Just watched the highlights. Brentford were worth the draw. They could equally have scored more. Brentford are the surprise package of this year. Hope they can sustain it and stay up.
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The 2021-2022 Football Thread
- Thread starter Scepticalscribe
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Might have even got the W if that 3rd goal wasn't deflected ever so slightly away from the Bees keeper.
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Agree; Brentford were well worth the draw, and I, too, hope that they not only stay up, but thrive and prosper.
And agree with @Lord Blackadder that Liverpool's yellow kit is dire; not just awful, but absolutely brutal on the eye.
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The Bees look great, I wish them a strong season. Go forth and take points off Chelsea and the Manchester clubs. 
@Scepticalscribe must be on cloud nine! North London derby is going the way of Arsenal in a big way. Is this the motivation they needed?
The two clubs are on opposite trajectories at the moment...the 'green shoots' at Arsenal are fragile but their recent form has been on the up and up.
Conversely, Spurs are struggling on and off the pitch. Nuno is a good manager but I think it's questionable whether he and Spurs are a good fit.
Could be a big day for the gooners....but both clubs are good at late collapses so hold the champagne for a bit.
It would be a major turnaround for Arsenal to lose this. To make matters worse I’m away with an Arsenal fan for the next three days! He’ll be full of it!
He'll be full of it till they go and lose to Brighton next week.
This is their third successive victory; an extremely good result and a happy Gooner, here.
There was an excellent piece in the Guardian yesterday by Jonathan Wilson with the title "Arsenal's struggles offer Spurs grim warning of their own mediocre future" which argued that while Arsenal's decline dated from the time they moved to the Emirates, - drawing an interesting comparison by way of warning with Spurs - but also noting the fact that tactics also changed, (Mr Wenger was no longer ahead of the game), and that the footballing world was transformed - changed utterly - by the appearance of owners (oligarchs such as Abramovich at Chelsea, and individuals such as Sheikh Mansour of Manchester City, who are members of the ruling family of a wealthy Gulf State) who had bottomless resources that rendered gate receipts (from new stadiums with greater capacities) almost irrelevant.
I don't see us losing this; 3-0 by half time is a decent cushion, although Spurs have just scored what used to be known as a "consolation goal."
He'll be full of it till they go and lose to Brighton next week.
There is too much truth in this to ignore, alas.
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Arsenal's last three opponents have been weaker teams - so while those wins are great results, they'll need to be better still if they hope to keep winning.
However, momentum can be valuable, so Arteta will hope this creates a platform for the squad to develop further.
Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton.
Apparently when you pit two teams that like to make the game a grind against each other...the game becomes a real grind.
Apparently when you pit two teams that like to make the game a grind against each other...the game becomes a real grind.
Apart from three successive victories (against weaker teams, granted, yes, but Spurs used to be a serious challenger for honours until relativey recently), the other positive thing about the victory over Spurs this week-end was the quality of Arsenal's performance in the first half, and the fact that Mikel Arteta gave first team places to promising youngsters who vindicated his selection choices in how they played.
At last, we are beginning to get a glimpse of the sort of team Arsenal might yet become, or, grow into, under Arteta.
If he gets the time. Another year without European football (and I think you’ll probably get some), and it will be time for him to go I think. Your losing ground on many of the other teams around you (like us).
To be honest, I really think that the Europa Cup is a complete waste of time (and energy, effort, resources) and an utter and total distraction, unless - firstly, by some mad freak or combination of endurance, good fortune, and divine blessings, one actually happens to win the trophy, which automatically awards you with a place in the Champion's League, or secondly, you are a team that have never played in Europe, in which case it is a valuable experience and offers both money and exposure and prestige.
Personally, I'd prefer to stay out of Europe completely until we have rebuilt the team - thta is, from the back out, have them playing together - as a squad, learning, and developing confidence. For now, although there are definite signs of improvement, - the young players are very promising and have both a positive atttude as well as skill, tenacity and energy, this is still very much a work in progress.
We are not going to regain, or recapture, ground, until the deadwood is cleared out (which is finally happening), the youngsters have grown into themselves and have confidence in their abilities, attitudes have improved, Arsenal stop making stupid mistakes, (anyone can make mistakes, but repeating the same, silly errorsendlessly is moronic) and the team - as a team, not just a collection of talented individuals, - can play well together as a balanced unit.
That will take some time; in general, (unlike, for example, Chelsea, or Manchester United in recent years, before OGS, or the growing tetchiness of Pep at Manchester City - I foresee a parting of the ways in the relatively near future - as @Lord Blackadder has pointed out on a number of occasions, Pep is not used to managing a team when conditions become challenging or contrary) - Arsenal are not in the habit of jettisoning their managers hastily.
In this context, Unai Emery was something of an exception.
In other words, I think that Arteta will be given another season at least, especially if there are clear signs of an improvement in attitude, outlook, performance and results; and remember, too, he has already won a FA Cup with Arsenal, which is more than Mauricio Pochettino - who was excellent - ever managed to do with Spurs.
The trouble is the top players don’t want to come to teams that don’t offer European football. But as Paul Merson put it, Arsenal aren’t going in for those players.
Well, from what I can see, (and Arsenal didn't always buy intelligently, even when the "top" players showed an interest in travelling to London to play with the club), the "top" players don't always deliver, can cost an absolute fortune, and don't always manage to blend into a team, insisting instead, that a team be built around them, which can be unsettling, destabilising, and - usually - is pretty unsuccessful, to boot.
These days, I'm happier with promoting, developing and encouraging youngsters; but that approach takes time.
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I think the key is getting the right mix between youngsters who are coming through, good players in their prime and a few older wiser heads to tie it all together.
Successful players brought in can really add to the team (Eric Catana at Utd comes to mind), or can really upset the apple cart. Especially if they feel they are better than everyone else.
Agreed that a blend, or mix, of youth, and maturity (in age and attitude, both) can work best.
Cantona is a good example, but he was an unusual player.
And agree completely with your final sentence, because players who think that way, also seem to think that the team should be built around them and should service their talent and their needs.
But, both the players in their prime, and what you (rightly) describe as the "older, wiser heads" - while immensely valuable, indeed, invaluable, if switched on, - need to be motivated, and interested, and committed, and not just coasting on an obscenely high salary until their contract runs out.
Liverpool cruised past Porto aided by some suicidal goalkeeping by Porto's man between the sticks (well, he should have been between the sticks, but he spent rather too much time on walkabout). It's a tough group so a big win like this could make a huge difference.
Curtis Jones had another excellent game - I am increasingly convinced he can cut it on the elite level. Milner stood in for Trent again, and it's worth pointing out that when Milner plays at right back he can do a decent shift as an attacking fullback - not just a defender. He gets forward and puts in crosses, and can still do it for 90 minutes. Nearly miraculous at his age.
Man City come down to earth with a bump against PSG after their win over Chelsea, with Messi applying the coupe de grace. Real Madrid beaten by Sheriff, that's a result to savor.
October will have some tough matches for 'Pool...first Man City this weekend, later on away trips to Atletico Madrid and Old Trafford, and Brighton's visit to Anfield won't be a walk in the park either. Having said all this now, they'll probably win all those matches and then lose to Watford.
Curtis Jones had another excellent game - I am increasingly convinced he can cut it on the elite level. Milner stood in for Trent again, and it's worth pointing out that when Milner plays at right back he can do a decent shift as an attacking fullback - not just a defender. He gets forward and puts in crosses, and can still do it for 90 minutes. Nearly miraculous at his age.
Man City come down to earth with a bump against PSG after their win over Chelsea, with Messi applying the coupe de grace. Real Madrid beaten by Sheriff, that's a result to savor.
October will have some tough matches for 'Pool...first Man City this weekend, later on away trips to Atletico Madrid and Old Trafford, and Brighton's visit to Anfield won't be a walk in the park either. Having said all this now, they'll probably win all those matches and then lose to Watford.
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Some exciting results in the Championship today!
High-flying Coventry being pummeled at the hands of 17th Placed Luton!
Derby taking out Reading and Fulham and Forest both scoring 3 goals on the way to wins. Fulham's three all scored by Mitrovic.
High-flying Coventry being pummeled at the hands of 17th Placed Luton!
Derby taking out Reading and Fulham and Forest both scoring 3 goals on the way to wins. Fulham's three all scored by Mitrovic.