Topic: Why we have a pretty good chance of finishing above Arsenal next season.

[Parky]

Google to the rescue!!

 Yet, of Wenger?s 50 or so buys, there are failures aplenty. Sylvain Wiltord, a £13 million capture from Bordeaux in 2000, scored 49 goals in four years. When he left Highbury for nothing, he was not exactly a wanted man ? until yesterday. Police in France arrested him when he turned up for preseason training with Lyons because he had failed to appear in court on speeding charges.

? Luis Boa Morte, the Portugal winger, mostly flattered, while Christopher Wreh, the Liberian, and Kaba Diawara, from Guinea, barely registered. And can anyone recall Eric Chukwunyelu Obinna or Tomas Danilevicious?

? José Antonio Reyes, the Spain winger, soon became homesick, after signing from Seville for £10.5 million in January 2004, and spent last season on loan with Real Madrid. And what about Francis Jeffers, the much-lauded ?Fox in the Box? who cost £8 million from Everton six years ago? Not such a cunning signing that one, Arsène.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premiership/arsenal/article2017583.ece

you don't know much about the new Messiah do you parklife?

Big Sam does his own supermarket sweep, I'm aware of that. However he isn't a recognised saint a al Wenger.

[Parky]

arseanl could well be f***ed, but not for the reasons stated. I forsee a player revolt if Arsene does not sign, with the ensuing press distration. All this year you will hear more and more players making comments about it, with plenty unwilling to renew contracts. I predict a Villa style player showdown by January.

Yes Vic the players aren't happy as I stated in the opening post with the Gallas example.

[Pantu]

People might, justifiably, slag off some of Wenger's signings, but the fact is he's had Arsenal playing in a certain style for a decade now whereas we're at the very beginning of a completely new era and what will probably be a totally different style under Allardyce (as in 'a' style, rather than the hopeless 'tactics' churned out by the previos two). Regardless of which signings come in, the transition between the s**** served up last season and the football we hope we'll be playing this season will, imo, surely take some time and I think that people are suggesting we could finish above Arsenal next season is pretty optimistic. Arsenal are still a very good team with a brilliant manager, if we finish 2 or 3 places below them next season it'll mean we'll have had a good season imo.

Footballers have to be taught how to pass and move? Gosh? That kind of trickery will take decades to learn.

I didn't say decades, I said 'some time'. And i didn't say we had to be taught how to pass and move, we have to adjust to a different manager and 'different style'. totally missing the point of what I was saying tbh

[Parky]

People might, justifiably, slag off some of Wenger's signings, but the fact is he's had Arsenal playing in a certain style for a decade now whereas we're at the very beginning of a completely new era and what will probably be a totally different style under Allardyce (as in 'a' style, rather than the hopeless 'tactics' churned out by the previos two). Regardless of which signings come in, the transition between the s**** served up last season and the football we hope we'll be playing this season will, imo, surely take some time and I think that people are suggesting we could finish above Arsenal next season is pretty optimistic. Arsenal are still a very good team with a brilliant manager, if we finish 2 or 3 places below them next season it'll mean we'll have had a good season imo.

Footballers have to be taught how to pass and move? Gosh? That kind of trickery will take decades to learn.

I didn't say decades, I said 'some time'. And i didn't say we had to be taught how to pass and move, we have to adjust to a different manager and 'different style'. totally missing the point of what I was saying tbh

"In a certain style"?

ie Pass and move?

[Pantu]

People might, justifiably, slag off some of Wenger's signings, but the fact is he's had Arsenal playing in a certain style for a decade now whereas we're at the very beginning of a completely new era and what will probably be a totally different style under Allardyce (as in 'a' style, rather than the hopeless 'tactics' churned out by the previos two). Regardless of which signings come in, the transition between the s**** served up last season and the football we hope we'll be playing this season will, imo, surely take some time and I think that people are suggesting we could finish above Arsenal next season is pretty optimistic. Arsenal are still a very good team with a brilliant manager, if we finish 2 or 3 places below them next season it'll mean we'll have had a good season imo.

Footballers have to be taught how to pass and move? Gosh? That kind of trickery will take decades to learn.

I didn't say decades, I said 'some time'. And i didn't say we had to be taught how to pass and move, we have to adjust to a different manager and 'different style'. totally missing the point of what I was saying tbh

"In a certain style"?

ie Pass and move?

Yes, pass and move, but incredibly well and on a par only with Manchester United in the standard that they do it. Ok I can see your point but do you not think we'll be playing a pretty different style next season? I'm not saying that we won't do well and that there is a possibility we can finish above them, I just think there's a decent chance we could start slowly due to the massive changes in our starting line up and type of football come the start of the season. Arsenal could well implode but they've been in enough dodgy situations before and come out of them pretty well and I personally don't see this being too different.

[Parky]

People might, justifiably, slag off some of Wenger's signings, but the fact is he's had Arsenal playing in a certain style for a decade now whereas we're at the very beginning of a completely new era and what will probably be a totally different style under Allardyce (as in 'a' style, rather than the hopeless 'tactics' churned out by the previos two). Regardless of which signings come in, the transition between the s**** served up last season and the football we hope we'll be playing this season will, imo, surely take some time and I think that people are suggesting we could finish above Arsenal next season is pretty optimistic. Arsenal are still a very good team with a brilliant manager, if we finish 2 or 3 places below them next season it'll mean we'll have had a good season imo.

Footballers have to be taught how to pass and move? Gosh? That kind of trickery will take decades to learn.

I didn't say decades, I said 'some time'. And i didn't say we had to be taught how to pass and move, we have to adjust to a different manager and 'different style'. totally missing the point of what I was saying tbh

"In a certain style"?

ie Pass and move?

Yes, pass and move, but incredibly well and on a par only with Manchester United in the standard that they do it. Ok I can see your point but do you not think we'll be playing a pretty different style next season? I'm not saying that we won't do well and that there is a possibility we can finish above them, I just think there's a decent chance we could start slowly due to the massive changes in our starting line up and type of football come the start of the season. Arsenal could well implode but they've been in enough dodgy situations before and come out of them pretty well and I personally don't see this being too different.

Fair points. But you forget Arsenal too will have 4/5 players comepletely new to the PL and I don't care how they spin it Wenger is psychologically at his weakest for a long time.

[Pantu]

People might, justifiably, slag off some of Wenger's signings, but the fact is he's had Arsenal playing in a certain style for a decade now whereas we're at the very beginning of a completely new era and what will probably be a totally different style under Allardyce (as in 'a' style, rather than the hopeless 'tactics' churned out by the previos two). Regardless of which signings come in, the transition between the s**** served up last season and the football we hope we'll be playing this season will, imo, surely take some time and I think that people are suggesting we could finish above Arsenal next season is pretty optimistic. Arsenal are still a very good team with a brilliant manager, if we finish 2 or 3 places below them next season it'll mean we'll have had a good season imo.

Footballers have to be taught how to pass and move? Gosh? That kind of trickery will take decades to learn.

I didn't say decades, I said 'some time'. And i didn't say we had to be taught how to pass and move, we have to adjust to a different manager and 'different style'. totally missing the point of what I was saying tbh

"In a certain style"?

ie Pass and move?

Yes, pass and move, but incredibly well and on a par only with Manchester United in the standard that they do it. Ok I can see your point but do you not think we'll be playing a pretty different style next season? I'm not saying that we won't do well and that there is a possibility we can finish above them, I just think there's a decent chance we could start slowly due to the massive changes in our starting line up and type of football come the start of the season. Arsenal could well implode but they've been in enough dodgy situations before and come out of them pretty well and I personally don't see this being too different.

Fair points. But you forget Arsenal too will have 4/5 players comepletely new to the PL and I don't care how they spin it Wenger is psychologically at his weakest for a long time.

Yep, fair enough. I think the biggest factor is whether Fabregas stays or goes, if he ends up at Real then I think they're in trouble but until that happens I think they'll be ok, almost certainly top 4. It's probably the most precarious pre-season Wenger's had to deal with.

[Dr. Pongle]

Two reasons why we might not finish above Arsenal are that they have a better manager and better players.

[manorpark]

Two reasons why we might not finish above Arsenal are that they have a better manager and better players.

In your opinion.

[Unbelievable!]

Two reasons why we might not finish above Arsenal are that they have a better manager and better players.

In your opinion.

Hard to disagree with. They have three or four players who are at a completely different level to our own (Owen exluded if he regains his form from a couple of seasons ago) and I guess we don't seriously have to go into a Wenger vs Allardyce debate, do we?

[manorpark]

Two reasons why we might not finish above Arsenal are that they have a better manager and better players.

In your opinion.

Hard to disagree with. They have three or four players who are at a completely different level to our own (Owen exluded if he regains his form from a couple of seasons ago) and I guess we don't seriously have to go into a Wenger vs Allardyce debate, do we?

Yeah, my comment was a bit flippant, they do have more/better players than us (at the moment . . .  ).

Allardyce v Wenger it is, then.

We could go into a lot of detail, but I will just say one thing. "They are both obviously very talented managers, Allardyce is certainly on-the-up, having only just come to a big (rich) club, while Wenger 'may' (having done so well already) have his BEST years behind him . . . .  past performance is no guarantee of the future, as they say!"

[Invicta_Toon]

Allardyce is tearing it up all right. 8 years at Bolton and them BAM! he hits the big time

ps. at Fat Sam's current age, Wenger had already been in charge of Arsenal for 6 years

[Parky]

Two reasons why we might not finish above Arsenal are that they have a better manager and better players.

In your opinion.

Hard to disagree with. They have three or four players who are at a completely different level to our own (Owen exluded if he regains his form from a couple of seasons ago) and I guess we don't seriously have to go into a Wenger vs Allardyce debate, do we?

Their team is so good they think they need Oba.

[Invicta_Toon]

Two reasons why we might not finish above Arsenal are that they have a better manager and better players.

In your opinion.

Hard to disagree with. They have three or four players who are at a completely different level to our own (Owen exluded if he regains his form from a couple of seasons ago) and I guess we don't seriously have to go into a Wenger vs Allardyce debate, do we?

Their team is so good they think they need Oba.

and zogbia

[Unbelievable!]

Two reasons why we might not finish above Arsenal are that they have a better manager and better players.

In your opinion.

Hard to disagree with. They have three or four players who are at a completely different level to our own (Owen exluded if he regains his form from a couple of seasons ago) and I guess we don't seriously have to go into a Wenger vs Allardyce debate, do we?

Their team is so good they think they need Oba.

and zogbia

Wow, a few of our players could be squad players at Arsenal! 

You're not seriously suggesting we have a better squad than them, are you Parky?

[Parky]

Two reasons why we might not finish above Arsenal are that they have a better manager and better players.

In your opinion.

Hard to disagree with. They have three or four players who are at a completely different level to our own (Owen exluded if he regains his form from a couple of seasons ago) and I guess we don't seriously have to go into a Wenger vs Allardyce debate, do we?

Their team is so good they think they need Oba.

and zogbia

Wow, a few of our players could be squad players at Arsenal! 

You're not seriously suggesting we have a better squad than them, are you Parky?

It is not about players and ultimately it isn't about managers, it is really about belief.

[toontownman]

Thank God we have Shola "Im King of the world" Ameobi then.

He can show our lads a thing or two.

[Parky]

....Lunndjberk is of to Spain or somewhere..

[Invicta_Toon]

Fiorentina muppet

[Parky]

Fiorentina muppet

Silly name for a club shirley?


Yes it's fiorentina.

[Rob W]

we're currenly around 14th on beeb website - they've ranked us alphabetically

I'll settle for owt better than that TBH

[olliemort]

well they struggled without henry last season and now hes sold!Just remains to be seen if his replacement De la Silva whom they spent all the Henry money on will be half as gd as Henry and also Wenger hasn said if hes staying yet!I honestly think Newcastle will finish higher but i think Spurs will be r main rival for 4th spot!

[macbeth]

Mad optimism 

Arsenal got 25 points more than us last season, despie Henry missing 22 league games. They only managed 2 points off us. They have a second team capable of reaching the League Cup final on merit.

We have got rid of poor defenders who started 41 games between them. We have replaced them with Geremi who we'd not even have noticed if he'd gone to say Villa. We've signed one centre-half (to replace three in Bramble, Moore and Gooch) who should be good, but none of us ever seen play. Our defence is paper thing. We look good with forwards but we can only play two of them.

The great-to-see optimism is too reminiscent of 88 for me. Bring in great goalie, good centre-half, excellent winger and an exciting goalscoring centre-forward, while only losing one good player. Looked great. For 44 seconds

[Immsy7]

They struggled without Henry and finished 4th???

I don't call that struggling tbh. Yes it was a bad season for them, but if we are comparing them to us, they did fantastic considering they had there best player, top assists, top goal scorer missing for a lot of the season and still finish top 4. . . .

[Atticus]

In fairness, we were without Owen for even more of the campaign... and we had Glenn Roeder as the manager... not to mention suffering loads of other ball-aching injuries as well.

Not sure if using last-term as a measuring stick is entirely sensible when talking about next season, when you take into account how much has changed at both clubs since May.

I tend to agree that it's very optimistic thinking to say we'll finish above them next term (although Parky did only say "pretty good chance"), but saying we won't because they got 25 points more than us last season means absolutely nowt.