No surprise then. PSG are, along with us, the best team in this season’s CL, just as Enrique said before the return game at Anfield.
Odds are that they’ll win it now, although it would grate to see the dirty Qatar reps finally getting what they’ve wanted for so long. Hopefully Inter can provide another surprise, and go all the way to the trophy. Fingers crossed for that!
I do think Arsenal are a very good team, seemingly trying to replicate Klopp’s approach in some areas with a false nine, two pacey wingers, and workhorses in midfield. I reckon they’ll be a lot stronger next season on paper, with a decent CF, and Zubimendi coming in, but it’s how the rest of the squad are feeling, how Arteta behaves in training and pressers, and whether everyone else who has been around the club up until that point can mentally reset and kick on.
If they can, I believe they will get over the line and win major silverware.
I think it may now be awkward for them. Despite City’s collapse this season, they are still in the hunt for 2nd place and it is easy to see them strengthen over the summer and compete for silverware again. If we also have a good summer and start the new season well, then Arsenal are going to have to improve quite a bit from where they are now.
I live in London. Dropped my daughter off at school today where the kids have been asked to wear red, white and blue to help celebrate VE day. An 8- or 9-year-old walked through the gate wearing a PSG top 
I think Arteta talking to the media, and in the manner he is doing so… stating nonsensical facts that don’t mean shit… to me, seems as though it is just a Dress Rehearsal for his sit-down meeting with the club owners at the season end, in the hope it is piling enough bullshit onto his predicament, and it saves his job
I agree with @limiescouse who spoke about this a few days ago. His job isn’t under threat. However, it is in a space where it can easily spin out of control next year for him, if he isnt careful.
A lot will come down to the mental side of it. When we lost the UCL Final in 2018, Klopp comes out the very next morning singing and dancing, with fighting talk that we’d be back there soon. Of course, we go on to win it. We fall short in the league though, and with a fierce determination in the squad, we go on to win it in 2020. How Arsenal approach next season with their signings will go a long way to how they bounce back.
City getting second place would be hilarious and negatively impact them (Arsenal) further.
They’ve been saying this for 6 years.
I’m not sure why anyone would want to sign for them. Spend hours every day practicing corners and long throws, listening to Arteta talk shite about light bulbs and ball pressure. Then turn up at the weekend to play turgid football in a library. Do nights out in London make up for that?
I can’t think of a team less like Klopp’s. They’re more like Stoke under Tony Pulis
He will start the next season but surely questions are now going to be asked.
Slot won in his first season and Liverpool will strengthen.
Man city will be back with some more transfers after already strengthening in Jan.
Villa , Newcastle will continue to strengthen.
Chelsea who if they can get it together will do well. Maybe not the right coach for them though.
Any underperformance in the league and people will be out for his head. Especially seeing as he’s spent 750m so far and probably will get another 250m in.
Agree.
But it’s rather the expectations vs reality bit.
He feels he’s playing the sorta football that Liverpool do but his major scoring outlets are setpieces and corners. And they went to shit once they stopped scoring goals from corners.
It’s like allardyce getting a 800m budget and making Arsenal play like he played Everton. Sure the quality of players is much different. But the end result is pretty much the same.
In the near future you could be right. However, his position could become untenable if the groundswell of supporters all reach a point of no return regarding his acumen as a coach/manager.
Some games, some seasons, become a ‘tipping point’ in fracturing the confidence of self-belief, which in turn douses the fire in the belly of would be greatness… Arsenal/Arteta/Fanbase, will all be in varying stages of hopelessness… only a matter of time before another manager is sought.
Beginning a new project to lift the mood of the club, is sometimes far better than sticking with a tired, stale format, that obviously has plateaued out long ago…
Their playing style leaves a lot to be desired. I think it’s become worse, but at times, it does look a little bit like us in the past.
I do think the London factor is a thing. If we suddenly went back in for Zubimendi, would he still turn us down (again) for Arsenal? I just use him as an example as he’s pretty much signed and sealed for a summer move to them.
The players’ mentality + the addition of new signings, and we’ll see how they get on, but anything to kick them while they’re down will be helpful i.e. City finishing second.
We’re at the Ten Hag stage of all their rivals wanting him to stay.
Ten Hag also won more in 2 years while creating the worst united team in decades than Arteta has in 6 years
I do hope Ange wins the Europa if they get to the final.
Would obviously prefer Bodo glint to win.
Same I have no issue with Spurs winning it.
The point that needs to be mentioned is how many defensive midfielders do they need.
They already have Skelly and seem to be making some moves in getting Partey a new contract extension. Then they’ve got the likes of Rice (who can play CDM) there too.
Why would they need Zubimendi ? The only thing that makes sense is that Arteta figures the difference between him and Pep is that Pep has Rodri and he needs someone who’s the closest to Rodri.
We won the league playing 3 8’s. No out and out #10 , and no out and out #6. But arteta just seems happy to copy what Pep does often without the finer nuances in the play.
There simply is no discernable style of play that people can say this is the identity of the club.
That’s a red flag right there. I don’t think Jurgen and Pep can be criticised over the mental side of things, although Pep does like to whine about things from time to time, his teams usually delivered.
The issue for us and City over the last couple of years has largely been due to an ageing squad/ injuries, and some of the transition not working as well as hoped. And, ominously for Arsenal, it looks like we and City are coming through that now. In at least two of those seasons Arsenal have finished (or are likely to finish second), it has been in large part because other teams fell away. It’s not like us and City finishing a point apart for example.
The fact that Arsenal had a chance to beat City and knock them out of the title race but chose to play ultra conservatively and ultimately finished second. The fact that ever since that City match they have been playing a far less attacking style of play. And, the fact that this season Arteta is continually blaming everyone else for his side not winning while at the same time talking up how good his team is, to me suggests a mental frailty.
Mourinho was often oulandish in his behaviour and comments, but I don’t remember him being as out of step as often as Arteta has been this year.
Partey, Jorginho, Rice, Merino, Odegaard, Havertz (occasionally)
Jorginho is supposedly close to agreeing a move to Flamengo, so I’d imagine Zubimendi takes his spot.
There’s still Skelly who I think came through as a DM.
Even with Jorginho going , you can’t countenance another midfield addition. And Zubimendi will be another 60m.