24/25 English Cup thread

[Savant]

Idk exactly, but I can't remember them ever winning in it. They definitely wore it in the loss to Liverpool last year.

If we're serious about competing for the title this year, then we need to spend this month. Go out and pay the Nico Williams release clause and try to convince him. If he doesn't want to move, then fine, but there's no good reason we couldn't spend ~60M on him.

Everything I’ve seen in Nico Williams - transfer fee not a problem for any teams, but he (allegedly) has very high wages, and is very happy in Bilbao/happy to wait for Barcelona. If there was going to be a chance to go get him, it may be now while Barca has egg on its face about the Olmo thing; but then again, we just saw them run riot on Real Madrid so it’s hard to say if he will move or not. I have other thoughts on this that I will save for transfer thread if it comes necessarily.

Arteta has actually spent less than most (below table is gross spend and net spend since his first full season) - less than Chelsea, Spurs, and United who we've been performing significantly better than. On par with City (gross spend) who already had a billion dollar squad, and more than Liverpool who also already had a PL/CL title winning squad as opposed to the full rebuild that Arteta needed to do.

Has he spent a lot? Yes. Has he spent the money better than most? Also yes. Is he being criticized (seemingly way more than other clubs/managers that have spent more) for not winning the PL? Also yes.

That’s fine, but also I do not think people (not you) should be isolating comparing Summer 2023 spend to Summer 2024 to try and make a point about this

But now it'll be more ammo for the false narrative that Arteta is a problem/can't win trophies, when in reality he's been great for Arsenal. Not sure how you can blame him when his team missed like 3-4 big chances inside the 6 yard box. Today was on the players, not Arteta.

I have my issues with Arteta and I don’t particularly like him, but he isn’t my problem. I also think it’s silly if people think he is bad. i think he’s corny and I don’t like the culture he’s built there but arsenal could be doing a hell of a lot worse

 

[Epictetus]

He's a good manager and obviously very intelligent, but it's fair to ask if he's the guy to match the fanbase's ambitions.

 

[KJS14]

Everything I’ve seen in Nico Williams - transfer fee not a problem for any teams, but he (allegedly) has very high wages, and is very happy in Bilbao/happy to wait for Barcelona. If there was going to be a chance to go get him, it may be now while Barca has egg on its face about the Olmo thing; but then again, we just saw them run riot on Real Madrid so it’s hard to say if he will move or not. I have other thoughts on this that I will save for transfer thread if it comes necessarily.

Agree with this, but no reason for Arsenal to not trigger the clause and make a run at him. As you said, now is the perfect time with Barca's hands tied. If he doesn't want to come, then fine, but go try.

We'd have to pay high wages, but Havertz is reportedly on 280k/wk, so we can afford it. We're going to have to pay up for Saka, Saliba, Gabriel, etc next contracts at some point too, so wage structure is just an excuse. Liverpool has a wage structure, but they paid their top guys, just like we'll need to.

That’s fine, but also I do not think people (not you) should be isolating comparing Summer 2023 spend to Summer 2024 to try and make a point about this

Yeah, that's fair. I do think we should have spent more this summer to bring in an attacker, but we did supposedly try with Sesko and Nico Williams.

I have my issues with Arteta and I don’t particularly like him, but he isn’t my problem. I also think it’s silly if people think he is bad. i think he’s corny and I don’t like the culture he’s built there but arsenal could be doing a hell of a lot worse

Yeah, he's a total cornball. I cringe at some of the stuff he says (a lot even), but ultimately he's an amazing tactician - one of the best in the world right now.

Arsenal fans have been overreacting to our less than stellar start to this season and I get that rival fans are going to make fun until he wins the league or CL. But every other team aside from City and Liverpool would kick their managers to the curb in a half second to have Arteta.

 

[KJS14]

He's a good manager and obviously very intelligent, but it's fair to ask if he's the guy to match the fanbase's ambitions.

What exactly has he done to not match the ambitions? Of all people, I'd expect Liverpool fans to understand given it took Klopp 4-5 years to win a major trophy.

Do you expect him to put the ball in the net himself?

 

[robertmac43]

Tough draw already this early, unfortunate.

Not happy on the Brighton side either.

 

[Savant]

Agree with this, but no reason for Arsenal to not trigger the clause and make a run at him. As you said, now is the perfect time with Barca's hands tied. If he doesn't want to come, then fine, but go try.

I mean my club significantly blundered by letting Yoro go to United because they thought it was a foregone conclusion he’d go to Madrid. Especially Long term that one is going to look very bad. Hell LFC love Nico too (who doesn’t) but they clearly haven’t learned from the Yoro incident.

We'd have to pay high wages, but Havertz is reportedly on 280k/wk, so we can afford it. We're going to have to pay up for Saka, Saliba, Gabriel, etc next contracts at some point too, so wage structure is just an excuse. Liverpool has a wage structure, but they paid their top guys, just like we'll need to.

Wages structures are made to be inevitably broken. The problem that Arsenal are going to have is all those guys are going to want more than Havertz. That’s going to add up real quick.

Yeah, that's fair. I do think we should have spent more this summer to bring in an attacker, but we did supposedly try with Sesko and Nico Williams.

Yeah, he's a total cornball. I cringe at some of the stuff he says (a lot even), but ultimately he's an amazing tactician - one of the best in the world right now.

Arsenal fans have been overreacting to our less than stellar start to this season and I get that rival fans are going to make fun until he wins the league or CL. But every other team aside from City and Liverpool would kick their managers to the curb in a half second to have Arteta.

You know I actually am curious about what teams would trade their current manager for Arteta.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I do believe Arsenal had the best collection of talent (starting 11) the past two seasons in the EPL but they were lacking a true striker as well as more depth especially at midfield & wings.

From what I have watched of Arsenal this year, it's pretty clear and obvious that Martinelli and Havertz (while they have some great games from time to time) are not clinical enough. They are also very reliant on Saka to provide that spark offensively. Defensively, I feel Arsenal have been doing very good. Saliba has had a few bad moments but as a unit they are solid. They are still very hard to score on and Raya has been great.

What I do not like about them is the manager (not the tactics) but what he says to the media. He is always claiming they are the best team and how they are always hard done or targetted by the referees or other outside factors. Winning the league and/or trophies is very hard and no team will be perfect for a full season but hearing him talk you would believe that Arsenal are the less fortunate team in the world and they have dominated all their games. While they have had a few incidents that seem quite unfair to them. The attitude of the manager and their players seem more like victims instead of looking at the incidents in the proper way and learn from the mistake and not repeating them. Yes, for instance, it is 100% true that the kicking away the ball away is so arbitrary and the standard of refeering in england is awul on that specific issue. They can feel that they got punished and some time other team have not, I still feel that the players have not learned from it, they will still kick away the ball and they still waste time and still complain a lot the referee. I do think Arteta is a great manager but he is lacking composure and self awareness which triggle down to the players. I do sense that it will eventually click for them and they will win a lot but it might not be this season.