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

It’s all built on lies and financial corruption.

But City won the COVID season

Great day for football.

He’s just deflecting, bless him.

This result was pretty much expected.

Arsenal are in horrific form and City hitting their stride with a ludicrously stacked squad.

I wouldn’t call it a bottle job from Arsenal but 3 from 12 shows they’re not really up to it - I wouldn’t imagine they’ll be anywhere close to a perfect record in the run-in which at this stage would be their only likely hope.

If they don’t win it this year, will they have missed their chance? They will have seen how difficult it is to target a 95 point season, with the teams around them strengthening I just can’t see them going at it again.

Dunno why people keep bringing up COVID or a pandemic to stop City when it had nothing to do with them now winning the league

The full season of 20/21 had games behind closed doors because of COVID. The only full season to do so. Man City won that season.

Arsenal and Arteta must be kicking themselves over the Saliba injury. That has probably been the turning point in this race. Arsenal have played 6 since his injury and not kept a clean sheet in any. Had Saliba been rested for the EL instead when he picked up his injury then who knows what position they would be in now but it would be likely to be better than drawing to Pool and West Ham after going 2 up and drawing to bottom of the table Southampton.

Gabriel is not good enough to carry another CB, he's fine when paired with a better player like Saliba but with Holding there are far too many mistakes between them. We seen the drop off for Liverpool when VVD got his injury - they went from 99 points to 69 points. Then to 92 points when he came back.

Every side has key players and their overall performance drops when they lose them. It is the main difference between City and other title challengers really.

If City lose Dias to injury then Laporte comes in. If they lose Silva then Marhez come into the team. Lose Grealish then Foden comes in. Lose Haaland and Alverez comes in etc etc... Their squad is their biggest assist by far. They don't carry players of Rob Holding standard in their ranks. It is the reason they are able to build 90-100 point seasons year after year. As a collection of 25 players the standard of the City squad is the most even over that 25 in EPL history.

For Arsenal their big challenge this summer will be to make sure they have a higher standard of player available in their squad next season when trying to challenge again. They cannot be carrying the likes of Holding again next season.

I don't agree with those who think Arsenal won't be close again, this is always said at the end of every season (and I have been guilty of it myself). Thinking that everyone is going to sort their issues out over the summer and be back on fire next season.

Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs, Newcastle and Man Utd have a lot of work to do this summer if any are to have designs on getting 90+ points next season. Arsenal have a first 11, a core who have now shown they can go on very good runs. They need the squad to carry them over the line in those few extra games now.

In the past decade ten years City have spent 100m more than Arsenal , hardly David v Goliath. The way people go on about plucky Arsenal and money bags city I thought that figure would be north of 500m