A fan’s favourite is a fans favourite. Nothing wrong with that .
Football is changing, month to month, game to game with the new referring decisions .
We can’t afford to slip up . Yes it’s three games in , 2 points dropped , it could be the difference in a long season .
We’ve got to get real here.
Football is no longer forgiving like it was .
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Football, like the sea, is a harsh mistress.
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It’s one of the issues with our attack. Both Martinelli and Saka don’t have anyone behind them of much worth. I like Trossard, but I’m unsure if he is the one.
If they’re going through a wonky period and not playing well, there isn’t anyone in the squad that they have to worry about taking their spot. Hopefully we remedy this next season.
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The left side of our team is trash at the moment with this new system. I’m not surprised why everything goes through the right.
I agree with those suggesting Trossard to start on the left instead of Martinelli this weekend…
I think the club and team is in a decent state at the moment. The only problem I really see is with the fans, after two years of exceeding most expectations the feel good factor is gone and absolutely everything results in poison from the fanbase, at least online.
Win - complaints
Draw - complaints
Sign a player - complaints
Don’t sign a player - complaints
Sell a player - complaints
Loan a player - complaints
Don’t sell a player - complaints
Don’t loan a player - complaints
Change the lineup - complaints
Don’t change the lineup - complaints
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It’s the same with every club of our stature. We’re not a homogenous group, so everyone will have a different opinion of the state of our club and that’d perfectly fine imho.
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Does it though or are fans justifiably raising expectations based on two seasons of perceived overarching and big summer investment?
I don’t buy into the idea that all online fan discourse is poisonous as you put it. It’s perfectly possible to have a little grumble about stuff but still believe the team is headed in the right direction.
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I didn’t say “all online discourse is poisonous” I said everything that happens results in poison from the fanbase. That’s a long way from saying everything that’s said online is poison.
As to expectations, although we’ve performed well the last two seasons, I don’t see any reason why anyone should “expect” the title or major honours this season. Hoping for, rather than expecting them is reasonable but given even the suggestion of a setback results in an avalanche of complaints that isn’t where a lot expectation levels are.
Its always been a silly idea, the opinions and comments you hear pre, during and after games from matchgoing fans pretty much resembles alot of the nonsense you see online.
I’ve heard some pretty bad takes and crazy conspiracy theories in the post game pub. Difference is online content is centralised.
I’ve never brought into the idea going to games regularly make your arsenal related takes more reasoned either.
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We can always unban CescyFootball and get some proper whinging back. 
Could always do with another ebay bidder analogy to make me laugh.
Christ I have banned some absolute weapons over the years 
Incidentally, OA was not really the focus of what I was saying. I was talking more generally.
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It’s definitely something I’ve heard more and more recently. It’s always struck me as absolutely ridiculous and a way to shut down debate from overseas supporters or supporters who can’t afford to attend matches. You could easily go to a match and get wasted, not remember a thing and somehow you’re gonna have a more reasoned take than a supporter watching the match from afar?
Obviously you can get way better views at a match but I don’t think some of the complaints @Leper referenced are particularly unique to online discourse.
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Basically the club is at the point of, don’t end the 20 year title drought you’ll hear some complaints.
Led the league for most of last season and imploded late, been backed throughout the summer.
Minimum title challenge again is what should be expected, winning it though is a brutal ask due to what Man City are.
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I think you’ve made the point yourself - we imploded at the end of last season, so there were complaints. But we also had praise too.
Before that for a few years we had steadily gone backwards in the league. And before that was a long period of stagnation, where there was expectation never realised.
The issue this season, for complaints, is arteta has seemingly ignored some of the good things about last season and not addressed some of the bad things, and the performances have reflected that. If arsenal carry on like it then we will continue to drop points and the complaints will be raised. If the team do start clicking then the praise will return.
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Still in the title race with 3 games to go or top 4 finish with a run to the European Cup Final are my expectations.
I think one of the problems we’re all having is understanding Arteta’s tactics. He’s gone from predictable to undecipherable and I’m starting to think it’s affecting the players. I do worry that he is overthinking things now and simply giving too much for the players to think about, why else would we have so many early lapses of concentration?
A complete contrast to Wenger’s approach, though Wenger’s relaxed attitude to tactics came undone when the world class defenders drifted away.
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I believe Arteta is having trouble understanding his own tactics.
So far it’s a fudging mess . They need to be on their guard Sunday .
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just 3 games in, and I don’t know how we are not in the title race.
even after 30 games, if we are just 2 points off the top, we would be in the title race still.
No, I mean I want us to be in the title race with 3 games remaining, Match Day 36 I think they call it in new money. Sorry if my befuddlement is catching. 
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We are not playing that badly despite all the noise. The team have dominated the first 3 games. Struggled to break down the low block, which isnt easy and conceded from individual errors. Had the lads taken one or two more of the chances that should have resulted in goals and we would be 3 from 3…
The Fulham draw felt like a loss being 2 - 1 up and the chances we had. Saka looks before passing towards our goal and Zinch doesnt give the ball awa so easily in our 3rd and the narrative would be different.
Currently we have lost Timber who I think was integral to the plans for this season and Zinchenko isnt fully. Added to that 2 new players in the midfield and it has not instantly gelled. But from reaction on here I would swear we were back in 2021 and had just lost the opening 3 games…
Arteta wants the title not top 4 and that will be all he is focussing on. I hope after we beat the Mancs this weekend some positivity can return
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Given the timber injury and the way city have now brought in depth I don’t see us having the squad for the title.
I think there’s gonna be a lot of moaning this year, as last year got expectations up and the money spent in summer turned even those like me who were saying another year of top 4 was good, to expecting a title challenge now.
No excuses, we’ve spent over 200m on a squad that almost won it last year. I love what Mikel’s done and always will give him time but any failure to give a decent fight for the title will raise some questions - either about the way we strengthened or his ability to get this team over the line.
Let’s see how the season goes, I’m always one who wants to enjoy it along the way regardless of the result but no denying there’s more pressure on the entire club this year.
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