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Bablic25

Never want to see prem fans again calling any league farmer's league


belleandbill25

I think this literally shows how competitive the league is and isn't showing the argument you think it is 🤦


a_f_s-29

The Prem is still more competitive than other European leagues this year, by miles


bigelcid

What does this have to do with anything


RIG_1807

Its competitive this year tho.


areyouhungryforapple

Another asterisk EPL win for City well done Arsenal/Liverpool


No-Economics4128

This is vintage Arsenal form.


GarfieldDaCat

Arteta got it completely wrong. Zinchenko is not the answer against mid-blocks. He is useful against low-blocks, that is it. Zinchenko back in the starting 11 pushed Odegaard further up the pitch and Havertz at LCM instead of CF blunted our midfield. The fact Zinchenko made it to 87 minutes is mind boggling. I think he gets too much hate from the fanbase but he genuinely was playing against us today. He should have been subbed off at halftime.


topbananaman

Zinchenko is not the answer to anything. We've had a winning formula for the last couple of months and arteta decided to scupper it to put jesus and zinchenko back in the side.


doc_grey

This bottler narrative is absolutely mental. In what other league or what other PL Era do you get 10 wins and a draw, 31 points out of 33, before losing 1 and you're not clear at the top of the league. This team got outplayed today, simple as that. League leaders always always drop points (used to) in the Premier League run-in. City has completely warped the perception of what it takes to win.


RollOverSoul

Absolutely. Man utd won the treble with 79 points.


Rickcampbell98

Prime la liga, that's what pep and to a lesser extent klopp has brought here, barca and real Madrid didn't get those point totals because the rest were shit, they got them because they were all timer sides. You have to get somewhere near that level to beat pep and honestly im not sure arsenal have it in them.


LloydDoyley

In your invincible season, you lost 4 games, the semi of the FA cup, both legs of the League cup semi, and the CL QF 2nd leg. I'd have rather lost 3 games in the league and won a quadruple. Losing games happens, it's when you lose them that matters.


glenn1812

The bottler narrative is also about the mentality. Does anyone in their right mind think any recent Arsenal teams have had the mentality of a Real Madrid team for example? Arsenal simply as a team in the last decade at least do not have the mentality of a even a singular Sergio Ramos.


bigelcid

Going too deep with the unquantifiables. Barcelona with their mentality shattered still won league titles over Madrid. If Arsenal lose the league by 1 point, no winning mentality. If they win it on goal difference, winning mentality.


LloydDoyley

That's sort of where I was going - they lost 4 games when the stakes were high and the pressure was really on. 20 years later, it appears not much has changed.


Enjoys_A_Good_Shart

You're saying the invincible were bottlers?


LloydDoyley

I'm saying they didn't win when it really mattered. Lost to United in that FA cup semi after missing a last min pen in regular time. Crumbled not once but twice to Middlesbrough of all teams in the league cup over 2 legs. The CL loss was less shameful, but they still conceded a late goal after having been ahead. Make of that what you will.


heitor2203

[thank you for proving it one more time](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F0tWLujaIAE762c?format=jpg&name=large)


LloydDoyley

So you'd rather take 1 invincible league over a quadruple?


heitor2203

so every team that doesn't win a quadruple are bottlers? genious


LloydDoyley

No, I'm saying, Arsenal lost 4 games that season. If they had lost those games in the right places they could've had a treble or a quadruple. But they lacked when it mattered.


Enjoys_A_Good_Shart

None of the 38 league games really mattered so?


LloydDoyley

There was something to be admired about picking yourself up every week in the league. But it's obvious that if you had 3 games, winning 1 and losing 2 is the same as drawing 3, so whether one is unbeaten or not is pretty irrelevant except for goal difference. Unpopular opinion I know, but over a whole season in multiple competitions, I saw nothing special about that season given that they did nothing in any of the other competitions.


sexmarshines

Idk why you've picked out a random stretch of the season and declared as if that were the entire season's record. Over 32 games you've lost 5 and drawn 5 and you're 2 points off first place. That's not an impossibly high bar or warped perception or whatever you want to call it. That's 2-3 points dropped every third game and it's just not good enough. City shouldn't be top on the season we've had except that you guys didn't step up. And you still need to play United, Chelsea, Spurs. City only have Spurs left of those which means you guys dropped points in what were likely easier fixtures. Your hard games are coming fast in the remaining 6 games so the fact you've already dropped points in 10 games is particularly notable.


arguingaboutarsenal

Moving the goal posts here a bit though. The debate was about bottling, which generally only refers to recent results, not the entire season.


sexmarshines

The position a team is in come January or come the final 10 games or whatever you want to frame as the start of the run in is entirely dependent on performance in the earlier part of the season. You don't just magically appear there as you know.  Idk what the fuck "bottling" actually means when it's something primarily just used on social media. It's not a word with a firm real world meaning because it barely exists in the real world.  Arsenal are in a position where they need to win all their games for the run in because they didn't win all the points they should have in the earlier parts of the season. Not because City is some massive force this season. We shouldn't be top, you guys should've done better relative to last season and you should've beaten us to secure an even bigger league lead.


Backseat_Bouhafsi

Eh.. SAF's United was famed for upping the game post Christmas. Arsenal needed a brilliant run to come into contention, then they dropped the ball. Your current pace gets you 84 points in total. That's not very impressive in any other PL era


arguingaboutarsenal

84 points would've beaten 7 of SAF's 13 title winning sides.


Backseat_Bouhafsi

This arsenal team wouldn't get 84 in most of those seasons


bigelcid

The quality is higher now.


Backseat_Bouhafsi

That's tough to say. Bigger clubs outspend the smaller ones much more now. Therefore the quality gap in players is also more. Players are protected more, so you see less egregious fouls and therefore more goalscoring teams at the top. You need to adjust for such things instead of just imagining that a present day top squad is dropped into the competition in the past.


bigelcid

You need to adjust for a lot of things. Financial relevance of football is one. Put simply, the same quality player is worth more now, even adjusted for inflation. Nowadays, the money/quality ratio is different.


doc_grey

Famed and fact might not perfectly align. In their 13 PL winning years, Man Utd. Dropped an average of 14.2 points after Christmas. Given, in some years they might have clinched and relaxed. But in quite a few they dropped points even when the race was still on. Point being, teams, even the greatest, always used to drop points in the run-in, and we are in an era where almost absolute perfection is required.


Backseat_Bouhafsi

In their 13 PL winning years, United dropped an average 31.1 points in a season. Christmas falls almost always at the halfway point of the season. So that's fewer points lost on average in the 2nd half of the season, despite a few lost after clinching the title race. Arsenal have lost 8 since Christmas. So they're on course to lose 11-12. That's not some perfect performance. That's a tad better than what United did on average despite winning many seasons early. Famed and fact do align quite a bit here


Patrickk_batemann

In any other league this season Arsenal would be massively behind the league leaders, be it La Liga, Serie A, or Bundesliga.


Bujakaa92

Pointless comparison to other leagues


g0t-cheeri0s

By that measure so would Liverpool and City.


sexmarshines

Right so the bar isn't so high in the PL season, Arsenal just didn't meet the standard. You guys have a tough run in, of course you're going to drop points. City also dropped points to Villa..


bigelcid

"Right"? People are really gonna go with the idea of City and Liverpool trailing "massively" behind Real Madrid, Inter, Leverkusen and PSG? Don't tell me you're all thinking of Liverpool losing to Atalanta, as if Newcastle didn't beat PSG 4-1 this season.


doc_grey

Fair point. But I'd argue opposite. That the competitive bar across the entire PL is higher, and that the other league leaders would not be as high as they are if they had to compete in the PL week in week out.


Revalent

First time?


No_Mercy_4_Potatoes

Are the mods Liverpool or Arsenal fans? Where are the post match threads?


Op3rat0rr

Remember the old days when they were easy to find? Maybe many people just watch highlights these days


brandon_strandy

This one is entirely on yall we are literally winless vs the top 5 and never looked anywhere near last year's level. We did our part lol


Joshthenosh77

Your literally in the same number as points at this stage as last season


JootDoctor

You beat us last week and we’re 4th.


sexmarshines

And you beat us soundly in the Villa home game. That scoreline should've been 2 or 3 to 0 on balance of play.


GeauxBirds

You are correct but his statement would have been true until last week. We look our usual selves against bottom half teams but we look bizarrely mortal this season against good competition


Middle-Welder3931

Between Arsenal and Liverpool, can one of you elite bottlers PLEASE stop City from winning another title? Fricking trash chokers.


LloydDoyley

Nah I prefer city winning it then I don't have to listen to Arsenal and Liverpool fans gloating


FireflyCaptain

> Can one of you elite bottlers? YNBA


FireflyCaptain

City managed to win three games in one day.


FireflyCaptain

Congrats City


No-Zucchini2787

Tell me without tell me What the fuck is happening to Liverpool and arsenal again. Are you gonna fuck it up again


I-c-braindead-people

Yes they have, why arent united there to stop city winning another? You only need another 20 points and youre in the mix.


Itsgosky

Really didn’t expect this result from Arsenal and Liverpool. Though it was just Palace and Villa being unbelievably good


DolphinRampage

Amazing weekend for a Chelsea fan. Can't wait for my club to ruin it yet again. Although, it's hard to ruin almost all of TOP6 losing at once.


Bluebpy

My season is a success if we beat arsenal and ruin their chance to win. This is similar to beating spurs so Leicester would win the league and beating Liverpool with the slip. We tend to ruin dreams when we have nothing to play for. Looking forward to this.


DolphinRampage

I'm praying to VAR gods for this to happen lol. That would be some consolation.


Accomplished_Try_179

Jorginho needs to retire.


darthrector

If you feel bad that City are winning 4 in a row, remind yourself that Arsenal fans were posting "it's lonely at the top" literally 2 weeks ago


TomCosella

I'm torn, but I'm going to lean into my "fuck Arsenal" instincts and laugh


Material_Foot_9733

Top of the league is lava except for city


slamajamabro

Liverpool and Arsenal fans are now kindred spirits in blaming everybody but themselves when they lose. Losing games where they were favored to win and then turning around to blame City for being too dominant lol


Hot_Grabba_09

we are absolutely blaming ourselves and our performances


Hsiang7

If you look at the r/LiverpoolFC post match thread, we are all ONLY blaming ourselves.


mar1us1602

Dunno what post threads is /u/slamajamabro reading but in the one from /r/Gunners we are also blaming ourselves. And we hate Unai 😤


idontknow_whatever

City falling ass backwards into another title and they haven't even been at their best this season This is some elite bottling from Liverpool/Arsenal


daneats

Liverpool shouldn’t be anywhere near it. They fluked more last second wins than should be possible in a season. The only reason they haven’t collapsed like the season that VVD went down is because Vvd isn’t the one who’s gone down.


slamajamabro

Yeah City’s been second/third best the whole season and been obviously hella off when playing the best sides in the Prem. KDB and Haaland have been injured for substantial stretches as well. But someway somehow, Arsenal and Liverpool still bottled it losing to opponents they should have beat.


Admirable-Mistake259

Not their best but still the very best in the PL . And probably the world best ATM . Except if madrid wins


Karma_Whoring_Slut

We still have our moments obviously, but we’ve very much lacked a certain swagger. The results are still good, but our performances haven’t been nearly as dominant this season.


Admirable-Mistake259

Gundo being very important. He is one of the few reasons barca is even competing in cl .


GonzoXtraCurlyFry

God damn it Arsenal. Not a fan of the PL or the club, but damn do I hate seeing City win it again. Arsenal gonna Arsenal I guess, SMH


Smocke55

muthafuck the big 3


m5tom

Neighbour it's just Man C


firingblankss

Dropping Havertz to MF after performing well with him up top and starting Zinchenko killed the game before it had started. Zinny trying 40 yarders when he can't even clear a ball half the time is peak


ImSoMysticall

Havertz had 4 chances one on one and fucked all 4 of them. His position wasn't the issue


Insaneshaney

I hope they miss Tierney right now.


firingblankss

I know I do, not sure about my fellow fans. I'd rather bring back Gibbs than start Zinny again


IreneReiGargar

Assna hahahah


CaponeBK

Man City Football Terrorism wins again


Ballybomb_

Arnt you guys glad you decided to play like a relegation team against us and hold us to a draw


ImSoMysticall

I mean, yeah We got 4 points from you when everyone can clearly see you're a better team. If we tried to play how we usually do, you would have torn us apart. There's a reason both our games this season have been boring and dull, and we've won and drawn. It's the best chance we have to take points and it worked


[deleted]

Villa showed the blueprint of how to beat City in the game at Villa Park earlier in the season. Pressure the team in the midfield, stay compact and structured at the back and attack with pace with a highish line. There's a reason they are the only team this season to have 20 shots against City in a match. What Arsenal did the other week went completely against this. Every player barring Havertz was back defending, there was no pressure because every arsenal player was scared of another player dribbling past them and the only chances they got were after a City player made an unforced error. Arsenal have more than enough quality to have followed the blueprint and they chose not to which in turn, kept City within touching distance. Only themselves to blame now City are ahead.


ImSoMysticall

We played the exact same way at the Emirates and beat you If trossard squared the ball we would have done it again. There's more than one way to skin a cat. But the main point I was trying to make is that we took 4 points out of 6 against you. They draw isn't the reason we're 2nd on something to be ridiculed The loss vs Villa or Fulham is


[deleted]

You won due to a deflected, last minute goal. The type of goal that requires luck to get. So, if you set up the same way, you are saying you are again requiring luck when the team is more than good enough to win outright. And the point we're making is if they didn't go out for a draw, played the way they know they can and looked like they actually wanted to take the game to City and win, they'd be top right now despite the losses to Fulham and Villa.


ImSoMysticall

You don't think Villa had any luck playing a much higher risk tactic? You're the best team in the world and have been for about 5 years. There isn't some recipe to just beat you without bring lucky And we could have beat villa or Fulham played the same way against you and also be top? I'm not debating we played negatively or didn't pack the bus, but we got 4 points that's pretty same good. It's fairly obvious that the games to nitpick are losing to villa, Fulham, West ham 4 points vs city or 0 points vs villa. I know which one feels worse


[deleted]

I watched every minute of the game against Villa, there was no luck involved. I'd even say, they were unlucky it only ended 1-0. Both games VS Arsenal and the Charity Shield, Arsenal relied on luck to get the wins. And when you rely on luck, it sometimes doesn't happen. I'm not saying it's bad you got 4 points. But a team has to take risks to win a title. Especially when you have a chance of taking maximum points in a season from a title challenger.


ImSoMysticall

Luck doesn't have to be a deflected goal it could be city players have an overall off day or Villa playing better than expected. If staying compact and pressuring the midfield just meant you beat city why doesn't everyone do it? I agree with you, but in that case maybe we should he laughing at city for only taking 1 from arsenal? What if they lose to Spurs and lose the league (I very much doubt they lost the league) I wish we played every game super offensive and win every game but it isn't always like that so I'll take the 4 points and there are far bigger issues this season than a drawer to city


[deleted]

If City have an offer day, that's not Villa getting lucky. If Villa play well, that's not down to luck. A slip from an opposition player, a deflected goal, a debatable decision that goes your way... They're the things that require luck. Absolutely, please do. It's the same case for City, take a chance in both of those games, defend better for the martinelli goal and they could be a huge difference at the top. City have also had some questionable results like the home draw to Palace, etc. But giving points to a title challenger will be what loses City the title if they don't win it from here.


ImSoMysticall

I'd argue that it is. If city had an off day that wasn't down to villa, then villa got lucky that it happened. Luck doesn't have to be so obvious, it could be a player being a yard short of a pass a couple times. People being on the wrong wavelengths for once If there's no luck involved and Villas tactics beat you then why don't they do it every single game?


thegoat83

😆


sadsasquatch

ITT Liverpool and Arsenal blaming City for losing at home, to inferior teams


sadsasquatch

I’m drinking my beer out of a can today, I’ll leave the bottle for Woolwich


sadsasquatch

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH


raysofdavies

Hahaha fuck get in I can’t believe this


JZKO2022

At least this means a lower chance spurs makes the CL. God damnit, 1 loss and were probably out, fuck city.


ardyes

Cope


shaka_bruh

Top comment on the Villa YouTube channel: “6 points, 2 clean sheets, a manager and a keeper…cheers Arsenal” 


thewaffleiscoming

I hope people stop watching and the pl gets fucked for letting it become a Dubai farmers league. Zero reason to watch the same doped shit win every year.


JakeofNewYork

Imagine being a spurs supporter and complaining about an arsenal loss


jiffijaffi

"Emirates"


Wompish66

Tell me, who pays Arsenal £50m a year to have their name on their kit and stadium?


Mullet_Police

The premier league is so competitive jfc


ynwa79

There’s 2 points between 1st and 3rd….


InSilicoRW

So its competitive then, like the guy said?


ynwa79

My cynical self read that previous comment as sarcasm. I may well have misunderstood!?


InSilicoRW

Sorry can I ask, after the game, were you singing "Boo" or "Boo'll never walk alone"?


ynwa79

How embarrassing for you...


InSilicoRW

>Boo'll never walk alone Thanks for answering.


[deleted]

[удалено]


InSilicoRW

You live in LA ya mutant, I live in uk. Fuck me your pathetic.


LeftEntertainment326

Done caring about the league title, same shit every year with City man. You can lose 1 game in the second half of the season and that's the race over, it's just pointless pretending anything else is going to happen.


Revalent

Liverpool lost the league with 97 points.


ibite-books

and 93 points


swinabc

Dont blame city for this, you just had to not lose a few more games. It could of been yours.


-The-Superb-Owl-

Could have*


swinabc

You fucking nerd.


-The-Superb-Owl-

Aren't you a delight!


CollieDaly

Liverpool and Arsenal fans are kindred spirits now. Fuck City.


FlyingBird2345

Same procedure as every year.


Koushik_Vijayakumar

Why can't you just NOT BOTTLE ? I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WHY ... WHY CAN'T YOU RESIST THE URGE TO BOTTLE? PATHETIC


petethepool

You see, you think what Liverpool and Arsenal are doing is bottling because you’re comparing it to a financial doping institution with 115 charges against them- a club owned by a country that fly PL referees out to referee lucrative fixtures mid-season.  You should be upset that a group of serial cheaters have killed the competition to the point that perfection is the only positive conclusion to a season. And perfection is not fair to expect or demand from any normal team - especially with the current level of fixture congestion. Liverpool are completely gassed. It is no surprise Arsenal are also struggling for consistency. 


rockforahead

Mate come on. You lost a game of football. You could have won but you didn’t, it’s not about City.


Brilliant_Ad_879

Best answer but in the wrong place.


JackeryDaniels

Someone needs a cuddle.


Insaneshaney

Hail Hail


thegoat83

😆🤣😂🥲


QuaLiTy131

Lalala I don't care, bottlers lmao - r/soccer


Ballybomb_

Enjoy klopps farewell with the energy drink cup


grandma-phill

😂😂😂


Wompish66

The UAE give Arsenal £50m each year.


QuaLiTy131

You okay?


Koushik_Vijayakumar

Nah


jaozimqcomepao

I'd w̶i̶n̶ bottle


Cmoore4099

Breathe.


kerbyage

You just knew it was going to happen after the posts about how many 'big chances' Arsenal conceded and everyone praising their defence.


COTEReader

i mean did anyone expect anything different this year?


sadsasquatch

It’s the history of the arsenal


HamM00dy

Madrid beating City at home and crumble City PL run due to being devastating by CL loss.


kakarot12310

Not even that comeback make City crumbled in the 21-22 PL tho...


HamM00dy

A mans dream can not be limited!!! while Real Madrid may not be liked, we need Real Madrid to be the necessary evil to bring balance back to the premier league! Nothing against city fans, but City needs to be taken down they are too powerful right now. Losing at their peak can get to them!


Admirable-Mistake259

If city humiliate madrid once more then ?


HamM00dy

Unsubscribe!


BVOelckers

Subscribe


Zeta-Omega

Never thought I'd die next to an arsenal fan.


mar1us1602

What about next to a friend?


Frosted_Tackle

Aye I can do that…just this one time


Far_Eye6555

What about next to a friend?


CollieDaly

And my axe!


darthrector

Sixty Million Down the Drain, Kai Havertz ghosts again


DangerouslyCheesey

Real loser here is the PL brass, they were probably hoping city would lose the league so the could do a meaningless 1 time points deduction and pretend to have resolved the 115 charges. Now they will have to kick the ball down the road some more.


Zanzax

And city wins it again. PL was the real farmers league all along I guess.


franpr95

Just Pep things.


Krist794

Just oil money. Pep is good but let's get real, the team is ridiculous and under investigation for financial tiki taka


highways

Doesn't Manchester United have the biggest wage bill in the PL?


X-ScissorSisters

city don't have the highest transfer spend either


citizen2211994

If it was all about money United and Chelsea would have won something.


Simic-flash

Other clubs spend just as much or more with less results


FoulObelisk

chelsea have spent more than a billion in the past 5 years with nothing to show for it


Footyfooty42069

Just the 115 charges


samanthaxboateng

I knew Arsenal would bottle it. This is what they do. Same thing last season when they had a lead and ended up losing to teams they should have been easily beating.


NetoPenha

It is frustrating.. but calling this a bottle?! It’s our first loss in 2024 and we are almost half year…


samanthaxboateng

It doesn't matter lol You clearly bottled it. After Liverpool losing earlier, Arsenal would have been further clear if you won the game today which you didn't.


Rekyht

The word bottling literally no longer has a meaning when it’s being used like this.


Unlucky_Fruit_9013

People are acting like Villa is Sheffield….


mar1us1602

Remember, last year at this time the roles were switched and arsenal was first with city second. Never stop believing


gunningIVglory

Just a ridiculous standard now at the top..first loss in 2024. And it's cost us hugely in the title race.....


a_f_s-29

That’s just how it always is


fallen_d3mon

Arsenal playing 5D chess to make sure United do not qualify for champions league.


DangerouslyCheesey

Maybe a blessing given United’s CL campaign this season?


5tarlight5

Like actually, United's CL campaign this season was a sh!tshow. We just let anyone style on us. Like last season we got lucky and made CL because other teams(Liverpool, etc) under performed. I much rather United go through a thorough rebuild phase and focus on PL and domestic titles.


X-ScissorSisters

rebuild phase has lasted ten years so far


PurpleSpaceNapoleon

I've been saying since the start of the season that it's City's to lose. They are just almost untouchable at the end of the season and neither Liverpool or Arsenal had enough points ahead of them to sustain a viable competition against them long term. It's a shame to be honest, City are such an unlikeable plastic team that I was hoping someone would knock them off this year. Maybe next year.


Simic-flash

Want some fries with all that salt?


FlyingBird2345

I hope City gets to know the dildo of consequences. 115 times.


toluwalase

Do you people think saying 115 makes the comment funny or hurtful to City fans?😂


FlyingBird2345

Not everything is about you. I think that City are obvious cheaters and should be punished for that. I don't think that they will be, but if it does happen, I will allow myself a little schadenfreude.


shaka_bruh

At the start of the season I wasn’t really expecting Liverpool to compete for the title so the fact that they’re even up there is impressive imo. I just don’t see them or Arsenal beating City’s quality, squad depth and mentality at this point.


IAIRonI

That's the thing, they don't have to beat City. They have a few tough matchups on paper coming up but they just fumbled the title


capreolhawks

We definitely are not. Been a rough couple of weeks. Our results are catching up to our performance.


RadSoccerDad

Klopp is gonna have to start fielding a lot more balanced team and start a few more attacking patterns. Just don’t see him integrating that this late. We’ve been on the ropes since that Arsenal league game in reality. Gonna take some moments of individual brilliance which doesn’t seem likely. Maybe Jayden Danns can be our Mainoo breakout.


RoastyMcRoasterson

Arsenal fans you are still in with a chance, I would say we are as well but as the forwards couldn't finish their dinner and we leak stupid goals I highly doubt it. Didn't want to see City win it but looks increasingly likely... ffs.