Are things really looking that bleak?

The Arsenal
#1

I, like many of you, am very disillusioned with our summer transfers so far and just knew going into the first game of the season against a rested Liverpool side was going to be tough. But is it all doom and gloom as we think?

After having a chance to reflect on the result, I actually don’t think it was that bad. After all we actually managed to score 3 goals with that side out, against what looked like a full strength Liverpool side minus Sturridge.

I don’t want to give Wenger credit because if your fail to prepare, then prepare to fail, and the preparation for the league start was just not adequate enough.

However you can’t just ignore the way things have unfortunately panned out for us:

Sanchez - has now not rested in a summer for a couple of years. Played in every match in the Copa America and won the player of the tournament. Played 90 mins vs Liverpool on day 1, isolated up front. The guys fucked.

Xhaka - Played in the Euros. Still needs to get up to speed here. Needs time.

Koscielny
Giroud
Ozil
Ramsey - All played up to the semi-final and final respectively in the Euros. Including ET in games. (Ramsey was banned for semi but still played a huge part for Wales). Very unfortunate for us as these are all first XI players that need to recoup.

Mertesacker
Gabriel - No one could have foreseen two CB’s going down with lengthy injuries in pre season. Again that’s just real bad luck. These aren’t even injury prone players. Per played nearly every game last season from what I remember.

Cazorla - Coming back from a long injury. Again wouldn’t say he is injury prone, just unfortunate.
Wilshere - Played in the Euros when he shouldn’t have. Always crocked anyway.

That pretty much left us with what we used against Liverpool. It wasn’t ideal but its not going to be like that all season. We can’t be going into meltdown after one game chaps.

Am I being too positive in thinking top 4 should be on the cards? After watching the other teams play, no one has stood out like “wow, we are fucked.”

2 Likes
#2

Yes.

#3

Yes.

#4

Most definitely, yes.

1 Like
#5

I don’t think thats being too positive, top 4 is achievable, i just couldn’t give a fuck about getting it tbh.

7 Likes
#6

Depends on the expectations you have. If you expect the team to challenge for the title, yea probably. If you think we’re going to finish outside of CL spots, nah not really going to happen (yet).

We’re still very far from having a catastrophic season, but chances of achieving anything good are also not really that high.

1 Like
#7

Do they really though?

#8

Yes, they are that bleak that I’m past caring really. I can’t even be bothered to defend us anymore when we play shit. Looks like no striker is on the way. Another groundhog season awaits!

#9

As I said in the match thread, if there are no transfers, I genuinely don’t think we’ll win a league game till October. Top six would certainly be out of the question for us.

#10

We get players back and buy some players and we should be ok. But it’s just this. Don’t expect us to be unstoppable. Just what is necessary to fight for the 4th spot :santi:

#11

Yes things are that bleak. A+ effort though.

1 Like
#12

If we don’t buy any more players it will have been the worst transfer window ever.
It will prove the club lacks ambition and their total disregard for the supporters.

It will also mean our only two world class players will not be signing new contracts, and we will struggle for a top four place.

So realistically, it doesn’t look that great.

#13

https://vine.co/v/it3nbMOajln

2 Likes
#14

Normally I’d be quite blasé about our top 4 chances - we always make it in the end, right?

However, the quality of the managers in this league has rocketed. Guardiola, Mourinho, Conte and Klopp - Wenger is the 5th best manager out of those lot. That is our competition and I’m not confident Wenger and his squad will deliver more than these managers can.

1 Like
#15

We’ll defiently be fighting for top 4, whether we get it or not is another question altogether.

Saying that I don’t care if we do or not. We don’t go for world class signings and we always get knocked out in the first knock out round. Time we built a squad to win the title not just to scrape into the holy ‘top four’.

6 Likes
#16

[quote=“will24, post:15, topic:532, full:true”]
We’ll defiently be fighting for top 4, whether we get it or not is another question altogether.

Saying that I don’t care if we do or not. We don’t go for world class signings and we always get knocked out in the first knock out round. Time we built a squad to win the title not just to scrap into the holy ‘top four’.
[/quote]Summed it up perfectly.

Things aren’t bleak perse, it’s just I can’t imagine this season being different from any other. Competition will be fierce top make top 4 but some how when the chips are down, we always make it.

We just need some excitement in the club right now, something for the fans to look forward to.

2 Likes
#17

My thoughts exactly.
I am also not looking too much into last match, but that won’t be new to you guys; as for you all I am perennially optimistic.
Yesterday was bad but not end of season but it can still go bad.

However, Wenger could have done so much more in Pre-season to avoid the situation we are in. We could have drawn or won last macth but we have more games to come with ill prepared squad, and things will really look bleak.

If it meant we had to wait all summer to get Mustafi, I don’t mind because by all reports he seems quality.
If it meant we had to wait all summer to get good right winger or striker, I don’t mind.

But after all the wait, we end up with mediocre players or no one, then it’s a failure of a preparation.

We have a good squad which needs a couple more players. Wenger needs to do more.

3 Likes
#18

That’s the issue for most fans though isn’t it? Those words…“Top 4”. Fucking top 4, we should he aiming for champi9ns for fucks sake.

2 Likes
#19

Let’s be fair, we have been competing for more than Top 4 recently.
We don’t end up as Champions doesn’t mean, we were only playing for Top 4.

Top 4 is an annoyance fans bring on themselves.
For example, I keep hearing 4th spot trophy still being thrown around when we have finished 3rd & 2nd in last 2 seasons.

1 Like
#20

I’m really looking forward to the battle for the 4th place trophy…we’ve achieved above our station lately and I’m missing the CL qualification matches in early August.