Well I'm obvs not certain and am sort of partly joking but I do think Liverpool and Chelsea will be better, then you've got Newcastle, Moan U and ofc Citeh, so I think it will be tough, especially if Arteta persists with his one-team, one-tactic approach
We were a surprise last season, next season won't be the same
I've naw done the math, so this is a genuine question but was arsenals 2nd half of the season top 4 standard, in most seasons?
The first half of the season, with 15 wins in 18 games, or whatever it was, was the basis of the short challenge. Certainly the latter part of the 2nd half of the season was generally not great.
The pessimist in me thinks the first half of the season was the aberration and the 2nd have of the season more reflective of the quality of the team.
The first half of the season we got 50 points
The second half we got 34 points, but we also won seven games in a row in the second half of the season something we didn’t in the first half
We scored 43 goals in the second half of the season compared to 45 in the first half which suggests there wasn’t a real drop off in terms of attack and the problem was conceding goals
First half of season we conceded 16 goals and second half conceded 27 (basically an increase of over 50%)
I think that’s pretty much right. It’s why I can’t see us winning the league next year. City aren’t going away and other teams are building or rebuilding. But we are making some statements in the transfer window, I think we’ll finish top 4. But it could be a disappointing season given the raised expectations we now have
The opposition was weak last season. Nothing from the spuds or pool. Utd were laughable. The chavs no better. And the Geordies are still mastering their cheat mode options. It was a rare season that probably won't be repeated. But you still have to beat what's put in front of you and Arsenal did that by finally fixing some of the basics that were missing from their game, like passing the ball towards the opposition goal often at a pace that exceeded glacial. They managed to fit a bit of defending in too. So rewards were reaped in the early part of the season where nothing extra is at stake except the 3 points.
The second half of the season, when possibilities emerge and the pressure starts ramping up, exposed the ongoing problems with handling that pressure. The inevitable collapse ensued, the title was relinquished. That's the next bit that has to be fixed. The mentality is still very suspect.
But with serious action in the transfer window and building upon the basics that have been put in place I don't see why Arsenal can't compete with relatively ordinary clubs like the ones mentioned above, even if everyone else ups their game. There was a 9 point gap back to Utd, 13 to the Geordies and a gulf back to Liverpool. Arsenal would have to go backwards at quite a pace to lag behind those three.
Don't see why there shouldn't be further improvement next season, although I have no idea how Arteta will finally make them believe they can win a title and compete in Europe. I suppose you have to say Stan has done his bit with the chequebook. So now we see what Arteta is really made of.
Because the quality of the football improved for me that's more than an aberration. It must have taken a heap of work on the training ground to get that improvement. If they'd have carried on playing that abject shite instead, but still won 15 of 18 I'd definitely call it an unsustainable fluke. But the improved quality says it's more than that. Not perfect yet, by any means, but ascending from that soul crushing pit.
Für eure Sicherheit
Havertz becomes our highest earner by quite a mile.
Honestly someone needs to give me (and probably Pogba) the number of his witchdoctor because I don't get the terms of this signing at all... I mean what happens if he actually achieves his "apparent" potential, will we be paying him a gazillion pounds then?
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...r-30369217.amp
Personally I liked AMN as a defender, don't rate any of our current fullbacks that much ahead of him, except maybe Tierney ( who we are not getting the best from anyway).
I think he would have been perfect for someone like Arteta who likes players that play like robots...but obviously he thinks otherwise.
Really hope he has a successful career ahead of him, the poor guy does have a demanding mother to take care of.