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The 2022-2023 Football Thread

HandsomeDanNZ said:
Well...that's the end of the title race then.
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Unfortunately, yes, I think - barring some entirely unforseen and unexpected disaster befalling Manchester City - I think that it is.

I sincerely hope that Arsenal don't collapse for the remainder of the season.

And - while it was gracious - Manchester City commenting about how tough the game was (no, we were oufought, outgunned, outclassed - if it had't been for Ramsdale, who was excellent, we could have been defeated by 6-1, or 7-1, for, apart from a few sporadic scatter-gun attacks, we never really threatened them) does rather stick in the craw.

Worse, I suspect that this is a dress rehearsal for what will happen when we see the crowning ceremony for the actual title, when Manchester City will congratulate Arsenal with platitudes about what a powerful challenge they offered, what an excellent team they are (and difficult to defeat) and how Mikel Arteta has shown himself to be a worthy and diligent disciple of Pep Guardiola, but hasn't yet managed to surpass the master.

Yes, manners matter, - of course they do - but, for Manchester City, I think that this is all a little too smooth, a little too glib, and a little too easy.
 
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Unsurprising outcome

Now that the pressure and expectation is gone maybe Arsenal willl start playing well again
They became too pre-occupied with City and allowed them to live rent-free in their heads. Instead of focusing on themselves which is why they wobbled

Could've easily been 11pts clear before today but frankly they 'bottled it' and handed an undeserving City side the title. City probably can't believe how lucky they've been either.

I really hope Arsenal don't fade out the rest of their season and undo all their positive work so far.

Shame for the neutral because its become quite predictable again. And it seems the status quo is back.

And maybe the media will leave them alone too...probably not.

Meanwhile Liverpool look like they have an outside shot for top 4
 
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There's been much discussion about what Saliba brings to the Arsenal team, but the Premier League social media dept posted an interesting load of stats on FB:

With Saliba:
  • Games - 27
  • Clean Sheets - 12
  • Shots faced per match - 8.3
  • Win % - 78%
  • Points per match - 2.4

Without Saliba:
  • Games - 5
  • Clean Sheets - 0
  • Shots faced per match - 12.2
  • Win % - 40%
  • Points per match - 1.8

Pretty clear how much they are missing him.
 
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The recent drawn games are going to come back to haunt Arsenal in my opinion especially when you consider how dominant Arsenal have been during this season you would have expected them to win those games based on past performances but now it is drawn 3 and lost one and you just cannot do that at this stage of the season when you have another strong team trying to chase you down. What is more hurting for Arsenal again in my opinion is that City are still in the fight for other competitions whereas Arsenal have not meaning Arsenal only have the league to concentrate on meaning they do not have to worry about players getting injured or fatigued due to having to play in other competitions. This just goes to show the depth of quality between City and Arsenal with City putting in a performance like that knowing they have other important competitions to compete in with there being more chances for their players to get injured.
 
HandsomeDanNZ said:
There's been much discussion about what Saliba brings to the Arsenal team, but the Premier League social media dept posted an interesting load of stats on FB:

With Saliba:
  • Games - 27
  • Clean Sheets - 12
  • Shots faced per match - 8.3
  • Win % - 78%
  • Points per match - 2.4

Without Saliba:
  • Games - 5
  • Clean Sheets - 0
  • Shots faced per match - 12.2
  • Win % - 40%
  • Points per match - 1.8

Pretty clear how much they are missing him.
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Oh, excellent; this really does spell out, in damning and compelling stats, just exactly how much we miss Saliba and what it has cost us.
 
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Both City and Arsenal have got to play teams fighting against relegation and we all know from past seasons that when league survival is on the line, the relegation battle teams are able to pull out a win when it matters because losing against City or Arsenal could potentially relegate the team playing against them or pulling out a win could potentially mean City or Arsenal losing the league title. This is probably what neutral fans wanted, a tight finish at the top and a tight finish at the bottom.
 
laptech said:
Both City and Arsenal have got to play teams fighting against relegation and we all know from past seasons that when league survival is on the line, the relegation battle teams are able to pull out a win when it matters because losing against City or Arsenal could potentially relegate the team playing against them or pulling out a win could potentially mean City or Arsenal losing the league title. This is probably what neutral fans wanted, a tight finish at the top and a tight finish at the bottom.
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Top is done.

I cannot see Man City dropping six points or Arsenal winning all their games.
 
Sal09 said:
Top is done.

I cannot see Man City dropping six points or Arsenal winning all their games.
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If City only had the league to fight for then yes I would have called it done as well but City still have a two leg champions league games to play in amongst the league games and all it takes is for a player(s) to get injured in those games against Real Madrid and suddenly the tide could turn. What if Haaland or De Bruyne were to get injured in any of the Madrid games and are out for the rest of the season? because both player have been instrumental for City.

It is going to be a tough call for Pep because we all know managers will rest players for certain games so will he not risk players for the champions league games to make sure City have a good chance of retaining the league title or will he not risk players for league games and concentrate on trying to win the champions league.
 
HandsomeDanNZ said:
yeah, I thought you might like that.
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Thank you, @HandsomeDanNZ: Very telling stats.

And something which should give us food for thought; clearly, reinforcements are required in some of those defensive positions.

@Sal09:

We cannot say with any certainty (not least because it falls into "what if?" territory) how Arsenal would have done against both West Ham and Southampton had Saliba been fit and able to play; however, - notwithstanding the fact that both teams are strongly motivated as we approach the end of the season for they are threatened by relegation and thus far harder than usual to defeat - I think it possible that we may have claimed all of the points from these fixtures.

However, when Manchester City are fully functional, firing on all cylinders, passionately motivated about the outcome (because it matters) and playing at home, they are exceptionally diffiuclt to defeat.

The irony is that Ramsdale was one of our best players last night, - without him, the score could well have been six or seven goals to City, which would not have flattered them, alas - but the (inadequate) defence left him horribly exposed.

The other thing is that while we have been delighted (with very good reason) with the arrival and impact of both Gabriel Jesus and Zinchenko all season, these were players - excellent though they are - who were considered possibly superfluous to requirements at City (and probably wished to leave as they weren't getting enough game time). They wouldn't have been sold to us otherwise. Think about that.
 
Arsenal only have themselves to blame. But maybe next year.

A lot of the other teams still have work to do to be anywhere near challenging City next season anyway

Noel Gallagher is one of the main reasons why City will never be my cup of tea. Akin to John Terry at Chelsea.

I had hopes for Brighton but it seems they’re starting to reach their limit. Maybe Villa.
 
Well after an unbeaten run of 17 games, 12 wins in 13, Ipswich are finally on the verge of their first promotion for 23 years.

The past couple of months have been incredible. We were so far off it in February, and then a run no one saw coming has seen us beat Bolton, Derby, Peterborough & Barnsley away without conceding to put us on the brink of promotion back to the Championship.

This is easily the best Ipswich side for years. The football we are playing is sublime and we just seem to be getting better each game. Saturday can seal promotion at a sold out Portman Road in the sun. It's going to easily be the biggest day in our history for 23 years. COYB!
 
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ScrumpyDaniel said:
Well after an unbeaten run of 17 games, 12 wins in 13, Ipswich are finally on the verge of their first promotion for 23 years.

The past couple of months have been incredible. We were so far off it in February, and then a run no one saw coming has seen us beat Bolton, Derby, Peterborough & Barnsley away without conceding to put us on the brink of promotion back to the Championship.

This is easily the best Ipswich side for years. The football we are playing is sublime and we just seem to be getting better each game. Saturday can seal promotion at a sold out Portman Road in the sun. It's going to easily be the biggest day in our history for 23 years. COYB!
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AAaaahhh Ipswich, I remember them well, a great team under Bobby Robson. My elder sister fancied Paul Mariner hence why at the time she supported Ipswich lol
 
2 points dropped. New manager bounce for Spurs, or United's mental strength and quality in depth in question yet again?
 
Silencio said:
2 points dropped. New manager bounce for Spurs, or United's mental strength and quality in depth in question yet again?
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Just Spurs being all Spursy.

In other news - Saints have more-or-less sealed their fate with a loss to Bournemouth.
Insipid and toothless are two words.
Both of those words could be used by a Saints fan.
 
So...it's starting to look like a three-horse race between Leicester, Leeds and Forest for who will join Southampton and Everton in the drop.

The worrying thing for the likes of Leicester, Everton and Saints is the fact that none of them have been out of the Prem for a while now and the reality of The Championship may hit a little harder than it would for Forest or Leeds.
IN saying that, Saints have been there, done that - even faced administration when in the lower reaches of the football league pyramid, so there's a proven ability to ride out the storm, I suppose.

The problem is, so many things have changed since Saints (or Leicester for that matter) have been down in the Football League. Academies are not what they once were - especially worrying for Saints, who had one of the best in the world at one point. The ability to pull gifted youth from a good academy is not something any of these teams will be able to rely on in the Championship.

Forest have spent an absolute fortune on players - I can't help but feel they'll have to sell the vast majority of their squad if they get the chop, as they will need to balance the books for the fight in the Championship. You can't pay Prem wages in that league.

Everton have their own concerns, as it's been over 70 years since they last played outside the top flight. As the BBC said, "They now face a enormous meeting against third-bottom Leicester City at the King Power on Monday - the start of five vital games in a bid to avoid relegation from the top flight for the first time in 72 years."

Leeds - Are they a club that could bounce right back and come up into the top flight again in a year? I'm not so sure. They are a good (at times) side with no confidence and their results are so hit and miss, it's like they're in a division above their pay grade, but they have smashed it in the Championship previously.

A tough season ahead for 3 of these 5 teams.
 
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