Other Football 22/23

[Bobby Hundreds]

Yeah Arsenal deserve there current position its not a gimme.

[Scott_M]

Today reminded me of the game we beat the mancs 3-1 and Shaq scored 2. 
 

Mane had Wan-Bissaka spinning like he was on the waltzers, like Saka and Shaw today, it was complete one way traffic and the pressure was so intense it would have been a Herculean effort not to buckle. 
 

So intense. No panic. Wingers attacking the full back & committing player every time. 

[Poor Scouser T]

Despite Arsenal fans being pricks they are a proper club. Good luck to them.

[Colonel Bumcunt]

39 minutes ago, an tha said:

21 pts ahead of us now.

 

How.the.fuck.

A) Seemingly seldom having injuries

B) Keeping the strongest XI on the field for 90

C) Having pace on the wings

D) Having Partey in midfield

 

[Pete]

Just now, Colonel Bumcunt said:

A) Seemingly seldom having injuries

B) Keeping the strongest XI on the field for 90

C) Having pace on the wings

D) Having Partey in midfield

 

Actually having a midfield helps 

[an tha]

1 minute ago, 3 Stacks said:

Of course it does. United finished above us in 20-21. We finished way above them last season. Now, it will reverse again. League positions or the state of clubs are not fixed year in year out, no matter what you think about where the clubs should be. Teams emerge and fall apart all the time, for a variety of reasons.

 

As for the 2nd part, I've been in on Arsenal's process and out on ours, so it's normal I wouldn't find it surprising. In fact, it's less surprising than with my United example because they haven't been particularly impressive, in contrast to Arsenal.

Kind of pts swing between us and arsenal this season is highly unusual - the manc example you quote is an anomaly as 20/21 was that shit covid season played entirely behind closed doors and when our entire central defence died and we played midfielders there.

 

Yes clubs emerge and drop, that is the ebb and flow of the sport - but it is usually a process where teams at top decline bit by bit and teams emerging improve bit by bit then have a breakthrough season and the exchange of places happens - a bit like us under Klopp in his early seasons.

 

We finished 23 pts ahead of Arsenal last season and take out the covid season (although we still finished 8 above them even then) we finished 27 and 43 ahead of them in the two seasons before...... I'd say we may finish 30 or more behind them this - that is an extremely unusual turnaround - regardless of what you say.

 

We all of course know many of the reasons why we are seeing this - the original question was somewhat rhetorical really anyway designed to highlight just how far we have fallen below our standards of recent times so far this season - a spectacular collapse.

 

[Lurtz]

7 minutes ago, Poor Scouser T said:

Despite Arsenal fans being pricks they are a proper club. Good luck to them.

Pretty much how I see it. 

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

13 minutes ago, an tha said:

As it happens this kind of thing does not really happen though - not very often anyway, it is very much against the norm when you consider the respective positions of the clubs and the gap last season.

 

I thought someone as sharp as you would see that bigger picture, I am somewhat disappointed....

 

Not often I disagree with you, but at least partly on this one. I think it happens far more often than people believe. We tend to believe that things will stay the way they are.

 

Arsenal were steadily progressing last year, but lots on here refused to see it. With United it was always a matter of getting a decent manager in, organizing the team and install some work ethic and team spirit. The players were always good, even if many refused to acknowledge that as well. (The same way they think all our players are suddenly shit now)

I reckon 99% of the posters on here saw more than a year ago that we needed to strengthen the midfield, but hardly any of us would have thought the failure to do so would hurt us this much.

[Scott_M]

It’ll be interesting to see how Arsenal, Newcastle and the mancs cope with potentially big CL games next season.

 

They’ve all been able to focus on the league this season and heavily rotate in the EL. 
 

It’s not an excuse for our performances this season, it’s certainly a big advantage for them. 

[KMD7]

I can still see City catching Arsenal. 

[Poor Scouser T]

1 minute ago, Redder Lurtz said:

Pretty much how I see it. 

Yeah not exactly happy about it but look at the alternatives. I can no longer look at a 2nd team. I used to 'like' Spurs. Ossie days. Newcastle KK, Even Everton Merseyside Merseyside Merseyside. Now I dislike them all Maybe Brentford at a push. Are they Hey Jude? We will nick that and adapt it.

[3 Stacks]

8 minutes ago, an tha said:

Kind of pts swing between us and arsenal this season is highly unusual - the manc example you quote is an anomaly as 20/21 was that shit covid season played entirely behind closed doors and when our entire central defence died and we played midfielders there.

 

Yes clubs emerge and drop, that is the ebb and flow of the sport - but it is usually a process where teams at top decline bit by bit and teams emerging improve bit by bit then have a breakthrough season and the exchange of places happens - a bit like us under Klopp in his early seasons.

 

We finished 23 pts ahead of Arsenal last season and take out the covid season (although we still finished 8 above them even then) we finished 27 and 43 ahead of them in the two seasons before...... I'd say we may finish 30 or more behind them this - that is an extremely unusual turnaround - regardless of what you say.

 

We all of course know many of the reasons why we are seeing this - the original question was somewhat rhetorical really anyway designed to highlight just how far we have fallen below our standards of recent times so far this season - a spectacular collapse.

 

Our success is not related to the success of other clubs. What Arsenal do compared to us, is irrelevant. There is no being "ahead of other clubs". It's a battle against yourself every season. Everything else is a media creation.

[TheHowieLama]

2 minutes ago, KMD7 said:

I can still see City catching Arsenal. 

It is going to be great and it will see them crashing out of the CL>

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Fuck Arsenal, and anyone who isn’t us. Hurrah!

[an tha]

10 minutes ago, Joey8FrogsLegs said:

Not often I disagree with you, but at least partly on this one. I think it happens far more often than people believe. We tend to believe that things will stay the way they are.

 

Arsenal were steadily progressing last year, but lots on here refused to see it. With United it was always a matter of getting a decent manager in, organizing the team and install some work ethic and team spirit. The players were always good, even if many refused to acknowledge that as well. (The same way they think all our players are suddenly shit now)

I reckon 99% of the posters on here saw more than a year ago that we needed to strengthen the midfield, but hardly any of us would have thought the failure to do so would hurt us this much.

Oh i have no doubt arsenal have been doing the right things and building - but that wasn't really my point.

 

As i have highlighted in another post above - 23 pts was gap between us last season.

 

Even in the shit covid nothing season we were 8 better.

 

It was a diff of 43 the season before and 27 the one before that.

 

Thwy haven't really closed on us in those 4 seasons despite their building - yet here we are now with not just a closing of gap but a complete flip - it of course is to their credit to a point, but it is more down to a total collapse from us and of course a total failure to address our problems.

 

If we had been even half competent this season and by that i don't just mean on the park i mean in terms of our recruitment/bin bagging dead wood - we would be sitting closer than 21 pts behind the (admittedly impressive) leaders and we'd fancy that the gap won't grow - who honestly thinks it won't from here?

 

Worst of all is it appears we are not going to attempt to bring in additions we need this month.

[Poor Scouser T]

This season is a one off. Just like society will reflect but a bit slower.

Covid has fucked reality. Don't underestimate it. Add mid season WC and I write it off.

[TheHowieLama]

10 minutes ago, an tha said:

 

 

Thwy haven't really closed on us in those 4 seasons despite their building -

Of course they have. They were our match 10 years ago as well. 

[Razoray]

1 hour ago, magicrat said:

Been a cracking watch this game. 

Arsenal were good to watch but the exaggeration by Neville about the quality of the game was absurd. 1st half was ok but the 2nd half United just volleyed the ball 30 yard in the air and forward for most of it. They were putrid. 

If that was Arsenal v Southampton, there would have been no big fuss apart from a late winner and 3 very good goals

[an tha]

3 minutes ago, Poor Scouser T said:

This season is a one off. Just like society will reflect but a bit slower.

Covid has fucked reality. Don't underestimate it. Add mid season WC and I write it off.

If we don't carry out major surgery on our midfield ready for next season i'd say this season won't be a one off from our perspective.

[TheHowieLama]

Just now, Razoray said:

a late winner and 3 very good goals

Yea. worrying...

[Red Shift]

1 hour ago, Scott_M said:

Point gained on 3rd. Things are looking up.

And a game in hand over 4 teams above us, including the red shite.

[Poor Scouser T]

Just now, an tha said:

If we don't carry out major surgery on our midfield ready for next seasob i'd say this season won't be a one off from our perspective.

Yeah mate but this is going to die and in a rapid tail spin. Its built on consumers spending £100 a month on TV to watch Bournemouth vs Brentford. Tech is advancing. My 70 year old mum now streams and we are considering 100m + on a 19 year old. It is an unsustainable business model. The emperor is naked and its coming. It will eat itself.

[an tha]

3 minutes ago, Red Shift said:

And a game in hand over 4 teams above us, including the red shite.

Be two games in hand over next couple of "gameweeks" (hate that phrase) but clubs above us have rearranged games scheduled - we as yet do not.

 

Might not be a bad thing we don't given current state - but when it comes to pts on board versus games in hand i have always been a pts on board man.

[Megadrive Man]

[manwiththestick]

8 minutes ago, Razoray said:

Arsenal were good to watch but the exaggeration by Neville about the quality of the game was absurd. 1st half was ok but the 2nd half United just volleyed the ball 30 yard in the air and forward for most of it. They were putrid. 

If that was Arsenal v Southampton, there would have been no big fuss apart from a late winner and 3 very good goals

No idea why Neville and Tyler would be over egging the quality the team that's not Arsenal.