Soldato
Margins for being World Class in my view are very fine.
Greenlizard0 Premier League Football Thread ** spoilers ** [11th - 15th May 2024]
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For me 'bottling it' is more about how people approached a situation than what the results were, although obviously people only care about it when the result goes a certain way. But you can drop points just due to playing bad / opposition playing good / them having a better team than you and whilst bottle can be a factor in the first of those points it isn't always.
An example of bottling it in my eyes might be changing your tactics to play overly defensive and giving up momentum to the opposition. Or nobody putting their name in the hat to take a penalty. Perhaps making some basic mistakes as a result of feeling the pressure. Basically lacking courage or panicking. The closest I can remember to that from Arsenal was probably Zinchenko doing his silly emotional outbursts and calling huddles unnecessarily.
Man City won the league last season because they were the best team, Arsenal over-achieved early on (best ever start) and then Saliba got injured. They dropped points but they always drop points, it's just they'd dropped less points than usual earlier in the season and hence had a better league position to that point.
If Arsenal had beaten Man City in that game late in the season, and all other results were the same, they would've won the league. But like I say MC were the best team, so they won the match, that doesn't mean Arsenal bottled it, it just means the best team won. I think it was clear that Rob Holding couldn't compete with Man City in the way that Saliba could, that's not really bottling it, just lack of quality.
Best ever start?
Arsenal lost the league last season because they absolutely bottled the last 10 games of the season and Ramsdale had a nightmare vs Southampton.
Yeah 50 points at the halfway stage, they've never done that before, it was their best ever start to a league campaign (at least in the modern era). Point being they dropped less points than expected early on which meant they were higher up the league than normal, 2nd half of season returned more to type especially with Saliba being injured.
edit: although it might seem like I'm an Arsenal fan taking umbrage at the idea that they bottled something, a search of this forum shows it just isn't a phrase I've used much about others either, the only occurrences being twice stating that I "bottled it" when making selections for my fantasy football team a few years back. I just don't like the term in general when thrown about to describe teams that have a chance to win but don't win, at times it just feels like a lazy statement that doesn't actually drill into the real reasons why something happened.
Turning attention to the matches at hand, I'm hoping for a Liverpool win tonight. A Villa win would be an absolute disaster as it would then mean Spurs cannot finish 4th and reduce motivation for the game against MC tomorrow. One issue is Liverpool themselves are guaranteed to finish 3rd regardless of what happens this season so they literally have nothing to play for, not even the prize money difference you get for different league positions.
edit: although it might seem like I'm an Arsenal fan taking umbrage at the idea that they bottled something, a search of this forum shows it just isn't a phrase I've used much about others either, the only occurrences being twice stating that I "bottled it" when making selections for my fantasy football team a few years back. I just don't like the term in general when thrown about to describe teams that have a chance to win but don't win, at times it just feels like a lazy statement that doesn't actually drill into the real reasons why something happened.
Turning attention to the matches at hand, I'm hoping for a Liverpool win tonight. A Villa win would be an absolute disaster as it would then mean Spurs cannot finish 4th and reduce motivation for the game against MC tomorrow. One issue is Liverpool themselves are guaranteed to finish 3rd regardless of what happens this season so they literally have nothing to play for, not even the prize money difference you get for different league positions.
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Associate
Just about to head out for the annual final home game drinkathon and to be quote honest the result is the last thing on my mind.
If we get Tielemans back at the very least I'd be hopeful for a point, but we've been creatively dead going forward for weeks now and in all honesty I think you'll take us to the cleaners tonight. I've little doubt every villain will be a City fan tomorrow.
Ultimately however it could end 0-3 tonight with a Spurs win tomorrow and I'd still be so proud of what the team have achieved this year. I'll take some of the memories made this season with me to my grave.
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Caporegime
50 points at the midway point only a handful of teams have done that in the history of the top flight league full stop.
To lose a title from that is bottling. City even "only" got 89 points which is low for them.
This season is completely different. Arsenal got 4 points out of City and beat them in the Charity shield so to lose it they should feel hard done by.
One minute half of you are saying it's unfair because City have enough strength in depth to win with the B side and why they are relentless in the 2nd half of the season. Then when it suits, the teams fighting them are bottling the run in when the fixtures have stacked up. So which is it? Personally I think they just ran out of steam against a side with huge depth, you know like half of you whittle on about at any given opportunity.
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The important thing re Arsenal is they are on the brink of winning something.
They might not which will be lols. However, they have a decent side now and will win something this umm, decade.
Look, would you put money on Liverpool, United, Villa or Arsenal winning something next year?
I'd put money on Arsenal.
They might not which will be lols. However, they have a decent side now and will win something this umm, decade.
Look, would you put money on Liverpool, United, Villa or Arsenal winning something next year?
I'd put money on Arsenal.
It's a good job the City money wasn't around during the United era as in the 38 game season you only beat that twice with your high 70's and low 80's title wins.
Caporegime
There's been no bottle-job from Arsenal this season, it's been similar to when Liverpool went toe-to-toe with City for a season or two and lost by a point or two. That will happen against this City side.
Adam's argument will be that there was a lot more competition in the league back then as he's mentioned this before when this debate has cropped up.
Adam's argument will be that there was a lot more competition in the league back then as he's mentioned this before when this debate has cropped up.
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Honestly, id fancy Liverpool to win something next season even with Klopp leaving.
Feels like we'll either push on or be hilariously bad. Despite Klopp leaving it is somewhat exciting to see how things change
Liverpool, who knows next year.
Klopp has been huge for them.
They will be there or thereabouts but with a new manager (don't care) and Klopp leaving...
I wouldn't put money on them as literally, who knows re next season for them.
Shocking! Got by so many years on history but that is a shambles.
Caporegime
I shall be supporting Liverpool tonight for sure
Caporegime
Agreed Arsenal haven't bottled anything this season they have been superb throughout and hope they pull it off.
I don't think you can compare era's as things were different back then. Cities team for example would be no where near as strong compared to all the fouling that was going on. You could get away with a lot more.
If you thought that was bad - should have watched the 2 Championship play-off semis.....
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