Expectations - 2023/2024 Season: Page 22 - The Arsenal discussion community: One More in the Tolly

Expectations - 2023/2024 Season

RocktheCasbah

Don Pacifico I'm glad you mentioned that because in the aftermath of our Christmas period, I really really thought about mentioning us losing 3-1 at home to Blackburn that season - Wrighty abusing the fans out the dressing room window and all of that, but I figured nobody would want to hear it. Point being that was 13 December 1997 - we all know how that season ended.

Don Pacifico

Big Willie nah, we were level on games played.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/spieltag/wettbewerb/GB1/saison_id/1997/spieltag/24

Big Willie

Don Pacifico Big Willie nah, we were level on games played.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/spieltag/wettbewerb/GB1/saison_id/1997/spieltag/24

I think transfermarkt shows the table for the full set of fixtures. I checked a couple matchdays and it always had every team playing the same amount, which was confusing as I remember us being like 8 points or so behind with like 3 games in hand.

Just checked our fixtures that season and it seems that we did. The red circled ones are games we've played later on in that season so subtract 3 points for each of those matchweeks as we won all those games.

We just went on an insane (for those times) run of only 3 draws between that point and us winning the league with 2 games remaining (both of which we lost when it didn't matter anymore haha).

Don Pacifico

So I found the video again, and the screenshot of the league table they showed had us with one game in hand in 5th place. But even with three points for that game in hand, we'd stay in 5th place.

RocktheCasbah

Clrnc Not a single bugger have us in 2nd wow

Interested to know what people think of these predictions a month later..?

Qwiss

RocktheCasbah most of them are pretty safe standard replies. It's still fairly logical to have us 3rd. However I think we'll pass Liverpool, with City I think it's less likely but it's not impossible. A KDB injury would be nice.

Also Leon Osman is a halfwit.

flobaba

I want to believe.

I now think we might be able to beat Liverpool to second place. City has the experience and know how to handle these pressure periods. They've shown it time and time again. We have it all to prove.

Sicario2 - Tier 1

We won’t win the league but we will do very well in CL, I’m talking semi or even finals.

Is that a good season. Finish 2nd/3rd and semi/final of CL with no silverware?

RocktheCasbah

Sicario2 - Tier 1 I mean, a season like that would be better than all but about 15 seasons out of 140 we've played, so...

I'd take it - even if the implication of a CL semi final is we're gonna get close, but not close enough to glory there.

Burnwinter

I thought and still think we're good for second or third. And I still expect and hope we'll progress to the semifinals or beyond in the Champions League.

I'd love to think we could go on a run of perfect form and snatch the league, but if a couple of great results made me think that I'd have a very short memory.

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert

Finishing third would be a massive disappointment considering how good we actually are. We really fucked up with those losses.

RocktheCasbah

Yeah, as they were saying on the Tuesday Club, we took the lead in both games against Fulham for the sum total of 1 point... We're at that point now where Arteta has made us super competitive with the top teams, but in this league you have to beat the teams you're supposed to beat. We're nearly there - nearly...

flobaba

RocktheCasbah that's where a superstar striker makes a difference isn't it? They are accused of being flat track bullies but you absolutely need folks who would bully and dispatch the smaller teams on their own when they want to/have to even when the team as a whole isn't on their game.

Burnwinter

It's hard for me to believe we're all the way there. But on the other hand, we're only three actual points behind City, who are definitely there. It's one of those gaps that's greater or larger from different vantage points.

I want a strong finish to the season. From this flawed position in third, that would mean picking things up to a 90+ point pace, and finishing with 85+ overall.

Mirth

If we can get a result at City away, the league is blown wide open.

Big if though

goon

Mirth

It's going to be really interesting barometer of how much we've progressed since last season. I don't know what the result will be but I reckon we'll be far more competitive.

Lukazan

Mirth It would take one heck of a performance that's for sure considering how we've often played after going ahead in games. Hard to imagine completely shutting them out for an entire game at their place so we'd need to score a couple atleast.

Clrnc

A challenge right to till the end plus at least a semi final at UCL, I deem that as a good enough season all things considered. Yes I think I previously said going trophyless this season again will be disappointing but I am seeing the progress and improvements that I wanted to see in the team.

I like the trajectory

Sicario2 - Tier 1

Clrnc

The problem is how often will we be getting these chances? It’s all well saying trajectory but football is not linear and at some point you have to convert.

As we saw earlier this season there is no guarantee we will be better the following season. Also, no guarantee the same players stay. Ultimately players want medals. How long can we keep them without winning anything?

We need to make this season count.

Sicario2 - Tier 1

Also, we shouldn’t normalise going trophyless every season. If we don’t win anything this season it will be 4 years without one which is far too long for a club like Arsenal.

As much as clubs get used to wining silverware (City) clubs can get used to the opposite (Spurs).

We must try and be like the former.

Don Pacifico

Sicario2 - Tier 1 If we don’t win anything this season it will be 4 years without one which is far too long for a club like Arsenal.

We don't operate in a vacuum so timelines like that are quite arbitrary. That shouldn't diminish our ambition but we also don't need to self flagellate unnecessarily.

Sicario2 - Tier 1

Don Pacifico

Fine but where do you draw the line? 6 years? 10 years? It’s not about arbitrary time frames but standards you need to implement otherwise we might as well be Spurs. Do you want to be labelled bottlers?

Progression has a time limit too. Only so much you can progress without showing anything for it.

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