Weekend Football

[Loafer]

Also I don't think Potter was entirely at fault at Chelsea there

And no team should ever employ Frank lampard as manager again... awful awful manager

[genome]

You don’t understand football then.

Blowing two 2-0 leads and rescuing a draw against the bottom side. It's a bottlejob, no two ways about it. Doesn't matter who they are. Sorry!

[Royal Rother]

Teams’ form ebbs and flows during the course of a long season. Always.

It always irritates me a little when the dip comes towards the end of the season and it gets labelled as bottling it.

City had their dip in form a few months ago to give Arsenal their big lead, that wasn’t labelled at bottling it. Just a dip in form.

Looking at the squad (the youngest in the PL) it is abundantly clear that Arsenal have out-performed anybody’s expectations and have been remarkably consistent but their dip in form happens to have come towards the end of the season.... I just think think it’s trite to use the term bottled.

But there you go, people love to say a team “bottled it” so I suspect I’ll be pretty much a lone voice on this.

[LUX]

come on RR, you are sensitive about it because it's your team.

I'd be pretty sore too if RFC bottled it like that.

[Franchise FC]

All too predictable this would happen.
Arsenal have no depth.

Falling apart because they’re missing just one centre back is not simply a depth issue, is it ?

[Franchise FC]

You don’t understand football then.

Blowing two 2-0 leads and rescuing a draw against the bottom side. It's a bottlejob, no two ways about it. Doesn't matter who they are. Sorry!

It’s those previous three games that are the issue
Pretty much anyone can get seen to by City (see Bayern) so that could be written off as a one-off but the others are unforgivable in the circumstances whatever the squad depth issues

[Winston Biscuit]

form table

Screenshot from 2023-04-27 08-09-26.png (61.59 KiB) Viewed 418 times

[Winston Biscuit]

with the gap between Chelsea and everyone behind closed right up, and with Chelsea due to play Arsenal next, and with Leicester Vs Everton & Bournemouth Vs Leeds also happening next, will Chelsea start being talked about in a relegation fight?

not unrealistic at all to have Chelsea lose, Leicester win and Leeds win. Just then need Forest to somehow win away at Brentford and the bottom 3 closes in on Chelsea

[Franchise FC]

with the gap between Chelsea and everyone behind closed right up, and with Chelsea due to play Arsenal next, and with Leicester Vs Everton & Bournemouth Vs Leeds also happening next, will Chelsea start being talked about in a relegation fight?

not unrealistic at all to have Chelsea lose, Leicester win and Leeds win. Just then need Forest to somehow win away at Brentford and the bottom 3 closes in on Chelsea

Sadly, there’s too many teams between them and the bottom
If the points difference were as it is and only, say, two teams down there it might be possible, but for all of them to overhaul Chelsea would probably be more miraculous than Leicester’s title win

As an example, this weekends fixtures have West Ham/Palace and Bournemouth/Leeds
One of each may get closer, but they can’t both
There’s so many of that sort of fixture to come that 39 (and 13th) is not going to go down

Be funny if they manage 16th or 17th though

[Winston Biscuit]

didn't really think they could get relegated, just wanted them close enough that they are 'in the conversation'

[PATRIQT]

Also I don't think Potter was entirely at fault at Chelsea there

And no team should ever employ Frank lampard as manager again... awful awful manager

8 June 2023 - "Reading Football Club are delighted to welcome Frank Lampard to the Select Car Leasing Stadium on a 3 year contract as Head Coach."

[leon]

Also I don't think Potter was entirely at fault at Chelsea there

And no team should ever employ Frank lampard as manager again... awful awful manager

8 June 2023 - "Reading Football Club are delighted to welcome Frank Lampard to the Select Car Leasing Stadium on a 3 year contract as Head Coach."

I think he's more likely to be England manager. But still the thought of him as RFC manager makes me shudder.

[South Coast Royal]

Absolutely bottled the title.

aROFLsenaLMFAO

Nah, with a pretty thin squad they have done brilliantly to get into a position where shallow people feel able to laugh at them now.

They need a world class striker and central defender, plus a couple of squad strengthening additions this summer. Can’t do everything they’d really like to do to give the sort of depth City have all in one window but the priorities should be pretty clear. Let’s hope they can do it as Haaland is going to get better and we need someone to put up a similar challenge next season.

Other clubs will be after top players as well and there just aren't enough to go round.
Whether it is called a bottle job or not, only drawing at home to a very sorry Southampton , conceding 3 goals was a dreadful and possibly season-defining result and performance.

The signing of Zinchenko was hailed as something special but he really isn't very good and although good Jesus is not a truly top striker nor strong enough to be a central focal point-there are reasons why Pep was prepared to let him go.

Arsenal have done really well this season and gave themselves the chance of being Champions but with the likes of Newcastle, Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and even Spurs likely to be challenging next season Arsenal will probably have to wait for another generation to have such a good chance again.
Also there are still question marks over Partey's future and history will show whether they were fortunate to have had him available at all this season..

[Royal Rother]

Absolutely bottled the title.

aROFLsenaLMFAO

Nah, with a pretty thin squad they have done brilliantly to get into a position where shallow people feel able to laugh at them now.

They need a world class striker and central defender, plus a couple of squad strengthening additions this summer. Can’t do everything they’d really like to do to give the sort of depth City have all in one window but the priorities should be pretty clear. Let’s hope they can do it as Haaland is going to get better and we need someone to put up a similar challenge next season.

Other clubs will be after top players as well and there just aren't enough to go round.
Whether it is called a bottle job or not, only drawing at home to a very sorry Southampton , conceding 3 goals was a dreadful and possibly season-defining result and performance.

The signing of Zinchenko was hailed as something special but he really isn't very good and although good Jesus is not a truly top striker nor strong enough to be a central focal point-there are reasons why Pep was prepared to let him go.

Arsenal have done really well this season and gave themselves the chance of being Champions but with the likes of Newcastle, Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and even Spurs likely to be challenging next season Arsenal will probably have to wait for another generation to have such a good chance again.
Also there are still question marks over Partey's future and history will show whether they were fortunate to have had him available at all this season..

The thing is, Zinchenko is a very good player (as is Jesus) and they HAVE been very successful in helping to totally transform Arsenal from the perennial under-achievers of recent years.

Expectations have been so raised during the last 8 months that now they are looked as not being good enough to get Arsenal to the trophy - whilst I do agree with that, without being superstars in a team littered with them, they both played a good part in Man City's success for a number of years, and now they have moved to Arsenal there has been no decline in their standards that I have seen.

It's wrong to get too far ahead of ourselves here - Arsenal are a lot better with them that they were without them.

Sure it will be tough next season, but Arsenal have the youngest squad in the PL and a progressive manager (irritating though he can be, but then aren't they all?) and with a couple of big signings (which they surely must make) I see no reason why they won't improve further and, at the very least, have CL football for the next few years.

The clear out required at Chelsea, the rebuild required at Liverpool, and Spurs just being, well, Spurs, gives me a strong feeling they won't get near to Arsenal again next year.

Man City, Arsenal, Man Utd and Newcastle for Top 4 again 2023/24? I think so.

But yes, it's hard to believe they will get an 8 point lead over Man City again in the forseeable future, so this might well have been their best opportunity to win the PL until Pep goes, when City will quite probably suffer similar struggles to Utd post Ferguson. (Maybe they'll go for Arteta when the time comes!)

[South Coast Royal]

Nah, with a pretty thin squad they have done brilliantly to get into a position where shallow people feel able to laugh at them now.

They need a world class striker and central defender, plus a couple of squad strengthening additions this summer. Can’t do everything they’d really like to do to give the sort of depth City have all in one window but the priorities should be pretty clear. Let’s hope they can do it as Haaland is going to get better and we need someone to put up a similar challenge next season.

Other clubs will be after top players as well and there just aren't enough to go round.
Whether it is called a bottle job or not, only drawing at home to a very sorry Southampton , conceding 3 goals was a dreadful and possibly season-defining result and performance.

The signing of Zinchenko was hailed as something special but he really isn't very good and although good Jesus is not a truly top striker nor strong enough to be a central focal point-there are reasons why Pep was prepared to let him go.

Arsenal have done really well this season and gave themselves the chance of being Champions but with the likes of Newcastle, Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and even Spurs likely to be challenging next season Arsenal will probably have to wait for another generation to have such a good chance again.
Also there are still question marks over Partey's future and history will show whether they were fortunate to have had him available at all this season..

The thing is, Zinchenko is a very good player (as is Jesus) and they HAVE been very successful in helping to totally transform Arsenal from the perennial under-achievers of recent years.

Expectations have been so raised during the last 8 months that now they are looked as not being good enough to get Arsenal to the trophy - whilst I do agree with that, without being superstars in a team littered with them, they both played a good part in Man City's success for a number of years, and now they have moved to Arsenal there has been no decline in their standards that I have seen.

It's wrong to get too far ahead of ourselves here - Arsenal are a lot better with them that they were without them.

Sure it will be tough next season, but Arsenal have the youngest squad in the PL and a progressive manager (irritating though he can be, but then aren't they all?) and with a couple of big signings (which they surely must make) I see no reason why they won't improve further and, at the very least, have CL football for the next few years.

The clear out required at Chelsea, the rebuild required at Liverpool, and Spurs just being, well, Spurs, gives me a strong feeling they won't get near to Arsenal again next year.

Man City, Arsenal, Man Utd and Newcastle for Top 4 again 2023/24? I think so.

But yes, it's hard to believe they will get an 8 point lead over Man City again in the forseeable future, so this might well have been their best opportunity to win the PL until Pep goes, when City will quite probably suffer similar struggles to Utd post Ferguson. (Maybe they'll go for Arteta when the time comes!)

I disagree on Zinchenko who is IMHO poor defensively when played at left-back and nothing special when played in midfield but my view doesn't matter much.

Looked at very much from the outside, although Arsenal are no doubt better than the title-winning Leicester side, they have mirrored Leicester in taking good advantage of the underperforming "big" sides this season and I feel that they could well be hard pressed to make the top 4 next season.
Once the bookies reveal the odds for next season I would happily have a side bet with you on Liverpool v Arsenal.

[Vision]

I'd be a bit more partial to the "its the ebb and flow that happens but in this case happens to be the end of the season" line but didn't they do similar last year where (admittedly dodgy) memory tells me they had a Champions League spot in their possession and lost it to Spurs of all teams in the run in.

That said, like RR, I think this whole "bottled" comment every time someone doesn't win something is become as tiresome as those ludicrous GOAT debates.

[Ascotexgunner]

You don’t understand football then.

Blowing two 2-0 leads and rescuing a draw against the bottom side. It's a bottlejob, no two ways about it. Doesn't matter who they are. Sorry!

You would say that, you also watch Spurs......No doubt Spurs will be having an open top bus parade at last night's result.
Spurs the gift that keep giving.

[genome]

You don’t understand football then.

Blowing two 2-0 leads and rescuing a draw against the bottom side. It's a bottlejob, no two ways about it. Doesn't matter who they are. Sorry!

You would say that, you also watch Spurs......No doubt Spurs will be having an open top bus parade at last night's result.
Spurs the gift that keep giving.

Exactly, I know what a bottlejob looks like when I see it.

[Winston Biscuit]

Why are all 4 pundits on BT Sport for the Man Utd game wearing the same outfit?! It looks weird!

[genome]

Fred looked like an actual competition winner when he came on