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

With the current form City are in, they'll wipe the floor with Arsenal at the Etihad.

Looks like the pressure has got to those Arsenal players during this crucial run-in.

They're not necessarily throwing it away.

They're finding out that draws don't cut it in a run-in in this era. When the club was last in a title winning position that would be considered an ok point. That's not a reality when you're fighting Pep's City.

The inevitability of this run in is depressing.

Arsenal don't have the experience in their ranks to see this over the finish line. Accusations of bottling it are a bit harsh when really they've played well above their level for most of the season. This is just reality kicking in.

Unfortunately, I think this was a moon shot opportunity for them. I don't expect them to be challenging again next year.

Loosing Saliba was massive.

Rob Holding is a championship player.

Honestly, anyone who calls the Arsenal and Liverpool teams bottlers is either silly or being intentional silly.

These have put together absolutely fantastic teams that have been worthy of winning any title, but how are you supposed to compete with a team that barely ever enters any remote period of transition when they can go out in the summer and spend huge money on the best around in whatever their current position of need is.

Any normal team is always going to drop points somewhere, and if that’s considered bottling then eh fair enough. Dropping 19 points in 31 games doesn’t fit that criteria for me though.

Well no they were missing two of their eleven who have started all season.

But I agree about injuries happen so it’s no different.

That’s not to say they don’t make the difference on games.

City just have a ridiculous bench to call on when they get an injury, other teams don’t.

Does some fucker have a whistle?

I dunno if it’s the pressure mounting, or not just more that you have Holding as your 3rd choice CB (first deputy).

There isn’t really a City player they can lose where they don’t have someone who can come in, who doesn’t get into any team outside the big 6.

The problem isn’t Arsenal/Liverpool/whoever is next to put up a valiant change. This is the situation we face until United’s Qatar money comes in or we really see Newcastle’s Saudi money to take effect. It’s a horrible way for football to be.

It was one I also expected to see given based on previous incidents, but it seems like I learn something new about the handball rule almost every time there’s an incident.

Arsenal can always be relied upon to implode at crucial times in a season. I think Manchester City are just a far superior team and should win the title in a canter now. Aspiring champions simply cannot drop points against the likes of West Ham.

No? Who can aspiring champions drop points to then?