Expectations - 2023/2024 Season: Page 47 - The Arsenal discussion community: One More in the Tolly

Expectations - 2023/2024 Season

awooga83

RocktheCasbah
I think the answer is it's complex 😂 I have a very competitive mindset personally and that applies particularly in sport so with the level Arsenal play at that's even more true for me. So I can enjoy the games and rivalries through the season because each is it's own competitive moment. But I also look at the wider picture and knowing (as we all do) that the good moments when you are near or at the top of the tree are rare they can disappear for a long time so when we are in that mix I want us to claim as many of the big prizes as we can because I want us to show beyond doubt that we are the best and because I believe we are good enough.

I can see all the points about for the club it's been a great season and we've achieved some great things for the club records and I've enjoyed individual moments and games in the season and I can reflect on Sunday about the positives at the end whatever it brings. But that's not the kind of thing that lasts in the memory for me and once that game is done if we don't quite make it my mind would turn to and how do we get those final tweaks to get us where I think we can be.

RocktheCasbah

awooga83

I guess that's fair enough, I can understand where you're coming from.

One question though, last season was probably my favourite season of going to games regularly with the final game of the season being very close to my favourite ever Emirates experience. Do you look back on that season and the unexpected title challenge fondly, or does the April collapse render it a forgettable irrelevance?

invisibleman18

awooga83 That's pretty much how I feel too. I've enjoyed a lot about this season and many results. Been a long time since I celebrated goals and results so wildly (kind of funny watching back when you have a security camera in your lounge 😆 ). But ultimately if we fall just short again, it's going to be an overwhelming feeling of regret and fear that it might be another 20 years again for the chance to be there.

awooga83

RocktheCasbah I think the point you make about I didn't think that we were capable of that and that it did come out of nothing made me less critical of the season as a whole. I agree the atmosphere was very good and the feeling at the end of the season was positive (even me). I could recognise that the season was a bit more of a free hit and even if it still was an opportunity we probably weren't ready. But I remember at the end of the season thinking this can be more celebratory because feel next year there will be a different feeling and we won't just be happy to be there kind of feeling.

Coombs

5th place can say "all we need is to improve in __________ way and we can be 4th", while 18th can say "if we only hadn't fucked up _____________ we'd be 17th", etc. It's not a useful way to look at sport, whether or not you have a competitive mindset. Process has become a meme word, but its actually the only way to get and stay competitive. Results lie, and outcomes are slippery. They promise objectivity, but they do not deliver, because they are plagued by contingency.

Process is the only thing you can really control. That is where you get a competitive edge.

awooga83

Coombs yeah I see what you mean but it's not just about the finish in the table. That starts the what moments might have cost us and what about the team can you look to improve. I think I mentioned previously here that we blanked in 5 matches in the league and even with the scope of many previous title winners that was high and probably too many games.

We also did similarly in the champions League against Bayern and Porto away. So there is something missing from our game if it doesn't quite work you need something to win you those matches. That's probably where we are short. Teams will drop points but you can probably salvage a few of those days with one of those types of players who can take the game on their own and that's an area I think we are short as a team. That would also include having the ability or again personnel to attack with pace when we turn it over. There was a moment yesterday when Trossard broke and if he'd gone for it they're was one united defender and then he's in on goal. But he hesitated slowed down the game as well often so and the moment went. I think that's another aspect we can improve as a team. The competitive mindset is for me there is improvement to be found.

Coombs

awooga83 The competitive mindset is for me there is improvement to be found.

Of course there is, because there always is. However, I think that improvement at this point is extremely difficult. Variance will get you one way or another. And no, that doesn't mean I don't think we could and should have beaten Fulham. You have to look forward or you'll slide behind, so what we really need to do is continue building using an equally ambitious process we employed to get to this point.

I've said it many times on this forum, but I'll say it again. There is no promised land, only continual, relentless improvement. Even if you win, you have to improve to win again. If you think you've made it, you'll backslide. Probably instantly. Action-Reflection-Action, forever until the sun collapses. It's never the last chance, and all you can ever do is go again. I relish it.

I don't think lamenting variable outcomes helps this process. In fact, I think it's anathema to it.

Asterix

We've come first 2 years in a row now, because those fuckers are cheats. I'm trying to look at it like that.

RowJimmy

We can improve and I hope we will. But marginal gains are very difficult at this level. We're very good.
Whether we win the league on GD or lose it by two points, I've really enjoyed watching us play this season.

QuincyAbeyie

There's no team that always improves though. It goes in cycles. So to me - there is a promised land. And that it's that this cycle, generation or whatever, gets to grab a few important trophies before they leave.

Qwiss

Sicario2 - Tier 1 My biggest worry is if we will get another chance as good as this.

People said that last year. I think Arsenal and City will both be stronger next season and it'll be another close run affair.

Claudius

Qwiss we are clearly one of the two best teams in the league. But I also think we are much more vulnerable. 1 or 2 big injuries in the wrong positions could be debilitating.

Qwiss

Claudius that is something to fix this summer. Its also something a top coach should be able to deal with. TBF we were without Partey and Timber all season, arguably two first XI players and we coped. Its easy to say they may not be as important as some others but Partey was crucial last season and if Timber had come in and performed as we hoped people would be calling him as important as the rest of the back 4. Odegaard and Saka are probably the 2 exceptions but thats like City without Haaland/KDB or Liverpool without Salah/VVD/TAA and this summer we need to do what we can to safeguard against those weaknesses.

daredevil

Odegaard is our biggest key person risk. It was previously Partey and we mitigated the risk by signing Rice, and we need to do likewise for Odegaard.

CAM, CB, and FW would be my priorities this summer.

JazzG

daredevil CAM, CB, and FW would be my priorities this summer.

We need a CM much more urgently compared to those positions.

I do agree Odegaard missing games would cost us big time, was hoping Vieira would grow into that role.

QuincyAbeyie

I assume that DD is referring to a midfielder who can play with Ødegaard and Rice (if not I disagree with him).

JazzG

If we win our last game, our record in our last 18 games would be won 16, drawn one and lost one. That is an incredible run of games, it just shows what kind of fucking freaks we are up against.

Panda

We've had the reverse of last season. We just need to manage no 3 game dips for a whole season now. Will be even harder next year with 8 Champions League games.

JazzG

Panda I think we'll have a bigger squad going into next season and hopefully this time not have two first XI players (Partey & Timber) miss the whole the season. We need to have a bit of a clear out, there are a few players for whatever reason Arteta doesn't trust/rate them. They need to be moved on and we need to bring in talent who can actually fill in.

Asterix

We were actually pretty lucky with injuries this season, with Saliba, Gabby M, Saka, Rice and Martin all fit all year. Fingers crossed that happens again.

JazzG

Asterix We were actually pretty lucky with injuries this season, with Saliba, Gabby M, Saka, Rice and Martin all fit all year. Fingers crossed that happens again.

That is a fair point and we probably need to address that this window as well. Need a CB, maybe a couple CMs and wide player to make sure we can compensate for injuries but most importantly when you're in multiple competitions you need to be able to rotate. Players like Vieira looked like they were ready to kick on earlier in the season and hopefully they can play a bigger role for us going forward.

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