Arsenal shouldnt bother with the Champions League as the Europa League is their level, while petulant Roy Keane is past his sell-by date
Send your thoughts to [email protected][19659004[]19659005 ]Arsenal could become the Sevilla of England
I dont understand Arsenal fans who are upset about not winning the league. Their club is sh*te and they havent been a significant force in the group constantly for over 70 years.
Arsenal were a major part in their seventies from 1930 to 1953 when they won the league 7 days. Since then, aside from a couple of small spurts in the group under George Graham and top Wenger, theyve been primarily an FA Cup group. Theyve won 11 FA Cups since the 1950s but havent won the league for 21 years.
Since 1953, the FA Cup is the only trophy Arsenal have excelled in with just one European trophy and 2 league cups in their entire history and only 6 league titles in 72 years.
Arsenal fans complaining about not winning the league is like me complaining that Emma Watson doesnt want to date me. I mean, does she think woman very good for me or what?
Wengers biggest blunder at Arsenal was generally qualifying for the Champions League. Its mad that they keep trying to qualify for the Champions League which they will not succeed. They should be taking the financial reach and trying to win the Europa League, thats their levels. They known win the Premier League this century but they could possibly be the Sevilla of England if they play their cards right.
Ben
READ:  , No-one will remember this Arsenal side because of idiot Artetas failures
Keane vs Bruno
Huge news this Friday: apparently Roy Keane doesnt like Bruno Fernandes and thinks hes a crap Captain. SHOCK!
This seems to be a common belief and fair enough. Since Bruno has been commander, United have been turd. The only thing he appears to be leading us to is relegation ( Ill come back to that ).
But, whilst the various issues at the team are well known and certainly the root cause of Uniteds destruction, there are some holes in the arguments put forth on that radio.
Keanes full argument seems to be based on Bruno no being some sort of motion man. You want a guy whos gonna take some action. Also what do you think Roy? Like, scoring a free push to fire an improbable return? Setting up three goals in a game ( although Bruno only got the credit for one assist against Ipswich )? Running your boots out when your clubs down to ten men? Bruno does pretty much more of anything than any other United person, including scoring targets and running. Seems like he is an activity gentleman after all.
But when Roy mentions Tony Adams, it becomes evident what he really means is a person who is aggressive. Anyone who likes to get involved in a fight and possibly leave a couple reducers on different people. Well thats certainly Bruno and actually, is that anyone in modern sport these days? Feels a little antiquated to be honest. Sometimes Casemiro can be like that? Sergio Ramos? But their jobs are generally over. Kyle Walker was commander at City and the only factor I think of when I think of him is when he dived because Hojlund breathed on him. Liverpool commander Van Dijk is hard, know, but he doesnt go about trying to injure individuals like Keane did.
Also all consider Roy as perhaps the best United commander there ever was. But itll get based on what the team gained which wasnt completely over to him. In truth given how frequently he was sent off and how often he was injured you could issue ( with your lips tightly placed in your face ) how important he really was. Keane managed 30 group activities or more on just three months in his 12 at United ( one was the first twice, the second was the vocals. The fourth was little ). Bruno has not managed fewer than 35 in any of his whole months at the pub. He may not be a tough sod, but at least he really available. In reality thats definitely why are captain: hes the only reliable person in the whole crew.
Jill Scott has a slightly different argument ( when she wasnt being spoken over ): that she didnt like Brunos pointing at his team mates. Lets compare that to Roy Keane, only for a joke. Keane didnt really stage at his team mates, he got in bodily clashes with them. By the end he was calling them out on Television. Roy was allowed to do this because of the society at United at the time and he will likely tell you himself it was because he was keeping up the requirements. I dont notice why Bruno often do the same, except of training, unlike Roy Keane who was playing with world class athletes regular, none of the people around Bruno match his requirements.
There was also some talk about arrogance. Therefore by definition this means Bruno acts in a childish or poor balanced fashion. If the boot fits, Bruno really use it. But lets inform ourselves of the three key members of that radio :
Jamie Carragher threw a coin into the group, spat out of his car windows into another vehicle.
Gary Neville frequently complained on the ball, when banned for humping the heat against England. But angry he created a continuous thorn between his brow from frowning
Roy Keane Mr Angry. At least once intentionally injured a person. Sent off 13 days. Frequently shouting at individuals. Chased umpires around the ball. Left the Ireland crew before WC2002. Injured himself trying to do another person. Also bitter and angry about the manner he left United.
Keane and Neville were both club captains. And good people. Certainly they were even angry. They didnt flap their wings about, they simply shouted in peoples eyes. I think the discussion that Bruno don’t be a nice captain because he is angry is also entirely defeated.
United are a disaster from the bottom to the top. The players dont have a Roy Keane calling them to action and breaking peoples legs, they need a Bruno who can bring them to a result through quiet acts of skill, availability and a lot of running around. They need reliability. Were not at a point where we need someone to maintain already high standards. We need someone who can drag the team to enough results to stay in the league while we sort the mess out. Hes proving capable of that.
I dont think we will win the league whilst he is our regular playing captain, and probably not while he is at the club ( were so far away ). Im not even convinced we will play our best football with him in the team, though we will need to sign more players for that to happen. But to completely butcher a phrase and concept, hes not the captain we deserve, hes the one we need right now. Wed be in a proper relegation battle without him.
Theres also something to say about pundits having a sell-by date which Keane, Neville and Carragher have all passed, but Ill save that for another day.
Ashmundo
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Man Utd = Biggest banter club in England
Going to make this a quick one but just wanted to call out some more absolute nonsense. Do people live in their own heads and create these fake narratives. I swear its always United fans.
At least United, as the biggest banter club in England, win a trophy every few years to keep the trolling and banter era alive on both sides of the fence
Youve been the biggest banter club in England since Fergie left. These trophies youre going on about? 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cups and a Europa League. Arsenal in that period have won 4 FA Cups and have been a lot better in the league for the majority of that time.
Here its just sad to mock Arsenal when they themselves are not winning sh*t and still choose to believe they are a great team with potential
Who is they? Are you talking about the fans or the players. I dont think normal Arsenal fans are under any illusions. We had two good seasons followed by a disappointing one. There was absolutely nothing in it last year. Youre making it out as if we are United. Most weekends are enjoyable for us. In the context of the injuries and form, Im happy we can still remain second. Theres no chance in hell we couldve won the league. It seems like you want everyone to be hounding their manager out like United fans do but pretend not to.
Looking forward to United beating Fulham and claiming theyre back!
Dion
It turns out Tickers is NOT a Liverpool fan
Good grief, how does someone read content from Dave Tickner and conclude hes a Liverpool fan??? Ive also been a reader of the website for more than 20 years and I have never encountered a writer so incredibly happy to wear their club allegiances on their sleeve. Spoiler, it isnt the Scousers!
In case it isnt clear, a friend and I once played a drinking game where we read a weeks worth of F365 content and took a shot every time we encountered a Dave Tickner piece that shoehorned in a reference to stupid Tottenham, Dr Tottenham or Spursy in a completely unrelated section or paragraph. We both required significant medical attention.
Maybe it isnt clear to those who (unlike Mr Tickner and me ) havent suffered the agonising disappointment of Spurs endless trophy drought and relentless cycle of hope and crushing disappointment for 30-odd years. That nagging earworm of the North London stupidity that focuses every footballing thought through a prism of just what it means for, or how it will be impacted by, the Premier Leagues greatest underachievers is something that only Tottenham supporters can truly understand.
Chris Bridgeman, Kingston upon Thames
READ:  , Ten players returning from injury to shape the race for Champions League football
Stop focusing on the manager
In response to Jason Soutars listicle
The very idea that managers are entirely responsible for recruitment at premier league clubs is a complete joke. Times have changed.
Sure, managers have some say but it has become clear that the best clubs have a very influential and competent director of football!
Look at Liverpool, years of consistent identification and signing of high ceiling players has meant Liverpool will win the league, with Slot virtually making no signings this year.
Look at City same as above with a transitional season, the season the DofF announcing his departure.
Lastly, look at Manchester United for the counter case, Reliant on a rotating door of managers who dictate playing systems and sign players, they have spent outrageously with little to show for it over the years while lurching from one playing style to the other. Dan Ashworth leaving is so damning.
As a wise Jose once said: Football heritage, investments from the past in reference to the key determinant of Man Citys success over the past decade.
Until English fans and the media change their focus from 100 % accountability on everything happening at the club on the manager to the whole football operations team, nothing will change.
Pey [You really think Graham Potter had any say on Chelsea signings?]
If youre disappointed, youre not a fan
Ugh, I have no time for fans like Shiraz. Its kind of like the rich bloke that gets disappointed because he wanted a red Maclaren super car and had to settle for a blue one.
7 teams have won the Premier League title in the 32 years of the current competition. That raises to 9 if you go back 40 years and 12 if you go back 50 years. You have to go back an additional 13 seasons to find the next unique winner.
If you take the 3 teams that have one-off title wins in the Premier League, 4 teams have dominated the title over the last 30 odd years. To put it mildly, its a big bloody deal.
So to come out and say youre underwhelmed is the height of hubris and Ive got no time for it. Its one thing to say that the 2019-20 title felt a little off with the Covid break and the surreal title-clinching celebration, but even that one, almost 30 years in the making, was a big deal. If we do see this through it should be savoured because :
A new manager is picking up the mantle after a disappointing end of last term. The contribution of 3 players who will go down in Liverpool history, all, perhaps for the last time putting on performances that will deliver that title. A potential title celebrated in front of supporters in a newly expanded Anfield. A title win that is celebrated by a proper parade.
If youre genuinely going to be underwhelmed by any of that, then what is the point of being a football fan?
Mark LFC ( Heck, Ill take year after year of underwhelming title wins going forward please )
READ:  , Ranking Premier League clubs by how much they should give a damn about the FA Cup
Arsenal/Liverpool comparison
First of all, Shiraz has clearly drunk far too many bottles of himself. Complaining that a trophy that remains unwon as yet hasnt been exciting enough or something? Im not a big fan of the term plastic ( possibly because I fall under some definitions ) but thats possibly one of the weirdest takes I have even seen on here, and thats saying something.
And talking of weird takes, does anyone actually get what Toms point was? Arsenal and Liverpool spent similar amounts with the first four/five years of Arteta and Klopp, and the only actual difference here is luck? Liverpool werent lucky to get a kings ransom for Coutinho, it was incredibly savvy business, as was buying Allison and Van Dijk with the proceeds.
And lets look at Robertson. Does anyone think that he would have been anything but a decent journeyman footballer if he hadnt ended up at Klopps Liverpool?
And he is really hung up on Salah, whilst trying to pretend he isnt. Great teams have great players, its an integral part of the process. Take Cantona out of Fergusons United and Henry out of Wengers Arsenal, and both teams only have a fraction of the success they had. So what is the point here, exactly?
And btw Tom 2015-2018 is four years, but 2019-2023 is five years I wonder if Liverpool turning a profit in that fifth year is the reason for this error. It is also a tiny bit suspicious that 2024s outlay of 230m for Rice, Havertz and Timber isnt deemed worthy of inclusion? Thats disingenuous at best.
All of this can be filed under mental gymnastics that Arsenal fans are using to excuse Arsenals underwhelming season, but a truth is that they were a whisker away from the title last season, and theyve had two transfer windows and spent 100m for the team to take step backwards. This doesnt mean that Arteta should be replaced that would be insanity right now but how many more unsuccessful seasons does he have in him before the tide turns? Arsenal became a top four regular and an occasional cup winner under Wenger, and that wasnt good enough ( and to be fair, he was stagnating and a change was necessary ), and they are only one of those now.
Liverpools success such as it is has been borne out of the club being run incredibly well. As as for luck Ill leave this one with Gary Player ( although I thought Ferguson said something similar but maybe not ) :
The harder you work, the luckier you get.
Theres no chance Arsenal should be getting rid of Arteta, but there is a distinct chance they will in two years time if the Groundhog Day pattern persists.
Mat ( delighted that Liverpool have a weekend off, if not necessarily because of the reason for it )
Dear Tom ,
I read your letter, you raise some valid points but you do fudge the margins a little at times.
Lets make it more simple what is your definition of success? And has Arteta lived up to it?
Klopp promised Liverpool fans a title within four years and won the Champions League in that time. He also reached the Europa League final in the same time span and the League Cup final ( losing both ). Winning a Champions League is successful, by anyones measure.
As a fan of a team who also kept finishing second I can tell you that right now you feel like its good progress and youre happy but in the event arteta doesnt win anything you will absolutely look back on his time as a disappointment. I doubt you can find a single Liverpool fan who looks on our near miss seasons and thinks of them as successful and we still won two trophies in one near miss and were gunning for a quad in two of them until the last day of the season.
But we look back in those seasons as missed opportunities rather than successful campaigns. You will too once the Arteta goggles come off.
If your club built a statue of Arteta and etched beneath it stopped arsenal being a dumpster fire and finished second a couple of times you would laugh ( I hope ). If you are happy with what hes done thats something nobody can argue with, but football success is a different thing than football happiness.
Let me close with a question if god came and offered you 10 years of Arsenal winning domestic cups but middling league form OR 10 years of no trophies but you finish second every single year Which would you take? My money is on you picking the trophies.
Lee
Incredulity isnt an argument
While Tom was being taken to task ( a little ) for his reliance on gross spend rather than net spend to make his fallacious argument, I was more taken back by the idea that Liverpool are just lucky with their scouting.
This seems to be the modern narrative the incredulity argument based mostly on social media filling in for gaps in education. Its the kind of argument that drives things like flat earth beliefs. Its incredible to think a man could have landed on the moon. No amount of science can help mostly because they cant understand the science. Some wag several years ago said something along the lines of who knew the internet was going to be about connecting all the village idiots in the world?
Ian Graham recently wrote a book explaining how Liverpool have spent oodles refining their data science department to hone their scouting. It shows the progression over time, identifying gaps, explaining what cant easily be determined from science alone and so on. But it is clear it isnt just luck when it comes to selecting players. The well known fact that the committee overrode Klopp to buy Salah should tell you something about their faith in their models. Imagine. Going up against a manager with a bigger than life character such as Klopp to say no, youre wrong Salah is going to be a winner.
But yes, rely on your incredulity that they could use this process to find good players but it isnt an argument that just because you find it hard to believe it isnt a real thing.
But if its any consolation just think that this could have been Spurs ( not Tottenham ) but Levy, in his infinite wisdom was also incredulous that it could work and Commoli was picked up by Liverpool and the we know how that story unfolds.
Paul McDevitt
