Premier League (Fantasy too)

[Furniture]

Liverpool - City was crazy fun to watch.

What.a.game! Glad to see Salah back doing the business!

[duke74]

What.a.game! Glad to see Salah back doing the business!

Glad it was this week and not last week.

COYG. Toughed it out today.

[Gooch]

Liverpool - City was crazy fun to watch.

Most exciting regular season 1-0 match I can remember seeing. Does this mean Liverpool is back?

[Furniture]

Glad it was this week and not last week.

COYG. Toughed it out today.

I have never seen COYG before. Thank god for Urban dictionary….

[flyingdutchdevil]

Most exciting regular season 1-0 match I can remember seeing. Does this mean Liverpool is back?

No...and yes.

Liverpool is clearly playing below their means. But they aren't likely to compete for the title this year. I'm still putting all my chips on Man City, even though Arsenal is playing out of their minds.

[Phredd3]

No...and yes.

Liverpool is clearly playing below their means. But they aren't likely to compete for the title this year. I'm still putting all my chips on Man City, even though Arsenal is playing out of their minds.

Liverpool is City's kryptonite. City just has a ton of trouble dealing with the persistent swarming press, and when they do get through, their tendency is to slow the ball down to ensure possession rather than attempt a low-percentage through-ball. Then when City reach an impasse and send the ball back into their own half to reset, the high press starts all over again. City end up leading in possession by a lot, but not in shots or real chances. Add in one horrible mistake (and a nice assist from Alisson), and that's the ball game.

I agree that Liverpool will play much better from here on out, but it is really, really tough to make up a deficit of 10+ points on three different high-quality teams. That's not even counting Chelsea, who have a six-point lead of their own (on Liverpool). Liverpool is pretty clearly one of the two best teams in the league, though, and the margins at the top are very thin. Anything is still possible. Fivethirtyeight gives Liverpool a 9% chance to win the league as of right now. I might even put it a bit higher, since their model gives City a 63% chance to win the league, which this early on is just ludicrously high.

[Kdogg]

I don’t think anyone would have predicted City 5 points back to anyone heading into the World Cup let alone to Arsenal. Of course the last time Arsenal was top of the table at Christmas it did not end well. League’s off until Boxing Day.

[Phredd3]

I don’t think anyone would have predicted City 5 points back to anyone heading into the World Cup let alone to Arsenal. Of course the last time Arsenal was top of the table at Christmas it did not end well. League’s off until Boxing Day.

The race is still within the point margin of the head-to-head matchup, the first of which won't happen until the New Year, but yes, this is a surprising state of the league at the break.

[duke74]

The race is still within the point margin of the head-to-head matchup, the first of which won't happen until the New Year, but yes, this is a surprising state of the league at the break.

A long way to go, but this Gooner is very happy with the results so far. COYG

[75Crazie]

A long way to go, but this Gooner is very happy with the results so far. COYG

Neddy Seagoon, Major Bloodnok, or Eccles?

[flyingdutchdevil]

I don’t think anyone would have predicted City 5 points back to anyone heading into the World Cup let alone to Arsenal. Of course the last time Arsenal was top of the table at Christmas it did not end well. League’s off until Boxing Day.

This is indeed shocking. I pooped on Arsenal last year and in the pre-season; I am eating crow now.

I still don't think they will win the Premier League. However, they will absolutely finish in the top 4, which is surprising to say given there are 7 very good teams all vying for those spots.

Side note: This may be the most competitive the Premier League has ever been. It's normally 5-6 teams competing for those 4 CL spots.

[duke74]

Neddy Seagoon, Major Bloodnok, or Eccles?

Good one...

[Kdogg]

Gabriel Jesus (Brazil/Arsenal) will be out three months after suffering an injury during the last group stage game. Hope he gets well soon and makes a full recovery.

Arsenal's EPL ambitions take a hit from the World Cup with probably the most high-profile and lengthy injury. This is why you don't have a major tournament in the middle of league play. It's going to throw a wrench in Arsenal's future spending plans. The team had been absolutely lucky to avoid injury during the season.

[Phredd3]

Gabriel Jesus (Brazil/Arsenal) will be out three months after suffering an injury during the last group stage game. Hope he gets well soon and makes a full recovery.

Arsenal's EPL ambitions take a hit from the World Cup with probably the most high-profile and lengthy injury. This is why you don't have a major tournament in the middle of league play. It's going to throw a wrench in Arsenal's future spending plans. The team had been absolutely lucky to avoid injury during the season.

That's a big hit, for sure, but I don't think he is an irreplaceable piece for Arsenal. He has five goals and five assists, and also has an incredible motor, but Arsenal don't really have a central focus in their offense. They play a lot like City did pre-Haaland (unsurprisingly), and City played successfully with a false nine for many years after Aguero passed his peak. Jesus is very good, so it will take a toll for sure, and given how tight the league is, any injury to a regular is important in the title race. But I think Arsenal are quite capable of challenging for the title anyway, especially since Arteta has some time to make some adjustments before the schedule resumes in earnest on Boxing Day.

[duke74]

That's a big hit, for sure, but I don't think he is an irreplaceable piece for Arsenal. He has five goals and five assists, and also has an incredible motor, but Arsenal don't really have a central focus in their offense. They play a lot like City did pre-Haaland (unsurprisingly), and City played successfully with a false nine for many years after Aguero passed his peak. Jesus is very good, so it will take a toll for sure, and given how tight the league is, any injury to a regular is important in the title race. But I think Arsenal are quite capable of challenging for the title anyway, especially since Arteta has some time to make some adjustments before the schedule resumes in earnest on Boxing Day.

Hoping this is true. He cooled off from his very hot start, but was a focus of the opposition it seemed. Depth will of course be the key…and January transfer activity.

[Chicago 1995]

That's a big hit, for sure, but I don't think he is an irreplaceable piece for Arsenal. He has five goals and five assists, and also has an incredible motor, but Arsenal don't really have a central focus in their offense. They play a lot like City did pre-Haaland (unsurprisingly), and City played successfully with a false nine for many years after Aguero passed his peak. Jesus is very good, so it will take a toll for sure, and given how tight the league is, any injury to a regular is important in the title race. But I think Arsenal are quite capable of challenging for the title anyway, especially since Arteta has some time to make some adjustments before the schedule resumes in earnest on Boxing Day.

Having watched Gabby a lot when he was at City, where I think Arsenal will miss him most is in his pressing and his work rate. That, more than goals and assists, was his most critical contribution to City over his tenure there. Not sure Arsenal have a replacement for that aspect of his game.

[luburch]

Gabby is absolutely irreplaceable for Arsenal. At least, with anyone in their current squad. We'll see what Nketiah can do with a run of games in the starting lineup. I have no doubt he'll score a few goals, but as referenced above, he won't be able to replicate the rest of what Jesus does. Interested to see how/if Arsenal respond in the transfer market. Rumor was they wanted a wide player and midfielder before the injury. I imagine those plans require tweaking.

[duke74]

A holiday present from the Arsenal FB page. All our goals this season.

https://fb.watch/hIXzm8QwcI/

[Kdogg]

Erling Haaland has 20 goals in 15 EPL games. That's more than nine teams. The man is a beast.

[burnspbesq]

Erling Haaland has 20 goals in 15 EPL games. That's more than nine teams. The man is a beast.

Make that 21, but City was punished for giving Demarai Gray time and room, and Arse took care of business against Brighton. The lead is seven.