But there’s a vital, absolutely crucial factor you’re missing. Stan wasn’t funding transfer spending to anything like the same degree. It’s that he now is that is likely to be central to his raised expectations.

I would agree that a change in management may not achieve anything. There’s no guarantees about anything. You won’t find out until a change is made. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

Progress isn't binary either. How do you judge it? League position or points? In 2016 we finished second behind Leicester with 71 points. The following season, we improved by scoring 12 more goals, improved our goal difference by four goals, got four more points too, yet finished fifth and out of the Champions league places for the first time in over 20 years. Yet, by every other metric we improved. Some things are out of your hands.

I think everyone just needs to enjoy what we're seeing. This is the most unified fan base for years overall, the team is starting to click, the manager is definitely smart, the owners seem to have bought into to him and his project and yet people are already creating imaginary lines in the sand. Just enjoy this young, evolving team and let's see how the ups and downs play out over the season. We all do it, I get it, but I've not enjoyed an Arsenal side like this for a long time.

Totally agree, I mean if we had beaten Newcastle away and had qualified would we be led to believe Arteta was a hero and a huge success yet because we lost that one game he’s a failure should be sacked and we need to start again?

I’m looking forward to this new season. It’s the first season where I can honestly say the albatross of years of mismanagement doesn’t lie with the footballing squad. The spending has given us a genuine opportunity to progress and whilst the side doesn’t have an obvious talisman we are well organised, likeable and headed in the right direction

Didn't see it but by all accounts a very encouraging performance last night both individually and collectively.

Jesus looks the real deal. Saliba looks ready.

All in all, a very promising pre-season thus far, on and off the pitch.

Pre-season games are really all about fitness, bedding in new players, working on new systems and tactics etc. 4-0 is a great result that gives confidence but in reality it means very little in the context of a long Premier league season.

I've seen us play well in Charity Shield games, in Emirates Cup games etc only to see us have very average seasons so whilst I am excited by this new, young team I refuse to get too carried away too soon.

It may well be a midfielder. But don’t write off the possibility it’s a forward. Will Jesus, Nketiah and Balogun really be enough for 38 Premier League games, between 6 and 15 in the Europa League, and between 1 and 6 in both the League Cup and FA Cup?

Unless my mental arithmetic has gone down the shops without me, that’s at least 46 matches (dependant on getting knocked out Europe in the group stage and the initial round we enter in both domestic cups), up to 65 if we reach the finals of all three cups.

Sounds an awful lot for three forwards, one of whom is extremely inexperienced. It’s noticeable he used the words ‘some positions’ as a plural. My own guess is it’s a midfielder and forward. Could of course be wrong.

On the other hand, the fact that Stan is funding the project suggests he trusts Arteta and is giving him a decent window. He was probably (quite rightly in retrospective) a bit leery of spending on the late Wenger team or the baffling Emery.

Another point that should be considered is that 5th place one season my be better than 4th in another season. Last seasons tally of 69 points would have got us 3rd a couple of seasons ago. When we came 5th a few seasons ago we got 75 points. We can have a very decent season and come fifth and win nothing if (as is likely) two out of Spurs, Chelsea, and United have very good season and Liverpool and City do as expected.

I would think if we keep improving our points tally, the owners would want to stick with the manager. Since Arteta has been at the helm, we have gone from 56 points, to 61, to 69. If we continue to improve, success will come.

Having said that, I do agree with Top Gun that this is definitely a massive season for Arteta because this is his team and stagnation or regression would probably not be acceptable to the owners.

It think you hit the nail on the head there... "organised, likeable and headed in the right direction", and looking forward to the season. It feels like we are finally over the late- and post-Wenger disarray. Considering how long it it taking United to recover from Fergie, we haven't done too badly.

Of course it will probably all go pear-shaped. But at least one doesn't feel the usual sense of impending doom this time round.

Spurs must be green with envy

I certainly think that his funding of the project shows he has changed his ownership philosophy (thankfully) and presumably has confidence the money will be well spent. But I’d be surprised if anyone would suggest it won’t make Stan look closely at the outcomes from his funding (if you want to call it that rather than doping or investment).

That’s why I’ve made the point more than once that now it is undoubtedly Arteta’s team, the funding of the team strengthening over the last two years will make the ownership look closely at the outcomes. How can it not do that?

It will always be easy to find examples where teams with a number of points would have come higher in another season with the same number of points. But I’m a traditionalist and see league position as the best guide to progress, rather than points won. With the £150m spent last summer we went from eighth to fifth, and arguably should have finished fourth. If we spend another £150m this summer, again outspending everyone else, I don’t think it’s outlandish to assume the ownership regime may well expect a top four place, albeit winning the Europa League will have the same effect.

I completely agree, with the caveat that if we narrowly lose out on 4th because the top four are really good (not unlikely) and don't win any cups, but we have otherwise shown significant improvement, I cannot see what purpose sacking the manager would bring. I wonder if the owners would?

Caught up on the Chelsea game. Pre-season always comes with the-'its only pre-season' caveat, but I'd much rather be comfortably winning these games, playing good football with multiple goal-scorers than getting tonked.

Plenty to be excited about going in to the season. Encouraging to see it doesn''t look like we're stopping in the transfer market either. I think Jesus will surprise non-Arsenal fans who have lazily cast him as a Man City reject. I also think Zinchenko will surprise Arsenal fans with his technical ability. I think both are tremendous signings at great value.

Hi Rich,

Sometimes a team signs a player that is so good and fits the system so well that it unlocks the potential of the rest of the team.

Last season we were decent but there was always something missing up front. Lacazette did his best but he just wasn't quick enough, mobile enough or agile enough for what was required and as a result we struggled to score enough goals despite having lots of possession.

I am hoping that Jesus could be the player who unlocks that potential. Too early to say for sure but the signs are promising.

Hi Bernard,

I think the owners will be looking for a minimum of a top 4 finish or a Europa League win.

Whether Arteta would keep his job if we fail on both I don't know. It would seem a tad hasty to sack a manager after backing "the project" so strongly in the last two seasons but it's a results based business and eventually patience will run out.

I suspect he might get another season if we are very close to top 4 and go a long way in the EL.

Morning socrates. That’s pretty much how I see it. You could be right that he’ll get another season if we’re very close to finishing in the top four (we were last year anyway) and go a long way in the Europa League.

But my point is, and has been, this. There will come a time in the not too distant future when the ownership regime will expect tangible outcomes from the spending they’re undertaking. And by tangible, in the shortish term I mean getting back into the Champions League. There could even come a time beyond the shortish term when being serious challengers for trophies might come into the equation.

Edu speaks well here

The Brazilian, who was appointed in July 2019, told reporters in the United States: “When the player is 26-plus, big salary and he is not performing? He is killing you, that kind of player.

“Because you don’t have a valuation to sell the player. The player is comfortable — Arsenal, London, beautiful, everything is fantastic — and has a good salary. How do you move this player?

“So, how many players with that kind of characteristics did we have in the past? 80 per cent of the squad.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... dmits-edu/

So what are our expectations as fans this season?

Good season:
Back in the top 4

Great season:
Comfortably in the top 4 - much closer to City/Liverpool.....and a domestic trophy

Amazing season:
3rd quite close to City/Liverpool + Europa League win

Anything beyond that would probably be classed as a tad unrealistic.

In terms of points tallies I'd like us to be above 75 points, that gets comfortable top 4 I think.

Edu: “When the player is 26-plus, big salary & he’s not performing? He’s killing you, that kind of player, because you don’t have a valuation to sell the player - Arsenal, London, beautiful, everything is fantastic - and has a good salary. How do you move this player?”

Nicolas Pépé [writes in his diary]: 'Interesting words from Mr Edu. I wonder about whom he is speaking?'

It's CL football again for the season as the top goal. And in the intermediate future, to be consistently in the CL again.

For me, the only thing that would compensate for lack of CL football is either the FA or Europa cup.

Borderline compensation: League cup or that Europa thingy that Mourinho won.

Some sweeteners? Beating sperz at least once and not losing in the other. 'Only' one or two losses tops collectively to City, Liverpool. And don't lose to Chelsea, draw both games at worse.

I also think last seasons up and down season, helped build some 'character' into the squad. I think the addition of Jesus is more than just his skill. He came from a club that were winners and comes in with not just a winning attitude but with some knowledge of what it takes to win.

He also will raise the level around him.

For some of you old geezers who have given up all hope.

Italian ultra-millionaire fashion designer Roberto Cavalli 80-year-old with his 22-year-old girlfriend.
This shows us that true love has no ages or obstacles and that when one loves unselfishly nothing is impossible

I wonder what first attracted her to the multi-millionaire Mr Cavalli

I just don’t get how this is possible. Ignoring the physical side and the many questions it brings in my mind (I’m assuming he needs pills) how can they not drive each other up the wall.

She must have to wear blindfold on each time.

Arsenal Manager Mikel Guardiola

Yet still can't see what attracted a 26 year old Anna Nicole Smith to the 89 year old wheelchair bound oil tycoon, J. Herbert Marshall, II.

RIP Paul Sorvino, Goodfellas actor dies at 83.

I don't subscribe to the Athletic but I was able to read the article by James McNicholas when he speaks to Edu. Highly recommend it if you can get to read it. I can't post a link unfortunately.

I can't help thinking there are better looking 22 year olds to be a sugar daddy to. However, at his age...well..better left unsaid.

Finally got around to watching the Chelsea game, and like most Arsenal fans I was well impressed with what we showed. The first half in particular was brilliant, our pressing gave Chelsea absolutely no space to do what they wanted to do, our passing was quick, crisp and direct and we caused them a lot of trouble. It's just pre-season of course, and we're a little further ahead in our schedule than they are, but with just two weeks left until the league starts that's what you want to see from the team. There's a sense of cohesion and togetherness at Arsenal that Chelsea currently look like they're lacking.

Some great individual performances that I won't go into, but the most encouraging thing for me is that we started without our two starting full backs but didn't miss a beat. Saliba is genuine competition for Gabriel and White (as opposed to Holding who is merely a decent back-up) and I wouldn't be surprised to see him cement a starting spot this season. He gives us the option to put White at RB with Tomiyasu out without losing our defensive solidity. Zinchenko had just one training session with the team I think, but looked like he's been playing at Arsenal for years and just slotted right in. Last season we were way too susceptible to injuries, and we've come a long way to rectify that. Partey looks like the player we'd struggle to replace the most, but even with him out I think a midfield two of Xhaka and Zinchenko is still quality.

Very much looking forward to the start of the season. The team looks ready and raring to go.

As encouraging as the match was from an Arsenal perspective, it paints a much grimmer picture when looking at it from a Chelsea perspective. They looked disjointed and lethargic, and some of the post-match comments from Tuchel was just bizarre.





First of all, his second comment seems to ignore the fact that they've just signed one of the best goalscoring wingers of the last decade. Second, I'm really not sure how going this harshly into the players after a pre-season game is supposed to build confidence and cohesion. I'm sure they'll sign more players and get in better shape before the season starts, but there isn't much time left and us Arsenal fans know all too well what can happen to a team that doesn't start the season in the right way.

This is pretty much where I'm at as well. Top 4 is definitely the target, and we should be among the top favorites to win the Europa League, but nothing should be completely set in stone with regards to league finish. It's important that sacking the manager isn't just used as a punishment for a manager failing to reach a certain target, it's a drastic measure that should only be used if it's determined the team won't be moving forward with the current set-up.

Starting from 0 under a new manager could of course be an injection that the team would need, but with such a young and close-knit squad that all seem to enjoy playing under Arteta it could also be quite devastating.

Must admit, as things stand I think we have a decent chance of finishing above Chelsea in the table. Sure, lots can happen to make me change my mind but I really don’t see them as certain of third, if the top two will be City and Liverpool?

Okay, they’ve signed Sterling and Koulibaly. Maybe Koulibaly will be an adequate replacement for Rudiger? But I’ll be surprised if he’s as good as Rudiger, who my Chelsea supporting friends tell me was their best central defender since Terry.

Also, Azpilicueta and Alonso are apparently desperate to get away, as is Werner though I don’t think the latter would be as big a loss. I simply don’t see Chelsea being as out of our reach as some might do. Or Tottenham and Manchester United’s reach either.

I’m not saying this because of our win the other day. All I’ve seen of the game is the goals.

Now I’ve said all that, Chelsea will no doubt go and win the league by ten points (imagine a smiley here).

I'm trying really hard not to get carried away with the positive vibes surrounding Arsenal at the moment, it's only pre-season and all that...but yeah, I think third place is up for grabs. Sterling is a great addition for them, but I'm not sure they've gotten stronger at all since last season. They certainly aren't as settled as they seemed to be at this time last year.

I dunno Bernard, I can't see us ever beating Chelsea any time soon.

I have a funny feeling that Martinelli is going to have a breakout season. Add that to Ødegaard, Jesus, Saka, ESM with huge potential, a very convincing back 5, and hopefully one more midfielder, together with hunger and cohesion throughout the squad, and it feels very good.

All in all, I can't see us finishing worse than 9th

I'm not only going to 'touch wood' to avoid jinxing us with my optimism ... I'm going to go and cut some and make a nice fire, because it is bloody freezing here