Match Reaction: Olympiakos 0-3 Bif

[Power n Glory]

What would you accept as evidence for a step up? I've listed endlessly a few signs of hope I see. The signings of people like Ozil, Sanchez and Cech has made a clear difference. We've finally started winning trophies again. Not the biggest prizes yet but it's a start. And some of the results in the last year or so have shown something - a few years ago we wouldn't have won either the away Utd game in the FA Cup or the home game this year. Before the home game this year many were predicting a repeat of previous home games vs Utd where we dominate possession but end up losing, but we blitzed them. Yes, some of those results have been followed by disappointing ones but isn't any season like that? It certainly has been this year for everyone, there has been no standout team this year.
Ultimately we'll only know whether we've stepped up come May - well, maybe earlier if we start to seriously fall out of the title race.

I was endlessly mocked early season for daring to suggest that maybe we should wait till the end of the season to see where we are but it's obvious. This result is a case in point. Do you judge our performance in the CL group stage after 2 games when it was looking like a fiasco or after 6 when we've qualified? Right now we're in the title race and we've qualified for the last 16 of the CL, I think that's a pretty decent season so far. Ultimately we'll only be able to assess the season properly and whether we've made progress or not at the end.

You say the same thing every year which is why you're mocked.

With so many of our rivals, like Man Utd, looking so much weaker, should we really draw that much satisfaction from finally beating them this year? Is that a measure of our progress or their decline? Again, I can't really look too deeply into the teams we've beaten or the results because we've beaten big teams like Barca, Bayern, Chelsea, City, AC Milan....etc before and it's always supposed to act as some sort of springboard to bigger things but that's not the case. For me, the more important signs to look out for this season will be the January transfer window. I think this is the 4th time we've been in this position where we're in the running for the title but need signings to help with our injury crisis and keep us in the hunt. We'll soon find out if lessons have been learned. It's bad enough that we've crocked our players and haven't managed fitness levels better. These are the signs you should be looking for. The problems that have plagued us for years on end and cost us.

[Letters]

You say the same thing every year which is why you're mocked.

I'm mocked because people constantly argue against things I'm not saying rather than addressing what I am saying.

With so many of our rivals, like Man Utd, looking so much weaker, should we really draw that much satisfaction from finally beating them this year?

Weaker than what? Utd have a point more than they did at this stage last season.
This whole statement smacks of goalpost shifting. If we failed to beat them (as most predicted we would) then you could guarantee this place would have been flooded with "told you so's" and "nothing has changed". We sweep them aside and it's just because they're weak? They've only lost 2 league games this year and they're only 3 points off the top.

For me, the more important signs to look out for this season will be the January transfer window. I think this is the 4th time we've been in this position where we're in the running for the title but need signings to help with our injury crisis and keep us in the hunt. We'll soon find out if lessons have been learned. It's bad enough that we've crocked our players and haven't managed fitness levels better. These are the signs you should be looking for. The problems that have plagued us for years on end and cost us.

I don't hold out any hope we'll sign anyone of note in January and if we fail to sustain a title challenge then Wenger should be sacked. But I, for one, will at least wait till it happens rather than calling for his head after every setback regardless of whether that sees us fall out of the title race or not.

[Niall_Quinn]

What a hero.

[Power n Glory]

I'm mocked because people constantly argue against things I'm not saying rather than addressing what I am saying.


Weaker than what? Utd have a point more than they did at this stage last season.
This whole statement smacks of goalpost shifting. If we failed to beat them (as most predicted we would) then you could guarantee this place would have been flooded with "told you so's" and "nothing has changed". We sweep them aside and it's just because they're weak? They've only lost 2 league games this year and they're only 3 points off the top.



I don't hold out any hope we'll sign anyone of note in January and if we fail to sustain a title challenge then Wenger should be sacked. But I, for one, will at least wait till it happens rather than calling for his head after every setback regardless of whether that sees us fall out of the title race or not.

Goal post shifting? Remember who you're talking to. Before that Utd game it's a one off result that means very little. Win, lose or draw. I didn't put much stock into that game and we had a conversation about that beforehand.

You're the one shifting goal posts with this Utd argument. You've used Utd as a cautionary tale of what can happen when switching managers. Don't act like this is the same Man Utd side can compare to Fergie's.

For crying out loud, I'm not even calling for Wenger's head. Just talking about our signs of progress and what we need to do to move forward.