In all seriousness can we win the title?

[Don Pacifico]

I think it is generally accpeted that are squad is stronger than it was last year. Also, with the adoption of a 4-5-1, the purchase of players like Baptista and Rosicky, our team is far more versatile tactically than it has ever been under Wenger (according to my recollections, please correct me if I'm wrong) and that can only be a good thing. But I still feel we have two weaknesses within the team.

1. We still lack that 'fox in the box' that led to Arsène's misguided signing of Franny. As everyone is aware, we often have the ball around the area, but there is no one inside the area ready for a pass. Added to that, we don't have anyone at the moment who provides a consistent goal threat when Titi is off form ala Bobby. We need a striker that will get behind defenders and make runs off the ball when we are on the break, rather than wait for the one-two or hover outside the area. We need someone to whose sole purpose is to finish off our moves and put the ball in the back of the net without even trying, a natural finisher. Our problem against defensive teams is not a lack of chances, but a lack of finishing them when we have them.

2. As good as our defence is on paper, we still make too many errors for a title winning team. Our defence is not as strong as it was in 97-98 and we should not be allowing teams goal scoring chances as often as I feel we do. Of course, we are seeing the start of a new defensive unit and perhaps all that is need here is time. Time for an understanding to be formed. But we are vulnerable at set pieces and I don't this element of the our weakness is down to a lack of understanding. When I look at the chances that are created by our opposition on set pieces, they usually seem to me to stem from a missed header. Cesc's strengths do not lie in his defensive duties on set pieces, we know that. We also have two fairly short CBs. For all their strengths, I feel that this could be a weakness and my solution is that on set pieces Gilberto should perhaps swap roles with either Kolo or Gallas. This may not work, but my point is that we need height in the area, and I don't think anyone could deny that this would help us on set pieces.

In conclusion then, I would say that perhaps this will not be our year. But we will improve on last year in the league, and I expect us to do well in the cups.

 

[gooner_singh]

I really find it hard to believe how quickly people on this site change their minds, I remember after drawing with villa, most of the people had no hopes and after win at united everything was rosy, I am not saying arsenal are perfect right now, but take out couple of draws and replace them with wins, everything would be fine, apart from losing at city, arsenal have not done anything wrong, made couple of mistakes which we were punished for but if this team carries on, I am pretty sure we will be there and there abouts come may, it would not surprise me to see arsenal win it, I think this team has the belief that they can beat the big teams, last seasons champions league run helped alot. Win the game in hand and its what four points, with united and chelsea still to play each other, as mentioned before, test does lie on the 25th november, when we play bolton away. If arsenal can come away with three points then believe me its game on in terms of the title, we would still be there if we dont win, but winning there would mean alot to the squad.

 

[JMT]

nah not this year ...again. other teams are too strong. man utd are too strong mentaly, and chelseas team are just too strong.

 

[goonerJA]

nah not this year ...again. other teams are too strong. man utd are too strong mentaly, and chelseas team are just too strong.

don't be an idiot,in terms of big names, chelsea have the better squad but they have played some ****ty football, when it comes to better technique and real quality than Arsenal win hands down, Man utd are a team in between, they at times win by playing good football but at other times win by playing ****ty football, but like i said we have the most technically gifted players, and in terms of football, we are the best football team in the world as we play the best football in the world and we represent football better than any other team in the world, that's what football is really about

 

[Clrnc]

we can win it this year. including we win all our remaining home games and find a way to counter all negative teams. not beyond us isnt it?

 

[jester]

we can win it this year. including we win all our remaining home games and find a way to counter all negative teams. not beyond us isnt it?

you'd think not, but we've had trouble against those types of teams for years.

 

[JMT]

nah not this year ...again. other teams are too strong. man utd are too strong mentaly, and chelseas team are just too strong.

don't be an idiot,in terms of big names, chelsea have the better squad but they have played some ****ty football, when it comes to better technique and real quality than Arsenal win hands down, Man utd are a team in between, they at times win by playing good football but at other times win by playing ****ty football, but like i said we have the most technically gifted players, and in terms of football, we are the best football team in the world as we play the best football in the world and we represent football better than any other team in the world, that's what football is really about

its not about flashy football... results are more important. weve only won the fa cup in the last 2 years.

 

[yankeegooner]

nah not this year ...again. other teams are too strong. man utd are too strong mentaly, and chelseas team are just too strong.

don't be an idiot,in terms of big names, chelsea have the better squad but they have played some ****ty football, when it comes to better technique and real quality than Arsenal win hands down, Man utd are a team in between, they at times win by playing good football but at other times win by playing ****ty football, but like i said we have the most technically gifted players, and in terms of football, we are the best football team in the world as we play the best football in the world and we represent football better than any other team in the world, that's what football is really about

I thought he was referring to their strength, literaly, like Essien, Terry, Makelele can exert their will on a game, Arsenal have less steel. I still disagree with his conclusion, but he's right that Chelski are a strong team, unless I'm wrong that he meant their literal strength...

 

[Clrnc]

nah not really. when we were at highbury, many teams played defensively but we still managed to won it comfortably.

at emirates its a different story. maybe the team is STILL not used to the new stadium?

and before last season, during that invincible period and below, we were comfortably thrashing all the teams.

 

[goonerJA]

we didn't really have trouble yesterday, we had alot of shots on goal but Howard had a very good game and kept the ball from hitting the net on more than one occasion

 

[Henry's Girl]

Why not?

I know everyone think its a 2 horse race but its still too early to call for me and this is football, anything can happen.
We can do it

 

[yankeegooner]

we didn't really have trouble yesterday, we had alot of shots on goal but Howard had a very good game and kept the ball from hitting the net on more than one occasion

I played against Howard in high school in New Jersey back in the day...

This may not make sense to all the non-Americans here, but he was one of the first young American players to skip College (university) and go straight to the "pros" (MLS). Everyone thought he was insane, of course until Fergie signed him for Man U.

Sorry for the off-topic post, and yes, we can definitely still win the league.

 

[yankeegooner]

Why not?

I know everyone think its a 2 horse race but its still too early to call for me and this is football, anything can happen.
We can do it

How does one acquire "Persistent *****" status?

 

[hujja]

Why not?

I know everyone think its a 2 horse race but its still too early to call for me and this is football, anything can happen.
We can do it

How does one acquire "Persistent *****" status?

I've always wondered that myself.

 

[dublingunner]

In a word, yes. Chelsea have to drop unexpected points at some stage this season, and I still think ManU don't have enough depth in their midfield. Whether that will change in January who knows. It really depends an awful lot on our matches against these 2 teams, and we have hope to be optimistic there because they won't try to just defend against us, as already worked to our advantage at Old Trafford.

I also think that if and when we get a run of games with our first-choice back 4 of Eboue Toure Gallas Clichy we'll solve that problem of teams being able to successfully defend 1-0 leads against us. The attacking strengths of Eboue and Clichy should stretch teams to such an extent that the ploy of "parking the bus" will be simply impossible, we'll find ways through.

This is my opinion, I'm not stating it as fact as some arrogant people here try to. I think we have technically the best squad in the premiership and the youth we have gives us stamina, quick recovery and hunger. The only question marks are over mental strength and injuries but I think last season has gone an awful long way towards developing the former, and well as for the latter, that's in the realm of luck.

 

[Jinn]

Why not?

I know everyone think its a 2 horse race but its still too early to call for me and this is football, anything can happen.
We can do it

How does one acquire "Persistent *****" status?

I've always wondered that myself.

You just have to be a persistent *****...

 

[Henry's Girl]

You just have to be a persistent *****...

Are you calling me a *****??? How dare you?????

 

[vinny_60]

there are quite a few differences between our championship winning team in 2004 and the team we have now. i think everyone knows about the player differences, but in 2004, chelsea were not as consistent as now. also, we were really good at grinding results too. pires wicked dive against pompey, freddie's deflected goal against the spuds, van nistelrooy's penalty, bolton draw, liverpool away win etc. all these games we didn't play amazing, but we had that ability to defend well and not get bullied and that resilience as well as class.

the team now is young and again i have always said that arsenal lack a serious leader and the english backbone..we do not have players who would throw their body into a block apart from toure and lehmann. we do not have players who never say die apart from toure and lehmann, and we do not have players who will work hard for each other such as toure and lehmann. the team in 2004 as vieira stressed that year had togetherness and worked hard for each other, we refused to lose!

afterall, i think this team individually can overtake arsenal 2004, i also think we are the best team in england, but we lack a lot of mental properties to win the title..i say this when i really hope we can win, but unless we get some good consistency and build a new leader, i doubt we can

 

[RC8]

Can we win the title? I would say we can, we have a team just as good in paper as Chelsea and ManUtd. Our defense in theory should be superb, with Clichy at LB, and Toure and Gallas in centre back. Add to that Eboue and his surging runs at RB, and we have one of the best, if not THE best offensive minded defense in the Premiership. In midfield we have Rosicky, who has been able to fill the boy left by Pires very well, and who in just a couple months has usurped Freddie from the left wing. In the middle we have Gilberto, who is as capable a defensive mid as any other in the premiership, and Fabregas, who orchestrates midfield very well, and is as creative as any other attacking mid in England, as he showed against Manchester Utd when he missed a pass only to pick it up and give a magnificent pass for Ade to score. Hleb has adapted to our game very well, and his understanding with Rosicky has helped him form a good partnership which already gave us a goal against Reading. Up front we have the best foreign player in the history of the English Football, and a choice of RvP, who by himself has been carrying the dutch team, and Adebayor, who has shown he is capable of shielding the ball very well and create space when the going gets tough.

In theory, our squad is very capable of winning the Title this year. However, as we know, there are things that interfere with the performance of a team:

1) Injuries: If we have half the bad luck with injuries this year than we had last year, then we are serious contenders. Diaby, Lauren, Senderos and Clichy haven't been able to show us whether they can make a big difference to the team so far, but with their comeback we might well become an even better team. However, if we suffer more injuries through the years, these could severely hamper our development. For instance, against Everton, Eboue, Ade and Baptista could have been really useful, just as Senderos and Clichy.

2) Our rivals: Although our team is very strong, our rival's form does not depend upon us, and we might not be able to win simply and purely because our rivals are just too good. If Chelsea goes on an unbeaten run until the end of the season for instance, then we have no chance, fair play to them. This is why it is very important for us to win our big games this season. We can only hope that the damage we inflict on them is enough as to cause them to slip on their following games.

3) Fixing our problems: So far we have scored some magnificent goals, and conceded some of the most dumb goals I've seen Arsenal concede. Injuries are to blame to a certain extent, but twice we have drawn a game because of us being unable to defend corners. These little things may well cost us a point or two from time to time, and even during our unbeaten season we drew some games. But, if we are not able to fix these problems, such as breaking down teams that defend with 10 players, then I doubt we will still be title contenders come christmas.

4) Consistency: Last season we were incredibly inconsistent when we played away from home. We were outmuscled, yes, but it did not seem like we had the confidence to win the games anyway, we were just not mentally strong enough. This year the tide has changed, and the team has some self belief again. If we are able to keep an unbeaten streak at least until our next big game, then the team will grow gradually as a unit, and we will probably finish in the top 3 at least.

So, to recap, can we win the title? yes. Will be win the title? It is not very likely, specially considering our rivals are very strong. Taking into account all the variables, I think we'll have to wait and see how the team develops. If we are lucky with injuries, our rivals slip, we are able to fix some our main problems, and achieve a decent level of consistency, then we are serious title contenders. In spite of all this, I still think that next year is our year, then our team will know each other well, and hopefully Wengerball will be stamped on a premierhip winning squad once again.

 

[Tony Montana]

too much consistency required. too many young players will be involved this season. chelsea have raised the standards so very high to such an extent there is no margin for error. look at their first choice 11. there are no kids there. its 11 experienced, world class players who wont make too many mistakes. they play in a system that makes absolutely sure of that.

even man united will find it extremely difficult, no matter how well they are playing.

Personally i think Manure will actually win it. I feel that they have that consistency you talk about Patrick. On another point though, Manure won the league with 'kids' once. :wink:

And it wasn't Chelsea that set the bar it was us when we went unbeaten. It's that sort of form that will bring us the title so i would say we've lost it already. Too many draws and a loss already is not good enough imo.