The defeat probably means the vague hope of sneaking into the top 4 is over. All about building for next season now, and hopefuly have a decent run in the Europa league.
The defeat probably means the vague hope of sneaking into the top 4 is over. All about building for next season now, and hopefuly have a decent run in the Europa league.
Vague is putting it lightly. So much damage has been done already that any minor slip up is going to be catastrophic to those hopes.
We’re a mid table team and I believe we’ll do well to finish anywhere near 5th/6th. It only looks close at the moment because we’ve played a game or 2 more than the teams around us.
I don't really agree. Our form since Christmas has not been mid-table.
Our form before Christmas wasn't either of course, in a different way.
Overall I think we are better than mid-table, but for the nonsense just before half time I firmly believe we'd have won last night which would have been 6 wins from 8 in the league with 2 draws. The important thing now is we win on Saturday and start another run.
This. Not only have our results since Christmas been top four-ish form (given the way the league is going this season), but it is clear to see that we are playing with a plan now - and are an attacking force as well as having defensive stability.
Its funny how perceptions can change so quickly. Any talk of top four prior to Xmas would have been utterly laughable (some people were even talking relegation ), and for me it is a testament to our improvement that top four was even considered an aspiration. The truth is that finishing the league 8th or above - with clear signs of an effective playing style; direction and a platform for next season would have been considered a reasonable aspiration for a team in transition, with a Rookie manager, at the beginning of the season.
This is IMO where we should be aiming for now, and as Letters says - a win on Saturday is crucial because our renaissance remains fragile.
Putting the laughter back into manslaughter
We were mid table last season but all spoke about platforms, transition periods etc. Now it’s the same again this season. Poor start followed by some improvement and we’re now looking ahead to next year.
I can see improvement fundamentally, which is great. However it has to start correlating to the league table, otherwise what’s the point.
Some stat going around on twitter saying we are top of the league for red cards, 8th for yellows but 20th for fouls committed per game.
Spurs are 4th for fouls committed per game yet 17th for yellows.
The standard of referring & consistency is shocking.
We are actively discriminated against by referees and have been for a long time. I firmly believe that.
We're not a dirty team but look at the stats. Some teams literally get away with murder. LITERALLY.
NOTE: The location of this post has been moved and the thread title (which was previously Wenger is Leaving) has been manipulated by a notorious pro-Wenger moderator. What was previously a message that contained no profanity and made a comment on a real life event has now been manipulated by a deliberately provocative title. An old and crude propaganda and censorship technique.