Premier League 2024/25

[UniFox21]

Just now, Sol thewall Bamba said:

Praying this is the end of the Pep era of football.

I'm hoping it's the end of possession for the sake of having the ball. This iteration of Pep's style is dull, especially when compared to the original tiki-taka or attacking with pace and prowess of the Man City side a few years ago. 

[StanSP]

A very 'all fart, no shit' performance from Man City. 

[foxfanazer]

Monstrous performance from Salah. Messi-esque you could say 

[Torquay Gunner]

26 minutes ago, foxfanazer said:

Arteta should be under real pressure at Arsenal imo. How many years has he been at it now and Slot comes straight in and does what he's been unable to. For as good as he's apparently done there it isn't reflected by the trophy haul

If the club had owners with serious ambitions ie actually wanting to win trophies, rather than a Wenger like obsession with top 4, then Arteta would be removed at the end of the season.  It won’t happen because they don't. 

[KingsX]

3 minutes ago, foxfanazer said:

This place needs the season to end

 

We'll be comparing Chris Wood to Lewandowski next

Great topic!  Start a thread 

 

Would beat hell out of discussing our owners, our board, our players, our manager, or just about anything else LCFC.  Rehashing all that is like deciding to lock yourself permanently into a stall where the last ten guys have crapped on the floor.  Plus what is really left to say?

[fox_favourite]

6 minutes ago, StanSP said:

A very 'all fart, no shit' performance from Man City. 

Post of the day! 

[Bilo]

21 minutes ago, foxfanazer said:

This place needs the season to end

 

We'll be comparing Chris Wood to Lewandowski next

You're on the right thread for that! I've spent weeks getting pelters for pointing out that Forest are, in fact, a fairly average side who are simply well-drilled and defensively solid. 

[SkidsFox]

25 minutes ago, KingsX said:

Salah v Messi ... not much of a debate.  So how about Slot v Pep.

 

Obviously there is no comparing their CVs.   But these two head to head matches have proved for me that Slot is the better coach.  Liverpool's setups have been entirely effective at both ends of the pitch.  Man City have had few answers.

 

Slot took over a very good side and immediately made it a dominant one.  Pep has dominated with sides that would win big without him.

 

 

Jury needs to be out for a few seasons more before we can make that comparison.

I agree that Pep has had the benefit of always being in charge of a mega-club that can make big signings at regular intervals. Otoh there are plenty of managers who would still flop given those advantages. So  it's totally off-beam to use the Fraudiola charge; Pep's a top class manager. It's just that I feel there are better contenders for the GOAT tag, starting with Cloughie and SirAlex. 

[foxfanazer]

23 minutes ago, Torquay Gunner said:

If the club had owners with serious ambitions ie actually wanting to win trophies, rather than a Wenger like obsession with top 4, then Arteta would be removed at the end of the season.  It won’t happen because they don't. 

You're the only coherent Arsenal fan I've heard with that opinion. Thought I was maybe being too harsh on Arteta

[Tielemans63]

59 minutes ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

Does anyone else think Pep will walk this summer? 

Seems like a mad thing to say about one of the best managers there has ever been, but he looks like he's starting to lose the dressing room to me. Those Man City players are no longer listening. Their body language in his interactions with them looks very indifferent to me. Quite a few of the players just aren't running hard for him anymore. Maybe they can't?

[Parafox]

1 hour ago, UniFox21 said:

I'm hoping it's the end of possession for the sake of having the ball. This iteration of Pep's style is dull, especially when compared to the original tiki-taka or attacking with pace and prowess of the Man City side a few years ago. 

 

That was an exciting period in his management. What happened? Why did he and, by association the team, pull there heads back into their shell and stop their flowing, front footed style of play?

[Iwebema]

38 minutes ago, Tielemans63 said:

Seems like a mad thing to say about one of the best managers there has ever been, but he looks like he's starting to lose the dressing room to me. Those Man City players are no longer listening. Their body language in his interactions with them looks very indifferent to me. Quite a few of the players just aren't running hard for him anymore. Maybe they can't?

I think this was one of Fergusons biggest strengths, regardless of talent he knew when to move players on before it got to this point.

[whoareyaaa]

44 minutes ago, Tielemans63 said:

Seems like a mad thing to say about one of the best managers there has ever been, but he looks like he's starting to lose the dressing room to me. Those Man City players are no longer listening. Their body language in his interactions with them looks very indifferent to me. Quite a few of the players just aren't running hard for him anymore. Maybe they can't?

there defence is terrible, that's the problem

[David Hankey]

It seems Man City are copying us - going down the pan rapidly.

[StanSP]

1 hour ago, Parafox said:

 

That was an exciting period in his management. What happened? Why did he and, by association the team, pull there heads back into their shell and stop their flowing, front footed style of play?

Players get older, some players that helped make it tick leave, players get injured. Or they get 'found out' and teams find a way to combat it. 

 

 

[Torquay Gunner]

3 hours ago, foxfanazer said:

You're the only coherent Arsenal fan I've heard with that opinion. Thought I was maybe being too harsh on Arteta

I have started to form the opinion that he is the Spanish Brendan Rogers with better hair.  Maybe he can take over at Celtic once Rodgers departs, as its the only league he’s likely to win. 

[Tielemans63]

4 hours ago, Torquay Gunner said:

If the club had owners with serious ambitions ie actually wanting to win trophies, rather than a Wenger like obsession with top 4, then Arteta would be removed at the end of the season.  It won’t happen because they don't. 

Seems the loss of Edu as sporting director has affected Arsenal quite significantly. Have I got that right?

[Torquay Gunner]

7 minutes ago, Tielemans63 said:

Seems the loss of Edu as sporting director has affected Arsenal quite significantly. Have I got that right?

Yes and no, Edu was heavily involved in bringing ‘duds’ like Willian, Jesus and Sterling amongst others to the club.  He was certainly no David Dein, however he at least had a football background.  The new guy (Director of Football Operations) James King I know very little about, apart from the fact he was at the club previously between 2016-2022 as legal counsel!🤨.  There have been rumours that ex player Tomas Rosicky will rejoin the club in the summer as Sporting Director ( he is currently at Sparta Prague).  He is a good mate of Arteta and of course an ex team mate, so that does not feel me with great confidence.  The concern is that the American board are pretty clueless, so who exactly questions Arteta’s transfer strategy. 

[PAULCFC]

@Torquay Gunner Is it still the mindset at Arsenal that we'd love to win the league,but as long as we are in the top 4 it will do as it seemed to be for Wenger?Not a critisisim at all we'd love to be in that situation!

[filbertway]

4 hours ago, Torquay Gunner said:

If the club had owners with serious ambitions ie actually wanting to win trophies, rather than a Wenger like obsession with top 4, then Arteta would be removed at the end of the season.  It won’t happen because they don't. 

Who do you think your "clueless" board would hire that elevates you to the 90+ point mark (which recently is no guarantee of a title)

 

You struggled for goals this term, but past 2 seasons you've hit over 80 points, 84 and 88, for the first time since 07/08 whilst scoring 88 and 91 goals.

 

Possibly fair to say it's gone a bit stale there this season? He still has you in 2nd place but the lack of goals compared to the last 2 seasons must be a concern. The signing of Sterling was pretty awful as well, whoever sanctioned that needs their head checking

 

Does it feel like you've peaked under him and are regressing now? Would be interested to hear more information other than the standard data we have access to.

 

I personally think people put too much weight on winning things, when judging players, teams and managers. If you're capable of hitting 84+ points a season, which is over 2 points a game. I don't think there's any shame or failure in another team happening to do better. Hitting 85+ points is very impressive, especially with the talent in this league that even the bottom half teams have access to with the ridiculous money in this league.

Edited 23 February by filbertway

[Torquay Gunner]

7 minutes ago, PAULCFC said:

@Torquay Gunner Is it still the mindset at Arsenal that we'd love to win the league,but as long as we are in the top 4 it will do as it seemed to be for Wenger?Not a critisisim at all we'd love to be in that situation!

I think that there are a certain amount of fan boys/girls, who seem to care more for the manager than they do for the club.  I am sure that in their eyes Arteta has been a success at the club, they will point to successive runner up spots and of course last season we did push Man City all the way.  So whilst many of them will be happy for him to continue, many other supporters like myself have seen through him and know they have as much chance as flying to the moon, as Arteta has of winning either the league title or champions league. 

[Torquay Gunner]

31 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Who do you think your "clueless" board would hire that elevates you to the 90+ point mark (which recently is no guarantee of a title)

 

You struggled for goals this term, but past 2 seasons you've hit over 80 points, 84 and 88, for the first time since 07/08 whilst scoring 88 and 91 goals.

 

Possibly fair to say it's gone a bit stale there this season? He still has you in 2nd place but the lack of goals compared to the last 2 seasons must be a concern. The signing of Sterling was pretty awful as well, whoever sanctioned that needs their head checking

 

Does it feel like you've peaked under him and are regressing now? Would be interested to hear more information other than the standard data we have access to.

 

I personally think people put too much weight on winning things, when judging players, teams and managers. If you're capable of hitting 84+ points a season, which is over 2 points a game. I don't think there's any shame or failure in another team happening to do better. Hitting 85+ points is very impressive, especially with the talent in this league that even the bottom half teams have access to with the ridiculous money in this league.

Sorry quick answer before I go to bed!   Re your last paragraph, when your manager spends 800 million(the figure widely bandied about) you expect the club, who btw charge 141 quid for some cat A games,to actually win the occasional trophy.  First para, I would like to think they hire someone with experience of winning trophies and not a rank novice just because they were Guardiola’s assistant.  I do think this money is obscene btw. 

Edited 23 February by Torquay Gunner

[foxfanazer]

7 hours ago, filbertway said:

Who do you think your "clueless" board would hire that elevates you to the 90+ point mark (which recently is no guarantee of a title)

 

You struggled for goals this term, but past 2 seasons you've hit over 80 points, 84 and 88, for the first time since 07/08 whilst scoring 88 and 91 goals.

 

Possibly fair to say it's gone a bit stale there this season? He still has you in 2nd place but the lack of goals compared to the last 2 seasons must be a concern. The signing of Sterling was pretty awful as well, whoever sanctioned that needs their head checking

 

Does it feel like you've peaked under him and are regressing now? Would be interested to hear more information other than the standard data we have access to.

 

I personally think people put too much weight on winning things, when judging players, teams and managers. If you're capable of hitting 84+ points a season, which is over 2 points a game. I don't think there's any shame or failure in another team happening to do better. Hitting 85+ points is very impressive, especially with the talent in this league that even the bottom half teams have access to with the ridiculous money in this league.

A club like Arsenal shouldn't be going 8 years with just an FA cup to their names. Even crap sides like United have won more in that time. For the big clubs it absolutely should be the barometer they're judged by

[filbertway]

3 hours ago, foxfanazer said:

A club like Arsenal shouldn't be going 8 years with just an FA cup to their names. Even crap sides like United have won more in that time. For the big clubs it absolutely should be the barometer they're judged by

That's fair, I can't really argue with how you want to judge performance, I think we see the game fundamentally differently.

[Foxin_Mad]

I think sometimes this stupid play it out from the back style can actually eat itself, it becomes so complex that, they think about it so much and put so much pressure on themselves to enact it perfectly it just becomes a burden. 

 

Really football is pretty simple. keep it tight at the back, get it forward quickly, put it in the white rectangle thing more than the opposition, the quicker and more interestingly you can do this the better. Then the fans will get up and cheer instead of falling asleep.