:lol: That's a fair point.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
But in order to assess where we might finish you can't just look at one game where we've played poorly - or one game where we've played well.
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:lol: That's a fair point.Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
But in order to assess where we might finish you can't just look at one game where we've played poorly - or one game where we've played well.
We basically can't afford results like this, City and Chelsea weren't at their best at times in the 1st half of the season (and yet they've kept up with us), but the blips they've had will probably be eradicated from now on in and with the run we have coming up this was a must win game, considering the players Southampton had missing and their dip in results in recent times we should have won this.
This isn't a good result, just like the Everton home game wasn't a good result, despite what people said (Everton are dropping away now and the thrashing Liverpool gave them yesterday shows they are a level below the better teams).
We've been efficient this season IMO, without really playing great football, but in recent times we've lacked a cutting edge IMO, oddly it's almost like we lack a bit of creativity despite all of our creative players. IMO that's due to the lack of movement up front, together with our lack of pace when we attack, this lack of movement and pace have been evident recently as we've struggled to create many clear cut chances for ourselves.
In the FA Cup when we played at a higher tempo and with someone pacey up front, it was clear we found it much easier to open up the opposition, this was incidentally also our most enjoyable performance to watch as it was genuinely exciting, unlike many of our recent games.
Between our increased defensive nature and the lack of some key players (some of which we never signed, like a pacy left winger or a true replacement for RVP) we're going to have a tough season from now on in. Good that it's been 2-nills to the arsenal instead of the 1-nills I was expecting, but we're beginning to run out of steam.
Near hysterical reaction to mourinho?
:haha: funniest thing I've read on here. Couldn't be further from the truth
Wow. First time round I ignored all that extraneous overblown shite for the shite it was.
Does anyone have a video link to Wenger's near hysteria? I'd like to see it now.
I'm quite hoping he smashes a chair over someones head.
There are two key things being discussed here:
Our expectations for the season and last night's match.
Over the course of the season, we have performed very well and are in the running against two teams who we really are doing well to be in touch with or slightly ahead of. That those two teams are the ones that have seemingly unlimited resources is no coincidence. Over the course of the season, it would be some achievement to be even pushing them.
The second thing is last nights performance. This has nothing whatsoever to do with those two teams. By all accounts we stunk the place out. And it is that which we need to sort out.
Must be a mistake. Surely he meant Mourinho was hysterical?Quote:
Originally Posted by Fist of Lehmann
I didn't say we hadn't improved - I made the point (with justification I think) that we need to be circumspect as to the extent of our improvement.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Of course, noone can argue with the stats you have referred to in themselves. But even with these, further questions need to be asked. I haven't checked, but I can't recall us having had just the one tricky run by this stage last season? This season has been kind to us so far.
More than that, though? I'd say that its not necessarily about simply comparing points totals. Given the run we went on in 2013. Given the fact that we have a settled back 5; given the fact that the likes of Giroud; Cazorla; Merts now have first seasons under their belts; given the fact that we have tripled our previous transfer fee to sign a world class player, and given that for once last Summer we did not lose our best player - I would say that we are not comparing like for like by looking at January 2014 and January 2013. I would say that given all the circumstances, we should bloody well expect an improvement. Perhaps the more incisive question is whether we are over or under-performing? IMO that is a much more nuanced question.
Anyway, why just compare last season? Like I say, in 2007/8 we were in a better league position, relative to other teams, than we are now. In 2010/11 we were just 1 point behind leaders Manure at the end of Feb (which I would be very surprised will be the case this season), yet both times we couldn't last the pace. It would be a very brave person who would bet against the same thing happening this season - for whatever reason. Is that really a step change in terms of league status?
As for cherry-picking results. I follow you to an extent. But the games I've highlighted - where we do not get results when the pressure is on - represent a trend for our football club. And that trend is that we have a mental block when it comes to facing so-called better teams - and that we rarely perform when it really matters. I'm afraid I can't put the Liverpool and Newcastle games into that category - and what does the away result at Dortmund mean, when at the sharp end of the group we fucked it up against a Napoli team that we had destroyed at home? We have always, under Wenger, pulled the odd surprising result out of the bag - but for years we have under performed in general against the top teams.
I'm not sure I have seen anyone - least of all me - claim that we should 'expect' to win the league. But 2 issues apply for me here. Regardless of Citeh and the Chavs' resources, there is a very strong argument to say that we consistently refuse to leverage the resources that we DO have. Is our financial situation such that we have to rely on a single frontline forward when Citeh have 4 world class strikers; Manure 2 - and 2 others arguably better than we have; Liverpool - SAS; even the Chavs have Torres; Eto'o and Ba - strikers that in name at least make a mockery of this argument that they have no strikeforce (and they've just bought Salah!). No - that is down to our manager and his choices.
Why did Wenger spend 42M on Ozil if not with the aim of winning the league? And yet again, we gamble with a lack of strikers. The one area where we have really improved is defence - and yet we are an injury away from real problems - both in central defence and at right back. This is nothing to do with either Chelsea or Citeh.
You talk about limping into the top 4 last season. Well as much as it pains me to say it, I think we are going to have a much harder time in this second half of the season than we had in the first half - and finishing 4th is certainly not out of the question - as Citeh and the Chavs settle; Liverpool looking consistent and Manure certain to improve. Even finishing 3rd may well turn out to be more because of Manure's 'disastrous' first half of the season than any step change from us. This might seem like a pessimistic approach, but for the reason's I have given, I haven't seen a great deal from this team to convince me otherwise.
Dunno.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sterling Archer
He said 'to' Mourinho.
I'm assuming Mourinho doesn't react hysterically to himself? Unless he wakes up every morning with the horrible realisation of what an ungodly c*nt he is?
Doesn't make sense any other way.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fist of Lehmann