Post by rickyqpr on Mar 5, 2024 12:31:15 GMT
Watched a couple of Prem games on the box, and it set me thinking.
Sheffield United were lucky to escape on 5 in the first half against Arsenal. The gap in class was enormous. Arsenal cheated by playing Declan Rice for three quarters of the game. An England midfield with Eze and Rice would be worth watching!
Second half, Arsenal rested most of their key players and settled for 6 goals and 81% possession - all away from home as the stadium emptied.
But my thoughts went to how last season’s promoted teams had struggled, and in particular, Burnley. Runaway leaders last season, they just turned up and won. Kompany lauded as Pep’s successor at City. Not any more, slammed for his tactics and deemed out of his depth.
Runaway leaders Leicester expect to do just the same this year, of course they will win. They just wait for the inevitable errors by the opposition and then capitalize. On Saturday, apart from one large mistake by our errant keeper, we defended well, and got lucky in as much, no huge deflections etc. Leicester just carried on doing the same thing, believing it would happen, trying nothing different.
When teams like Burnley and Leicester get promoted, they are totally ill prepared for the Premier League, the gap Is huge now. The three relegated teams this season saw fit to unload their star players for huge sums, bank the parachute payments and race away from the rest – only Ipswich putting up a fight. Southampton like to give the opposition a couple of goals start and settle for out scoring them. All 3 will need to invest a great deal if they are to survive at a higher level. The three managers again lauded as miracle workers this season (they are not though!), probably will be out by the New Year if promoted.
By way of contrast, Manchester City pulled Manchester United all over the place to break them down when a goal behind. So much so it is hardly sport!
So with this huge gap, watching Burnley and Sheffield United get spanked every week, whilst plucky Luton, with a decent manager and Ross Barclay give it a go, the only hope it seems nowadays is FFP points deductions for the established teams.
But my point is, we watch and dream about our own team, but what is the extent of our ambitions? Do we want to get into the Prem, get spanked every week? Brentford, Wolves, Palace and Bournemouth seem to have found a way (always when they have decent management). Is that what we want? Maybe a cup run?
For the last three seasons, survival has been the full extent of our ambition. We had a flurry under Beale – and we even topped the table for a few hours. But the gap gets bigger and bigger, and even with wealthy owners, our financial model makes us an Orient rather than an Arsenal.
So my question to you all. Is how far can we go? What do you hope we can achieve and across what timescale. The old interview question… ‘where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?’ Could we even get to where Brentford are today in 5 years?
Sheffield United were lucky to escape on 5 in the first half against Arsenal. The gap in class was enormous. Arsenal cheated by playing Declan Rice for three quarters of the game. An England midfield with Eze and Rice would be worth watching!
Second half, Arsenal rested most of their key players and settled for 6 goals and 81% possession - all away from home as the stadium emptied.
But my thoughts went to how last season’s promoted teams had struggled, and in particular, Burnley. Runaway leaders last season, they just turned up and won. Kompany lauded as Pep’s successor at City. Not any more, slammed for his tactics and deemed out of his depth.
Runaway leaders Leicester expect to do just the same this year, of course they will win. They just wait for the inevitable errors by the opposition and then capitalize. On Saturday, apart from one large mistake by our errant keeper, we defended well, and got lucky in as much, no huge deflections etc. Leicester just carried on doing the same thing, believing it would happen, trying nothing different.
When teams like Burnley and Leicester get promoted, they are totally ill prepared for the Premier League, the gap Is huge now. The three relegated teams this season saw fit to unload their star players for huge sums, bank the parachute payments and race away from the rest – only Ipswich putting up a fight. Southampton like to give the opposition a couple of goals start and settle for out scoring them. All 3 will need to invest a great deal if they are to survive at a higher level. The three managers again lauded as miracle workers this season (they are not though!), probably will be out by the New Year if promoted.
By way of contrast, Manchester City pulled Manchester United all over the place to break them down when a goal behind. So much so it is hardly sport!
So with this huge gap, watching Burnley and Sheffield United get spanked every week, whilst plucky Luton, with a decent manager and Ross Barclay give it a go, the only hope it seems nowadays is FFP points deductions for the established teams.
But my point is, we watch and dream about our own team, but what is the extent of our ambitions? Do we want to get into the Prem, get spanked every week? Brentford, Wolves, Palace and Bournemouth seem to have found a way (always when they have decent management). Is that what we want? Maybe a cup run?
For the last three seasons, survival has been the full extent of our ambition. We had a flurry under Beale – and we even topped the table for a few hours. But the gap gets bigger and bigger, and even with wealthy owners, our financial model makes us an Orient rather than an Arsenal.
So my question to you all. Is how far can we go? What do you hope we can achieve and across what timescale. The old interview question… ‘where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?’ Could we even get to where Brentford are today in 5 years?
