Finishing Position for This Season (merged thread)

[TeeCee]

We need CL to attract the better players. Oh how I wish we could persuade Vlahovic to join, another 21 yo but top top quality, we need a real good striker, not many about.

[SteveO 35]

To be honest, I absolutely hated the last few years of the CL - how anyone enjoyed getting stuffed by the likes of Barca or Bayern on a regular basis was beyond me. Even in the years we escaped them we still found a way to lose to the likes of Monaco and Dad's Army Milan.

I know people will argue now that some teams, notably Barcelona, have regressed since then but I'm afraid if we drew PSG, Chavski, the Mickeys, Citeh, Bayern etc, we would still get absolutely rinsed......you only have to look at the results against the Chavs, Mickeys and Citeh this season to see that. Until there are some senior heads and proper leaders to go alongside the talented kids, I can only see it being another demoralising experience.

Tomorrow's game will be an interesting test of the above. If we go a goal down early on, I'll be looking at the body language of the players closely because all too often what I've seen is a complete surrender when we go 1 down to these sides. To think that wouldn't happen against the likes of PSG and Bayern is naive. This team isn't ready for it yet - it will do more damage than good IMO

[DB10GOONER]

To be honest, I absolutely hated the last few years of the CL - how anyone enjoyed getting stuffed by the likes of Barca or Bayern on a regular basis was beyond me. Even in the years we escaped them we still found a way to lose to the likes of Monaco and Dad's Army Milan.

I know people will argue now that some teams, notably Barcelona, have regressed since then but I'm afraid if we drew PSG, Chavski, the Mickeys, Citeh, Bayern etc, we would still get absolutely rinsed......you only have to look at the results against the Chavs, Mickeys and Citeh this season to see that. Until there are some senior heads and proper leaders to go alongside the talented kids, I can only see it being another demoralising experience.

Tomorrow's game will be an interesting test of the above. If we go a goal down early on, I'll be looking at the body language of the players closely because all too often what I've seen is a complete surrender when we go 1 down to these sides. To think that wouldn't happen against the likes of PSG and Bayern is naive. This team isn't ready for it yet - it will do more damage than good IMO

Agreed 100% every word mate. A team with Clive and Partey in the key Central midfield roles has no chance against the top sides. That is where we are currently, no matter how many superbly talented kids we have.

[falkirk goon]

After the events of today its 6th at the absolute highest for us.Xhaka the man who will cost us..absolutely guaranteed

[Gunner Rob]

I said 5th before the season started and I still say 5th now.

United slight favourites for 4th

[BobbyPires7]

7th.

[DB10GOONER]

After the events of today its 6th at the absolute highest for us.Xhaka the man who will cost us..absolutely guaranteed

100% Clive will cost us big. Martinez-Lite cannot see it and I'll never respect him or rate him as a manager while his ego keeps picking the worst most deeply stupid player to ever live in any league ever.

[mcdowell42]

Results when Xhaka has picked up a red card or a penalty for Arsenal

W
W
D
W
D
D
D
L
L
L

[GoonerMuzz]

Hmm 17 points dropped from a possible 30, I assume though this doesn't include where his other individual fucks ups cost goals and points even when no other sanction was given

[Gunner Rob]

we would have won yesterday and v Everton if Clive had not been on the pitch - it is as simple as that.

although i blame the loss v Everton on Arteta because he should have hauled Clive off early in the second half at the latest.

[DB10GOONER]

we would have won yesterday and v Everton if Clive had not been on the pitch - it is as simple as that.

although i blame the loss v Everton on Arteta because he should have hauled Clive off early in the second half at the latest.

It's a good point, Rob. Clive is an imbecile, but it's Martinez-Lite that keeps picking him.

[wilson2.0]

This team has a higher glass ceiling than Man United and Spurs. If we keep improving and play at a level closer to that of the top 3, we will get 4th. We certainly did this against City, still cant believe we lost though, if went into half time 3-0 up it wouldn't have been undeserved. I also dont think we 'imploded' classic Arsenal style as some say. Xhaka let them back into the game and this problem player needs to be moved on. Its not he first time has done it and he is a legacy of the Wenger era.

PEA, Partey, Lacazette, Xhaka are the most senior players in the team, PEA has been dropped for disciplinary reasons & everyone supports Arteta on this. So if Arteta will do this to PEA why not Xhaka? The young guard are driving this team forward while the old guard are the poorer performers . Partey played really well and hopefully this is a new dawn for him. Lacazette does his best, but he doesn't posses the quality of the younger players around him. I still think long term the plan should be to more Martinelli central and have Saka and ESR either side of him.

We out footballed City 11 v 11 and they know it. Liverpool know it too. Some prick on a Liverpool fan site has penned an article saying they should bid for Saka and Martinelli. Salah and Mane are approaching 30 , and they rightly see Martinelli and Saka as worthy longer term replacements. Thats how our rivals see us, as a team full of young quality players they want to sign to replace their aging stars that have brought them so much success

We have a fuking opportunity of monumental proportions. The way this young team has gelled together this years has been amazing and I dont think anyone foresaw it. The club needs to start being more arrogant in defiance of our rivals. City had Mahrez and Sterling on their wings, why then wouldnt we assume we could peg them back and F their fullbacks when we have better players in Saka and Martinelli ?

Arteta, who I have done an 180 on. Needs to be draw a high bar and anyone who falls below it leaves or gets dropped. I think perhaps the only reason Xhaka plays is he has no one to replace him with. Arteta had no problem freezing out Pepe and PEA, mainly because he found better replacements. But CM is our weakest area by far. Whilst we have sensational attacking talent and a backline that is coming together. Our midfield depth and quality is mid table tier at best. One potential player to rediscover his form in Partey. Elneny who is squad fill at best. Lokonga who is still a young lad and hasn't hit the stride of the other young players. And Xhaka. In short, our collection of midfielders is shit.

if Arteta gets it right, we can legitmiatly challenge for the league. Take advantage of the fact Liverpool have an ageing squad that it at the end of its cycle, and of course City will always be there as they can just buy who they want on a whim. And on that, any sale of ESR, Saka or Martinelli to a domestic rival should result in the stadium being burnt to the ground

[SteveO 35]

I started off saying we'd finish 11th or 12th and whilst that is probably the bottom end of expectations now, there is no doubt the imbalanced squad, imbecilic reliance/persistence with Clive, lack of centre forward, daft loan decisions etc......are leaving us looking at another shit end to a season.

7th would absolutely be the top end of my expectations now. I see Man Ure, Vermin scum and Wolves finishing above us. Not sure about West Ham and the others.

So better than my original prediction, but then again I didn't envisage 160m of new signings who would actually do ok. Was actually hoping we might do better in the cups of course

If we finish top 4, I'll be fucking stunned

[DB10GOONER]

I started off saying we'd finish 11th or 12th and whilst that is probably the bottom end of expectations now, there is no doubt the imbalanced squad, imbecilic reliance/persistence with Clive, lack of centre forward, daft loan decisions etc......are leaving us looking at another shit end to a season.

7th would absolutely be the top end of my expectations now. I see Man Ure, Vermin scum and Wolves finishing above us. Not sure about West Ham and the others.

So better than my original prediction, but then again I didn't envisage 160m of new signings who would actually do ok. Was actually hoping we might do better in the cups of course

If we finish top 4, I'll be fucking stunned

I've often had a gentle dig at you for being overly negative about where we'll finish - given how shit the PL has become - but I have to admit I think there is every chance we could finish anywhere from 5th (very unlikely) to 10th or 11th. But I think it will probably be around 7th or 8th. I don't believe we can get near 4th with this manager, no top striker, and a midfield with Clive in it. I too will be stunned if we get 4th. How we have fallen as a club is a disgrace really.

[SteveO 35]

I started off saying we'd finish 11th or 12th and whilst that is probably the bottom end of expectations now, there is no doubt the imbalanced squad, imbecilic reliance/persistence with Clive, lack of centre forward, daft loan decisions etc......are leaving us looking at another shit end to a season.

7th would absolutely be the top end of my expectations now. I see Man Ure, Vermin scum and Wolves finishing above us. Not sure about West Ham and the others.

So better than my original prediction, but then again I didn't envisage 160m of new signings who would actually do ok. Was actually hoping we might do better in the cups of course

If we finish top 4, I'll be fucking stunned

I've often had a gentle dig at you for being overly negative about where we'll finish - given how shit the PL has become - but I have to admit I think there is every chance we could finish anywhere from 5th (very unlikely) to 10th or 11th. But I think it will probably be around 7th or 8th. I don't believe we can get near 4th with this manager, no top striker, and a midfield with Clive in it. I too will be stunned if we get 4th. How we have fallen as a club is a disgrace really.

Indeed, and what makes it worse for me is this prick has had a better platform for success than any manager in recent history

For years we rightly caned the Academy. Now we have Saka and ESR at once, complemented by a shrewd signing in Martinelli

We used to say our squad wasn't up to CL football - now we've played less games than everyone above us owing to no European football

We used to say the owner was a c.unt for not investing. Whilst he remains a c.unt he's given this cock more backing than anyone else - 160m in one window off the scale compared to what has gone before

And still we won't finish above 7th....

So I wonder what the problem could be?

Oh, and just to add....the football is the most boring, slow, over coached shite I've witnessed in a long time

Other than its on course to be a brilliant season