2022-23 English Premier League Discussion Thread

[Baphomet]

Same **** different season for Spurs

[MaliBrah]

Jeez United just win games now. Unlucky West Ham....

[Baphomet]

Perisic is absolutely crap, awful signing

Just get Conte out of this club, never want to see 343 again

[Shaazzam]

Fred has 6 goals this year! 6! Wtf!

[MaliBrah]

Same **** different season for Spurs

I lost money betting on yall

Frustrating to throw cups away against championship teams

[SgtPepper]

I'm skeptical any of the London clubs will win major titles this season. Arsenal has improved the most but the fact they're in the UEL and City are in the CL probably works in City's favor for the next couple months since City can focus more on the league.

Touching back on the discussion parallels between Utd and Arsenal, I don't think they've changed in similar ways. Utd's recovery has been faster because they've bootstrapped around ETH's tactical brilliance to build a coherent squad. Arsenal has done that somewhat with Arteta but at least half of the growth has been about the club modernizing it's use of scouting and training faster in the post-Wenger age, especially with Emery. Both clubs have spent a lot of money to speed that up. Utd had so many more misses, though this year both have signed mostly hits.

[Baphomet]

I'm skeptical any of the London clubs will win major titles this season. Arsenal has improved the most but the fact they're in the UEL and City are in the CL probably works in City's favor for the next couple months since City can focus more on the league.

Touching back on the discussion parallels between Utd and Arsenal, I don't think they've changed in similar ways. Utd's recovery has been faster because they've bootstrapped around ETH's tactical brilliance to build a coherent squad. Arsenal has done that somewhat with Arteta but at least half of the growth has been about the club modernizing it's use of scouting and training faster in the post-Wenger age, especially with Emery. Both clubs have spent a lot of money to speed that up. Utd had so many more misses, though this year both have signed mostly hits.

I agree with most of your points, though I would add that there are a couple of other similarities that aren't structural. Both managers jettisoned high profile players that had become unwanted distractions or didn't fit their tactical ideals, and helped previously out of form players into playing the best football of their careers (Xhaka, Rashford, Shaw, etc.).

Though I agree that Ten Hag is the greater tactician, I think both Arteta and Ten Hag have a fairly similar footballing philosophy on the pitch, insofar as Arsenal and United both being aggressive, flexible teams characterised by an energetic press and fast ball recovery, capable of fluidly playing counter and possessional football as and when they're required. Spending money definitely helps in plugging up some holes in the squad, but it's easier and faster to galvanise the squad and implement those kinds of meticulous ideas when you have a more robust managerial pedigree like Ten Hag, compared to Arteta who was only known as being Pep's assistant coach at City prior to taking over at Arsenal, which aligns with your point of view.

Truthfully, I haven't really followed developments in Arsenal or United's scouting and development departments but it seemed that both clubs had signed mostly expensive flops up until recently, so that tracks.

[SgtPepper]

My main point was Utd are succeeding primarily for non-structural reasons (embracing the skillset of a skilled manager faster). I also don't know if ETH is a better tactician than Arteta, despite the former winning better bona fides like the Eredivisie and the higher stakes wins this season, because Arteta's Arsenal on average had a worse squad than Utd and often worse than ETH's Ajax side. Michael Cox believes Arteta has been a better tactician than Pep since 2019 based on how City started making less responsive tactical changes after Arteta left and the prominence of tactics in the success of Arteta's Arsenal. I don't have strong opinions on the two because I haven't watched much of their games, primarily because I have a strong ko stage CL bias and neither of these teams have been there in forever.

[Baphomet]

Big games coming up this weekend:

United play Liverpool at Anfield, and City host Newcastle. Meanwhile Arsenal have Bournemouth at home, so could be a good opportunity for them to extend their lead.

[MaliBrah]

Big games coming up this weekend:

United play Liverpool at Anfield, and City host Newcastle. Meanwhile Arsenal have Bournemouth at home, so could be a good opportunity for them to extend their lead.

Newcastle are in desperation mode now and due a result. 2 wins in the last 9 I think and cup final heart break. Wish it wasnt at the etihad. Newcastle will be hard to break down but City will find a way to get 2 just don't know if Newcastle can match that so I'm expecting a City win tbh. I think they need to start Isak , Wilson was awful in that final.

Anfield has been a rough ground for United and Liverpool have got konate back so they're a little stronger and secure at the back. Lots of games for United lately. They were quite poor in their last couple away games in the league(palace , arsenal , leeds) granted some of them were without Casemiro but have found a way to get results. Liverpool got an outside shot at making t4 still but there next 5 games are brutal if they can get by within touching distance after these 5 games t4 race might go to the last day between Spurs , Newcatle , and Liverpool.

As for us I think we need to rotate a bit maybe start Vieira , Tomiyasu , Tierney. Give them a start before we travel to portugal this week. Gabriel Jesus is partially back in training so thats a huge huge boost for this run in , think he'll be in full training next week and then back after the international break for leeds at home. He aint prolific but my word does he bring the best out of everyone around him with his technical and dribbling ability. Xhaka and Martinelli have missed the space he creates the most , Xhaka was charging forward banging goals but that's dried up. Trossard has done a good job emulating his style and Martinelli's been finding the net again. Our defensive ability to limit teams to nothing has been our strength for most of the season and was shaky at everton , against brentford , and against city. They've bounced back well since and hopefully they're solid for what's left.

[Sedale Threatt]

Brutal. John Malkovich's monologue about all of Matt Damon's dreams crashing in a heap from Rounders seems apropos.

[MaliBrah]

REISS NELSON!!!! WE FINALLY GOT PAST BOURNEMOUTH'S 7 GOAL KEEPERS LOL what a win in the football match we were playing and the basketball Bournemouth were

[HIF]

That ref was clearly corrupt. Keep playing until they score!

[Baphomet]

I genuinely hate this **** sport

[MaliBrah]

I love it when time wasting burns you right back , it's literally the most beautiful sight in all of football. Guy dropped and faked an injury right as ET started and Kavanaugh said ok i'm running this minute right back. Lovely

it's the least they owe us after letting bournemouth play with 7 different goal keepers at once

[wco81]

Wow I tuned out in the 96th minute, figuring it was ending in a draw.

What happened?


Went back and watched. I tuned out maybe 60-90 seconds too early.

[Young Stapler]

I love you Arsenal

[Young Stapler]

Thank you Arsenal THANK YOU

[Young Stapler]

I genuinely hate this **** sport

[MaliBrah]

I genuinely hate this **** sport

we got love for you here dw