I've just watched the Premier League Champions elect at Anfield

Anders0n said:
Funny. Not heard that one in a while.
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I like to use it for special occasions and special threads such as this. ;)

weringo said:
Gerrard and Carragher were sublime today and are both more important players to us than Torres.
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Gerrard is getting back to his best, but Carragher has not been the same this season. Torres has become a vital player for you already and he's only been with you a few months. Kuyt and Voronin don't cut it at all. Crouch came on and give it a good go, causing the Arsenal defence problems, he should be starting ahead of the rest with the exception of Torres who should play every single game when fit.
 
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Pigeon_Killer said:
They've also got far fewer injuries to key personal. It'll be interesting to see how they cope without players like Toure, Fabregas and Van Persie for any length of time.
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I've literally lost count of how long it has been since Wenger has been able to pick his first choice XI - at least 2.5 YEARS I think but it could be a fair bit longer. And the bottom line is, no, they can't cope with it - the only thing they've won during that time is the FA Cup.

As I mentioned in the spoiler thread, Arsenal are yet to win in the league outside their home town and I think the fixture list has been very kind.

If I look at the current squad, as much promising talent as there is, it isn't in the same class as the title winning sides of 98 and 02/04

GK: Seaman / Lehmann / Almunia
RB: Dixon / Lauren / Sagna
LB: Winterburn / Cole / Clichy
CB: Adams / Campbell / Gallas
CB: Keown / Toure / Toure
RW: Parlour / Ljungberg / Hleb
LW: Overmars / Pires / Rosicky
CM: Vieira / Vieira / Fabregas
CM: Petit / Gilberto / Gilberto (Flamini if you prefer)
FW: Bergkamp / Bergkamp / Van Persie
FW: Anelka / Henry / Adebayor

We have more strength in depth now than in 1998 but then so does everyone else, that's just the way football has evolved. In terms of individuals aside from Fabregas not many would get in the older teams, maybe Toure alongside Adams but then breaking up that back 4 would be hard to do. OK so the '98 side has a couple of weaker players but remember that Seaman, Adams, Vieira, Overmars and Bergkamp were all at the top of their games at that time too.
 
I can't see Arsenal rolling United over at the weekend, I think it's going to be a case of who ever scores the most. United have come away with 16 goals in four games, they are capable of putting players into scoring opportunities from pretty much every position and especially on the counter with the likes of Rooney, Giggs, Nani, Ronaldo and Anderson who all aren't exactly slow.

At the same time, United let in some pretty weak goals in the last few games against Kiev, Middlesbrough and Villa and Arsenal seem to be as fast and flowing up front. Watching the Liverpool game earlier, for the first 15 minutes Liverpool got behind the ball and broke the flow that Arsenal have I felt, the only problem is they seemed to struggle playing the ball back out of their area and keeping possession. They resulted in playing a lot of long balls because of this, which never really works.

I'm hoping for an exciting game.
 
Linoge said:
I like to use it for special occasions and special threads such as this. ;)



Torres has become a vital player for you already and he's only been with you a few months. Kuyt and Voronin don't cut it at all. Crouch came on and give it a good go, causing the Arsenal defence problems, he should be starting ahead of the rest with the exception of Torres who should play every single game when fit.
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Agree, Torres absolutely whenever fit and Crouch for all his flaws at least gets the odd goal and stretches the opposition defence. Voronin and kuyt almost seem like defensively minded forwards.
 
Linoge said:
Don't forget, this is your year. YOUR year. :D
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OMG i thought that was Loki then ;) I'll think you'll find most of us said that we're going to be a lot closer but still a bit short to actually win the league.

Regarding the OP, yea Arsenal played some great stuff today but like previous seasons they're lacking somebody to put the ball in the net.
 
Such a pain to have to listen to Andy Gray **** over Fabregas today. I'm pretty sure he'd marry him if given the choice. As usual, the critics grumble a bit about United playing well and then go on about Arsenal. That team has no spine. Their forward line looked pretty impotent for most of the game against an average Liverpool team.

Fulham, blackburn, City, Portsmouth,Spurs, Derby, West Ham, Sunderland,Bolton and Liverpool.

With Liverpool in average form, it's hardly a formidable list of opponents.
Predictions are a bit pointless until Christmas anyhow, but I see a good win for us next week. Anderson, Nani, Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez are just a bit special at the moment!
 
Youstolemyname said:
And they are Arsenal.

If they don't win the league this year it will be a tragedy. Some of their football was sublime, to the point where I was applauding them instead of Liverpool. First to every tackle and loose ball, always a spare man. Hunger and desire to win. Arsenal deserve it this year.

A 1-1 draw with the best footballing side in the league is more than Liverpool fans could have hoped for given our recent run of results. But the football that Arsenal played just made a mockery of anything I have seen at Anfield in the last few years.

If Chelsea or the Mancs win it this year it will be a travesty. Arsenal played some boss footy and deserve the league.

El Voz has spoken :)
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Yes there football was sublime but it could all fall apart at any time, football is so unpredictable, anything can happen. You can't say after 10 games that it will be a "travesty" if they don't win the league. Who knows, us, chelsea or the mancs could just hit top form and run away with it, would it still be a travesty if arsenal didn't win it then, even if they were the 2nd best team?

It's all far from over yet.
 
I think this season will be a strange one, its started off strange then teams found form and lost it, I think the same will happen at the end, once the FA Cup and CL kicks in to the "big games"

Arsenal play well but they have not played Chelsea or Man U yet and they are both hitting form now, where Liverpool is losing form.

Also Arsenal has played the bottom 3 and United have only played Spurs and Chelsea have only played Bolton out of the bottom 3.
 
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Linoge said:
Gerrard is getting back to his best, but Carragher has not been the same this season. Torres has become a vital player for you already and he's only been with you a few months. Kuyt and Voronin don't cut it at all. Crouch came on and give it a good go, causing the Arsenal defence problems, he should be starting ahead of the rest with the exception of Torres who should play every single game when fit.
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Agreed. Voronin is just trash and Kuyt, although a hard worker, is there to score goals, something which he's just not doing. I would to see Torres and Crouch start together aswell.
 
The fact is Crouch has been **** all season up until this game, I'd give him a start against Blackburn too see if he can perform but he can't have any more chances.
 
weringo said:
The fact is Crouch has been **** all season up until this game, I'd give him a start against Blackburn too see if he can perform but he can't have any more chances.
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Agree, its clear that Torres and Kuyt are Rafa's first choice partnership and that Voronin and Crouch are only get the odd chance and if they want to play more they've got to take them which Crouch hadn't been doing (was better today though).
 
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