Impossible to predict, but let’s be real we first have to see us improving considerably and their level dropping. I feel like their level will not drop a lot, but ours can definitely improve. At least to try and overtake United and/or Newcastle. For the rest or more than that, we’ll see.
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Arsenal’s points totals for the last four seasons: 56-55-61-88
Ours: 99-69-92-67
We’ve twice exceeded their total from last season, and even our worst recent season is better than all their other three.
Looks like we’re due an “up” year, as well.
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They didnt last year, but that is precisely what they are addressing.
Rice doesnt add depth because it’s come at the expense of Xaka leaving, but its a very good albeit expensive move. But Timber and Havertz can be added to the signings of Jorginho and Trossard in the winter who are known quantities and the Polish kid at the back who looks like a potentially savvy addition.
That is an increase of 5 additional capable players on top of the side that put themselves top at christmas last year without even having to consider the Rice/Xaka upgrade. It might not be enough and the lack of clarity in how some of these newer pieces fit provides new challenges to Arteta you dont have when your best XI is fairly clear, but they at least making the moves they need to to address the crticism of depth
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Rice is certainly a good signing, but I just can’t see anything Havertz did at Chelsea that makes me think he’ll elevate Arsenal, good chance he’ll flop hard again. Timber is an unknown quantity and Jorginho can be easily bullied in the PL as we saw at Chelsea.
I do think they, us, City and Newcastle will be the main top 4 contenders, though. I don’t feel like United will be able to sustain it and Chelsea have a lot of ground to make up.
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All totally fair doubts to have about them. But they’ve added 5 new players, 2 in the area where they were weakest (defense) to the very slim group that got them to first for the whole first half of the season. The doubts that might reasonably be raised about their ability to challenge again this year should not be the same as those aired last year that were based on having to rely on players like Reis Nelson and Holding.
With Havertz I partly agree with you, but as with most players who dont do well at Chelsea there are clear extenuating circumstances. He arrived at the club as a player without a clear best position. Those players tend to need a manager who has a clear vision for how he wants to play and how the players he has will fit into it. Instead he was picked up a club and given to a manager who didnt ask for him and didnt know what to do with the new players who had disrupted his side. He then went through a succession of other managers (the most clueless of which came around for a second stint) none of whom had asked for him either.
At least at Arsenal he’s going somewhere where the manager wants him and presumably has a plan for him. I dont know what that is, but I think it would be folly to assume they are getting only the performances we saw from him in a chelsea shirt.
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I have plenty of Arsenal-supporting friends (and family) and the apparent plan is to play Rice as the six, with Odegaard and Havertz as a pair of attacking eights. Martinelli on the left, Saka on the right and Jesus up top.
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Rice can play alongside Partey and then replace him when the latter is slowly finished or leaves. Party can be benched in some games when they want an extra offensive minded player.
Havertz can compete for Odegaard’s spot, Jesus’ spot (when they want something different centrally). One of Havertz/Odegaard in the right half space (when Saka is not available). One or both a bit deeper, depending on their evolution and structure of the team.
Jesus himself isn’t I think a guaranteed starter up front for Arsenal for years to come. Similar thing could happen to him what happened at City, there were proper reasons why, it wasn’t accidental. Short term, I predicted it to be a success, for the level Arsenal were when he joined them. Long term, still some question marks.
Of course, not all signings are massive successes, we had our own Keita, they might have their own (Havertz or whoever), for different reasons.
I thought i read they were expecting Partey to leave this summer?
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Think that has changed now and he’s staying.
If there’s another change, maybe they would go back in for Lavia.
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You know it’s silly season when you read the reports in clubs’ new players. I just read on the BBC the similarities between Timber and Virgil. Timber is a generous 72 inches
Not all flops but most of them did not justify the fee.
Some would even say they … bottled it 
We could not win the league in 30 years who are we to judge
Well I haven’t forgotten what all their fans were saying when we lost out over recent years, so from my perspective anyway it’s only fair to return the favour otherwise maybe I could’ve been a little more empathetic about their situation, I’m not.
In this world you reap what you sow.
Mmmm Arenal fans are the only ones with a big mouth…
We have not won a meaningful price since we won the PL, perhaps we should be a bit modest
Arsenal had a good season last year. Obviously they won nothing, so we can’t go overboard, but they were the closest challengers to Man City. There was a sense in which it looked closer than it was, because Man City didn’t have to keep going to beat Arsenal. The job was done with games to spare.
Arsenal are a young side who will only improve, and they have added three good signings. It would be wide of the mark to dismiss them, as they will be there or thereabouts. Equally, it would be wide of the mark to assume they will be Man City’s closest challengers again. Maybe, maybe not.
I assume nothing, but I think we have a chance to finish above Arsenal this time. Chelsea are a conundrum too. Lots of players, and now they have a manager who has an idea, and he might harness them into a team.
It will be a great season. Can’t wait!
That’s great, we will rip that apart.
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He’s Dutch and black so they’re the same.
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It is nice but, scousers are better lyricists and musicians than the North London lot.
Overall, I am quite worried about Arsenal, they have bought two quality players, they will be a huge force to deal with I think I am gutted we didn’t get Declan Rice, I know, he is too expensive for us, we have to shop at Lidl or Aldi for our bargains instead of Waitrose!! 
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