Official Barclays Premier League Thread

[Lacky]

Could see Arsenal being up there this season.

Possibly, their pretty strong at the back but haven't versed a top four team yet. So only time will tell.

 

[Crayo]

Arsenal will be 3rd or 4th as always.

Reading defender just saved it off the line epicly. Spurs doing well.

 

[Lacky]

Arsenal will be 3rd or 4th as always.

Reading defender just saved it off the line epicly. Spurs doing well.

Wonder what odds I can get on a Reading Draw. :

 

[Rysenberg]

This is true, but neither has any title challenger as of yet. Arsenal appear to have a really good balance in their side, not great players but they gel really well together, like many Man Utd sides of the past. Though it remains to be seen how they will do once they have a few players out with injuries - the loss of Podolski for example could be a killer.

 

[Crayo]

This is true, but neither has any title challenger as of yet. Arsenal appear to have a really good balance in their side, not great players but they gel really well together, like many Man Utd sides of the past. Though it remains to be seen how they will do once they have a few players out with injuries - the loss of Podolski for example could be a killer.

We say this every year. Arsenal have never been a team that doesn't gel, their manager is one of the best ever, so that's never an option. They will do what they always do though, play the best football, lose against the bigger teams and slip up away and will eventually fiddle out the challenge and settle for 3rd/4th. I do think they'll win a cup this year though.

Arsenal's squad is nothing in comparison to the Manchester Clubs or even Chelsea now. Furthermore, they don't have a plan b. United and City (now) can claw results even if they play bad. If Arsenal play bad, they lose.

I hope I'm wrong though as I love Arsenal and would prefer them to win it over anyone other than United.

 

[Lacky]

Carzola seems to run things for them at times, so if he gets injured, Arsenal are in deep-poo-poo. When is Wilshire back?

 

[Crayo]

Hopefully soon. IMO he's the best young creative midfielder in the world on his day.

 

[Lacky]

I think he's a great little talent, plagued with Injury recently though...His return date is 6th Oct 12.

 

[Crayo]

Awesome news. I remember his match against Barca where he was easily as good as Iniesta -- arguably the greatest midfielder ever -- which was breathtaking as he's English.

 

[Lacky]

I know, I would love him in our midfield, probably would never leave Arsenal though, been a fan an all.

 

[Rysenberg]

We say this every year. Arsenal have never been a team that doesn't gel, their manager is one of the best ever, so that's never an option. They will do what they always do though, play the best football, lose against the bigger teams and slip up away and will eventually fiddle out the challenge and settle for 3rd/4th. I do think they'll win a cup this year though.

Arsenal's squad is nothing in comparison to the Manchester Clubs or even Chelsea now. Furthermore, they don't have a plan b. United and City (now) can claw results even if they play bad. If Arsenal play bad, they lose.

I hope I'm wrong though as I love Arsenal and would prefer them to win it over anyone other than United.

This year I think they do have a plan B though, they have Giroud who is a big lad and, if all goes wrong, they can always play long balls to him with either Gervinho, Chamberlain and Podolski all being able to play off of him. Chamakh is also capable of playing the same role IMO.

Man City have a good squad but I still question how good they are as a team. Yes, they did win the league last year, but in a lot of the games I watched them in they didn't look convincing at all. Chelsea will begin to struggle as soon as Di Matteo has to get rid of all the older guys like AVB tried to do, as the dressing room will turn on him. He did do amazingly well to win the Champ with them last year obviously, but over the course of the season I think they may begin to struggle a bit.

With their defence now looking pretty solid, a new exciting midfield coming through and another goalscorer up front along with an actually decent partner ( I think anyway, I know folk have their reservations), I think Arsenal will have a really good season. Man Utd will still win the league with ease though I reckon.

 

[Crayo]

This year I think they do have a plan B though, they have Giroud who is a big lad and, if all goes wrong, they can always play long balls to him with either Gervinho, Chamberlain and Podolski all being able to play off of him. Chamakh is also capable of playing the same role IMO.

Man City have a good squad but I still question how good they are as a team. Yes, they did win the league last year, but in a lot of the games I watched them in they didn't look convincing at all. Chelsea will begin to struggle as soon as Di Matteo has to get rid of all the older guys like AVB tried to do, as the dressing room will turn on him. He did do amazingly well to win the Champ with them last year obviously, but over the course of the season I think they may begin to struggle a bit.

With their defence now looking pretty solid, a new exciting midfield coming through and another goalscorer up front along with an actually decent partner ( I think anyway, I know folk have their reservations), I think Arsenal will have a really good season. Man Utd will still win the league with ease though I reckon.

I guess but Giroud is no Gomez or Carrol who is physically imposing, he's just quite tall. They're doing well at the moment though, this is the first year in a long time that we can say they're actually solid. They're more solid at the back than United are atm that's for sure. In both of their goalless games though they had no plan B. It was create or draw.

Too early in the season to tell though. City haven't looked good in any of their games really, United look (imo -- so far) the best team going forward in the league (perhaps with Arsenal now) and Chelsea look inconsistent. I agree with you about Chelsea, they're going through transition at the moment and there's not enough depth in the squad to continue how the owner wants them to play. One or two injuries will result in them being the same Chelsea that came 5th last near and nearly 6th.

 

[Rysenberg]

I guess but Giroud is no Gomez or Carrol who is physically imposing, he's just quite tall. They're doing well at the moment though, this is the first year in a long time that we can say they're actually solid. They're more solid at the back than United are atm that's for sure. In both of their goalless games though they had no plan B. It was create or draw.

Too early in the season to tell though. City haven't looked good in any of their games really, United look (imo -- so far) the best team going forward in the league (perhaps with Arsenal now) and Chelsea look inconsistent. I agree with you about Chelsea, they're going through transition at the moment and there's not enough depth in the squad to continue how the owner wants them to play. One or two injuries will result in them being the same Chelsea that came 5th last near and nearly 6th.

Shit they drew 0-0 twice? Only remembered the first week, think I must have either been at a Hibs game/drunk the Saturday night on the day that happened.

I like Giroud. I think that once he adapts to the attacking nature of the premier league (compared to Lique 1) he will become a good player. Give it a few months and he will be the perfect guy for the players I mentioned to play off of. (Though I said the same thing about Chamakh!)

As you say, it's very early days and time will tell. Just have the feeling that Arsenal will begin to sneak up the table and will be battling for second with City.

 

[Crayo]

Said the exact same thing too, as I did with Chamakh lmao. It's the type of player Arsenal needs. I hope Giroud doesn't flop as he's a talented guy, I've seen him in Ligue 1 numerous times but that league is so poor.

 

[Crayo]

Lennon is SO fast. Him vs Walcott would be epic.