Bugger. The chance was there to hop back to second. Would've made the Arsenal game really tasty.
That's literally all competitive games this season, keep licking my balls please.
City not winning the league (or anything) whilst their giant mong snaffles the individual awards for himself would be pretty lol.
Ellis Simms has been recalled by Everton. Hopefully not the start of a mass exodus.
He did a decent job as backup striker but Everton fans won't be overly excited by his return.
Arsenal aren't actually going to win the league this season, are they?
What the fuck was that from Lamptey? Jesus.
Surely Man City are just trying to make as many believe that Arsenal will win before clawing them back.
Seems strange that Arsenal are back in contention having not been close for what, a decade?
The change in mentality and recruitment is massive for arsenal.
The squad is so better now, even than last season. They’ve just been purging the squad of players that clearly aren’t good enough and replacing with pretty proven if Under stated talent.
They aren’t the best team on paper by a long way, but get them believing and working and they’ll consistently beat the shit.
Saka and martinelli will hopefully just keep getting better. Jesus is a blow, but nketiah should fight to prove himself.
I’m just glad dross like jenkinson, squillaci, Andre santos, pablo Mari, kolasinac, etc seem to be a thing of the past.
The two seasons being terrible have helped weed out who of the youth/reserves actually had a shot being kept and martinelli, ESR, saka and nketiah stepped up, whilst shit like reiss nelson and willock were shown to be not at the required level.
Whoever signed saliba needs some credit too. Man is the future at the back.
Strange feeling wanting Arsenal to win the league, but I do.
Everything's clicked into place for them.
Definitely love to see them win it at this stage. I don't see it happening just yet, but the turnaround has been way quicker than expected.
God we're good
I hope we can unban Harold for the title.
Don't try ruin the only good thing to happen in my life in years with that please.
I still think Man City will be too strong. A few injuries to Arsenal, specifically to Partey, Saka, and Gabriel and they will stutter. It's Arsenal lads.
They are brilliant to watch though. Especially that Norwegian Blonde and Saka. His ability to dribble off balance, while using his strength to keep the ball. A joy.
They’re going to break City’s points total
Not that it's particularly effective but the Mitoma guy looks tidy.
Who was saying Ødegaard is useless?
Saka is just exceptional. England having him and Foden on either wing for the next 5-8 years is just worrying. Two tremendously talented youngsters.
Martinelli.
I was getting worried for a second there and then they go do that. Exceptionally poor from the keeper though.
Didn't even realise Ferguson was in the squad
Arsenal trying to bottle it.
Furious at myself for knowing ball so good.
At the risk of tempting fate, I did think would Haaland make everything channel through him and then make them more one dimensional because of it. Bit like Ruud with us, suddenly it was only him who would score to the detriment of others. I'm all for it if it stops city winning the league.
I think everyone wondered that but didn't want to be on the wrong side of an by posting it.
Somebody did mention that somewhere on here. Exactly that. city usually have 5 players scoring 10 goals each but now they have put all their eggs into one basket with Haaland dropping 50.
Once they get going, they still be will too strong.
They've still got Alvarez, Foden and Mahrez on course for at least 10 goals this season.
I said that Re: Haaland, but am probably going to be wrong about it as his 50 goals see them win the league and likely everything else.
Cracking game at the Amex tonight. Shame Sanchez decided tonight was going to be one of his chuck a few in games. Brighton did well to recover from a dreadful first half [non-existent midfield in the absence of Caicedo and MacAllister] and it was just a shame the VAR funkill wagon ruled out the grandstand finish that the game deserved. I didn't really understand the offisde, but if it was one of those 'offside by an ankle whilst actually running back ones' that's the sort of decision I've long thought the whole rule is going to need to be changed over.
Yeah, that doesn't look too concerning.
Also Gilmour was pretty shit, but I reckon he'd look a lot better with the aforementioned midfielders playing with him. Don't think De Zerbi really rates him though.
He looked useless when I watched him for Norwich as well. He looks super smooth on the ball but he doesn't actually do anything effective.
It's insane to look at the table and see that we can lose both games to City and technically still win the league.
Arsenal fans not been involved in top 4 for a decade at this stage and it really shows. It's not even half-way through the season, you're not winning shit against City
They have a chance if they can keep entirely injury free [particularly in key areas - thought they went to bits slightly when Partey went off today] but I tend to think that the attrition of the season will wear on them and they'll be reeled in at some point. City chucking in a seriously sub-par season might help them.
I don't think it's a serious possibility whatsoever. The above talking about Arsenal winning the league was all from non-Arsenal fans trying to jinx it. On what I said there was a reason for the use of the word technically in that sentence. Losing any of Ramsdale, Ben White, Partey, Xhaka or Saka for extended periods and the seasons toast for sure.
Reading Irish soccer Twitter you’d swear Evan Ferguson had just scored his 17th of the season.
Aaron Connolly anyone?
I’m less convinced on the latter point. Losing them all, for sure. But we could cope without one of them at a time for a fair old while. ESR and Jesus to come back still, and there’s clearly ambition to add ammunition to the forwards in this window.
It’s been quite the season, grand vindication for those of us labelled as ‘Artetasexuals’ for simply seeing promise and wanting to give it time. Atmosphere home and away has been superb. Missed West Ham and Brighton due to festivities, so can’t fucking wait to be back in my seat for Newcastle. After a the late Wenger and Emery seasons where I felt myself resenting paying £s to sit amongst groaning old cunts, I’m now shitting a brick at the prospect that the geezer I’ve been renting off since just before Covid deciding he wants the ticket back before I finally get an offer off the club (been 7 years on the STWL).
Long way to go, and I still firmly have us pegged for 2nd in my mind, but if we keep pace up with 6 wins in Jan & Feb, against serious opposition, then it’s properly on.
Seems very much a case that Arsenal took their medicine for the hangover of the new stadium. Wenger kept the ship afloat and then Emery was supposed to have come in to do what Arteta is now doing.
As has been said, clearing out the deadwood has been his best work and they're now in a place where they can compete on and off the pitch.
Of course Arsenal are by far the preferential winner of the two, but Guardiola will soon start his shit mind games("Arsenal are the best team to ever football!" "This is the Emirates!") and City will start getting some very dodgy decisions go their way.
Lads, it's not fucking December anymore.
All the True Blue Gunner Gooners (bang!) coming out of the woodwork. Harold, TG, Taz deep down... Dave will resurface before long and all the forty year olds will start twerking.