't been there in your living memory. I guess you are around 40 so I hope your memory goes beyond 25 years. Our league has many world class players and you have been spoilt if you are going to dismiss the quality of Mata, Hazard, Silva, RVP, Cazorla to name a few.
Do you remember Leeds winning it under Wilkinson? Take a look at their quality before you talk crap.
Cockerill's chin wrote:Absolute nonsense Augie. There is a strength in depth to the premiership now that hasn't been there in your living memory. I guess you are around 40 so I hope your memory goes beyond 25 years. Our league has many world class players and you have been spoilt if you are going to dismiss the quality of Mata, Hazard, Silva, RVP, Cazorla to name a few.
Do you remember Leeds winning it under Wilkinson? Take a look at their quality before you talk crap.
Sometimes people are so desperate to attack Arsenal they will resort to looney toons arguments.
Whilst it may not have been the worst in living memory the standard is lower than it was about 6 or 7 years ago. Mourinho's first 2 Chelsea teams were far better than their current team, the United team with Ronaldo and Tevez was pretty much as good as everything in Europe, we still had a core of players from the Invincibles era capable of reaching the CL final and a number of other teams had better squads too.
Look at some of the shite populating the middle of the table - Fulham for example. A bloke that cost £2m from Rayo Vallecano then came over and scored a shed load of goals despite having ordinary technique.
The recent performances in Europe say it all. Chelsea's win was a fluke of Porto / Greece proportions.
Augie has a point - United's side was ordinary compared to some of their own top sides. Even United fans themselves say so. My father in law is a Manc and has been saying for the past couple of years that they haven't got a prayer in Europe against the top sides with that present midfield which is why they went for broke with Thiago and now Cesc.
And as for City - bottom of their group ! Hardly surprising with the two Ingerlund carthorses Snail Barry and Hunchback Milner populating their midfield.
I agree that the premiership standard has dropped from 5-6 years ago when one season, the only teams to knock a premier league team out of the CL was another team from the EPL. That drop from a huge high is a far cry from it being the worst league in living memory. If we were fans of Serie A then I could see where he was coming from.
I live in mancland SteveO and you are right that their midfield is heavily criticised by fans. It still took a dubious red for Real to knock them out of the CL with Mourinho acknowledging they were the better side over 2 legs. For your mate's dad to say they haven't a prayer in the CL seems harsh.
Our top 3 teams have the resources to take players from any club apart from 2 in Spain and 1 in Germany. I have no idea how PSG and Monaco will fit into the equation because the French league has a lot of catching up to do in terms of prestige. Our league has fallen slightly but it is still in a very healthy position. The Bundesliga has a lot of young talent but Kagawa and Schurrle show we can still cherry pick exciting potential from that league.
Cockerill's chin wrote:Like I said g88ner, I agree with the sentiment that we did not compete.
16pts is what it is though. I wouldn't agree that last year's league was the worst in living memory. That's just a gross exaggeration. Manure and 2 oligarch teams who have spent a fortune. We have an emerging Spuds with an 80m player. If this is the worse league in living memory, it's been a very short life.
A team containing johnny evans, Rafael, a 47 year old ginger *word censored* and a 54 year old sleazy Welshman (as regular starters) pissed to that league title and you don't think that it was a weak league ? Is there any title winners over the last 25 years or so that last seasons title winners are better than ? Spending a fortune doesn't necessarily mean spending it wisely or getting quality so not sure what your points are re those teams that spent a fortune cos leagues are decided on the pitch and not in the bank accounts and those two oligarch teams were pish poor last season. Weakest standard of a league for 25 years without doubt
I agree with cockerill's chin on this.
Augie, I usually agree with you (or can at least appreciate your point) but worst league in 25 years??? seriously???
The standard of the Premier League (as a whole) is on another level than it was 20-25 years ago. There may have been better champions along the way, but as a 20 team league, I didn't even think that was up for discussion as the difference is huge!
Still, each to their own. I do wonder if you genuinely believe what you wrote there though, mate. and if you do, then perhaps you've forgotten just have average/poor a lot of the teams were back in the 90s (especially early 90s when the foreign invasion was only just starting)
It is too easy for some fans to state the standards have dropped from 6 or 7 years ago but as Gooners nothing will ever reach the standards we had back then I will go back further and say that last seasons manure team wouldn't have beaten any of our title winning teams going back to GG's teams. I will say with certainty that last seasons manure team wouldn't have beaten any of the scouse winning teams in the late 70's and 80's (and I include everton in that). Different style and era's I know but I would rate the forest and villa title winning teams higher too. As far as my memory recalls, that only leaves the leeds title winning team to which you refer - granted they were not the greatest team ever but I would certainly take the leeds midfield of Strachan,batty,mcallistar and speed (RIP) than any midfield manure put out last season
I think in the modern era the PL 3-7 years ago was at its peak, or when you had Man Utd and Chelsea contesting the ECL final (also a year when England failed to qualify for the Euros, but thats another matter). In fact you only have to look at the finalists for the ECL from 2005 to 2009, I think at least one English club featured in the final. Being too young to remember anything before 1991, it represented the strongest period of the league that I have seen up until now.
The money flying around in France distorts things although I still can't see it ever having the pulling power Serie A, Liga and the PL have enjoyed over the years at various stages.
At long last it appears that many of the akb are realising that there will be no big transfer spree this summer, that there will be no top quality signings as a show of ambition and that our hopes for the new season are going to be based around a team that finished 20+ points behind the winners of the poorest quality division in living memory 
When an animal is dying the humane thing to do is put it out of it's misery.....that animal is arsene fc and the life support has been champs league qualification and now it is time to switch off that machine, get rid of the c.unt in charge and move on accordingly - you all know it is for the best in the long term
and if you do, then perhaps you've forgotten just have average/poor a lot of the teams were back in the 90s (especially early 90s when the foreign invasion was only just starting)
I will go back further and say that last seasons manure team wouldn't have beaten any of our title winning teams going back to GG's teams. I will say with certainty that last seasons manure team wouldn't have beaten any of the scouse winning teams in the late 70's and 80's (and I include everton in that). Different style and era's I know but I would rate the forest and villa title winning teams higher too. As far as my memory recalls, that only leaves the leeds title winning team to which you refer - granted they were not the greatest team ever but I would certainly take the leeds midfield of Strachan,batty,mcallistar and speed (RIP) than any midfield manure put out last season
