The Arsenal Thread XXIV

That's true, but when you only have 3 CB's and one is 35 there is only so much you can do. An injury or 2 could spell big problems.

We are very tough to judge really. Xhaka looks a very smart acquisition. We talk injuries every year, but last season our back 5 was pretty much unaffected by injury for most of the season. Already we will go into the first game with a makeshift back 4, that will only be marginally eased by Kosc returning. And we still need upgrades up top. An injury to Monreal or Bellerin (who have both been lucky the past 2 seasons injury wise) and we will see how good our depth at the back is. And I don't think that depth is anywhere near good enough, especially when you compare to city who played a full second choice back 4 for the first 5 games of last season and still picked up 15 points and 5 clean sheets!
If we sign Mustafi (which is looking far more promising) and a goalscoring winger or a top striker (even Lacazette), I would put us on for a sustained push for the title coming up short to city. I think we'll finish ahead of United if we signa CB though; they have spent big but you can't gel instantly with that many signings, it isn't possible. If we don't sign anyone from now to the end of the window, then we will be out of it by November and will be playing catch up to get top 3 or 4. (but don't worry mate, #madness is happening...)



That's a very fair analysis and I'm probably being way too harsh on Chelsea's chances. I'm just very surprised that you haven't really bought another defender, especially at CB where you are relying on a 35 year old staying fit, an out of form CB in Cahill and Zouma. Whilst I think Zouma is a great CB, an injury to him could spell significant trouble if Terry fails to maintain fitness even with a more relaxed fixture schedule. Obviously Kante is an upgrade, and offensively signing Baty should help ease the burden on Costa.
I was probably being too pessimistic on your behalf, but to say you are nailed on for top 3, with a new manager with no pl experience, an aging squad and only a couple of improvements when your own manager has said he is looking for a few more signings, is laughable.
We all put far too much weight on new signings and managers and too little on stability; it's why Arsenal are predicted outside the top 4 most seasons by so called "experts". Spurs and Arsenal have been relatively quite in the transfer market but have bought smart (Xhaka looks a good signing from pre-season, whist for spurs Janssen is a top young striker to ease the burden on Kane and Wanyama to provide extra depth in midfield). Obviously we still need a striker and a CB, but for pundits to say Chelsea should finish above Arsenal and Spurs with ease is absurd, especially when you compare yourself to Spurs, who finished 20 points better off than you last season, have bought similar players to you and have a well settled manager. Sure they have CL to worry about, but I'm intrigued that most of the footballing pundits seem convinced there will be a 30 point swing in your favour over Spurs when there is very little to suggest that will be the case.

Firstly clearly Chelsea's season last time round was one off. Secondly Conte of all managers did a similar thing with Juventus in their first season together, they were pretty far away from the Milan clubs and they ended up winning the league unbeaten, so it's not like he hasn't had experience in this stuff. There's also the fact that Chelsea won the league 2 years ago and largely have the same team, other than defensively, there is no real concern for further decline and we have strengthened the attack.

I don't really want to go too much into it, but as already shown the lack of europe does a lot for a team, it's a mixture of motivation and fixture decongestion that leads to this. Ageing Terry is clearly an issue but if we buy a CB(which I believe we should get) then really that entire argument is redundant.

Other than defence(which is probably a fullback and CB), don't think Spurs have anything better than Chelsea. I think Conte may be trusting Aina at fullback and has a plan in mind for a CB, but I don't think Chelsea have a lot to really do considering the players in our team. Matter of fact is that our entire spine had a terrible first half of the season(Matic, Terry, Fabregas, Hazard, Costa) and stabilised in the second half.

We'll still lose. Can't expect a CB pairing that have never played together, to keep a clean sheet...

I am sure it will bite me in the arse, but I am actually quite confident.

I just have a feeling that dispite all the signs pointing to a liverpool win, on the day we will come out and show that we are a level above.

Really depends which liverpool shows up though - under klopp they have been unplayable at times in big games.. and dire in others, so who knows.

If I was betting, it would be a btts, and thats about it.

Done with this season already

Gonna be beaten by a team with no striker.

Nah you're good man - we're great as underdogs but with your absentees, it seems like it's more balanced.

I can see us bottling it in one of our best ever chances to beat you guys...

Er, I gotta say I was a bit surprised at arsenals team. According to physioroom you only have a handful of players injured (Mertesacker, Gabriel, Wilshere and Welbeck) so where the **** is the rest of your team? Xhaka, Koscielny, Ozil, Giroud, Cazorla? Have you even signed anyone this summer apart from Xhaka??

Er, I gotta say I was a bit surprised at arsenals team. According to physioroom you only have a handful of players injured (Mertesacker, Gabriel, Wilshere and Welbeck) so where the **** is the rest of your team? Xhaka, Koscielny, Ozil, Giroud, Cazorla? Have you even signed anyone this summer apart from Xhaka??