Yups, I can rest easy knowing now that we’re probably not going to win it this season either. What I can’t accept however, is another bottling in the form of total capitulation and being discombobulated towards the end of the season for 3 years running.
That’s a mentality thing, I hope they can overcome it.
I’d like to pivot this focus on the title for a minute to remind there are other trophies at play. I’ll throw down and declare that finishing 2nd + Cup, can still be a good season for us. We just need to make sure we’re always challenging. How we binned the domestic trophies last season was ridiculous (and the double cup exit before that as well) and getting knocked out in Sporting was an embarrassment. None of that shit this season please.
If none or most don’t see us getting the title, then why not let Arteta build his own team and be a bit more patient and not whining like we had lost all three games instead??
Get top four, build the new formation and tactics, wait for Timber to come back, buy a top attacker next season, get rid of the last batch of unwanted players.
We have the squad for it now too. The peripheral players know how to play football and have been indoctrinated to Arteta’s style. No excuses not to put an effort in with these competitions this season and I’d like us to go deep in them rather than really not giving a shit about them.
I think the big thing for Arteta to ‘learn’ this season is to put his entire squad to use.
True! But we really should’ve dismantled Fulham at home. Even the worst Arsenal squads over the last 30 yrs would best them.
Yes but conceding in the first minute change the entire dynamic of the game from the off…
I think we’re still a season away from winning the title. New system, new midfield and a big signing being out for the season. We may get lucky but for me it’s about consolidating our position in the top 4 and having a far better showing across the cups. I prefer a gradual improvement across the board. However, if we win the title and they prove me wrong, I’ll be delighted.
I urge others to live for the moment and stop worrying about next May, it’s not good for your health. We’re are thankfully back where we belong as our old song goes but unlike 20 years ago ours is now the most difficult league to win.
That early in the game shouldn’t change anything.
We had plenty of chances to win the game
Just we fucked up by sitting back once we took the lead
The amount of times I have seen this sitting back backfire… you thought teams would learn to keep playing the way they were playing which helped them lead in the first place
Ultimately as nice as winning a domestic cup is, we need to win a league title or CL in the near future, one we haven’t done for 20 years and the other we’ve never done in our history.
Want to be considered one of the powerhouses ? Win a powerhouse trophy.
I mean it does. Changes the entire tone of the game, I’d actually argue it’s the worst time to concede despite the time to turn it around.
And we actually did turn it around anyway, only to then fuck it up last min.
Was just like the Southampton game, as easy win if we dont go behind early doors but you double the task inside 1 minute and allow the other team to hold what they’ve got.
If you can’t get over a first minute goal, then it says a lot about your character.
Whether you can recover from conceding an early goal is a different matter to whether or not that early goal changes the dynamic of the game, which it evidently does.
The task when you start a game for a club like Arsenal is to win it. You need one goal to do that. Conceding an goal early means you need two.
Not only that, the opponents in that scenario have done their part so all they have to do then is defend woth their lives and not worry about getting forward much.
From a tactical perspective everything changes everything. It also takes a massive toll energy wise. Arteta talked about it last season when we kept turning things around over and over again. It’s a nice feeling when you do but if it becomes a pattern and you keep doing it, you keep spending more and more energy every game playing on the back foot.
We’re not that deep into the season yet to worry about that yet but this is not something you want to become a thing.
Yes, that is how I felt seeing you try to suggest that an early goal doesn’t or shouldn’t affect the dynamic of the game.
An early goal will then subsequently affect the tactical approach of both sides, compared to what their plans were for the match when the scores were level. When teams change their tactics during the match, it affects the dynamic of the match. It’s basically inarguable lol
Worth a reminder that in the middle of our bad phase of last season we pulled an absolutely storming performance out of the bag at Newcastle. We’re a pretty good team and the best club to support in the world. City’s dominance can’t be forever, we’re ready and waiting for them to falter now.
If Arsenal can stop gifting goals, then I’m actually convinced we’ll take City to the last day, even with Timber out all season.
When was the last time an opponent scored a proper goal against us? It’s felt like a while… maybe Palmer in the community shield perhaps.
I can accept dropping points because the opposition were just that much better than us or due to individual brilliance or a well worked team goal.
But when we do it ourselves, it’s a problem.
Once, I can accept. Twice… I can live with.
Three times, four times, five times… it then becomes a running joke and the league will use that to their advantage to punish us.
I remember watching how we’d kill games in the first 20 mins. Now, teams realise that if they survive the first 15-20 vs. Arsenal they’ve got a good chance of getting something.
Hopefully Arteta and the boys can get past this habit.
As someone posted , being a goal down after 1 minute shouldn’t be a hurdle, if anything it should be a hammer to drive home the winning nail , not an excuse for messing about with the formation and players .