The Arsenal Society VIII

Or a complete overhaul of the defence..

The group stage of the CL has a clear effect on the KO one; ie, if Arsenal won their group they wouldn't have had to played Barca so soon.....

But play Barca none the less.

CL head to head games when it gets to the latter stages the games are 50/50 e.g Real vs Barca.Real are not more consistent than Barca as results have shown this season but can win head to head games over them e.g Copa del Rey tonight. The league Barcelona are ahead as they are the most consistent team over 38 games this is harder to win than a knockout competition.Luck is required in cup competitions remember Greece won Euro 2004.

I agree that you need an ounce of luck (like a decision going your way in one or two of the matches that really influences the outcome) to win the CL but you also need to help yourself - like making sure you qualify first from your group so you don't meet a 'big' team early. It is very difficult though, in the KO stages every team has enough quality to cause the other team problems. More importantly, you need a good draw in for the QFs and SFs if you're relying on a bit of luck.



Fulham 2-2 Man Utd
Everton 3-3 Man Utd
Man Utd 2-2 West Brom
Birmingham 1-1 Man Utd

Just some of the games we've thrown away leads, off the top of my ahead. So if we're using that logic you wouldn't really be ahead!

Yet you're saying the opposite?

Not necessarily, depends on which side of the draw and so forth. My point was that it was in Arsenal's hands to an extent and they blew it, by coming second in their group. They should've known the possible consequences of such an occurence, and ensured they finished top, but alas they crumbled.

It's the manner in which we've thrown the leads away though, ****ing up a 4-0 lead isn't the same as conceding a handball/offside combo in the last minute at St. Andrews.

Another massive difference is making the home bankers count. As well as the **** ups in some of the games mentioned before we've dropped 3 points at home to 2 of the 3 newly promoted teams and dropped 2 points to Blackburn and Sunderland at times when both sides had extremely poor form, those account for another 10 points we really should have won.

I agree that you need an ounce of luck (like a decision going your way in one or two of the matches that really influences the outcome) to win the CL but you also need to help yourself - like making sure you qualify first from your group so you don't meet a 'big' team early. It is very difficult though, in the KO stages every team has enough quality to cause the other team problems. More importantly, you need a good draw in for the QFs and SFs if you're relying on a bit of luck.



Fulham 2-2 Man Utd
Everton 3-3 Man Utd
Man Utd 2-2 West Brom
Birmingham 1-1 Man Utd

Just some of the games we've thrown away leads, off the top of my ahead. So if we're using that logic you wouldn't really be ahead!

We haven't really ****ed up that much since our early season jitters. Dropping points away to Fulham and Everton is alright, but the manner in which we did was hard to stomach, especially the Everton game. It's probably scarred me for life, I can't relax now even if we're 3-0 up. West Brom game has been the only slip up at home so it's excusable and seems like a long time ago now. Yeah you should have won the home bankers, really surprised you managed to draw with Sunderland and Blackburn. Strangely, your away record is pretty good but it's not something you can depend on.

We didn't really crumble though, had we been given the clearest of penalties we'd have got a minimum of a draw but most likely gone on to win against a Braga side needing the 3 points but being dominated by us. That'd have made the difference. The only other slip up was a narrow loss away to Shakhtar, who until a couple of weeks ago had never lost a game at that stadium. Whilst a lot of this season has been defined by our own **** ups, I'd say our position in that group was more due to poor officiating. Though I guess Clichy's pissing about on the ball in that Shakhtar game doesn't do much to strengthen my point.

It makes me sad a *******y thing like collective team defending cost us the title when pub teams can effectively do the same thing, with a big fat guy in the middle screaming at them. It makes me sad that this group of players are so so talented, and are better, man for man, than the united team, yet because of poor management and leadership they collectively fail to prove themselves. It makes me sad that I don't trust Wenger anymore. It makes me sad that these players deserve a trophy, yet aren't going to get one.

Man for man? You're taking the ****ing piss. The only player from your back four that may get into the Utd team is Sagna.

Nani > Walcott.

VDS > Chesney.

The only are you area in any way stronger is in central midfield. Our attacking options far outweigh yours.

Fabregas, Nasri, Sagna, Wilshere, RVP.

VDS, Evra, Vidic, Rio, Nani, Rooney.


Pretty fair?

Fabregas, Nasri, Sagna, Wilshere, RVP.

VDS, Evra, Vidic, Rio, Nani, Rooney.


Pretty fair?

We haven't really ****ed up that much since our early season jitters. Dropping points away to Fulham and Everton is alright, but the manner in which we did was hard to stomach, especially the Everton game. It's probably scarred me for life, I can't relax now even if we're 3-0 up. West Brom game has been the only slip up at home so it's excusable and seems like a long time ago now. Yeah you should have won the home bankers, really surprised you managed to draw with Sunderland and Blackburn. Strangely, your away record is pretty good but it's not something you can depend on.