Premier League 2024/25 Thread - v3: Happy New Year Edition

[Concrete]

Has anybody seen @Concrete?

 

[Concrete]

Has anybody seen @Concrete?

Spoiler

 

[650lb Sumo]

but could they do it on a cold, rainy, day in Topeka?!!1

@Arqueto @650lb Sumo @Kowboy On Sherdog @Carl Drogo

The Arsenal are gonna send yoooose out of the carabooo cup!!

No luck needed fam

4-0

Oooh to be a goooner!!

(Ok there's still the second leg)

The owner must have been raking it in. 4 day lock-in with 30 people

Every time snow is forecast loads of people head up there hoping to be snowed in lol. I have wondered how it works though. Do they get rooms, if they are available? Do they pay for them? Do they pay full whack for all food and drink? I've never got confirmation exactly what they pay. Are there rooms reserved for staff to sleep in?

I went to Tan Hill Inn once but it was in summer.

Dinosaurs are going EXTINCT in the Carabao Cup!

Que sera, sera

/

Predictions

Fulham 2 - 0 Watford
Everton 3 - 0 Peterborough United

 

[Chules]

(Ok there's still the second leg)

Bet everything you have on Newcastle

We have zero chance in the second leg

 

[Chules]

Spoiler

Fa cup and champions league double is still ON

*cuts noose*

 

[Chules]

 

[Concrete]

Fa cup and champions league double is still ON

*cuts noose*

....or a top player gets injured in the second leg as Arteta goes all out, then we end up wiv NUFFINK.

 

[Rawex]

....or a top player gets injured in the second leg as Arteta goes all out, then we end up wiv NUFFINK.

City in shambles, new manager for Pool, United and Spurs midtable, Newcastle and Chelsea still not ready for title race.
This is the season Arsenal needs to win something

 

[Chules]

@Arqueto

“You’re blocked by tonali you fucking knob”

 

[Rawex]

 

[LEWIS540]

I understand the game has evolved but the #9 position has gotten far weaker in the last 20-30 years.

Andy Cole is pretty underrated all things considered.

 

[Concrete]

I understand the game has evolved but the #9 position has gotten far weaker in the last 20-30 years.

Andy Cole is pretty underrated all things considered.

It's funny Cole keeps popping up in stats recently, as not long ago there was a discussion about how 'elite' Haaland truly is if all he's really good at is burying chances.

For me I think it's the hardest and most important skill in football.

 

[JaviBrewski]

 

[BroRogan]

@Carl Drogo 2nd pic strong future AV looms

 

[LEWIS540]

It's funny Cole keeps popping up in stats recently, as not long ago there was a discussion about how 'elite' Haaland truly is if all he's really good at is burying chances.

For me I think it's the hardest and most important skill in football.

What do you mean? Andy Cole was a very good scorer, but also had more to his game than just that.

Don't think anyone would argue that Haaland is elite at what he does.

Scoring goals is obviously important, but it is only one cog in the machine. 3 of England's greatest ever scorers (Shearer, Kane, Greaves) have like 900 league goals between them, yet only one title between them.

The old saying was "strikers win games, defences win titles"........obviously a bit simplistic, and maybe not as true in the modern game, but definitely some sense to it.

 

[Concrete]

What do you mean? Andy Cole was a very good scorer, but also had more to his game than just that.

Don't think anyone would argue that Haaland is elite at what he does.

Scoring goals is obviously important, but it is only one cog in the machine. 3 of England's greatest ever scorers (Shearer, Kane, Greaves) have like 900 league goals between them, yet only one title between them.

The old saying was "strikers win games, defences win titles"........obviously a bit simplistic, and maybe not as true in the modern game, but definitely some sense to it.

I suppose I'm dreaming of having a great old school #9 as it would go some way to solving our problems.

And that of course those players aren't very useful by themselves, but it's a team game so it doesn't matter. Cole is underrated now and maybe they're underrated in the transfer market.

Maybe post-Ronaldo and Messi it's thought of as not being enough to 'just' be a reliable goalscorer, I'm saying I think that's wrong.

I know I'm rambling

 

[Chules]

I suppose I'm dreaming of having a great old school #9 as it would go some way to solving our problems.

And that of course those players aren't very useful by themselves, but it's a team game so it doesn't matter. Cole is underrated now and maybe they're underrated in the transfer market.

Maybe post-Ronaldo and Messi it's thought of as not being enough to 'just' be a reliable goalscorer, I'm saying I think that's wrong.

I know I'm rambling

we’ve got one of the best defences in the league and an okay midfield. Our attack is utter dogshit and why we’re struggling so bad this season. Saka couldn’t do it all on his own. That’s all on Arteta. Sterling is finished. We’ve been crying for a striker/winger for the last two years.

Martinelli/Trossard/Havertz/Jesus wouldn’t get in the Ipswich team. Imagine if we had prime Auba in this team

 

[Rawex]

I suppose I'm dreaming of having a great old school #9 as it would go some way to solving our problems.

And that of course those players aren't very useful by themselves, but it's a team game so it doesn't matter. Cole is underrated now and maybe they're underrated in the transfer market.

Maybe post-Ronaldo and Messi it's thought of as not being enough to 'just' be a reliable goalscorer, I'm saying I think that's wrong.

I know I'm rambling

Tbf dont think anyone should be compared to those 2 aliens. They scored what 3-4 times the goals we used to call elite season for a striker, add their assists, goals in big games, their longevity (think of Ronaldinho, R9, Van Basten being up there talent/skill wise but not being at same level for long).

Even if Haaland "just" scores 40 tap ins each season for next 7 years, already has claim being best offensive player in last 20 years (if we dont count the 2 aliens) and he just stands next the opposing team cb's 99% of the time.

 

[LEWIS540]

I suppose I'm dreaming of having a great old school #9 as it would go some way to solving our problems.

And that of course those players aren't very useful by themselves, but it's a team game so it doesn't matter. Cole is underrated now and maybe they're underrated in the transfer market.

Maybe post-Ronaldo and Messi it's thought of as not being enough to 'just' be a reliable goalscorer, I'm saying I think that's wrong.

I know I'm rambling

Those 2 have definitely changed the perception of what a top forward should be.......and as good as they both unquestionably were, they both had amazing squads to back them up. Take Messi/Ronaldo out of those Barca/Real teams, they'd both have still been world class.

Yeah, even someone like an Ivan Toney or Alexander Mitrovic would have given Arsenal an extra dimension these last 2-3 years, let alone an Isak or Haaland level guy.

 

[Chules]

As @Arqueto said yesterday

Arteta signed Havertz over Isak. Who cost more money. Sackable offence

Isak and Odegard played together at Soceidad too. Imagine how good we’d have been. Fuck!!