comment by Fred: Sign Someone!!!! (U3979)
posted less than a minute ago
comment by TheresOnlyOne7-0Reds (U1721)
posted 1 minute ago
We have good squad depth. Left back cover is poor but other than that we're good for every position. Could certainly use a number 6 but we have options if needed. All teams have a weakness in their squad this season. City sold their backup striker and have no other senior striker than Haaland. Their first choice number 6 is out for the season and they've no obvious replacement. Talk of Stones playing there which hits their depth in defence as well as the number 6 position.

Arsenal lack depth up front and in defence.

Experience I'm not sure where that's coming from. We have players who have won leagues, European trophies, world cup etc. I'd say it's Arsenal lacking experience if you had to choose one of the three.
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In fairness TOOR you are a little overly optimistic. We have had a fantastic start but let’s just temper expectations a bit and see where we are by the time the January window opens, lots of tough games to play between now and then.

Sign a couple players in the January window to bolster the squad and I’d be feeling a lot better about a title challenge.
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I don't think it's optimistic to think one of the best squads in the world can challenge for the title. Yes I'm more optimistic than some on here but that isn't difficult, some of you would make an onion cry.

Got a good record at Palace but it’s never an easy game for us there. Again I fancy us to win by the odd goal like vs Wolves.

comment by TheresOnlyOne7-0Reds (U1721)
posted 4 minutes ago
We have good squad depth. Left back cover is poor but other than that we're good for every position. Could certainly use a number 6 but we have options if needed. All teams have a weakness in their squad this season. City sold their backup striker and have no other senior striker than Haaland. Their first choice number 6 is out for the season and they've no obvious replacement. Talk of Stones playing there which hits their depth in defence as well as the number 6 position.

Arsenal lack depth up front and in defence.

Experience I'm not sure where that's coming from. We have players who have won leagues, European trophies, world cup etc. I'd say it's Arsenal lacking experience if you had to choose one of the three.
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We don’t have a single LCB other than VVD and I don’t think there’s another team in the league with only three CB’s in total. Our back up left back is not great, our back up RB is untested to any degree and we lack cover in midfield and also variety.

Not sure how Arsenal lack depth in defence, they’ve two for every position. Up front they’re fine, again, not sure where this comes from.

In terms of experience, we have Slot, completely new to the league and entirely untested in managing a team deep into Europe whilst juggling the league.

There’s optimism and there’s making things up.

comment by Robbing Hoody - keepy up arbiter. Don’t talk to me unless you can do ten (U6374)
posted less than a minute ago
comment by TheresOnlyOne7-0Reds (U1721)
posted 4 minutes ago
We have good squad depth. Left back cover is poor but other than that we're good for every position. Could certainly use a number 6 but we have options if needed. All teams have a weakness in their squad this season. City sold their backup striker and have no other senior striker than Haaland. Their first choice number 6 is out for the season and they've no obvious replacement. Talk of Stones playing there which hits their depth in defence as well as the number 6 position.

Arsenal lack depth up front and in defence.

Experience I'm not sure where that's coming from. We have players who have won leagues, European trophies, world cup etc. I'd say it's Arsenal lacking experience if you had to choose one of the three.
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We don’t have a single LCB other than VVD and I don’t think there’s another team in the league with only three CB’s in total. Our back up left back is not great, our back up RB is untested to any degree and we lack cover in midfield and also variety.

Not sure how Arsenal lack depth in defence, they’ve two for every position. Up front they’re fine, again, not sure where this comes from.

In terms of experience, we have Slot, completely new to the league and entirely untested in managing a team deep into Europe whilst juggling the league.

There’s optimism and there’s making things up.
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Quansah, Konate, Gomez, VVD. Isn’t that four centre backs?

Quansah, Konate, Gomez, VVD. Isn’t that four centre backs?
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True actually, kind of taken Gomez out of my mind as a can, but I’m wrong on that. No LCB’s though. Kloop tried Gomez there a few times I guess.

City will play Kovacic and Gundogan until Jan and then sign a six that we’re told doesn’t exist.

comment by Robbing Hoody - keepy up arbiter. Don’t talk to me unless you can do ten (U6374)
posted 3 seconds ago
Quansah, Konate, Gomez, VVD. Isn’t that four centre backs?
———————

True actually, kind of taken Gomez out of my mind as a can, but I’m wrong on that. No LCB’s though. Kloop tried Gomez there a few times I guess.

City will play Kovacic and Gundogan until Jan and then sign a six that we’re told doesn’t exist.
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All very true. It’s a good point that they can use Gundogan and Kovacic. That’s still an excellent midfield. If we lose Grav it’s Endo or Jones. Just not remotely the same. And we will have injuries this year without a doubt.

comment by Robbing Hoody - keepy up arbiter. Don’t ... (U6374)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by TheresOnlyOne7-0Reds (U1721)
posted 4 minutes ago
We have good squad depth. Left back cover is poor but other than that we're good for every position. Could certainly use a number 6 but we have options if needed. All teams have a weakness in their squad this season. City sold their backup striker and have no other senior striker than Haaland. Their first choice number 6 is out for the season and they've no obvious replacement. Talk of Stones playing there which hits their depth in defence as well as the number 6 position.

Arsenal lack depth up front and in defence.

Experience I'm not sure where that's coming from. We have players who have won leagues, European trophies, world cup etc. I'd say it's Arsenal lacking experience if you had to choose one of the three.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

We don’t have a single LCB other than VVD and I don’t think there’s another team in the league with only three CB’s in total. Our back up left back is not great, our back up RB is untested to any degree and we lack cover in midfield and also variety.

Not sure how Arsenal lack depth in defence, they’ve two for every position. Up front they’re fine, again, not sure where this comes from.

In terms of experience, we have Slot, completely new to the league and entirely untested in managing a team deep into Europe whilst juggling the league.

There’s optimism and there’s making things up.
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We VVD, Konate, Gomez and Quansah.

Arsenal lack depth in defence as their backups are poor.

If you take White, Saliba, Gabriel and Timber as their starting defence then you have Zinchenko who is probably their best back up but for me very average. Serves a purpose when playing an inverted role but Arteta has went away from that and he hasn't been starting. Some poor Japanese guy, Calafiori looks decent of course but jury still out. Kiwior and of course Treatment Table Tierney.

If you think that depth isn't poor compared to below then I don't know what to say.

TAA
Bradley

VVD
Quansah

Konate
Gomez

Robertson
Tsimikas(I'll give you that one)

Of course they lost their back up keeper and had to play a 16 year old the other day also, we have another good keeper as back up.

Up from they're playing a midfielder and their only striker after selling Nketiah is Jesus, who doesn't score goals.

Their midfield is excellent for me and they have options on the wing. So yeah I also see them challenging but certainly they have more squad issues than Liverpool do.

In terms of experience, we have Slot, completely new to the league and entirely untested in managing a team deep into Europe whilst juggling the league.

This is a good point of course but for me may be why we miss out on the league rather than not challenge at all. If this squad don't challenge serious questions need to be asked. Of course the context of the season will play a part in this but looking at it now it will be a surprise.

comment by Neo (U9135)
posted 21 minutes ago
Got a good record at Palace but it’s never an easy game for us there. Again I fancy us to win by the odd goal like vs Wolves.
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Yeah it's a weird one. We always seem to get the win in the end, but it's more often than not a hard fought 2-1.

For what it's worth I'd trust Bradley and Quansah in the big games

We needed a DM and a LCB/LB hybrid. Other than that the squad was good.

In attack we just needed one of Diaz or Nunez to come good. So far Diaz looks to be stepping up and we added Chiesa.

Elliott's injury is unfortunate but he'll be back.

NEED that DM & LCB/LB though

think of how good we were for some seasons under klopp and didnt win the league, this team isn't better than them, hope we can get close but i put it at 5% chance (pulled that out my ass)

comment by Inbefore (U20589)
posted 1 hour, 19 minutes ago
Aye, think we’ve done well so far but shut out easily by forest at home. Think we look very open too at times and very sus for large periods of games, got away with quite a lot of stuff if we look back. Also not seeing this more control stuff people claim of Slot. We struggled again last night to control the game, keep the ball. Bologna had 51% possession last night after 70 mins? Ended with 49%?

Better quality teams are surely gonna ask more questions, hopefully Slot can raise his and the players games for them.
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It remains to be seen how we'll go against the tougher teams but I wouldn't really say we've been open in the games we've played so far.

The odd moment here and there but for the stat needs out there we've only conceded 6.3xG in 9 games, and 1.9 of that came in games when we were winning by 3 goals.

We basically aren't conceding too many chances, and the chances we do concede aren't easy ones.

comment by Taki Minamino (U20650)
posted 1 minute ago
think of how good we were for some seasons under klopp and didnt win the league, this team isn't better than them, hope we can get close but i put it at 5% chance (pulled that out my ass)
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True. But I don't think that this City team or Arsenal team are at the level of City (circa) 5 years ago. 90+ points wins the league this season imo; wasn't necessarily the case a few years ago.

We're quite soft in the sense that we're still quite easy to play through. It may not be resulting in chances or shots on goal now...but how long can we keep that up?

I don't really see the Arsenal squad as stronger than ours. Their squad has it's strengths (as does ours) but overall, I'm not sure there's that much difference. As has been noted before on here, they were relatively fortunate with injuries last year so the squad wasn't tested in the same way ours was.

I do think the point about experience stands up though, Not necessarily of the players themselves but the manager and tactics employed. Pep is Pep and Arteta has now had 9 years experience working in the EPL, with almost 5 years as a manager. That's a lot of know-how for Slot to bridge immediately.

comment by Szoboss (U6997)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by Taki Minamino (U20650)
posted 1 minute ago
think of how good we were for some seasons under klopp and didnt win the league, this team isn't better than them, hope we can get close but i put it at 5% chance (pulled that out my ass)
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True. But I don't think that this City team or Arsenal team are at the level of City (circa) 5 years ago. 90+ points wins the league this season imo; wasn't necessarily the case a few years ago.
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yeah probably closer to 90 than 100 with rodris injury, i guess we wont really know how good we are until after this hard fixture run coming up anyway

Bookies now have Arsenal as favourites for the title.

Just watched highlights last seasons win, they had a penalty ruled out by VAR then one given by VAR. Salah equalised after Harvey got fouled and Ayew sent off for a 2nd yellow. If that didnt go in surely a pen was given for the foul on Jones. Then Harvey won it. And assisted a ruled out offside diaz goal.

comment by Robbing Hoody - keepy up arbiter. Don’t talk to me unless you can do ten (U6374)
posted 5 minutes ago
Bookies now have Arsenal as favourites for the title.
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I think they’re being a wee bit overhyped personally. They’re a good side but nothing outstanding. I would still make city favourites this season unless there are court case repercussions
Also I’d like to smack Arteta, very punchable face

I think my worry were I an Arsenal fan is their reliance on set pieces sometimes.

They're obviously fantastic at it but you'd assume at some point teams will either get wise or the refs may even start intervening in the blocking of the keeper.

They've already picked up a good 6/7 points this season courtesy of set piece goals. If that dries up, they may find it difficult.

When we play Arsenal and we have VVD and Konate then we should be fine dealing with the corners. We use Jota, Trent as blockers plus Ali commands his box better than any keeper.

comment by Irishred (U2539)
posted 11 minutes ago
comment by Robbing Hoody - keepy up arbiter. Don’t talk to me unless you can do ten (U6374)
posted 5 minutes ago
Bookies now have Arsenal as favourites for the title.
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I think they’re being a wee bit overhyped personally. They’re a good side but nothing outstanding. I would still make city favourites this season unless there are court case repercussions
Also I’d like to smack Arteta, very punchable face
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Loath Arteta too. Found it funny Hasland giving him some.

Ummm, I mean they’ve been away to Villa, Spurs and City already and took 7 points, unlucky not to take 9.

They just walked through PSG too.

Martinelli looks to be finding a bit of form, Trossard is one hell of a squad player, Havertz looks settled and dangerous.

I like the signings too. Calafiori can play, Merino can play too. They’re very solid additions. Got Timber back as well and he’s doing well.

It’s just a very settled squad where everyone knows their job. They’ve lost one league game this calendar year with a +54 GD. They’re a very solid side indeed.

When your defence is good as Arsenals, you are guaranteed clean sheets most matches and it only takes one or two chances to be created for you to win the game.

I think the Forest game is an example of the difference between us, when we have a frustrating game attack wise, that frustration always leaks in at the other end and we give up a cheap goal, while they probably win that game 1-0.

comment by (K̇ash) - Welcome to Mo Trafford - Free Palestine 🇵🇸 (U1108)
posted 20 minutes ago
When we play Arsenal and we have VVD and Konate then we should be fine dealing with the corners. We use Jota, Trent as blockers plus Ali commands his box better than any keeper.
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Idk Paella Pullis is good with set plays, they'll prob use blockers on VVD and Konate.

Is beating current psg really all that..