Challenging Next 8: Page 3 - The Arsenal discussion community: One More in the Tolly

Challenging Next 8

Burnwinter

Claudius sorry? The manager can’t adapt? Were you in a bunker in the first half of 2024 when we went on that impressive winning streak and remained unbeaten from home until October?

I'm sympathetic to where you're coming from but the big difference this season is that the expectation is now that we win the title. But we're not looking like it, it's looking like we've been derailed by fairly unexceptional bad luck. Still too early to fully call it though.

Tam

Burnwinter Entirely predictable, if not certain, bad luck.

Burnwinter

Tam Yeah, I mean it's disappointing. Not in any way a given Ødegaard would have an extended absence, but it's not an event we should've struggled really badly to process. And because I came into this season needing and wanting a league victory, it's not hard to feel proximate to checking out of the whole shebang emotionally. The steel that brought us an incredible close season in 23–24 looks rusty.

Sicario2 - Tier 1

Burnwinter

This is why we need to do things with urgency and win with urgency. This whole ‘there is always next season’ chat is a fallacy.

We should have won the title last season and may never get a better chance. Very frustrating.

Qwiss

Burnwinter Not in any way a given Ødegaard would have an extended absence

The thing is it just happens to be Odegaard. It could have been Saka, Havertz, Saliba, Rice, Partey. All would leave us somewhat struggling to fill the gap. As @Coombs said you need more quality in the first XI to cover a big player getting injured, not more depth.

awooga83

We had some great things go in our favour over the last few seasons as well, late winners, great set piece returns and keeping the main players fit but there is always going to be harder times and you have to be able to have enough resilience to deal with that. So far we've had pretty bad blips for a number of games where we struggle to get out of it and this looks like another occasion for that. Even before the Newcastle result we've been struggling as a team offensively and not been anywhere near our defensive level the last season.

SimplyThePest

awooga83 I agree, man. We've put a lot into it over the past two years. It wouldn't surprise me to see us drop off a bit this year - injuries, refereeing, tactics, motivation, squad balance, etc. all playing a role.

Claudius

Qwiss we have a high quality first eleven. the better a player is, the harder he is to replace when he is injured. see issues with Rodri now at City who are otherwise stacked. in an ideal world we would've had someone like Wirtz on the team, but absent that, I don't see who covers Odegaard adequately - not even any of the guys who left in the summer.

QuincyAbeyie

Claudius we should be able to field a starting XI without Ødegaard that can attack properly. That's it.

Coombs

Claudius doing hard things is the job.

Qwiss

Claudius we have a high quality first eleven. the better a player is, the harder he is to replace when he is injured. see issues with Rodri now at City who are otherwise stacked.

They're missing Rodri and KDB, thats 2/3 of their first choice midfield. And they are still 5 points ahead of us.

Gurgen

They have 30 top class players though, we don't.

Claudius

Gurgen the fact that they proactively rested Foden for the first 4 weeks of the season should tell you everything you need to know. Imagine us trying that with Saka or Odegaard

Qwiss

Gurgen They have 30 top class players though

They do not.

Clrnc

Clrnc Lost the first 2 already which is within my expectations. We are lucky Amorim is leaving Sporting before we play them but will still be a very tough match there.

Unlucky there he's going to United before we play them though.

I can't see us winning Chelsea, we will do well not to lose. 5 wins might also be a bit too much, I think we will have around 3 to 4 wins from the next 6 matches.

Claudius

We will beat Chelsea

Qwiss

Claudius if we don't we're going to be in a battle for top 4, not the title.

Gurgen

Qwiss I disagree and I think we tend to underrate their players.

Panda

Qwiss Yep with Tott, Villa and Chelsea.

Qwiss

Gurgen so Scott Carson is a top class player then?

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