GWT: PL Matchweek 25

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Bayern's reign of 7 straight titles is already the best in Bundesliga history. Same with Serie A and Juve with their 8 straight titles. Both are 1 team leagues and everyone else in the league is feeder club to the biggest one. We are literally witnessing the most dominant/lopsided domestic eras in first division football leagues.

But you see the difference in Dortmund as opposed Lille for example. Hell look at the Bundesliga this year and how close it is in comparison to the French League.

 

[Cassano]

Criminal they bought some mugs? Higuain and Pjanic are so overrated on this forum. Arsenal should sign them and then you can post all you want about "criminal".

If we purchased Higuain in 2013 like we were supposed to, we probably have a league title by now and I'd probably be banned from the forum Lol.

 

[Halladay]

The fact that City is on pace for only 78 points after they have spent since Pep go there shouldnt be acceptable to them. They got the same amount his first season. Also the fact that he continues to play Gundogan and Otamendi over Foden and Garcia is perplexing as the league is over for them. Really headscratching.

 

[Cassano]

But you see the difference in Dortmund as opposed Lille for example. Hell look at the Bundesliga this year and how close it is in comparison to the French League.

I see what you mean, but at the end of the day, you, me and my dog know FC Hollywood will get the job done with the large talent gap over other teams. They probably won't lose another match domestically the rest of the season.

 

[Cassano]

The fact that City is on pace for only 78 points after they have spent since Pep go there shouldnt be acceptable to them. They got the same amount his first season. Also the fact that he continues to play Gundogan and Otamendi over Foden and Garcia is perplexing as the league is over for them. Really headscratching.

Also B. Silva was unplayable, probably the best player in the PL last season and probably trending towards the best midfielder on the planet. What the hell happened?

 

[Halladay]

Also B. Silva was unplayable, probably the best player in the PL last season and probably trending towards the best midfielder on the planet. What the hell happened?

Good point. He didn't start today either. He too can play midfield instead of Gundogan. If Pep is going to stay which I think he will, I don't see why he wouldn't want to start playing these younger players more.

 

[les Habs]

If we purchased Higuain in 2013 like we were supposed to, we probably have a league title by now and I'd probably be banned from the forum Lol.

You might be banned for this suggestion.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

If we purchased Higuain in 2013 like we were supposed to, we probably have a league title by now and I'd probably be banned from the forum Lol.

No you wouldn't have. Unless you put in the fat ass in goal.

The fact that City is on pace for only 78 points after they have spent since Pep go there shouldnt be acceptable to them. They got the same amount his first season. Also the fact that he continues to play Gundogan and Otamendi over Foden and Garcia is perplexing as the league is over for them. Really headscratching.

No one is above criticism but its isn't fireable. I mean they still stand in second and have a chance at the CL.

I see what you mean, but at the end of the day, you, me and my dog know FC Hollywood will get the job done with the large talent gap over other teams. They probably won't lose another match domestically the rest of the season.

Maybe we'll see.

 

[Cassano]

No you wouldn't have. Unless you put in the fat ass in goal.



No one is above criticism but its isn't fireable. I mean they still stand in second and have a chance at the CL.



Maybe we'll see.

Nah. 2015-16, Arsenal led the league in clean sheets and had the 2nd best defensive record. Alexis and Giroud scored like 5 league goals total post January. Higuain set the record for most goals in a Serie A season ever. That season is Wenger's/Gazidis's biggest failure. Still not over it. I don't think I ever will be.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Nah. 2015-16, Arsenal led the league in clean sheets and had the 2nd best defensive record. Alexis and Giroud scored like 5 league goals total post January. Higuain set the record for most goals in a Serie A season ever. That season is Wenger's/Gazidis's biggest failure. Still not over it. I don't think I ever will be.

He would've flopped when it mattered most.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Criminal they bought some mugs? Higuain and Pjanic are so overrated on this forum. Arsenal should sign them and then you can post all you want about "criminal".

Eh, Higuain sucks now (although he's having a quietly solid season), but he was coming off a season where he broke a scoring record that had stood for over six decades. A mug he was not.

 

[les Habs]

Eh, Higuain sucks now (although he's having a quietly solid season), but he was coming off a season where he broke a scoring record that had stood for over six decades. A mug he was not.

He said 2013 for starters, and he's not as good as his goal record would suggest. Very easy to see if you've watched him with regularity.

 

[Cassano]

He would've flopped when it mattered most.

Well, he would fit right in then.

 

[Cassano]

He said 2013 for starters, and he's not as good as his goal record would suggest. Very easy to see if you've watched him with regularity.

Arsenal needed goals. We were by far the best team in England with regards to xG, xGA, xPts but Giroud played with his clown shoes the last 15 games of the season.

 

[les Habs]

Arsenal needed goals. We were by far the best team in England with regards to xG, xGA, xPts but Giroud played with his clown shoes the last 15 games of the season.

What season are your referring to?

 

[Cassano]

What season are your referring to?

2015-16. The best chance the club had at winning the title and they were the only team in Europe not to buy an outfield player (only Cech) that season.

I don't want to hear Utd fans complain about Woodward again.

 

[les Habs]

2015-16. The best chance the club had at winning the title and they were the only team in Europe not to buy an outfield player (only Cech) that season.

I don't want to hear Utd fans complain about Woodward again.

Meh, you're drawing some lines that aren't necessarily there. Higuain wouldn't have guaranteed you the title that season.

 

[Cassano]

Meh, you're drawing some lines that aren't necessarily there. Higuain wouldn't have guaranteed you the title that season.

IDK bruh not necessarily Higuain, but a reasonable cover for depth would have done it IMO. No one can convince me otherwise.

In 2013 the midfield had very good players in Wilshere, Ramsey, Ox, Cazorla, Arteta and Rosicky. We then signed Ozil for 40m, which was a no-brainer, but didn't address the concerns up front. We continued to rely on Giroud as our starting striker for 4 seasons.

Now we have no midfielders and 2 strikers who can't play together and the whole squad needs to be nuked. Disgusting.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

He said 2013 for starters, and he's not as good as his goal record would suggest. Very easy to see if you've watched him with regularity.

I don't give a shit what he said, that's not what I'm responding to. Whatever thing Cassano is going on about with Arsenal is completely irrelevant to me. You referred to Juve buying a mug in Higuain. They bought him after 2015-16. In that season he was genuinely that good. You don't break a record that's old enough to get social security by being a mug.

 

[AB13]

In 2015-16, Özil had 16 assists by December, we were top of the league for very long, and Giroud broke the record for the most big chances missed in a season by a large margin. At this time of the season in 2016, the odds had us at like 1.5 times the money to win the league. But Giroud did not score a single goal for 4 months between January and April, while starting every game and playing alongside Özil who absolutely shattered the record for chances created in a season. Arsenal had the best defence and by far the best xG, we would have won the league very comfortably if we had Aubameyang, Lacazette or any other decent striker. I know it is fashionable and trendy to always paint Arsenal in as negative a light as possible, but I can’t see how you could not argue Higuain would have won us the league that year. Welbeck being fit to replace Giroud during his horrendous run of form would be enough. In 2015-16, Arsenal had the best squad in the league, a prime Mesut Özil setting all kinds of records and Koscielny being a rock at the back. Without Sanchez injury, things would have been so different.

 

[Live in the Now]

You didn’t have one though, so it does not matter whatsoever.

 

[hatterson]

In 15-16 Arsenal were top of the league for a total of 4 match weeks with 3 of those spent on top only due to goal difference. They were never more than 2 points clear at the top.

Their pace through the first half of the season was lower than Leicester's title winning pace.

At "this point" of the season (25 games played) they were 5 points back of Leicester, level with Spurs, and 1 ahead of City with the worst goal differential of the group.

Giroud actually scored *more* goals than his xG that season. The underperformance in terms of goals scored vs xG actually came from Ramsey, Walcott, and Ozil.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I mean City waived the white flag at the league today. They are going to put all their eggs in the cup basket. Does that mean they are better than Madrid? Hard to say. The form of Sterling and Bernardo have fallen off a cliff and they still only have one competent defender, but I wouldn’t say it is wise to underestimate them either.

KdB is still amazing, Mahrez can have his moments and Aguero on his game is one of the top striker. It is not a walk in the park for Real Madrid

 

[JeffreyLFC]

If Pep actually went to PSG he would finally deserve all the criticism he gets. To run away to a league with no competition would be rather damning. We'll have to wait and see though.

There was rumors last summer about Juventus. It would not surprise me.

 

[AB13]

In 15-16 Arsenal were top of the league for a total of 4 match weeks with 3 of those spent on top only due to goal difference. They were never more than 2 points clear at the top.

Their pace through the first half of the season was lower than Leicester's title winning pace.

At "this point" of the season (25 games played) they were 5 points back of Leicester, level with Spurs, and 1 ahead of City with the worst goal differential of the group.

Giroud actually scored *more* goals than his xG that season. The underperformance in terms of goals scored vs xG actually came from Ramsey, Walcott, and Ozil.

Why was Girouds xG so low? Because his movement was completely horrendous which stopped him from getting in to good positions. I remember Arsenal had the lead in January, with the best form by far and the best run of fixtures. With a top class Striker who could finish chances, we would easially have won, since we created the most chances out of any team by quite a fair margin and had the best defensive record. There simply is no way around that. Sanchez or Welbeck being fit would probably be enough.