What part of this season seems different than two seasons back or the one in 09/10 or 07/08? We have the same injury issues as all those years, the same manager and mostly same coaching staff. I really hope we can be competitive but IF I had to bet my house on whether we would win the title this season, I would not bet it on us!Originally Posted by Ollie the Optimist
Arsene Wenger, the only football manager that got paid 8 million quid to do nothing but sit on his arse..
Well, I wouldn't bet my house on it, that would be stupid!
Agree about the injury list, that is a problem which is starting to rear its ugly head again.
But the differences I see are the quality of player we have now - there's no doubt people like Cech, Ozil and Sanchez are making a difference, the ability to beat teams like Utd who we have a horrible record against and who are the sorts of teams we need to be beating if we're going to challenge and we've shown in the FA Cup we can finish the job in a competition - again, we beat Utd away in the Qtr finals last year, we wouldn't have done that a couple of years ago.
So I see a few signs of hope, despite early wobbles we haven't got off to a bad start like last year, if we keep up there or thereabouts I think we have a chance. Not sure I'd make us favourites but if we're in with a shout with 10 games left I have more faith in this lot than I would have a couple of years back for the reasons I mentioned. We are over-reliant on a few key players though and with our record that is a major concern.
Several differences really. We have the same manager and mainly the same staff but there is a huge difference between those two years you have mentioned. We now have a plan B, we have won big games in this year alone. United home and away, city away, liverpool etc. We are beating teams that we struggled against last year, swansea, everton and looking comfortable. WE have a world class player in the four areas. Cech, Koscienly, Ozil and Sanchez. There is a huge difference between this year and five years ago. Injuries are starting to appear but if we can get a grip on them, and players return as scheduled after the break this month, we have a strong squad.
Chelsea and united look weak, city struggle without aguero and silva in the big games. We have a real chance this year, and Wenger has changed tactics to manage the squad and win the big games.
Agree. Would we have won that Utd game a couple of years ago? Would we have won that Swansea one for that matter - tricky place to go, easy to drop points.
Cech is making a difference - late in the Everton game he made a good save which kept us ahead, things like that get you the extra 2 points and it adds up over a season.
We finally have world class players through the spine of the team, the notable exception being up front but Giroud's scoring rate so far is not to be sniffed at and there should be plenty of goals throughout midfield.
Injuries could scupper us but IMO we have a real chance this year.
Obviously if we drop points or, God forbid, lose on Sunday then this place will be awash with "told you so's" and "see, we have no chance", but even if we lose we'll still be 8 points ahead of where we were at this stage last year and at worst 3 points off the top. Best case scenario we'll be top. Either way we're in the hunt, long may it continue.
Do we have the mentality to go all the way? I think so - we've done it in the Cup 2 years on the trot, we pushed hard in the league last year till the title was mathematically gone.
I think we finally have the ability and mentality to challenge.
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