XIII said:
It's funny, because Arsenal supporters are in general very optimistic about our season ahead, and we don't see ourselves as on anything like the wane..
It seems youngsters are just getting better (ones to watch next season: Fabregas, Eboue, Robin Van Persie), we have kept the best striker in the world, and we have a new stadium to lift our spirits and hopes.
The thing is, other people see just how good you were when you last won the premier league.... since then you have lost and inspirational captain without replacement, you scraped to 4th with a horrific points tally and have now lost Campbell, Pires and Bergkamp. I see them as not only a weaker team than when they went on the 49 game run, but a weaker team than when they lost the champions league final and united can't even be compared to the 99' team (when, as much as I hate them, they were clearly the worlds best club side). Liverpool are a much much better side than when we won it however.
Farbregas and eboue are two exciting prospects but without experience to back them up, it might be a rocky ride. You have ONE OF the best strikers in the world (it would be naive to discount players like eto, shevchenko and alike) but then again, you had him last season too and for all his genius infront of goal you still finished with a poor tally.
They could always surprise and do really well, but I don't think they will be top three. I do think they will be top four though.
For me, arsenal need quite a few signings to compete. I think it is fair to say that Arsenal do have a bright future (well, actually it is more of a case that it would show poor knowledge not to mention it) They have a new stadium, lots of potentially good players and a windfall for selling naming rights, that said - I think it is too early... they need an experienced midfield enforcer to complement febregas, most of Europes top sides have that player (Chelsea have Essien and Makalele to complement lampard (or ballack...ffs moneybags), Liverpool have Sissoko and Gerrard to complement Alonso, Barca have Xavi and Senna complementing Deco, AC Milan have Emerson complimenting pirlo etc etc). They also need an experienced CB now that Sol Campbell has gone.
Manchester united are distinctly lacking in the midfield department (and after their dream midfield of Beckham - Keane - Scholes - Giggs that is saying something) but I full expect Ferguson to adress this in this transfer window. Their strength is upfront, Rooney, RvN and Saha is a quality strike force, us Scousers can only dream of it.
Chelsea....... The less said the better I think. They have lots of good players in every position. they have spend 30m in transfer fees on two players and 30m each in wages - liverpool have spend a net amount of 3 million. Not an ev en playing field but a challenge is a challenge, there is more than one way to skin a cat and rafa seems to know a few other ways after beating them in the european cup and the fa cup in the last two seasons.
Liverpool, as I've just mentioned are on a budget, although it is naive to think we are ''hard up' because anyone other than a handful of clubs would like to have our kind of money to spend, but for a top club we are skint comparatively. Even newcastle and spurs can outspend us without struggle. Luckily we have a manager that is proven in tight budget situations, both Real Madrid and Barcelona had spent hundreds of million when rafa was at valencia but he still managed to win 2 la ligas and a Uefa cup in his three seasons at the club - Valencia's first league win for 30 years and overturned the "big 2". He did it playing 'total football' conceding the least and scoring the most... You can see parallels between his work there and his work here, although we have won different honours winning the european cup, fa cup, european super cup and finals in the league cup and world club championship cup. He has taken over houllier and we are now playing much much better football... controlling total football.
Thats why I think it is a two horse race
