Europa League Final Autopsy

[Mac76]

They’re in the CL final having not signed a player for 2 years and have half the wage bill of most clubs they’re competing with.

Tosser I guess. Overrated, I’m not sure.

You agree then that it wasn't down to his signings, i think their presence in the final is similar to Leicester in the PL when they won it (though hopefully it won't take them that far) there's been a lot of underperforming and big teams cancelling each other out this year in the CL

Or it's like Ingerspuds fluking their way to the semis in the WC (an appropriate acronym given spuds' stadium)

Let's just hope Flopp gets it right for once, and we have to hope the officials have a good game and don't let spuds get away with murder like they normally do

[SMatthews]

As much as Flopp up to now has been a loser, he's got a lot more to show for himself than Poncetino, who frankly is living off some players which as far as i know he didn't sign, who happen to have some good cohesion in some games but when it counts so far (and we all pray beyond tomorrow) have won jack shit and actually thrown away good positiona.

He's just lucky people like K**t and Dire don't have the imagination to go abroad and actually learn something

If Pep hadn't been stupid enough to overcommit the first team spuds wouldn't even have been there tomorrow.

Ponce is a fake and while on one level i'd like him to leave spuds, on another i hope he stays and continues to lead them to failure

I think he is an overrated tosser tbh

As much as I hate everything to do with Spurs that is one of most daft analysis of their improvement I’ve seen.

[SMatthews]

Sarri is leaving Chelsea.

That’s brilliant and can’t blame him really. Especially with Juve calling. They must see something in him.

I think after the game he dedicated the win to Napoli fans

And given their history that’s the best way to deal with Chelsea. Win something then fuck off before the knives are drawn.

There’s every chance Allegri will take his place now - although the transfer ban could mess that up. If Chavs fans hated Sarriball, they’re not gonna love what he has to offer.

[Marc Overmars]

You agree then that it wasn't down to his signings, i think their presence in the final is similar to Leicester in the PL when they won it (though hopefully it won't take them that far) there's been a lot of underperforming and big teams cancelling each other out this year in the CL

Or it's like Ingerspuds fluking their way to the semis in the WC (an appropriate acronym given spuds' stadium)

Let's just hope Flopp gets it right for once, and we have to hope the officials have a good game and don't let spuds get away with murder like they normally do

I don’t think it’s quite the freak occurrence like Leicester winning the league was but I get your point. So if it can’t be down to his signings what is it then? Maybe that he is a good coach?

I hope Liverpool tear them apart but Spurs are a good side and frankly right now as Arsenal fan I’m in no mood to pass judgment on clubs with far more going for them than us.

[I am invisible]

They’re in the CL final having not signed a player for 2 years and have half the wage bill of most clubs they’re competing with.

Tosser I guess. Overrated, I’m not sure.

They also had arguably more players at the World Cup who played late into the competition than the rest of us - a lot of us thought they’d hit a wall in the new year, but they’ve managed to hold it together and keep going.

Pains me to say it, but there’s a lot to admire about what they’re doing right now.

[I am invisible]

I actually wouldn't mind us signing some younger players, not the dross Wenger use to sign all the time, nobodies from unknown clubs who'd never played a game, but youngsters like the guy we were after from PSG or young players who have played a bit and performed well and shown ability.

The reason Wengers' youth policy never worked is because he continuously signed players who were 15-16 who had never shown they were up to the job and as we know when it comes to spotting talent he was way off, he missed out on all the decent kids and signed the duds.

We've got 1 or 2 decent young players ourselves, but not enough to build a team with, that 10 year youth team plan went totally pearshaped as well, it's years since we've produced anybody half decent, the likes of Chelsea and Man City sign up the best youngsters early and they seem to turn out pretty good so maybe we should follow their lead.

The noises are starting to sound a little more positive there - Saliba and Claude Maurice would cost respectable sums, but both look like they have big futures ahead of them, and it sounds like Edu is keen to immediately bring in that Martinelli kid, if he joins as TD (although I suspect that one might spend a year with the u23s) - hope he has a few more up his sleeve from South America.

Internally, players like Nelson, Willock, Smith Rowe and Nketiah look ready to be in and around the first team squad. Saka and Amaechi also look promising.

Emi Martinez has had a good season at Reading - that sounds like an easy win in goal.

And, as previously mentioned, I’d give Bielik a chance to impress. Maybe Chambers too in CM (although would depend on whether any offers we receive for him, and any subsequent midfielders we invest in work out better or worse than keeping him).

Not really sure we have too much else coming through in terms of CMs, LBs and RBs though, so we might be forced to invest there?

Obviously I’m not expecting all of the above to happen or work out, but there’s options there - anywhere we can save ourselves a buck, we should.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

And Emery sold them the guy that kept them in it!

[I am invisible]

I’ve also heard talk that Ljungberg might be replacing Bouldy next season - given that he’s the current coach of the u23s, maybe that’s a hint about the direction we might be taking?

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Pochettino is a superb coach.

[Mac76]

As much as I hate everything to do with Spurs that is one of most daft analysis of their improvement I’ve seen.

An 'improvement' that saw them finish only just above what we all agree is an Arsenal side needing a lot of work, and below an out-of-sorts Chelsea side with an under-fire manager...?