Arsenal have spent the most of any team this year, and they've done it on an ok centre back, an ok backup goalkeeper, an unproven young CM and an exciting but also unproven AM.
Their expectations need to align to this - the whole team is being built for the future. Saka, Smith-Rowe, Martinelli, Lokonga, White, Tierney, Odegaard - none of these will be the key part of a high performing team this year, but with time together and some smart players around them they could be the core of a solid Top 6 team in 2 seasons time..
The problem they have at the Emirates is that they want to be contending, and haven't really worked out what stage of the cycle they are currently in. You love to see it - the longer they are out of the CL and any European fixtures, the more their business model breaks with the loss of high value business hospitality on week nights. They owned this market, overseas business execs would always been spending cash on these fixtures.
I'm excited to see AFTV back interviewing fans post game, the cunts in that room for live streams were insufferable.
Their expectations need to align to this - the whole team is being built for the future. Saka, Smith-Rowe, Martinelli, Lokonga, White, Tierney, Odegaard - none of these will be the key part of a high performing team this year, but with time together and some smart players around them they could be the core of a solid Top 6 team in 2 seasons time..
The problem they have at the Emirates is that they want to be contending, and haven't really worked out what stage of the cycle they are currently in. You love to see it - the longer they are out of the CL and any European fixtures, the more their business model breaks with the loss of high value business hospitality on week nights. They owned this market, overseas business execs would always been spending cash on these fixtures.
I'm excited to see AFTV back interviewing fans post game, the cunts in that room for live streams were insufferable.