General Premier League Thread 2022-23 - mod note in OP 12/03/23

At the start of the season there was nobody mentioning Arsenal as anything like potential rivals for Manchester City.

They had folded last season to fall outside the top 4, and were backable, and backed, at around 100/1 to win the league.

I'd like to be the guy that has over €300 at 110/1. That's 36k there !!

They weren't actually rated as a top 4 side.

I don't think you can "blame" Man City for the sales to Arsenal. Great business for the Gunners though!

Cancelo has been replaced by Dalot on the Portugese team and by an 18 year old at City.

i've seen lots of narrative that yesterday's victory for Arsenal was in a game where Utd went 'toe-to-toe' with them, and simply lost in the last minute. I assume this is fuelled by the fact Neville was spouting it on commentary, saying it harked back to the good old days when these two were perennially at the top of the division.

it's complete nonsense.

Utd were excellently drilled. they were defensively sound in their back 5, despite losing Casemiro for the game. there were resilient. they had Rashford on the break who caused mountains of problems for 65 minutes or so.

but this was not each team throwing haymakers and one team simply coming out on top at the end.

Arsenal were clearly the superior team, playing in a way that is sustainable for winning lots of football matches, even against good opposition. we can argue that they're further along a process, and ETH has only had 6 months, and that's all quite valid. I'm not in any way arguing against that. I'm also not arguing that Ten Hag isn't doing a good job. in fact, he's doing superbly IMO.

but the narrative that they went 'toe-to-toe' does a disservice to how good Arsenal are, and also, a disservice to where Utd under Ten Hag are actually at. 'Toe-to-toe' is two teams at their apex duking it out. Utd aren't back yet. they're in a far better position that they were, but as they should've done, they got outplayed yesterday, and admirably hung in there through grit, resilience and clinical chance-taking. a draw would've been superb, but wouldn't have reflected the balance of the game.

Utd are on the right track, but Arsenal are a well-oiled machine. it's not a fair fight currently.

Someone else had an xG there - I think this is the real one from yesterday

2.64 vs 1.02

Arsenal were all over them for large periods, bar one 10 minute spell when Sky showed possession 75% to 25% in Man Utds favour. Neville continued his "spouting" after the game, saying Arsenal would not win the league, and Roy Keane agreed with him. Cesc, obviously, said that Arsenal had the title, and Jamie Redknapp leaned towards the Gunners, but added that the one team you did not want chasing you down was Man City. After the gap having been closed to 2 points by kick-off it was a massive win for Arsenal. They took 7 points from the three tough games people said they had in Tottenham, and the two top 4 Uniteds.

One reason for caution - When Arsene Wenger led Arsenal to the first of his three Premier League titles in 1997-98, the Gunners were 13 points behind leaders Man Utd at the halfway stage, albeit with a game in hand. They won by 1 point.

Arsenal where by far the better team yesterday I'm not sure anyone could argue that,

United scored twice but i can't remember them creating a chance ? Rashford goal was a bit of magic & a shot form 35 yards, Martinez goal was an Arsenal cock up ,

Arsenal poured the pressure on for most of the game , Like Saliba & Gabriel had very little defending to do compared to there counter parts ,

But Pep is perfect so it can't be a bad decision.

Cancelo was happy at City, zinchenko wasn't. Its pretty simple.

I think at the time nobody would have seen this rise from arsenal, a big factory too was arteta having worked with both zinchenko and Jesus both party's knew what they were getting.

All very true, but again nothing to do with the post I was replying to.

Lampard had to go really. His win rate of 27% is only beaten by Mike Walker historically.

Thomas Frank would be good but I'd be shocked if he went for it. Tony Cottee reckons they should go for Dyche. I think he's the best they can get.

You can call it what you want really, I am calling it a brilliant display of organisation and defiance, Den Haag has done an incredible job in a short space of time. I am exclusively taking about the back four here just to clarify, Midfield were completely overrun and that cannot all be explained by Casimero's absence, Arsenal are simply a better team.

The conceded 3 goals it should have been more

Why did the back four allow them 60 touches in the box ? why drop off so much that they get into the box that often ,

Arsenal first goal was a joke United back 4 went to sleep ,

Arsenal won that league with 3 games to go, they lost the final 2 "dead rubber" games, it's not as if they actually won it in the very last game of the season?

Kane has said he would be open to signing a new deal with Spurs. Very Le Tissier like staying with a lower ranked team when his talent demands that he should be playing at the highest level.