[SaiSW]

And we're World Champions.
First English team to complete the intercontinental treble. The Premier League too, and we would have had one of the best seasons for a long time. Go REDS. #YNWA

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

...good to see Arteta being handed the reigns to Arsenal now. But it needs patience - more than a year is going to go by.

A lot of people gave Wenger grief for being satisfied with a top-4 finish in the latter half of his tenure, working on smaller budgets while they paid down the Emirates Stadium bill.

The same people would bite your hand off if offered a top-4 finish today! Stability is paramount, a robust system takes time to build. I hope Arteta gets a fair shake.

[SaiSW]

I have absolutely no respect for arsenal right now, they had the option of appointing one of the best managers in the world, ancelotti with a proven pedigree in European competitions, and is a great player manager, and they chose arteta. Arteta who has no prior experience managing a big club full time.

And ancelotti with such a good CV, had to go to GOODISON PARK, of all places. No disrespect to everton but just stating my opinion.
If anyone here watches the True Geordie podcast, you'd know what I am talking about.

[strawhat]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

The same people would bite your hand off if offered a top-4 finish today! Stability is paramount, a robust system takes time to build. I hope Arteta gets a fair shake.

Absolutely. Nobody is missing the CL nights more than us gooners.

The difference between the later part of Wenger's tenure and this is that the league has become ultra competitive. Bottom clubs are beating the top sides more consistently, which was not the case few seasons back. What Arsenal had back then and now is a terrible defence. The infamous record against fellow top 4 teams aside, we used to thrash the lesser teams now and then. Those days are long gone. Right now only Liverpool and to an extent, City, can instill that sort of fear on those teams.

What I like about Arteta is his no-nonsense attitude as a player. During his spell at Arsenal from 2011 till 2016, he was known to be very demanding and his leadership skills were hailed by Wenger. Under Pep's guidance, he must have improved his coaching skillset. What Arsenal needs right now is discipline. None of the players are giving their full. A good smack on their backsides is the need of the hour. The results will then follow.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by SaiSW

And we're World Champions.
First English team to complete the intercontinental treble...

Three trophies this calendar year, two this season, the first team ever to hold the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup in the same year, and they've now got a double digit lead in the Premier League race with a game in hand on the next two teams, after steamrolling Leicester yesterday in what was supposed to be a stern challenge.

Some team!

Originally Posted by strawhat

...What I like about Arteta is his no-nonsense attitude as a player. During his spell at Arsenal from 2011 till 2016, he was known to be very demanding and his leadership skills were hailed by Wenger....

The flaws obviously still exist, but yesterday was a much better performance attitude-wise. After a long time, the players looked like they cared.

[Chetan_Rao]

Totally out of left field, Erling Braut Haaland has moved to Dortmund! Not sure anyone saw that coming, with the rumor mill working overtime linking him to Old Trafford and Turin.

Great to see a good footballing decision in the age of big-money moves. Plenty of time to develop at a terrific club and enhance his price tag for a marquee move later.

The real steal though, is Liverpool snagging Minamino for chump change by current transfer market valuations. A real talent, and the transfer fees will probably be recouped several times over just from shirt sales in Japan. Shrewd business.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Totally out of left field, Erling Braut Haaland has moved to Dortmund! Not sure anyone saw that coming, with the rumor mill working overtime linking him to Old Trafford and Turin.

Great move indeed - huge scope for development, stay in champions league, and the do a superstar big-money move in a couple of years.

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

The real steal though, is Liverpool snagging Minamino for chump change by current transfer market valuations. A real talent, and the transfer fees will probably be recouped several times over just from shirt sales in Japan. Shrewd business.

That was indeed a pleasant surprise - the price and the timing of the deal. Liverpool's fanbase in Asia is massive and this will just add to that.

[imidnightmare]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Totally out of left field, Erling Braut Haaland has moved to Dortmund! Not sure anyone saw that coming, with the rumor mill working overtime linking him to Old Trafford and Turin.

Great to see a good footballing decision in the age of big-money moves. Plenty of time to develop at a terrific club and enhance his price tag for a marquee move later.

Not a left field move at all. Most outlets were rife with stories that Raiola was guiding him towards BVB. Raiola doesn't have a fee with clients. He makes money only out of transfers / deals for players. As such, he almost invariably wants his younger players to go to clubs from whom he can elicit release clauses with low thresholds and also massive control on timing of the next move. Juve gave him that for de Ligt and he went there in the summer despite Barca wanting him. Now he's moved Haaland to BVB despite Juve and Man United wanting him. Despicable agent...

Edit: Most reports also say that Haaland Sr. also gets a massive wedge from the sell-on clause BVB agreed to. United apparently had a big chance but refused the sell-on and the agent control clauses and that was that.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by imidnightmare

...Despicable agent....

Raiola isn't great, but then, he wouldn't get anywhere without his clients and customers, so the greed goes all ways. Money talks, and sport is now business-first.

[naveenroy]

Nice, steady game by Arsenal. Pressed hard in the first half and there were glimpses of brilliance. Reminiscences of the old Arsenal. Pepe, Torreira and Ozil had a good game. But should have gone up 4 in the first half.

Nice to see the fans rally behind the team too and that smile on Arteta's face.

Wenger has done it again. What a man!

[SaiSW]

I think after the 2-0 against Sheffield, the team is now a full year without defeat. I hope this run continues. But tbh, if i had to choose between an invincible season and a PL win+UCL win, I'd choose the latter anyday. If we can achieve both at the same time well then awesome.

[KL01toKA03]

With Manchester United closer to the bottom three than the top three, United fans should think about relegation as a distinct possibility. Unless the squad is improved drastically they might end up in trouble at some point in the future (remember Leeds United?). Regardless, the relatively fair distribution of revenue from broadcasters has levelled up the playing field. We are now at a stage where even the last placed team has a chance of defeating the best teams. The difference between most sides is very marginal.

[am1m]

A little closer to home, has anyone watched a Bangalore FC match at Kanteerava Stadium? How is the experience?

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

With Manchester United closer to the bottom three than the top three, United fans should think about relegation as a distinct possibility. Unless the squad is improved drastically they might end up in trouble at some point in the future (remember Leeds United?).

I am not sure whether the comparison with the Leeds United is fair. Agree that they finished the top of the league 2 out of 3 years, before the premier league was started. But since then, they did not belong to the same league as MANU and ARS till they were finally relegated from premier league to never to return to EPL (till this season at least). May be, the fair comparison would be with ARS. They have been a shadow of themselves in the recent times, especially compared to their ‘Invincibles’ campaign of 2003-04.

[RD150]

It's fair to say Manchester United is the most unpredictable team in the EPL right now. And the way the Bruno Fernandes transfer is being handled, this has to be the most difficult times for United fans. Management, coach, players everyone is clueless what's going on. I have been an United fan for my entire life, and watching this team play has become a torture