Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours 2024/25

We can't afford to drop many points with City already 3 points ahead in the league. I think we'll draw tomorrow but really even though it's so early in the season a point is not enough regardless of injuries. Hopefully we'll steal a win.

Don't bother, just ignore.

it’s not worth it 👍🏻

For me, it's pretty simple when it comes to Arteta.

Every year under Arteta there's been steady improvement, to the point now where improvement from here means winning the league.

If I see the club improve every season, year on year, then I find it hard to be too dissatisfied with how things are going and the manager.

Given the size of the club, the expectations of fans, the scale of the squad overhaul required, and the apparent total dysfunction that existed all through the club - on the pitch, in the stands, in the boardroom - when he came in, I find it honestly very difficult to have a big problem with Arteta. And by extension, Edu et al.

To say it feels like Wenger later era seasons? That's a statement that doesn't correspond with reality at all. Those seasons weren't even a case of stagnation, that was obvious decline.

The improvement in Arsenal, particularly in the last three years, can not be denied. To not acknowledge that stretches all credibility past breaking point.

Who knows how things may have gone with Emery. In his full season the team completely shat the bed in the run in ,when fourth was there to be got, and got absolutely spanked in the EL final, and then the team was entirely mediocre for what remained of his tenure. Whatever else about it - I don't think he passed the audition!

There's no denying that he's - Emery - is a good coach, but I think the Arsenal job was too big for him. Whoever came in immediately after Wenger was on a hiding to nothing.

The final nail in the coffin for me was the Europa League Final against Chelsea. I genuinely thought we had a chance that day and we were absolutely walloped! I don’t think the players had any belief in him after that and it was only a matter of time before he had to go

With regards to the Arteta bashing? I’m not having it at all. It’s been a long time since we’ve been this good to watch. It’s a results based game and that’s where Arteta will ultimately be judged but off the back of breaking records for most PL wins and most goals scored I genuinely can’t understand where the criticism is coming from?

Guardiola has only failed to win the PL in his first season and the season that Liverpool won 26 out of their first 27 games. This is the standard now

I don't know. We haven't seen the general trajectory of the club go in the wrong direction under Arteta so far and we're three games into the season. A bit early to be casting judgement on the year.

Arsenal could be better again this season and still finish second and that wouldn't necessarily be stagnation - more a case of being up against incredible opposition. No team has been as dominant in the history of the Premier League or even English football in general than this City team.

Arsenal could be miles off and it could be that this was as far as Arteta was able to bring them. We'll have to see.

We don't know what the season will bring and what the context will be behind it all.

Sometimes a team can have a bad season, without it meaning that the whole project is in decline. Liverpool in 20/21 seemed broken, but they recovered after that again. But even then, Klopp - absolutely one of the greatest managers of all time - was only able to beat City to the title once. It's no joke to be up there competing with City.

Sometimes you need more than just a single season to look at the bigger picture. The later era Wenger decline happened over the course of more than ten years.

Yes, I agree Arteta has been given more time and money than Emery. So what? That doesn't mean that Arsenal would have been a success under Emery. We can't know the answer to that question, so it's kind of a redundant talking point.

Look, I wouldn't deny that Arteta had some things fall his way. He came on board when the club had been given a bit of a reality check, which bought him time, there was a lot of frustration aimed at the players directly and the owners and board directly, which bought him more time, and stadiums were largely empty during the most difficult early days of his reign - that all helped.

Yeah, I fully agree that the club should have purchased a striker. It's seems nuts to me that Toney went off to Saudi for the money he eventually went for, but, who knows maybe he just wanted all that money and there was nothing that could be done. No other club came in for him either, so who knows what went on there. Omishen too - there's something odd about the fact that he's out in Turkey IMO.

It'll be a tough ask to get a win today but they're missing two starters so who knows.

Jorginho & Partey will either work well or be seriously overloaded.

Spurs named a very very attacking team with tremendous pace especially in midfield. We will need to dig in and try to hit them on the break I feel. Partey and Jorginho will have a lot of defending to do and hopefully won't make rash challenges. The last thing we need today is a red card.

Who's the referee today?

Cheers. I was hoping it wasn't the ref who sent Rice off.

not confident today. Partey and Jorginho is not a very mobile duo. Bench looks so light as well.

Two excellent saves from Raya so far.

Arteta needs to stop being a ball boy. The ref will pull him up on it imo.

Saliba on a yellow already. That was very stupid.

We're starting to grow into this game now.

Definitely looking better now.

Finally some consistency there from the referee with Udogie booked.

That was close. Solanke is proving a handful.

Some great defensive work being undone by sloppy attacking play.

I'm liking Timber grabbing the keeper by the scruff of his neck.

Was he booked for the foul or for grabbing the keeper?

He had his foot on the ball and rolled it into the defender. Hardly even a foul.

Trossard shouldn't be trying to beat men in there. Safety first always.