Dont think it’s fair to compare Arteta to Klopp , he’s achieved nothing yet, Klopp is an all time great (4 CL finals? Including Dortmunds) . Hes only 42 though Arteta, and has now finished above Klopp 2 seasons running, with arguably a worse squad. Thats an incredible standard hes got to because even though I rated him highly i thought 3rd might be his ceiling below Klopp and the Oil baron.
I don’t think this is quite right. Maybe prior to the season people thought the 2022-23 Liverpool Squad was better but in retrospect it’s hard to say that because of the progress Arsenal made and the regression the older players in the Liverpool squad saw.
This season, whilst I think we have a deeper squad and a squad with a higher level of potential, it’s our first season together as a unit, and nobody expected anything other than a season in transition, which I believe is what we’ve seen, even if it’s a high quality transition season, that just points to the potential of the squad.
Arsenal’s first XI and squad is more settled than Liverpool’s currently and I’d suggest their first XI is currently better. Which in truth it should be given the gamble they’ve made on spending as much as they have over the last few seasons.
He has surpassed many people’s expectations though, and deserves credit. He is in the tier below the top managers still, but seems the most likely to join them, in the future.
Its not just Arteta though, credit to Edu and the board for believing that with investment we can become city’s closest challengers, seemed like a pipe dream to many, they put the money behind a manager who has never managed before and believed that he would break us from the pack to join the top 2. There was zero evidence that he deserved such backing other than their belief in him and its worked spectacularly.
Undoubtedly you are a well run club, which you’ve always been historically and even were for the best part of the last 20 years, even if you were playing the long game; it’s put you in an fantastic position now.
Arteta is also 11 years younger than Pep. I think he ll win everything in time. Hopefully itll be at Arsenal.
I think next season we ll break 90 points. Our squad isn’t complete even if our first 11 can now compete with anyone. We ll have to break 90 points anyway because the idea that the cheats are regressing always gets floated about then they win the lot.
I don’t necessarily think he’ll win everything, especially at Arsenal; mostly because it’s tough to bet on Arsenal in European Competition. It’s just a very hard hurdle to get over when history is against you. If he does that he could go down as your greatest ever.
I’m also not convinced you’ll improve next year on your points total. In many ways, I think you’ve been fortunate this year and with the added games next year in the champions league, it’s going to be hard for anyone to improve. Add into that your cup runs or lack thereof and I think the added games that are likely to come will take a toll on you.
I do think City have regressed in the league over the last two seasons and most stats suggest the same. Part of that is the change of system with Haaland giving them less control, leading to them suffering defensively in games, and part I believe is a calculated gamble on Pep’s part to risk getting a slightly lower points total in the league, to increase their chances in Europe and other competitions, by rotating more when necessary. Its a gamble that mostly seems to be working. I think that was inspired by our near miss at the quadruple and how we achieved it.
The cheats totals dropped last season, but they won the treble, and will win a double this season. And will have unlimited funds and unlimited sponsorship money to buy anyone in the summer. So Arteta might have to reach Klopp levels of points totals to finish above them, which was ridiculous then and it’s ridiculous now.
De Bruyne we will leave at some point and he’s is in my view their best player ever; that will have an impact. As will Pep going when he eventually does, and the eventual fall out of the punishment from the charges, which should conclude during next season.
It’s taken some time, but in the long run I think the best run clubs are rising to the top and the cheats / badly run clubs are going to get their comeuppance. It is completely clear now, but I think PSR is beginning to work which will see us two competing more often at the top, with the others left playing catch up.