03 Nov 2026 06:58:59
Just catching up with views on here post the Arsenal match.
Read that we're out of the title race, read that same problems persist as under Slot, that some players don't care, no shots on target means were crap and Arsenal are great etc.
Title race is long and we're improving fast.
There was a stat v Arsenal in the 1st half that we'd had the most touches in the their box than any other team in Premier League history.
We pressed collectively and had them penned in and had wave after wave of attacks. Macca looks better to his best, nyoni was a revelation against rice, guimaraes and odegaard.
If Ali doesn't play that stupid pass they don't score. That's 2 weeks in a row his distribution has been poor.
The game was good to watch not like a Slot game and we deserved something from the game. XG number makes that clear. That's without the penalty we should have had.
Iraola is clearly improving us and we look so much better than last season and the improvement is happening quicker than most expected.
Only negative for me so far is that Barcola doesn't look like he's the player most thought he'd be. Hopefully he proves me and others wrong.
03 Nov 2026 08:08:23
I think that this side needs time, as does this manager. There are signs of improvement but until he can get the side he wants and playing at a tempo he wants then we will struggle against the top sides who are ruthless.
There are still 6 or so players to come back into the squad and then some genuine competition for places. That's a positive if we can keep a fit squad until the end of the season.
There are however some glaring weaknesses in this side. I don't like to write players off but both left backs are lacking different things in my own opinion and that midfield needs a much better balance.
The one I worry about personally is Wirtz and I see him potentially moving on. Gravenberch is also a worry but again both can play, maybe just not what we require in this team. Just my 50 pence worth. Hopefully it continues to improve and I'm completely wrong about both players. I think we would all love to see Luverpool challenge again but we look short in a few areas.
03 Nov 2026 09:24:27
I agree to that. I think the first half was really good (apart from conceding), there was a lot of pressure on the Arsenal defence and we showed some great intensity which we've lacked for a long time. We're improving each week and I'm excited to see the progress. What's weird to me is that it looks like we're just building some team spirit. Especially the signings of last year don't seem to be very integrated, but I think they are finally building some understanding. Back to the game, what should not happen is the growing frustration with the referee. While I was fuming that he gave Arsenal every 50:50 decision which engaged them to dive every time when they were pressed, I think we should have reacted more collectively.
There should be a leader who criticizes the ref, but also encourages his teammates to improve the effort and to not lose their heads.
I think there's a lot to improve and luckily we're already quite good. I've randomly stumbled across the CL final last season and for me there a a few parallels between those games. When Arsenal score early, it's very tough to create a lot of chances against them. PSG needed a penalty as well, and we all know how good they are offensively. I'm not saying we are as good as PSG or will be, but I'm very optimistic that if we continue to work and build a better understanding, we will be successful again and also very enjoyable to watch. Lots to look forward to.
03 Nov 2026 09:34:29
This title challenge talk - where did that come from? Feel like it suddenly crept up because mathematically we could be right there in the "race" if we happened to beat Arsenal.
We are a flawed squad that is building with a new coach.
This year it's top 4 and anything else is a bonus. The idea that one victory against Arsenal would have us right in the title challenge was immature.
03 Nov 2026 09:57:48
Indeed, faith. The title challenge talk was mainly media driven esp. after we won 5 in a row in all comps. and dispatched Brighton with aplomb going in. And many of our fans bought into it going into the game and I don't blame them because the optimism was there, tbh. I never believed it esp. if your are just in week 9, not even in week 19.
The team has too much ground to cover and too much progress to make to even begin to challenge Arsenal who are in year 7/8 with the same manager who has spent a billion on building a squad. You can't cover that chasm in 3 months. Iraola is that good but he ain't no miracle worker.
People just need to relax, support the team, the players and the manager because we are improving progressively and we simply cannot cheat the process. You simply cannot.
03 Nov 2026 11:03:34
I think there have been a lot of reactionary comments; had things gone our way, it could have easily been 3-1, Isak penalty, Macca's header and Wirtz's free kick off the bar. Had that happened the same reactionary commenters would be shouting from the rooftops how we hammered the champions and the title race was back on, despite it having been the exact same performance.
03 Nov 2026 11:19:20
You make a good point, Chewy. It's all reactionary, really. Emotions and all that.
It's sports at the end of the day and sports without any emotion is nothing.
03 Nov 2026 11:40:59
Are City & Chelsea in the title talk as both also have new coaches?
03 Nov 2026 12:03:42
The reason we are not in the title race @Jk is that we have lost a guy who had a habbit of scoring 30 goals every year for 7 good years. No matter what people say about, New coach, training methods, intensity, running habbits blah blah and more blah blah, that's the fact and the only fact.
It was similar with Suarez, Unless you don't find those 25 plus goals (which we have tried by spunking 300 mil), we ain't in the any race,
03 Nov 2026 15:37:00
Sonic, City don't exist anymore. And Chelsea won't be winning any titles for the time being.
In fact, Alonso had better be very careful because after two straight losses before the United win, many of their fans were already on him and asking for him to go because he wasn't playing their golden boy Estevao.
03 Nov 2026 21:20:50
I don't care about City and Chelsea.
We can all see the flaws in our squad.
We can also the positive signs in patches
The idea that a flawed squad playing inconsistently is going to challenge for the title, again, is immature.
Even if we had beat Arsenal it wouldn't have changed anything in my mind other than to be another positive step towards becoming a title challenging team.
03 Nov 2026 07:23:03
Where's the beast Ed666. I need to read his view?
{Ed666's Note - Mate I’m bitterly disappointed. You want my opinion I’ll give it you. I know people will accuse me of being the angel of doom and an anti Liverpool fan but quite honestly we were pathetic. Let me preface this by saying I don’t blame Irola for any of this because he’s inherited on the whole a bunch of clowns and I would hope his squad be exponentially different at the start of next season. I don’t care about the Isak non penalty and the Macalister chance. We were bloody awful. How many misplaced passes? How many counters broke down because of the clumsy telepathy between midfield and attack? This midfield is dysfunctional at best and needs surgery. You cannot make any more excuse’s for the forwards. What’s the point of Isak? What’s the mitigation for Barcola losing the ball all the time, running into blind alleys, can’t take on his man and looking like a grotesquely expensive mistake. Wirtz? When is he gonna actually take a game by the scruff of the neck the way Cherki does? How much more time does he need to get in tune with the pace of the Premiership? I can’t see where some people think we played well? At no point did I think we were going to win that match. In fact I don’t even think we deserved a draw. I honestly don’t care if I get flack for my sentiments. I’m gonna say my truth. We had a real opportunity to become title challengers and we bottled it. Don’t get me started about Kerkez and Gakpo. Our left side is pitiful. The only light at the end of the tunnel is Ronald & JJ. I’m gonna halt my diatribe now because I’m just so angry and frustrated