27 Dec 2018 14:00:19
Just to remind people, this time last year we was 20 points behind citeh. Are we worse? Are we better? Are we expecting too much? .
27 Dec 2018 14:48:43
City aren't setting the pace of last season mate so the 20 point gap is a mixture of us being better and City no as good.
Like you say below last season our away points were collector's items but now we are competitive and usually productive in all games.
We're yet to be thrashed by anyone and of our 3 defeats so far only 1 goal separates us and the team that beat us bar Dicks very first game against City.
We are very obviously better even if still a long way behind where we want to be but I still think we are way ahead of where most people thought we'd be back in August.
The 22 game run was both a good and bad thing because it built confidence but also raised expectations beyond reasonable levels for many of us.
27 Dec 2018 15:00:17
Steve,
It’s difficult to argue with Neville’s mid season report card. Signings were not strong enough, CBS weren’t added and defence still sucks. Wenger added what we needed in season 1. Emery hasn’t yet. Compare whatever you want but season 1 - not decisive enough for me but time is on his side and we haven’t gone backwards. I just don’t think we have moved forward enough in defence plus it was a school boy error leaving us this exposed.
Arsenal - B-
Attack: A
Defence: C
Transfers: B
Unai Emery's Arsenal have had their moments but the defence is an issue
Unai Emery's Arsenal have had their moments but the defence is an issue
The players they have in attack are frightening but they have struggled defensively. You only have to look at the goal they conceded against Brighton. That was shocking. It is glaringly obvious that they need a centre-half in the team. Laurent Koscielny is a good defender but it could take him a while to get back from that Achilles injury as it's a nasty injury to have for a footballer.
The players who they have brought in, are they good enough to take them into the top-four positions? I am not so sure they are. They still need a strong leader at the back because the problems that Arsenal have had have always been at the back.
27 Dec 2018 16:15:54
But that also meant we were 20 points behind the leaders. Any improvement in points or position at the end of the season how ever big or small, if it is an improvement, must be seen as just that, an improvement. We are in transition and we are not going to improve leaps and bounds straight away, anyone who thinks otherwise, is not rational.
27 Dec 2018 16:53:28
Personally mate the improvement is clear and obvious and it's the effort attitude commitment in an Arsenal shirt shown by the players under Dick that they didn't show under Arsene.
Ability wise it's not much different but I've not heard one pundit question the teams commitment and effort yet this season and that has to the first time that's not happend before October let alone December in an awful lot of years.
It's no longer a question of will the Arsenal team turn up today.
27 Dec 2018 16:56:24
Lichtsteiner was a poor signing and he’s getting caught out with his crossing, distribution and defending. He reminds me of a defender Wenger signed from Utd and we were all frustrated with him. He brings fight and experience but not EPL material. School boy error on the defence. We should have ploughed a lot of money into the defence.
27 Dec 2018 17:16:34
Given our injuries it's a good job we did sign lich but apart from that he's not great is he! Jenks is better in my opinion but basically he's unplayable because the atmosphere instantly toxic when he is in the team.
We do need to spend on the defence first and foremost but it's no good kidding ourselves we are going to spend 300 million on 4 Van Dijk type signings even if we could find them.
All eyes on Sven this January and we will have chance to see what he's been upto since September but I wouldn't hold my breathe on getting 1 70 million signing let alone 3 or 4.
27 Dec 2018 19:10:00
Sy, i'm not sure lich is as bad as he looks even at 45. As experienced and decorated a defender as he is, it can't be easy, at his age, playing in a different league. Also playing left back, right back, center back, part of a three, part of a four and sometimes the same game, never playing with the same player next to you twice, In a team not known for their solid defending. He was signed as cover or stop gap and as gunner says, its probably a good job we did. I think the defence could look totally different next season, no lich, no kos, no monreal and possibly no mustaffi with three solid center backs. Hopefully!
27 Dec 2018 20:42:32
If he doesn’t sort the defence out by the start of next season then he’s in trouble as that area clearly needs sorting.
27 Dec 2018 20:51:56
Sy, i'm pretty sure it will be no1 priority. Dick will know the type of midfield he wants and the type of defence. The forward line can take care of itself if those areas are addressed correctly.