Premier League 2013-2014: Race for the title

[SteveEvets]

Our remaining schedule in the league:

Palace (H)
Liverpool (A)
Man United (H)
Sunderland (H)
Stoke (A)
Swansea (H)
Sp**s (A)
Chelsea (A)
Man City (H)
Everton (A)
-----------------
West Ham (H)
Hull (A)
Newcastle (H)
WBA (H)
Norwich (A)

Personally, I think that 85 points will win the league. If we get to the dotted line on 70 points or so, we'll have a big chance, as we really should be winning those last 5. That means 18 points from the next 10 matches. Obviously, we should be shooting for more, but that's the bare minimum if we want to be champions. It's laid out for us there, the first question is whether or not we can get to that dotted line in with a chance.

Looking back at this, it was pretty close with respect to needing 85 points for the league. As I thought, the last 5 matches were in the bag, meaning for me we lost it before that dotted line. Even with the heavy defeats at Liverpool, Everton and Chelsea, the draws at home against Swansea and Manure and the loss to Stoke were even more detrimental. I know all the other clubs have similar stupid results, but laying it out like this is a bit depressing.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Highest point total for us since 2008, and 79 points is the highest total ever for a 4th place team. We came third in 2012 with 70 points, which is pretty strange to think about.

 

[mo50]

The race for the title and top 4 will be closely linked from now on. Now that Liverpool have got their act together and United have a year without European matches, finishing 4th will be harder than ever. We must pump some big money not only to push on but not drop out of the top 4.

 

[a_fourteen]

Liverpool will be back on their as.s next season. Playing European football. Losing Suarez. Getting docked for FFP. And Brendan's tactics getting exposed for being suicidal. This season was a chimera.

 

[Vinci]

Liverpool will be back on their as.s next season. Playing European football. Losing Suarez. Getting docked for FFP. And Brendan's tactics getting exposed for being suicidal. This season was a chimera.

Agreed, I think Liverpool will struggle for top four next year.

Playing in the Champions League shouldn't be underestimated, many teams have to adapt to it, something that works in our favour.

City struggled in their first two years in the CL and same for Dortmund in their first year.

 

[ArsenesNO1Fan]

Liverpool will be back on their as.s next season. Playing European football. Losing Suarez. Getting docked for FFP. And Brendan's tactics getting exposed for being suicidal. This season was a chimera.

Depends on if Suarez stays and if he does how he maintains his form. Depends how many injuries and fatigue they pick with a much busier schedule.

Don't think they're in danger of FFP sanctions.

Their goal tally has been pretty epic for this season no doubt, their points total too.

 

[SA Gunner]

Liverpool will be back on their as.s next season. Playing European football. Losing Suarez. Getting docked for FFP. And Brendan's tactics getting exposed for being suicidal. This season was a chimera.

Agreed, I think Liverpool will struggle for top four next year.

Playing in the Champions League shouldn't be underestimated, many teams have to adapt to it, something that works in our favour.

City struggled in their first two years in the CL and same for Dortmund in their first year.

Amazing predictions from you guys.

This Liverpool side are very very potent, and you get bet that if they keep Suarez and add to this squad they are going to remain a force next season.

The race for CL football is going to be very very interesting next year, with United playing one game a week, Liverpool, Chelsea, City all building and Sp**s revitalised.

 

[Anzac]

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.football365.com/f365-says/9312452/Debate365" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.football365.com/f365-says/9312452/Debate365</a>

 

[say yes]

Interestingly, despite our much mooted improvement, I think this was our 4th/5th highest goals conceded record under Wenger?

Still an improvement given the last two years, and obviously skewed by those disastrous away games vs. our rivals but thought it was worth a mention.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

You could look at the past 9 seasons as 3 separate building periods or just one big slow building process to where we are today a settled talented squad with a lot of money available to spend and on the verge of winning a trophy. When we lost several players between 2005-07 it was no time before we were challenging again despite the financial restrictions and were so close in the 07-08 season... however after building to that point, Flamini, Gilberto and Hleb all left that year and we had Nasri to come in for Hleb and guys like Diaby, Song and Denilson to be embedded into the team to fill the void in the midfield, also young Ramsey came too.

It then took as another year of struggling for 4th, before Fabregas really emerged in 2010 and then the next year after that our young talented guys like Theo, Clichy, Nasri, Wilshere and Song were finally coming of age simingly and we were challenging on four fronts and had a great opportunity against Birmingham..... who knows it could have all been different if we won the finally. Once again we hit a fall after that... one which we couldn't recover from quickly unlike the 2008 one where we still had guys like Fabregas, Adeabyor, RvP and a decent defence to help us through. This time we lost Fabregas and Nasri after an amazing season from him, lost Clichy and our squad was looking fragile. Once again we started early with guys like Gervinho, Ox and Jenkinson hoping to find some more gems, then towards the end we needed some experience and got in Mertesacker and Arteta two of the most vital signings in Arsenal history I honestly believe, Yossi, Santos and Park came in for good measure and after a period of struggling we went on a good run again, before losing Van Persie.

Since 2012 though, it's been all up, our financial situation has changed drastically in terms of what's available to spend, guys like Ramsey, Gibbs, Ox,Theo, Wilshere, Koscielny, Mertesacker and co have all came on a great deal and once again we overcame a deficit against the Spuds to retain 4th and we've added Özil and managed to finally get another title challenge going and although we fell short it's mighty progress. With the FA Cup looming, a win could see us finally break that cycle of constantly rebuilding and see us coming close to end of a building period because with a few tweaks we could have the team that Arsène Wenger dreamed of having a mixture of youth and fantastic footballers who could take on the world.

Why anyone could be pessimistic at this time is beyond me, especially if we win Saturday.... there's only good times ahead, and I guess that saying was right, it's always darkest just before the dawn. Perhaps we had to go through those tough times and defeats like the 8-2 and the league cup final losses, to get to good times again.

I can only thank this club that we didn't do what most clubs would do and pull the trigger on Arsène at any point.

 

[Anzac]

@ TNN

Too much pain has needlessly been self inflicted in the name of our principles on and off the pitch.
We've also retained a youth development policy that AW said would have failed had we not won anything by then, and we've still failed to win as yet. Even when we win the FA Cup Final tonight that will be our only 'success' since instigating the strategy as policy in the Senior team since season 2008-09.

IMO the 'proof' of your confidence should begin to be seen this summer.

 

[Suave Gooner89]

Why anyone could be pessimistic at this time is beyond me, especially if we win Saturday.... there's only good times ahead

There's absolutely no way of knowing this.

Man City will be back next year stronger than ever, Chelsea will be rejuvenated now that Mourinho's had a year to bed in and they've already sealed Costa, Liverpool seem to finally have awoken from their quarter century slumber, and United will do everything they can - by spending a sh*t ton of money - to get back in Europe.

There's really no guarantee that we'll fare any better than we have done these past 8 years; sure I can see our points total increasing, but it's going to be incredibly difficult to maintain and bridge the gap between ourselves and our rivals.

All signs point to the Premier League being more competitive and difficult to win than ever; we may genuinely see 5 teams vying for the title.

I'll say it again: unless we act like a team intent on winning the league this transfer window, we could very well drop out of the top 4. There's no more time - nor any more excuses - for Wenger to dither and feign in the market.

 

[Anzac]

If these confirmed FFP sanctions DO have an impact & those clubs in breach DO need to sell, then we should be all over this opportunity like a rash.

Essentially it's all AW's Christmases at once re opportunity and potential bargains re 'special quality' players to improve us, IF he takes some affirmative action and plants the appropriate seeds.

More than that it's potentially also a buyer's market (with the likes of ManU, LFC and us being the major spenders), and as such we may well need to get in ahead of both so as to protect our top4/CL status (let alone putting a squad together to win BOTH of those competitions).

For far too long we've bemoaned the mega rich for distorting the market, and far too often we're told about the players we nearly signed (like Hazard). This summer may present an opportunity for some pay back if we act assertively.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

@ TNN

Too much pain has needlessly been self inflicted in the name of our principles on and off the pitch.
We've also retained a youth development policy that AW said would have failed had we not won anything by then, and we've still failed to win as yet. Even when we win the FA Cup Final tonight that will be our only 'success' since instigating the strategy as policy in the Senior team since season 2008-09.

IMO the 'proof' of your confidence should begin to be seen this summer.

Perhaps.....

I'm fully aware and remember Wenger saying this, perhaps naivety on his part because he's stated many times that he thought that 10-11 team was capable of winning honours and were quickly torn apart after once season of them seemingly clicking together.

I'd rather not dwindle on the wrongs and rights of that period, because I'm kind of the same opinion as you in regards to the use of Fabregas and the mentality of that team.

What I'm optimistic about is that there's no longer that fear of let's say someone like Ramsey having an amazing season and then being pinched away from us. And again for whatever reason, we now have money to spend and I think Wenger has identified problems in our team, which he possibly knoew at the end of the last summer anywyas and I believe he'll rectify that and this fa cup will be the huge stepping stone.

 

[Anzac]

@ TNN

I understand where you are coming from re the likes of Rambo etc, but in saying that I don't think we're quite there as yet. We're still not only losing match day players like Sagna & Fabianski but also for free.

I do think it's also part chicken & egg scenario in that we need to start winning silverware for the supporters, the players and the brand. If AW isn't prepared to modify/compromise his principles/ideals in order to do so, then IMO he becomes our version of a Brian Clough in decline and is in danger of becoming akin to a millstone around our neck. IMO we are already our own biggest rivals in that our own performance is often the determining factor regarding success or failure on the pitch.

My concern is that the BoD & owner are so in awe of the previous achievements that they are either blind (to the questions/suggestion re stagnation), or they feel so indebted to him (and are financially secure enough), to continue to let him have his way until he decides he's had enough.