Football 2015/16

[eFestivals]

That win in the first game though might be there downfall. There's a very good chance that win will give them the Europa league in the spring.

ahhh, hadn't thought of that ... tho that could be one to give some kids some Europe experience. It's the sort of thing Wenger likes to do.

[Gucci Piggy]

Yeah I'm sure Wenger would just treat the Europa League like the League Cup. No way he'd be sending his first team to away games in Europe on a Thursday with important PL matches at the weekend.

Not sure why so many people seem to have written them off qualifying from the group, though. Beat Zagreb and beat Olympiacos by a better result than 2-1 and they're most likely through. Yeah the away match Olympiacos will be tough, but not impossible.

[ThomThomDrum]

Not sure what them being being the Premier League's 'form team' has to do with it, unless it's more proof of how shit the Premier League apparently is.

This is exactly it and I dont think the "apparently" is required there............

Edited November 5, 2015 by ThomThomDrum

[mrtourette]

So Bayern beating Arsenal shows that the Premier League isn't very good?

[ThomThomDrum]

They didn't just beat them. They ripped em a new one. The best the PL could offer was not even nearly competitive. Sad state really 

[Gucci Piggy]

Well they did also beat them 2-0 two weeks prior. A 5-3 loss to Bayern over 180 minutes isn't exactly wild.

[ThomThomDrum]

The "best defence in the Premier League" shipping 5 goals in 90 mins is pretty wild to me.

[eFestivals]

The "best defence in the Premier League" shipping 5 goals in 90 mins is pretty wild to me.

but it wasn't their best defence, was it?

If any team puts out their not-best defence, you wouldn't expect that not-best defence to defend as well as their best defence.

Arsenal have some key players out at the mo. That's going to impact on how they play.

[mjsell]

but it wasn't their best defence, was it?

If any team puts out their not-best defence, you wouldn't expect that not-best defence to defend as well as their best defence.

Arsenal have some key players out at the mo. That's going to impact on how they play.

Well made point. The derby at the weekend has come at an awful time. I genuinely would have been tempted to have rested players on Wednesday once I knew that the defence was going to look like it did - but then we don't even have players that could have come in - all our good youngsters are out on loan.

Goes to show though how well Bellerin has done in the last year or so. Debuchy looks awful in comparison. And Gabriel must have only found he was playing quite soon before the game, he just didn't look ready mentally.

I'm assuming Gibbs will start left-mid Sunday as Campbell just doesn't look good enough - and three games in a week after not starting in the league ever for us might be a shock to the system.

On the topic of quality of leagues, the result Wednesday wasn't a surprise and did anyone actually think beforehand that the top English team (whoever that is) could compete with the top German team? The matchups from 2nd to 20th would be far more interesting.  

[mrtourette]

They didn't just beat them. They ripped em a new one. The best the PL could offer was not even nearly competitive. Sad state really 

Why would that be a negative judgment on the Premier League rather than how good Bayern Munich are? the fact that Bayern are better than any English team doesn't really mean much.

[Chris Lfc]

A win in Europe is a good win indeed for Liverpool, hated our old mentality of not taking other cups seriously. What's the point in travelling all that way just to either put on a plan B team or not try hard enough? I heard Klopp is calling all the loaned Liverpool players up to see what they're like aswell. Also can't wait to see how England will do against Spain and France, 2 very tough tests to say the least.

[ThomThomDrum]

Why would that be a negative judgment on the Premier League rather than how good Bayern Munich are? the fact that Bayern are better than any English team doesn't really mean much.

Because most people outside of the UK and Ireland will judge such based on how the best teams in the premier league do against the best from another league and the likes of the Champions League is the only place they will see such. An embarrassing result like that of the other night has many folk about Europe and the rest of the World thinking the PL is not as strong as some in the British Isles would like you to believe...........................

[pink_triangle]

Why would that be a negative judgment on the Premier League rather than how good Bayern Munich are? the fact that Bayern are better than any English team doesn't really mean much.

I actually think city with a full squad playing on form would compete well with Bayern.   Of course they have underperformed in Europe, but some signs of improvement.

[Dan R]

Because most people outside of the UK and Ireland will judge such based on how the best teams in the premier league do against the best from another league and the likes of the Champions League is the only place they will see such. An embarrassing result like that of the other night has many folk about Europe and the rest of the World thinking the PL is not as strong as some in the British Isles would like you to believe...........................

But Arsenal did beat Germany's best team just a few weeks ago, albeit nowhere near as comprehensively but Bayern are an absolutely incredible team at the moment. And they beat Germanys second best team by the same scoreline so what does that say about the German league? 

Individual match results mean very little and the other 5 English teams won in Europe this week, so it's not all doom and gloom.

[pink_triangle]

A win in Europe is a good win indeed for Liverpool, hated our old mentality of not taking other cups seriously. What's the point in travelling all that way just to either put on a plan B team or not try hard enough? I heard Klopp is calling all the loaned Liverpool players up to see what they're like aswell. Also can't wait to see how England will do against Spain and France, 2 very tough tests to say the least.

The Europa league offers champions league football for the winner, which I think makes it worth the effort for Liverpool and Spurs.

I don't think international friendlies shoe much regardless of the opposition. Spain lost several between 2008 and 2012 while at the same time losing (I think only one) hardly any competitive matches.

[pink_triangle]

Gerrard didn't realise that travel, humidity, altitude and artificial pitches would be hurdles he would meet in the mls.

I know footballers aren't the brainiest but you would think they would research a move abroad or pay someone else, or even when it comes to the geography of the USA look at a map!

[mrtourette]

Because most people outside of the UK and Ireland will judge such based on how the best teams in the premier league do against the best from another league and the likes of the Champions League is the only place they will see such. An embarrassing result like that of the other night has many folk about Europe and the rest of the World thinking the PL is not as strong as some in the British Isles would like you to believe...........................

Well yes, people are generally idiots.

[Gucci Piggy]

Well made point. The derby at the weekend has come at an awful time. I genuinely would have been tempted to have rested players on Wednesday once I knew that the defence was going to look like it did - but then we don't even have players that could have come in - all our good youngsters are out on loan.

Goes to show though how well Bellerin has done in the last year or so. Debuchy looks awful in comparison. And Gabriel must have only found he was playing quite soon before the game, he just didn't look ready mentally.

I'm assuming Gibbs will start left-mid Sunday as Campbell just doesn't look good enough - and three games in a week after not starting in the league ever for us might be a shock to the system.

On the topic of quality of leagues, the result Wednesday wasn't a surprise and did anyone actually think beforehand that the top English team (whoever that is) could compete with the top German team? The matchups from 2nd to 20th would be far more interesting.  

Christ. Gibbs is worse in his actual position than Campbell is on the wing. No thanks.

[Gucci Piggy]

Arsenal aren't even top of the Premier League. Why are they suddently the best team in England in this discussion about the Bayern match?

The only people who will be thinking they're currently the best team in England will be the people who have been watching all of their recent matches and seen what good form they're in. To the rest of Europe they're probably still regarded as the 3rd/4th best team in England, so it really isn't that embarrassing for the PL.

[eFestivals]

Arsenal aren't even top of the Premier League. Why are they suddently the best team in England in this discussion about the Bayern match?

if the season pan out as they normally do, Arsenal are guaranteed top-spot this year. They tend to improve as the season goes on, while City blow hot and cold.

 

[fred quimby]

 They tend to improve as the season goes on, 

 

But then Bottle it at the end

[Gucci Piggy]

But then Bottle it at the end

Does this ever actually happen?

[eFestivals]

But then Bottle it at the end

nope.

That's happened, not not for many years now. In recent seasons they've started poorly but been the strongest (or almost) team by the end.

[mjsell]

Have to get past the February collapse first though. 

Last few seasons a loss to Spurs around February/March time acts as the start of an outrageous run of good results 

[eFestivals]

Have to get past the February collapse first though. 

if a collapse is rising forever-higher up the table (as has been the case in all recent seasons but one) then yes Arsenal have a February collapse.