01 Sep 2026 14:04:38
I know the window isn’t closed yet, but does anyone else feel that Arsenal have given everyone a chance here?
Their glaring weakness is the forward areas and they’ve actually weakened themselves in that area.
I was terrified they might go and get Barcola and someone like Osimhen, but they’ve actually lost Trossard, Jesus and Martinelli and replaced them with Tzolis.
Bruno and Konsa keep them standing still for me, and Tzolis looks ok, but no world beater.
They just about scraped over the line last night with only 2 shots on target against a very poor Villa side who have no attacking threat. I can really see the wheels coming off for Arsenal this season and they weren’t even particularly dominant last season either.
It’s laughable that people point to them getting to a CL final as some kind of proof of their greatness. They played Leverkusen, Sporting and Atletico in the knockout rounds with the second legs at home in all of them. It’s the easiest run to a CL final in the history of the competition.
It’s all there for someone who can get it right this year. Hopefully that will be us. If we can stay in touch until Christmas I think we get players back from injury and get more and more understanding of Iraola and go on a run. I believe, I really do.
01 Sep 2026 14:14:09
The league is as wide open as it’s ever been but we have a way of operating and our other priority targets are just not gettable or even available at the moment.
Let’s see what Andoni can do with a year of coaching, after which we’ll
have sorted the men from the boys.
01 Sep 2026 14:22:07
It's George Graeme's Arsenal all over again. Score 1, then everyone defends. That's why they aren't pushed on getting more forwards, IMO, that is.
01 Sep 2026 14:28:05
Arsenal do start from a position of strength though mate, we have to remember that. They didn’t need a brilliant summer. Tzolis, Havertz and Saka is a good (not great) attack. Rice, Bruno and Odegaard is a good (not great midfield). However Calafiori, Gabriel, Saliba and Timber is the best defence in Europe. Raya is arguably the best goal keeper right now too, regardless of what the Spain manager thinks. Strong defences can and do win you titles so their midfield and attack being solid and workmanlike, might be enough to go back to back anyway.
After we signed Munoz and Jacquet, I said if we also signed Kounde, Camara and Barcola I’d back us to win the league. As it stands we’ve signed Araujo and Barcola. Honestly, I think we’ll finish 3rd this season.
Arsenal and Chelsea are the sides I think will finish ahead of us. Man City have a good team too, but their manager is rubbish and I think that will cost them. Man United have a bang average team and the new caretaker bounce they benefit from every few years is over. Spurs still look like they’re closer to a Championship team than a top 6 team.
If we manage 3rd and maybe even win a trophy then I’ll be happy in a transitional season. Iraola will either coach Frimpong and Gravenberch to prioritise defending, or they’ll eventually be dropped for Nyoni and Bradley who will do their defensive duties. I think a lot of people are wanting us to run before we can walk. Slot and Hughes did a lot damage that you can’t simply reverse overnight.
01 Sep 2026 14:38:06
Liverpool finished 25 points behind a non dominant Arsenal last season and are only 4 points behind them this season.
Massive improvement there already.
01 Sep 2026 14:39:19
If we did some normal business this summer, i.e. trying to fix our handful of obvious issues, we could have challenged.
Arsenal are as strong as they were last season. That might be enough for them this season.
They just don't give up chances and are happy to play the percentages to sneak wins.
It's a real shame. And the Premier League will suffer for teams not challenging the champion cheaters.
01 Sep 2026 14:46:37
I think Arsenal could struggle if they go behind in games but the reason I think they'll win the league is because they don't have to be great up top. If their forward players have an off-day, it's still unlikely they get beat....... Unfortunately.
Attackers win you games, defenders win you titles.
01 Sep 2026 14:50:25
I think Arsenal will walk the league, but they've definitely blown an opportunity to pull themselves far enough ahead that nobody can catch them. Definitely agree their signings are just depth signings and don't really change a whole lot.
Not for want of trying though. If Kroupi didn't get injured I think that was a realistic target for them rather than the Vini and Alvarez shadows they deluded themselves into chasing.
Personally think Havertz is massively underrated too. He is just never fit, but a fit Havertz is a massive problem for everyone else, I reckon.
01 Sep 2026 15:19:43
Arsenal’s squad is way ahead of everyone in the prem.
01 Sep 2026 15:23:27
I just don’t see enough goals in their team. They’ve been subsidising a lack of attacking threat with set pieces for the last 2-3 years, and hopefully the refs are finally clamping down on their dark arts from set pieces now.
They didn’t need Bruno or Konsa. They should’ve been going all out for a proper left winger and a proper striker. If they had a 20+ goal a season striker with Barcola on the left and Saka on the right, they could be unstoppable. As it is I just don’t see them scoring enough goals to win the league.
Even with the blatant cheating from set pieces, they stumbled over the line last season, largely due to us and City dropping the ball badly (us more than City). This season will be different.
I don’t think you can go a whole season just nicking 1 goal wins, especially without their set piece advantage. Chelsea will be better, and we will be better. Sooner or later they’ll have to try to play football and when they do I think they’ll be found wanting.
{Ed025's Note - im with you RSO and have been telling them that on the Arsenal site mate..
01 Sep 2026 15:31:43
The refs did nothing about their cheating last night. The number of times I saw Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly and Saka buy fouls was infuriating.
01 Sep 2026 15:35:01
Liverpool need to stop conceding two goals a game before we worry about Arsenal nicking 1 nil wins mate.
01 Sep 2026 15:47:16
Totally agree RSO. ?
01 Sep 2026 15:47:55
Rios, so what you're saying is if everything goes in our favour we will win and if everything goes against Arsenal they won't win the title. Very astute observation that. I can't see us getting any injuries to important players this season and all players will hit the ground running after their long injuries. I saw it in my crystal ball.
On a serious note though, it seems you are under the impression that Barcola is the answer to all our problems?
Hey, I'm not doom and gloom and don't think we will fail miserably, but I have no rose tinted glasses on thinking we have a superior squad to our major rivals.
I do think they all have a better midfield and I think they all have better fullbacks than us.
01 Sep 2026 15:43:36
They are brilliant defensively Ed25 but surely you have try and balance that with players who are a proper, consistent threat going the other way?
Havertz, Odegaard, Saka and Eze are good players and do offer some creativity but none of them are prolific goalscorers. Gyokeres offers a bit more threat but he's still far from prolific. Arteta has just turned him into a free kick winning machine.
I really think they are being made out to be this unbeatable juggernaut but they are far from it for me. They are obviously a strong side and have a chance of winning the league but I think they'll regret not improving their goal scoring options.
{Ed025's Note - i agree RSO..
01 Sep 2026 16:15:32
I don’t think Barcola is the answer to all our problems, Mr Jones, but I think he solves a lot of them.
His pace will create space for others and it remains to be seen if Wirtz and Isak can take advantage of that. But if we can get those players performing, we are in business.
The biggest problems we have are not capitalising when we are on top and conceding stupid goals in transition. That comes from a lack of options for the player on the ball as there’s no space with everyone wanting to play in front of the opposition. Both goals against Newcastle came exactly from this. Giving the ball away on the edge of the opposition’s box and getting caught out.
With better runs and more space created, we don’t lose the ball and have a chance of scoring instead of ending up conceding.
The margins are small and Barcola could tip them in our favour.
Then, if we go in front more often rather than going behind, it changes the dynamic of the game. We tend to build up a head of steam and then get caught out on the break and go behind, which affects momentum. It’s like a kick in the teeth and it happens too often. I expect that to be fixed in the next few weeks as the players see the mistakes they are making and are coached to fix them.
If we can go in front more often, it then allows us to hit the opposition on the transition, which again Barcola’s pace can help with.
I think our problems have been largely in the fitness and mentality, not a lack of quality. Fitness and mentality can be fixed and I think it will be.