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*Official* English Football Season 2014-15
- Thread starter GIMH
- Start date
Furball
Evil Scotsman
There were pretty decent foundations laid for a team, it was just that the financial situation and the inability to finish anything other than 4th meant that the more ambitious players wanted to move on. Let's say for instance that in, 2009/10 say, Arsenal win the league and occupy the same sort of positions as Manchester City have done since.
Potentially that's a squad of:
Szczesny
Sagna (?)
Mertesacker
Koscielny
Vermaelen (?)
Gibbs
Monreal
Chambers
Debuchy
Diaby
Song (?)
Cesc (?)
Wilshere
Ramsey
Arteta
Nasri (?)
Podolski
Özil
Ox
Alexis
Giroud
Walcott
RvP (?)
Of course, this isn't an exact science because if you keep Cesc, do we sign Özil etc etc, but there's a fairly solid squad with the excellent additions of the last couple of seasons. That squad rivals pretty much everyone in England anyway.
sledger
Spanish_Vicente
You seem to have conveniently forgotten about Almunia, Denilson, Arshavin, Adebayor, Eboue, Silvestre, Squillaci, Bendtner, Hoyte, and Clichy, all of whom featured heavily. It wasn't just a case of the good players leaving, but that many of those who stayed and/or were supposed to form the core of the side were dross.
You say your suggested squad is not an exact science, but it's about as far from science as you could possibly get. What you've basically done is just picked an all-star lineup of all the players to have played for Arsenal over the last half a decade.
You say your suggested squad is not an exact science, but it's about as far from science as you could possibly get. What you've basically done is just picked an all-star lineup of all the players to have played for Arsenal over the last half a decade.
sledger
Spanish_Vicente
Yeah, maybe. For me though there's a difference (albeit perhaps only a slight one) between "having the building blocks for a good side" and "having a side that's mainly made up of mediocre to crap players, with a few good ones".
Given the high volume of players Arsenal had over the period of the last 8 years who were supposed to be good, but turned out to be huge disappointments, I would be inclined to say they fall into the latter category rather than the former.
Tom Halsey
International Coach
Nah. Arsenal have absolutely never not had a weakness in the same positions over and over again since (at least tbh) 2007. Say Arsenal win the league in 2008 and as a result of that Fabregas and others never leave (which I think is as tenuous as it gets anyway), Arsenal would still have had a major shortage in certain positions. Which are basically the same positions Arsenal have a shortage in now. It's the best argument there is regarding how poorly managed they have been at times since Wenger decided to become so stubborn.
sledger
Spanish_Vicente
Yeah, but they didn't win the league on any of these occasions, and that's kind of my point.
GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
Being generous with weeks aren't you? Swear you wanted him out when you were waltzing the fourth division. Basically, tbf to you, everything you said back then seems to be bearing fruit now.
This of course is the problem when club legends become manager. ****, some whites hate Aldo because he quit with us bottom of the league meaning he 'bottled it'. They are morons like but it's always sad to see legacies spoiled in that way.
Souness at Liverpool probably the best example of it. Stuart Pearce will be another by the end of the season, IMO.
Cabinet96
Hall of Fame Member
If it helps I feel like giving up after Ramsey's injury.
flibbertyjibber
Request Your Custom Title Now!
So Tranmere circa 1980's.
GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
Haha beat me to it
We actually have one next week but it's also my works party so I'm kinda torn
As a kid I loved them. As a working adult who no longer works in Liverpool City centre they are only marginally preferable to Tuesday games
But alas this is not a concern for the prem target audience (I don't mean that in a patronising way but who gives a **** if it's taken the wrong way, suck my fanny) and they will go down a storm tv wise.
We had one against Fulham a few weeks ago and it was amazing, would have been a great atmosphere at 3pm on a Saturday but it was so much more special under lights. Still generally disagree with the idea of football on a Friday though. Saturday 3pm really does have to be preserved even if they should probably give up on the protecting it from live tv coverage.
sledger
Spanish_Vicente
It'll seem pretty weird, but I guess after a while it will just seem normal. I'm not overly fussed, but I can't see myself watching much on a Friday. I always try to arrange to go out on a Friday, as being sat at home just seems such a drudge. I suppose the football being on would improve that a bit, but I would probably just sit there thinking I could be doing something else instead.