So another season for us comes to end, and with a nice shiny trophy to put a bit of gloss on what was otherwise a crap season.
The FA Cup triumph means we are once again in the Europa League, starting in the Group Stage.
So what are your expectations for next season?
PREMIER LEAGUE
Well obviously the first target is a massive points improvement. 56 points is embarrassing. I feel we should be targetting 70-75 as a realistic target. That would have got us 3rd this season, but I expect the other top clubs will also improve their totals. As such, it is a bit hard to demand top 4 as a minimum requirement. It should be a target, but there has to be some room to accept others performances.
We only scored 56 goals, so this is another measurable factor we need to improve on. Aubameyang needs help in this area, especially from midfield, so transfers have to be spot on. Hopefully Pepe can step up in his second season as well.
On from that, creating chances is the biggest improvement Mikel Arteta has to work on.
Goals conceded is always something we can improve on, but while we need to look to score around 20 more, conceding is actually an easier improvement. We have already added some defenders to the squad, so lets see what they can add. It is of course a difficult balancing act to increase goals scored without making us even easier to score against.
EUROPA LEAGUE
Offering a chance of Champions League qualification, the 2019/20 campaign ended embarrassingly prematurely. Mr Arteta has a lot to prove on the European front, and it will be a test of what he has learnt. Obviously during his tenure at City they often flopped in the CL, so not a great indicator of European success under Arteta. Given the hectic schedule from September to next year, it is going to test us, but we have to look to win this competition.
FA CUP
Could we do it for a 15th time? Who knows, it isn't something that really should come into the demands.
EFL CUP
Looks like we won't play in it.
In conclusion, we need to add 20 odd points to our league total, and hope that is enough for top 4.
Success in the transfer market will make that easier, but I feel Mr Arteta has the ability to take us into the fight for CL this upcoming season.
2020/21 Expectations
posted on 3/8/20
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 9 hours, 12 minutes ago
Not sure why we shouldn't expect top 4. Got to believe in Arteta.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's one thing to put our faith in Arteta on the evidence of his promising maiden season.
It's another thing altogether for fans to remain reserved when it comes to our - frankly questionable - scouting/recruitment structure. We all know that it's still too early in the day for Arteta to have any veto power when it comes to actual transfer business.
At the end of the day, the same people who have frittered away hundreds of millions of £s in the market are still gainfully employed at the club.
Everyone from Frank Cagigao to Edú to Raul still has a big say in our fortunes over the coming 5-10 years. I'd even go as far as saying that their judgement is probably more important than Arteta's. (Or anyone else who happens to come after him.)
What the tinfoil hatters across the pond would call the Arsenal "Deep State."
posted on 3/8/20
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 9 hours, 45 minutes ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 11 seconds ago
Not sure why we shouldn't expect top 4. Got to believe in Arteta.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ridiculous to demand top 4 after a season where we got 56 points.
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Its far more ridiculous for constantly trying to lower expectations. No one has right to anything in this league. Its amazingly difficult. We all know that. But we are also fans and not pundits. Its important to set high goals and then really believe that we can achieve them. Otherwise whats the point?
I can tell you one person who will 'demand' top 4 from the players is Arteta.
posted on 3/8/20
comment by Gillespie Road. (U18361)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 9 hours, 12 minutes ago
Not sure why we shouldn't expect top 4. Got to believe in Arteta.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's one thing to put our faith in Arteta on the evidence of his promising maiden season.
It's another thing altogether for fans to remain reserved when it comes to our - frankly questionable - scouting/recruitment structure. We all know that it's still too early in the day for Arteta to have any veto power when it comes to actual transfer business.
At the end of the day, the same people who have frittered away hundreds of millions of £s in the market are still gainfully employed at the club.
Everyone from Frank Cagigao to Edú to Raul still has a big say in our fortunes over the coming 5-10 years. I'd even go as far as saying that their judgement is probably more important than Arteta's. (Or anyone else who happens to come after him.)
What the tinfoil hatters across the pond would call the Arsenal "Deep State."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, we have a structure. And yes all parts of it contribute to success or be held responsible in any failure.
What you don't do is aim low. If you believe in what you have setup. Paying millions of pounds in salaries because you believe those people are the best at their jobs. Then you have to hold them to that.
Arsenal are not some promoted club or a club with no history of success.
posted on 3/8/20
We all know that it's still too early in the day for Arteta to have any veto power when it comes to actual transfer business.
------------
No, we do know that Arteta has full power. Just look at what he has done with Gwen and Ozil.
posted on 3/8/20
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 5 minutes ago
We all know that it's still too early in the day for Arteta to have any veto power when it comes to actual transfer business.
------------
No, we do know that Arteta has full power. Just look at what he has done with Gwen and Ozil.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I guess time will tell. Players get frozen out all the time. Doesn't necessarily always end up in them getting shipped out. Xhaka had been totally written off after that infamous incident.
Having said that, I've always believed that a gaffer should have total say when it comes to transfers. Good or bad.
posted on 3/8/20
comment by Gillespie Road. (U18361)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 5 minutes ago
We all know that it's still too early in the day for Arteta to have any veto power when it comes to actual transfer business.
------------
No, we do know that Arteta has full power. Just look at what he has done with Gwen and Ozil.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I guess time will tell. Players get frozen out all the time. Doesn't necessarily always end up in them getting shipped out. Xhaka had been totally written off after that infamous incident.
Having said that, I've always believed that a gaffer should have total say when it comes to transfers. Good or bad.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't. I think thats the reason why we got into a mess with Wenger. Its just too much to do. Just compare Wenger/ Dein record vs Wenger alone.
For me Arteta and Edu is the key relationship. Just like Wenger and Dein.
Just compare two historic incidents:
1) Ashley Cole, Where Wenger sent him on loan and it was Dein who convinced Wenger to recall him and put him into the team.
2) Sol Campbell, Where Wenger became hesitant to sign Sol after the uproar and Dein pushed it through despite the flack. (revealed by Edelman)
Just compare that with incidents of Wenger acting alone. For example signing Arshavin, who turned out to be a mistake because no one did any homework on whether he could adjust to a new culture, or missing out on Suarez or allowing Gnabry to go on loan to Pulis, giving Ozil ridiculous wages.
posted on 3/8/20
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 9 minutes ago
comment by Gillespie Road. (U18361)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 5 minutes ago
We all know that it's still too early in the day for Arteta to have any veto power when it comes to actual transfer business.
------------
No, we do know that Arteta has full power. Just look at what he has done with Gwen and Ozil.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I guess time will tell. Players get frozen out all the time. Doesn't necessarily always end up in them getting shipped out. Xhaka had been totally written off after that infamous incident.
Having said that, I've always believed that a gaffer should have total say when it comes to transfers. Good or bad.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't. I think thats the reason why we got into a mess with Wenger. Its just too much to do. Just compare Wenger/ Dein record vs Wenger alone.
For me Arteta and Edu is the key relationship. Just like Wenger and Dein.
Just compare two historic incidents:
1) Ashley Cole, Where Wenger sent him on loan and it was Dein who convinced Wenger to recall him and put him into the team.
2) Sol Campbell, Where Wenger became hesitant to sign Sol after the uproar and Dein pushed it through despite the flack. (revealed by Edelman)
Just compare that with incidents of Wenger acting alone. For example signing Arshavin, who turned out to be a mistake because no one did any homework on whether he could adjust to a new culture, or missing out on Suarez or allowing Gnabry to go on loan to Pulis, giving Ozil ridiculous wages.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fair enough.
But all of this was probably all down to Dein's skill. Or rather, the cluelessness of the people who came after him in different capacities.
Plus, there's always the danger of having a suit at the club using his influence to funnel his own players through the system. It's worked well for Wolves, but the jury is still out on Kia Joorabchian.
posted on 3/8/20
comment by Gillespie Road. (U18361)
posted 59 minutes ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 9 minutes ago
comment by Gillespie Road. (U18361)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 5 minutes ago
We all know that it's still too early in the day for Arteta to have any veto power when it comes to actual transfer business.
------------
No, we do know that Arteta has full power. Just look at what he has done with Gwen and Ozil.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I guess time will tell. Players get frozen out all the time. Doesn't necessarily always end up in them getting shipped out. Xhaka had been totally written off after that infamous incident.
Having said that, I've always believed that a gaffer should have total say when it comes to transfers. Good or bad.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't. I think thats the reason why we got into a mess with Wenger. Its just too much to do. Just compare Wenger/ Dein record vs Wenger alone.
For me Arteta and Edu is the key relationship. Just like Wenger and Dein.
Just compare two historic incidents:
1) Ashley Cole, Where Wenger sent him on loan and it was Dein who convinced Wenger to recall him and put him into the team.
2) Sol Campbell, Where Wenger became hesitant to sign Sol after the uproar and Dein pushed it through despite the flack. (revealed by Edelman)
Just compare that with incidents of Wenger acting alone. For example signing Arshavin, who turned out to be a mistake because no one did any homework on whether he could adjust to a new culture, or missing out on Suarez or allowing Gnabry to go on loan to Pulis, giving Ozil ridiculous wages.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fair enough.
But all of this was probably all down to Dein's skill. Or rather, the cluelessness of the people who came after him in different capacities.
Plus, there's always the danger of having a suit at the club using his influence to funnel his own players through the system. It's worked well for Wolves, but the jury is still out on Kia Joorabchian.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think there are some misconceptions spread abt by Arseblog etc that are not actually not based on fact. For a start we are not beholden to one agent. There would be no point having Raul Sanllehi if that was the case. Wolves is a one agent club and he is defacto director of football. Yes we are linked to Coutinho and Luiz is at the club but if you do that it limits who you can bring in. Our biggest transfer last season and club record was a deal done by Samir Khiat.
posted on 3/8/20
Or rather, the cluelessness of the people who came after him in different capacities.
----------------------------
The point is no one came after him. Even Gazidis who actually replaced Edelman, (Vinai in our present structure) were in charge of the club. Not the sporting side.
posted on 5/8/20
You and I own footy clubs. You decide you don't want to shell out top whack on players, so you buy 500 mil worth of established veterans and low value youngsters noone's heard of. No huge slice of luck gifts you a superstar from the mediocre kids and your veterans all retire or go for pennies. So you ultimately only make 100 mil in transfer fees from resales.
I say "Feck that way, I wanna win." So I spend 1 billion on buying mostly high value, transfer talk youngsters and a couple of prime superstars. As a result virtually every player I sell brings in 2-3 times what any of yours could and one is a KERCHING-GHING payday. As a result I make 600 MIL in transfer fees from resales.
See now I've actually SPENT double the amount you did but we both have the same NETspend over the time in question. But you tell me which of our teams is more likely to be the one at the top of the PL?
Very crude and basic example but that is effectively what has been happening between AFC and the other top teams, year on year, for years. The transfer team isn't the cause of the problems here. It's the excessively "LOW RISK/LOW-NO RETURN," transfer policy being enforced by the owner.