Official Gooners Thread - A New Hope

[ballinaman]

Alex Song on the way out too. Jaysus.

[rodney trotter]

Arsenal are a Feeder club for the big boys

I was sure he was heading for Juve, hopefully he stays fit and bangs in the goals for Utd. If Arsenal loose Song they are fooked..

[Walter Cronc]

Song despite all his assists is a complete liability at defending. This was evident in that amount of goals that Arsenal shipped when Arteta got injured. It was his discipline that made Song look good!

[Dinny Breen]

Meh! Scoring goals is hardly a problem for Man United, only one winner in that transfer. Impossible for Arsenal to contest for the EPL, they are a selling club and can't compete with either Manchester club or the big two in Spain and Chelsea as well. No big deal, they'll still finish top 4, no deluded sense of entitlement on this thread.

[Christmas Lights]

Arsenal will have Bendtner back from Sunderland I assume so along with Podolski & Giroud, they have plenty of attacking options.

[AZOffaly]

Meh! Scoring goals is hardly a problem for Man United, only one winner in that transfer. Impossible for Arsenal to contest for the EPL, they are a selling club and can't compete with either Manchester club or the big two in Spain and Chelsea as well. No big deal, they'll still finish top 4, no deluded sense of entitlement on this thread.

Did you just contradict yourself? If Arsenal don't watch themselves, they'll not finish top 4. They wouldn't have last year without RVP.

I remember when Liverpool fans went from the target being 'Win the title' to 'Challenge for the Title' to 'Finish in the Top 4' to 'Qualify for European Football'. And look at us now. Make sure ye don't follow suit.

[Dinny Breen]

Meh! Scoring goals is hardly a problem for Man United, only one winner in that transfer. Impossible for Arsenal to contest for the EPL, they are a selling club and can't compete with either Manchester club or the big two in Spain and Chelsea as well. No big deal, they'll still finish top 4, no deluded sense of entitlement on this thread.

Did you just contradict yourself? If Arsenal don't watch themselves, they'll not finish top 4. They wouldn't have last year without RVP.

I remember when Liverpool fans went from the target being 'Win the title' to 'Challenge for the Title' to 'Finish in the Top 4' to 'Qualify for European Football'. And look at us now. Make sure ye don't follow suit.

How can you say that? Strange thing to say, who knows how the Arsenal dynamic would have changed.

As for entitlement that was tongue in cheek irony.

However as for Arsenal I would be quite confident they'll contest for the title but will fall short due to lack of real quality in the squad I believe that for a number of reasons

1. Steve Bould as number 2 will ensure a far better focus on defence, has already switched from man-to-man to zonal.
2. Chesney will be a year older
3. Mertesacker has the first season under his belt and will ensure far better organisation in defence and Koscielny is a superb centre-back probably the most under-rated in the EPL, he's far better defender the TV5 for example.
4. Giroud, Podolski and Cazorla are all real quality not potential for a change, Cazorla I feel will be the next Arsenal superstar after Henry, Cesc and RVP.
5. The return of Wilshere will be a fantastic fillip and a real boast to the squad.
6. A defensive midfielder will be bought before end of August.

Plenty of other minor variables as well but ultimately I think Arsenal will have too many key players that can't be replaced as they could be at either Manchester club or Chelsea. So injuries and suspensions will cause Arsenal to suffer particularly around Christmas and Feb when the UCL returns but their squad and manager is still way ahead of any other EPL team in my opinion.

[Geoff Tipps]

Meh! Scoring goals is hardly a problem for Man United, only one winner in that transfer. Impossible for Arsenal to contest for the EPL, they are a selling club and can't compete with either Manchester club or the big two in Spain and Chelsea as well. No big deal, they'll still finish top 4, no deluded sense of entitlement on this thread.

Did you just contradict yourself? If Arsenal don't watch themselves, they'll not finish top 4. They wouldn't have last year without RVP.

I remember when Liverpool fans went from the target being 'Win the title' to 'Challenge for the Title' to 'Finish in the Top 4' to 'Qualify for European Football'. And look at us now. Make sure ye don't follow suit.

How can you say that? Strange thing to say, who knows how the Arsenal dynamic would have changed.

As for entitlement that was tongue in cheek irony.

However as for Arsenal I would be quite confident they'll contest for the title but will fall short due to lack of real quality in the squad I believe that for a number of reasons

1. Steve Bould as number 2 will ensure a far better focus on defence, has already switched from man-to-man to zonal.
2. Chesney will be a year older
3. Mertesacker has the first season under his belt and will ensure far better organisation in defence and Koscielny is a superb centre-back probably the most under-rated in the EPL, he's far better defender the TV5 for example.
4. Giroud, Podolski and Cazorla are all real quality not potential for a change, Cazorla I feel will be the next Arsenal superstar after Henry, Cesc and RVP.
5. The return of Wilshere will be a fantastic fillip and a real boast to the squad.
6. A defensive midfielder will be bought before end of August.

Plenty of other minor variables as well but ultimately I think Arsenal will have too many key players that can't be replaced as they could be at either Manchester club or Chelsea. So injuries and suspensions will cause Arsenal to suffer particularly around Christmas and Feb when the UCL returns but their squad and manager is still way ahead of any other EPL team in my opinion.

Should a squad that is "way ahead of any other EPL team" not be able to cope with injuries and suspensions??

[Billys Boots]

I think you're right Dinny - I don't think that Arsenal would have the entitlement complex that Liverpool seem to suffer from, and that they (Arsenal) willl work hard at maintaining a quality, competitive squad, rather than focussing on hard luck and near-misses.

[Dinny Breen]

Meh! Scoring goals is hardly a problem for Man United, only one winner in that transfer. Impossible for Arsenal to contest for the EPL, they are a selling club and can't compete with either Manchester club or the big two in Spain and Chelsea as well. No big deal, they'll still finish top 4, no deluded sense of entitlement on this thread.

Did you just contradict yourself? If Arsenal don't watch themselves, they'll not finish top 4. They wouldn't have last year without RVP.

I remember when Liverpool fans went from the target being 'Win the title' to 'Challenge for the Title' to 'Finish in the Top 4' to 'Qualify for European Football'. And look at us now. Make sure ye don't follow suit.

How can you say that? Strange thing to say, who knows how the Arsenal dynamic would have changed.

As for entitlement that was tongue in cheek irony.

However as for Arsenal I would be quite confident they'll contest for the title but will fall short due to lack of real quality in the squad I believe that for a number of reasons

1. Steve Bould as number 2 will ensure a far better focus on defence, has already switched from man-to-man to zonal.
2. Chesney will be a year older
3. Mertesacker has the first season under his belt and will ensure far better organisation in defence and Koscielny is a superb centre-back probably the most under-rated in the EPL, he's far better defender the TV5 for example.
4. Giroud, Podolski and Cazorla are all real quality not potential for a change, Cazorla I feel will be the next Arsenal superstar after Henry, Cesc and RVP.
5. The return of Wilshere will be a fantastic fillip and a real boast to the squad.
6. A defensive midfielder will be bought before end of August.

Plenty of other minor variables as well but ultimately I think Arsenal will have too many key players that can't be replaced as they could be at either Manchester club or Chelsea. So injuries and suspensions will cause Arsenal to suffer particularly around Christmas and Feb when the UCL returns but their squad and manager is still way ahead of any other EPL team in my opinion.

Should a squad that is "way ahead of any other EPL team" not be able to cope with injuries and suspensions??

Eh? It's all relative they will cope to a point but would anticipate Arsenal maybe going on a run of games during the season where they will only pick up may 4/5 out of 15, if they had the extra quality in their squad they would turn some of those draws/defeats into victories/draws but their squad will ensure that those bad runs are less frequent that every team bar Man City and Man United who will probably only have 2/3 bad runs between them all season.

[AZOffaly]

I think you're right Dinny - I don't think that Arsenal would have the entitlement complex that Liverpool seem to suffer from, and that they (Arsenal) willl work hard at maintaining a quality, competitive squad, rather than focussing on hard luck and near-misses.

What exactly is the entitlement complex that Liverpool suffer from? Have you seen any Liverpool publications, or 'sane' fans predicting, or indeed hoping, for anything other than a top 4 spot at most.

I think the days of Liverpool expecting to win the title are gone, and everyone is only too aware that it will take a lot of hard work to get them days back again. (Or a Billionaire).

Dinny, obviously I can't say what the impact of RVP missing would have been last year for definite, but I'd have said he was by far your most important player, and without his goals I don't think ye'd have been in the top 4. I could be wrong though.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Meh! Scoring goals is hardly a problem for Man United, only one winner in that transfer. Impossible for Arsenal to contest for the EPL, they are a selling club and can't compete with either Manchester club or the big two in Spain and Chelsea as well. No big deal, they'll still finish top 4, no deluded sense of entitlement on this thread.

Did you just contradict yourself? If Arsenal don't watch themselves, they'll not finish top 4. They wouldn't have last year without RVP.

I remember when Liverpool fans went from the target being 'Win the title' to 'Challenge for the Title' to 'Finish in the Top 4' to 'Qualify for European Football'. And look at us now. Make sure ye don't follow suit.

How can you say that? Strange thing to say, who knows how the Arsenal dynamic would have changed.

As for entitlement that was tongue in cheek irony.

However as for Arsenal I would be quite confident they'll contest for the title but will fall short due to lack of real quality in the squad I believe that for a number of reasons

1. Steve Bould as number 2 will ensure a far better focus on defence, has already switched from man-to-man to zonal.
2. Chesney will be a year older
3. Mertesacker has the first season under his belt and will ensure far better organisation in defence and Koscielny is a superb centre-back probably the most under-rated in the EPL, he's far better defender the TV5 for example.
4. Giroud, Podolski and Cazorla are all real quality not potential for a change, Cazorla I feel will be the next Arsenal superstar after Henry, Cesc and RVP.
5. The return of Wilshere will be a fantastic fillip and a real boast to the squad.
6. A defensive midfielder will be bought before end of August.

Fair play Dinny. You are an optimistic old soul.

[STREET FIGHTER]

Reports of RVP's house on Fire.

Police think its Arsene.

[Billys Boots]

I think you're right Dinny - I don't think that Arsenal would have the entitlement complex that Liverpool seem to suffer from, and that they (Arsenal) willl work hard at maintaining a quality, competitive squad, rather than focussing on hard luck and near-misses.

What exactly is the entitlement complex that Liverpool suffer from? Have you seen any Liverpool publications, or 'sane' fans predicting, or indeed hoping, for anything other than a top 4 spot at most.

I think the days of Liverpool expecting to win the title are gone, and everyone is only too aware that it will take a lot of hard work to get them days back again. (Or a Billionaire).

Dinny, obviously I can't say what the impact of RVP missing would have been last year for definite, but I'd have said he was by far your most important player, and without his goals I don't think ye'd have been in the top 4. I could be wrong though.

Thanks for playing ... 

[Dinny Breen]

I think you're right Dinny - I don't think that Arsenal would have the entitlement complex that Liverpool seem to suffer from, and that they (Arsenal) willl work hard at maintaining a quality, competitive squad, rather than focussing on hard luck and near-misses.

What exactly is the entitlement complex that Liverpool suffer from? Have you seen any Liverpool publications, or 'sane' fans predicting, or indeed hoping, for anything other than a top 4 spot at most.

I think the days of Liverpool expecting to win the title are gone, and everyone is only too aware that it will take a lot of hard work to get them days back again. (Or a Billionaire).

Dinny, obviously I can't say what the impact of RVP missing would have been last year for definite, but I'd have said he was by far your most important player, and without his goals I don't think ye'd have been in the top 4. I could be wrong though.

Thanks for playing ... 

It was too easy for you..