2015/16 Season reflection

we finished 2nd which is not that bad at all

Taken out of context, sure....finishing second is better than finishing third or fourth. But we have to look at the circumstances. We had the league in our hand at the start of the year, and we let it slip all on our own. We've also been dropping four points every season since Wenger was "allowed" to start spending £30m+ on players. And we are ten points behind the winners, only having scored as many goals as West Ham.

Let's not ignore the fact that Wenger was very lucky yesterday. Not many people believed Spurs would get slaughtered. Third place behind Spurs would be a disaster of a season, and yet we were only 90 minutes away from that happening.

We will add players with Rosicky Arteta and Flamini going + Welbeck out for long term

The worrying part here is that Wenger has said that he doesn't want to add more than three players, again claiming it will hurt team harmony (even though there is plenty of evidence this is not true at all). We desperately need an established and proven striker, but do you honestly believe that will happen? Most likely Wenger will again try to find some half-discovered talent in Ligue 1 as if Arsenal doesn't have cash.

Granit Xhaka looks like a definite, and I'm happy with that. But something tells me he will be the sole marquee signing and we won't see much else movement in terms of big-name arrivals.

But even if we sign five world class players the biggest problem at Arsenal remains: Wenger lacks the tactical skills to win this league. What good is eleven world class players if you can't make them play like a team? "Express yourself" is not a valid tactical instruction. Our defenders are constantly made out to look like amateurs because Wenger insists on giving all his midfielders positional freedom. We are easily run over by more disciplined teams, and we are extremely weak at playing against high pressing opposition.

Do you honestly believe Wenger will fix all these issues next season? Not a chance. The only hope we have is that all the big clubs suffer yet another collapse so we can clinch the title on luck.

Wenger doesn't lack the tactical skills to win the league. Wenger was lucky because spurs lost? Well the league starts with every club on 0 points and you only get to take away 6 points maximum from a rival. Other than that you rely on them losing/drawing. Call it luck if you want but against Spurs we played 1-1 and 2-2 meaning that by your logic only luck would have decided who finished higher. If we label losing points playing against other clubs as luck.

Wenger doesn't lack the tactical skills to win the league.

...you're basing this on what? Can't be his league-winning track record in the last 12 seasons. First he must be able to break 80 points, and he hasn't done that for almost a decade.

I'm basing that on the fact that not everyone is a binary, statistical robot. He has done it, he will do it.

I'm basing that on the fact that not everyone is a binary, statistical robot. He has done it, he will do it.

We don't sign a good first choice striker it doesn't matter who else we sign, we have no chance.

It was an absolutely awful season made hilarious by Spurs having the biggest bottle job in history. Next year City & Chelsea will come 1st and 2nd, United, us and Liverpool will battle it out for the next three places.

I have no faith that next season will be any different for us.

Too bad for you. I have faith. Wenger: "We must add what we missed this season. I've said often we do not score enough goals. We aim to keep our side together and add 3."

I assume that means 3 actual first teamers, as it's likely that Ospina is leaving for example. We need a striker, CM & a CB. The wing is an area for concern as well.

I can't see us spending big on a striker as well if we're putting £30m on the table for Xhaka

Trust in the greatest manager to have walked earth.

Since when are we relying on Fergie to do anything for us?

We don't sign a good first choice striker it doesn't matter who else we sign, we have no chance. It was an absolutely awful season made hilarious by Spurs having the biggest bottle job in history. Next year City & Chelsea will come 1st and 2nd, United, us and Liverpool will battle it out for the next three places. I have no faith that next season will be any different for us.

Actually both City and Chelsea will most likely be average next season. Both will have new managers and City will have major rebuilding to do. Hopefully Man U will keep Van Gaal and Leicester's magic will probably fizzle out.

So, theoretically next season should be as big a chance for Arsenal to win the league, as was this one.

But as we know, Wenger will not sign a decent striker, most likely recall Sanogo and Akpom, and them with Giroud will be our CF options.

We'll have a good run until November, then a a couple of serious injuries to key players, and the season will go to shits as usual. Then there'll be a mad fight to secure top 4, which we'll do, as usual.

Since when are we relying on Fergie to do anything for us?

Since Arsene became the best manager to ever walk the earth.

It's almost as if Pep isn't the best manager in the world with an unlimited budget or that Chelsea will keep everyone (bar maybe Hazard) and invest majorly with no CL to worry about

Too bad for you. I have faith. Wenger: "We must add what we missed this season. I've said often we do not score enough goals. We aim to keep our side together and add 3."

We hear this every season. Why didn't he fix this before the season started? And you do realise that these magical three players will not technically be added, but rather replacing the players we lose in June?

We're not strengthening with three players, we're simply adding three and losing four or five.

Again with borderline crazy statistics. So in theory selling Giroud, Theo, Campbell, Welbeck and buying Messi is not "technically" adding...

Post edit function is broken.

I wanted to quote your "strengthening" too to make it even better.

We're not consistent enough to win the title. We switch off far too much during the season, hell we switch off 4 or 5 times during each game. Top four again next year.

Again with borderline crazy statistics. So in theory selling Giroud, Theo, Campbell, Welbeck and buying Messi is not "technically" adding...

That's right, it would technically be replacing. But you are right, "adding" isn't the right word here. My point is that we need to strengthen squad depth, not just replacing players. Granit Xhaka is a good signing but he is being brought into replace the loss of three central midfielders, not to strengthen our team on top of them.

Wenger clearly felt the need to have Rosicky, Arteta and Flamini in the team...so why aren't we then getting at least three new central midfielders? Did we not need them while we had them? This club is being run by amateurs.

With our awful injury record we are going to need 25 good first team players, it's as simple as that.

Games are won through scoring more and conceding less. Not by having the most players in a team. Messi would score more than all those I have named therefore no, it's not replacing, it's strengthening and adding.

Games are won through scoring more and conceding less. Not by having the most players in a team.

Let's stop pretending you actually don't understand the value of squad depth for a team that participates in four competitions, one of which is the most physically demanding league in the world.