And, we're off.....2016/17

[Pin-seeker]

He never got a chance at Chelsea - Matic also got kicked away from Chelsea , De Bruyne etc - no doing well at Chelsea should never be a marker for a player. The guy is a quality player , quick , skillfull , can play wide or through the middle , scores goals and assists - for me it would be a very good signing

If Liverpool don't make any real Marquee signings,Greizman,Mbappe,Rodriguez for example,will you be showing your disapproval?
Because that would show ambition to win the Prem or CL.

Or will you big up any mediocre signings that Klopp makes & be happy just making up the numbers.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

At this stage I'm impressed with City. Doing their business early, get the players in so they will be straight in to their pre season. It's how to do it.

 

[Pin-seeker]

At this stage I'm impressed with City. Doing their business early, get the players in so they will be straight in to their pre season. It's how to do it.

Looks like Pep as got a open Cheque book.
His 1st season was shocking,hoping for same again 😁

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Buying more pretty midfielders and an untested, in this country, keeper is not solving the obvious problems City have.

Maybe he will be buying Juve defenders after Saturday is over 😱. Then everyone really would have to watch out.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Buying more pretty midfielders and an untested, in this country, keeper is not solving the obvious problems City have.

Maybe he will be buying Juve defenders after Saturday is over 😱. Then everyone really would have to watch out.

If they can keep Kompany fit it would be like a new signing.
They look so much better at the back when he plays.
I was surprised to see Toure get a new contract.

 

[sawtooth]

I don't think Wenger will give 2 hoots about the Europa league and will be 100% committed to doing well in the PL.

I might be wrong but I would not be surprised at all if we went out of EL at the earliest possible phase......deliberately I may add.

 

[Fish]

He never got a chance at Chelsea - Matic also got kicked away from Chelsea , De Bruyne etc - no doing well at Chelsea should never be a marker for a player. The guy is a quality player , quick , skillfull , can play wide or through the middle , scores goals and assists - for me it would be a very good signing

I disagree, I think Salah got enough opportunities to prove himself, and didn't.

Don't forget we don't get to see them in training and doing what the manager and coaching staff want, and if that ain't happening in training, then he's not going to force himself into the starting line up.

Having the room in leagues abroad count for nothing much in PL, how many times have we seen big names come to the PL and die, far more I think than those that come over and are still a big hit.

He may have improved a bit more now, but there's no guarantee he'll be any different than he was at Chelsea, and quite simply, that wasn't good enough IMO.

Again, with Matic and De Bruyne, at the time they didn't suit the manager's style or possible formation/tactics or got back what he wanted from them, so they went away, grew some more and came back better players, that's just players maturing and learning their trade more.

That's not a failure on Chelsea's or any clubs part who has let a player go only for them to grow and become much better elsewhere, no doubt he was better suited for various reasons.

Salah for me is just another version of SWP, he'll show up now and then when he's got the room, but can be easily taken out of the game because he's a one-trick pony.

 

[jp5]

Europa League games included in next years season tickets, so wouldn't expect to see much weakened teams!

Surprised they did include them and not leave them as discounted add ons as they do with the League cup where we usually play the kids.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I don't think Wenger will give 2 hoots about the Europa league and will be 100% committed to doing well in the PL.

I might be wrong but I would not be surprised at all if we went out of EL at the earliest possible phase......deliberately I may add.

This sums up perfectly your failure to grasp your own argument.

You constantly tell us how 4th is success as it gets CL and because you can't compete financially with the big 3.

Add in LPool and Spurs and like this season 4th now becomes even harder.

4th gets you to the knockout stages of CL.

All the above takes 38 Games.

Therefore logically, a big team like Arsenal with 20 years of european football experience should be able to mount a very strong campaign in the Europa League, it's 19 games, you're very unlikely to meet Bayern or your other bogey teams.

Winning it means a European Trophy (the old Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Cup were never dismissed as minor trophies so why this is I'm confused) and entry into the group stage of the following years CL stage, the equivalent of finishing 2nd in the PL.

I am not saying ignore the PL but to dismiss the EL the way you have is either incredibly arrogant or incredibly niave.

 

[sawtooth]

This sums up perfectly your failure to grasp your own argument.

You constantly tell us how 4th is success as it gets CL and because you can't compete financially with the big 3.

Add in LPool and Spurs and like this season 4th now becomes even harder.

4th gets you to the knockout stages of CL.

All the above takes 38 Games.

Therefore logically, a big team like Arsenal with 20 years of european football experience should be able to mount a very strong campaign in the Europa League, it's 19 games, you're very unlikely to meet Bayern or your other bogey teams.

Winning it means a European Trophy (the old Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Cup were never dismissed as minor trophies so why this is I'm confused) and entry into the group stage of the following years CL stage, the equivalent of finishing 2nd in the PL.

I am not saying ignore the PL but to dismiss the EL the way you have is either incredibly arrogant or incredibly niave.

The competition sucks. I have never liked the idea of it , I'm not a fan.

I don't think Wenger will recognise it as a worthy trophy either but that's just my opinion. I think league , CL, FA cup and top 4 is all that would interest him.

I would say more arrogant than naive because I know it's a waste of space.

 

[Hobbit]

I don't think Wenger will give 2 hoots about the Europa league and will be 100% committed to doing well in the PL.

I might be wrong but I would not be surprised at all if we went out of EL at the earliest possible phase......deliberately I may add.

I doubt it will be deliberately as it will almost certainly be the kids on show. And I do hope Wenger is committed to doing better in the league. I also hope he tinges it with realism rather than what he spouts in public.

 

[sawtooth]

I doubt it will be deliberately as it will almost certainly be the kids on show. And I do hope Wenger is committed to doing better in the league. I also he tinges it with realismrather than what he spouts in public.

Well if he fields kids then he will be expecting a early exit hopefully. The sooner Arsenal are out of that comp the better. I much prefer the old uefa cup and cup winners cup format, all this league business is nonsense - bad enough with the CL.

 

[Slime]

The competition sucks. I have never liked the idea of it , I'm not a fan.

I don't think Wenger will recognise it as a worthy trophy either but that's just my opinion. I think league , CL, FA cup and top 4 is all that would interest him.

I would say more arrogant than naive because I know it's a waste of space.

That just comes across as arrogant, bitter and pathetic .................... sour grapes or what?
Convince Manchester United, their fans and their sponsors that it's a waste of space!

 

[sawtooth]

That just comes across as arrogant, bitter and pathetic .................... sour grapes or what?
Convince Manchester United, their fans and their sponsors that it's a waste of space!

It's valuable as a CL entry but as an honour in its own right it's pants.

No sour grapes at all, I have always thought that and always will. If they go back to straight knockout of all cup winners or league runners up then fair enough but nobody takes any notice or can even remember the winners. And CL 3rd place teams going into it half way through what's that all about? It's farcical.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

It's valuable as a CL entry but as an honour in its own right it's pants.

No sour grapes at all, I have always thought that and always will. If they go back to straight knockout of all cup winners or league runners up then fair enough but nobody takes any notice or can even remember the winners. And CL 3rd place teams going into it half way through what's that all about? It's farcical.

Its a good step above the FA Cup and I expect the winners will always remember and it's a good chance for Wenger to win in Europe - not sure Arsenal can be arrogant to dismiss it when it might be there best chance of CL football

 

[Pin-seeker]

Looks like the old Sawtooth alarms gone off.
Ting Ting 😂

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Its a good step above the FA Cup and I expect the winners will always remember and it's a good chance for Wenger to win in Europe - not sure Arsenal can be arrogant to dismiss it when it might be there best chance of CL football

Totally agree, the way things are going the EL could be the only european football seen at the emirates for the next few years

 

[sawtooth]

Totally agree, the way things are going the EL could be the only european football seen at the emirates for the next few years

That might be so but it doesn't make the Europa League any more prestigious. Man Utd used it as a way into the CL which is fair enough but I doubt Mourinho would have bothered with it seriously if Utd's CL place was already safe by league position.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

That might be so but it doesn't make the Europa League any more prestigious. Man Utd used it as a way into the CL which is fair enough but I doubt Mourinho would have bothered with it seriously if Utd's CL place was already safe by league position.

You can't take the semi-final seriously if you've been knocked out in the group stages!
No one is saying make it a priority, but surely any team would want to do well in all comps they enter and go as far as they can, you stated you hope you're knocked out early.

I take it you'd rather finish out of EL places than finish 5th or 6th and qualify?

 

[Papas1982]

That might be so but it doesn't make the Europa League any more prestigious. Man Utd used it as a way into the CL which is fair enough but I doubt Mourinho would have bothered with it seriously if Utd's CL place was already safe by league position.

Id say it was exactly the opposite.

If if they were close to the title I could see it being put aside. But if they were 2nd 10 adrift and 10 clear. I'm sure Utd would want to win it. It's a trophy.