GWT: EPL - Matchweek 33

[bluesfan94]

Well. It's the big one. A game in Manchester to likely decide the title. Arsenal comes in in questionable form, while City hasn't dropped points in the league in a while. We also have a bunch of relegation six points in Wolverhampton, Leeds, and Southampton. And the race for 4th heats up with Tottenham likely needing to take full points when they host United.

Home	Away	Time and Date (CT)	Venue
Wolverhampton Wanderers	Crystal Palace	Tue., Apr. 25, 1:30 PM	Molineux Stadium
Aston Villa	Fulham	Tue., Apr. 25, 1:45 PM	Villa Park
Leeds United	Leicester City	Tue., Apr. 25, 2:00 PM	Elland Road
Nottingham Forest	Brighton & Hove Albion	Wed., Apr. 26, 1:30 PM	City Ground
Chelsea	Brentford	Wed., Apr. 26, 1:45 PM	Stamford Bridge
West Ham United	Liverpool	Wed., Apr. 26, 1:45 PM	London Stadium
Manchester City	Arsenal	Wed., Apr. 26, 2:00 PM	The Etihad
Southampton	Bournemouth	Thu., Apr. 27, 1:45 PM	St. Mary's Stadium
Everton	Newcastle United	Thu., Apr. 27, 1:45 PM	Goodison Park
Tottenham Hotspur	Manchester United	Thu., Apr. 27, 2:15 PM	Tottenham Stadium

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[robertmac43]

Taking Wednesday afternoon off. No way I would be productive lol

 

[maclean]

I never had high hopes for this match, even before we started pissing our lead away. Now it's more the realm of fantasy. But in that fantasy world, it sure would restore my hope in this season

 

[robertmac43]

I never had high hopes for this match, even before we started pissing our lead away. Now it's more the realm of fantasy. But in that fantasy world, it sure would restore my hope in this season

I'm going into Wednesday with too much hope tbh.

 

[maclean]

I'm going into Wednesday with too much hope tbh.

I mean in many ways it feels like our last hope, so understandable. I've had this day marked in the calendar for some time and tomorrow is my friend and fellow Arsenal fan's birthday, so I will being going into either very hungover or very Day Two

 

[Savant]

Annoyed my game is on the same time as the supposed title decider. Will catch the end. Thought LFC won the title in 13/14 under these circumstances and history could repeat itself with goal difference being the deciding factor either way

 

[S E P H]

Manchester City

Arsenal

Wed., Apr. 26, 2:00 PM

The Etihad

 

[Evilo]

So Arsenal should have been 4th last year behind City, Liverpool and Chelsea.
With Liverpool and Chelsea falling in flames, they were expected to be 2nd.
They added Saliba, Jesus, Zinchenko, Trossard and Jorginho (and Fabio Vieira) to that team supposed to be 2nd.
Sure they had a great stretch and were at times favourite for the title given City's form (they have already lost more games than last year).

Have Arsenal performed better than leat year? They sure have (10 less defeats).
Is their expected ranking 2nd ? Yes.

If they win the title, it's a great achievement. If they don't, they finish exactly where they are supposed to finish.

 

[HoseEmDown]

So Arsenal should have been 4th last year behind City, Liverpool and Chelsea.
With Liverpool and Chelsea falling in flames, they were expected to be 2nd.
They added Saliba, Jesus, Zinchenko, Trossard and Jorginho (and Fabio Vieira) to that team supposed to be 2nd.
Sure they had a great stretch and were at times favourite for the title given City's form (they have already lost more games than last year).

Have Arsenal performed better than leat year? They sure have (10 less defeats).
Is their expected ranking 2nd ? Yes.

If they win the title, it's a great achievement. If they don't, they finish exactly where they are supposed to finish.

Why were they expected to finish 2nd?

 

[bluesfan94]

Why were they expected to finish 2nd?

Because everyone expected Liverpool to flame out, duh. That was the most ass backward logic. Going into the season, everyone expected Arsenal to challenge for 4th.

 

[Brunkmeister]

Taking Wednesday afternoon off. No way I would be productive lol

Took Thursday off a while ago when this game was decided. Going to take a lot of liquor for this one. There is no way i can work the day after

 

[Evilo]

Why were they expected to finish 2nd?

They were expected top 4 and two of the teams projected before them crashed hard. Thus making them 2nd if they didn't follow the Chelsea/Pool crashing course.

 

[bluesfan94]

They were expected top 4 and two of the teams projected before them crashed hard. Thus making them 2nd if they didn't follow the Chelsea/Pool crashing course.

They weren’t expected to be top 4 though. They were expected to be in the mix for top 4. You can go back in the thread

 

[Savant]

Arsenal were not favorites for top 2 preseason, but they have been since like October, so I guess it depends on how you want to interpret that

 

[Spring in Fialta]

So Arsenal should have been 4th last year behind City, Liverpool and Chelsea.
With Liverpool and Chelsea falling in flames, they were expected to be 2nd.
They added Saliba, Jesus, Zinchenko, Trossard and Jorginho (and Fabio Vieira) to that team supposed to be 2nd.
Sure they had a great stretch and were at times favourite for the title given City's form (they have already lost more games than last year).

Have Arsenal performed better than leat year? They sure have (10 less defeats).
Is their expected ranking 2nd ? Yes.

If they win the title, it's a great achievement. If they don't, they finish exactly where they are supposed to finish.

This can all be true but I find it odd that we wouldn't consider how the season itself went. Arsenal have been in the driver's seat all season. They blew this blowing two straight 2-0 leads and needed God and ET to not fall to last-place Southampton. I don't think they should be ridiculed or firings but I don't think it's valid to just go with pre-season expectations.

 

[Evilo]

Arsenal were not favorites for top 2 preseason, but they have been since like October, so I guess it depends on how you want to interpret that

They were top 4 favourites since they should have finished 4th last year and added Zinchenko, Jesus and Saliba. That's more than Spurs.
But the two teams above them crashed hard. Meaning that if they play like they should they should finish 2nd.

 

[bluesfan94]

This can all be true but I find it odd that we wouldn't consider how the season itself went. Arsenal have been in the driver's seat all season. They blew this blowing two straight 2-0 leads and needed God and ET to not fall to last-place Southampton. I don't think they should be ridiculed or firings but I don't think it's valid to just go with pre-season expectations.

Sure, but in the context of Arteta's performance as manager and in terms of looking at overall happiness with the season, the fact that we have (1) drastically improved results; (2) outperformed expectations; and (3) played gorgeous football means that this season has been a success to me. I get that some people are unable to have that perspective, but Arteta and Arsenal have always talked about the rebuild process taking time - understandably so - and the purchases have been younger players, as are the stars. We're the second youngest team in the EPL and would be the youngest title winner. That we might not win in our first real title chase against a team that has been the best team in England, if not football, for the past decade and who just signed a record setting striker doesn't really bother me.

Is it disappointing? Sure. But it's not like anyone should be thinking of firing Arteta or anything along those lines. I mean, using that same logic (and I know this wasn't you saying this, I'm responding expansively), if City doesn't win the league, should Pep be fired? What if they don't win CL, too?

They were top 4 favourites since they should have finished 4th last year and added Zinchenko, Jesus and Saliba. That's more than Spurs.
But the two teams above them crashed hard. Meaning that if they play like they should they should finish 2nd.

Except they didn't finish 4th last year and that's not how anything works.

 

[bluesfan94]

Wolves probably just ensured their survival.

 

[bluesfan94]

Bamford with an all time bad miss.

 

[hatterson]

Bamford with an all time bad miss.

That was legit impressive. Actually hard to miss.

 

[robertmac43]

Bamford was brutal yesterday. Miss aside, the guy looked like a slug lol

 

[bluesfan94]

Trying my best to not think about the game and its implications. It's not going well.

 

[Brunkmeister]

Trying my best to not think about the game and its implications. It's not going well.

I’m just trying to tell myself that i rather have games like this when everything is on stake than playing for 8th. It’s a spectacular game and i probably won’t be able to enjoy it as much as i would like to. Will try though.

 

[bluesfan94]

I’m just trying to tell myself that i rather have games like this when everything is on stake than playing for 8th. It’s a spectacular game and i probably won’t be able to enjoy it as much as i would like to. Will try though.

Oh 100%. I love having games like this. Just not when I need to work for the next four hours.

 

[Brunkmeister]

Oh 100%. I love having games like this. Just not when I need to work for the next four hours.

Feel ya. Should’ve done like robertmac and take the day off Very happy i was early on this so they were able to granted me vacay. Hope at least you’re busy so that you don’t have to think too much about what’s coming up.

Let’s go!