The Premier League campaign - 2011/12: Page 10 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

The Premier League campaign - 2011/12

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I think we're good with squad depth now, and if the rumors re: Gotze and/or Hazard have any truth to them, we'd actually be overstacked in the attacking department. That'd be virtually two (decent to quality) players for every position. Scary stuff.

The only person it seems we wouldn't have a replacement for is Robin. Waiting to see more of Park though.

Mello

Yeah i agree we have great depth, just not enough "special quality".

EDIT: I think park will be come good. At least as good an bendtner as his best anwyway.

Tony Montana

I'm surprised people aren't worried at Spurs and Newcastle.

I think they can still finish above us. We always have our implosion mixed with a large injury bout mid-late season.

We really need to win games on the spin to bring the gap back to around 3 points between us and Newcastle.

As a team, although we are more talented that Spurs individually, I really don't think we are better. They just keep winning and have not lost to anyone except the Manchester Clubs since April.

There is a real danger of them taking the 4th CL spot.

Ricky1985

You can't class Spurs and Newcastle together. Newcastle are massively inferior to them, and to us.

I'd say it's between Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool for third and fourth.

Mello

It's true, newcastle have no strength in depth what so-ever, bar maybe ben arfa.

Tony Montana

Ricky1985 wrote:
You can't class Spurs and Newcastle together. Newcastle are massively inferior to them, and to us.

I'd say it's between Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool for third and fourth.

Not massively. Not at all. Do not underestimate the importance of defence like our manager does.

I reckon Newcastle will be there or thereabouts come May.

I honestly believe that.

If anything I think Liverpool won't make it.

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Nah. Newcastle will drop off. Fatigue as the season runs down as well as a lack of real quality in their squad would see to that. They are riding a wave of confidence now, but that will wear out soon- probably after their next two games against the manchester clubs.

Ricky1985

I'll be surprised if Newcastle finish top 6. Very surprised.

Klaus

When I look at Newcastle I think to myself that they might actually be good enough to grab 6th place at Liverpool's expense, but I think anything else is beyond them. They have no outstanding players apart from Cabaye and Demba Ba (and, yes, I'm aware that it's November and they are still third in the league. So was Hull a few years back). They have a huge amount of average to good footballers who are overperforming as a team at the moment.

Mello

ANd who remembers when wigan were 2nd in the leagues by november in 05/06?

Tony Montana

Tiote is good as well.

Klaus

He's in the 'good' category along with Gutiérrez and Coloccini. The point is that Newcastle are overperforming, and they don't have the individuals to carry them through when the team stops working at maximum capacity. They have a decent shot at a top 6 finish if they sign a couple of reinforcements in january, but looking at their squad player for player it's pretty clear that both Arsenal and Spurs are miles ahead. You can't make up for a lack of quality in the long run.

I agree with you on Liverpool though. I think they're shit too. This is the worst squad they've had since Houllier took over. I'll be very surprised if they finish within the top 5 this year.

y va marquer

Yeah, Tiote's been great for them.
I don't think they'll finish top four but I do think they could play a part in deciding the order of who finishes where out of the main contenders.
By that I mean that playing them in St. James Park will be one of the toughest away fixtures for all.
Any win there will be hard fought.

Qwiss

Newcastles form is based on their defence being solid at the moment but I wouldn't be surprised to see that defence fall apart at any moment. There are no players in their back 4 I'd want at Arsenal (apart from maybe Simpson as back up RB but thats not saying much).

Spurs are seriously riding their luck too, I've been saying it for a while but today was taking the piss. An injury or 2 and they're fucked and they have plenty of injury prone players.

Ricky1985

I honestly think Simpson is an abysmal player. Taylor's average at best too, Collocini's okay but flaky as hell. Krul's a crazy 'keeper, too.

Pardew will fuck it up, he has a long history of doing so. They're doing okay now, but we've played 11 games.

Biggus

Theres a long way to go yet, my initial fears that we would struggle were well founded but thankfully we appear to have recovered earlier that I anticipated, and we are well back in the race to win "the prize".

Claudius

I still feel January will go a long towards deciding who will take those positions. We cannot afford to sit on our asses in January when there could be an opportunity to re-energize the team with replacements for Chamakh and/or Nasri. Expect Harry the Wheler Dealer to bring reinforcements and Abramovich will spend 100m pounds if Fairplay (sic) allows him in order to guarantee Champs League football.

lorddulaarsenal

Newcastle now play united city Chelsea and pool in quick succession

Claudius

Two months ago, we suffered an 8-2 humiliation and were in the midst of a half-season long slump where we accumulating points at a relegation pace.

Wenger added some run-of-the mill veterans, asked for a few weeks before we judged his team.

A few weeks have passed. Against Chelsea and West Brom, the team played Arsenal ball, and seemed to have more pace than recent Fabregas-focused teams. We were able to hold on to the ball and create multiple and varied scoring opportunities.

In the direst of circumstances, Wenger has managed to turn things around and put us in early contention for the top 4 places (the prize).

Do the last 2 months represent the best coaching job that Wenger has done in the last 4 or 5 years? What are the sources of the turnaround? How much do we owe it to gaining new players? How much is owed to losing certain players? Are the tactics improved? Or are we just enjoying a run of easy fixtures, good luck and great form from Robin?

Mello

Even wenger isn't so stubborn to persist as he had done after that 8-2 loss... he did a pragmatic bit of business. Haven't seen too much of that pragmatism the past few years.

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