2025/2026 English Premier League Thread

[agulati]

Arsenal’s next two games are against the Spurs and Chelsea. Not looking too good here.

City play Newcastle and Leeds (and Forest to get to the same number of games played as Arsenal)

[Senator Clay Davis]

The one thing to keep hope for Arsenal is as bad as this stretch has been, City have made up almost no ground. But, of course, you do wonder about their mental state. Time to see what they are made of.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Title was wrapped six weeks ago lol. City have never been a real factor. United, as lol as it is the say, are likely the only team who can stop Arsenal and so obviously lol congrats to Arsenal and their fans.

It inevitable for Arsenal to collapse the second Senator put his jinx on the season.

Also is it just me or is the quality of soccer world wide pretty #### right now.

Brazil, Italy, Germany (and more) squads are not nearly as deep or good as they've been in the past.

Serie A is a mess, Spain is weak beyond the top couple teams, Bundesliga is Munich and everyone else.

And where are the stars. The 90s and early 00s truly were the glory days as there were stars in all the leages across Europe, then Messi, Ronaldo and Spain really carried things for a decade, and now...who is really exciting to watch or a superstar on the level of before?

Honestly plop somebody like Totti from his era into this era and he probably wins the Ballon D Or easily when he didn't get a sniff in his era.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos. But yeah the sport is in rough shape right now. Overly tactical, players lacking in flair and creativity, long throws in vogue again, World Cup shaping up to be the worst ever. It's why everyone lauded PSG's team last year cause they were the antithesis of that, just free flowing, beautiful football. PL clearly peaked with the City-Liverpool rivalry, miss that #### so much.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

It inevitable for Arsenal to collapse the second Senator put his jinx on the season.

Also is it just me or is the quality of soccer world wide pretty #### right now.

Brazil, Italy, Germany (and more) squads are not nearly as deep or good as they've been in the past.

Serie A is a mess, Spain is weak beyond the top couple teams, Bundesliga is Munich and everyone else.

And where are the stars. The 90s and early 00s truly were the glory days as there were stars in all the leages across Europe, then Messi, Ronaldo and Spain really carried things for a decade, and now...who is really exciting to watch or a superstar on the level of before?

Honestly plop somebody like Totti from his era into this era and he probably wins the Ballon D Or easily when he didn't get a sniff in his era.

It is. I think its just too many games. They're running these guys into the ground.

Yeah the big teams can make do because they have huge squads and successful academies. But with all of the competitions these guys are playing huge minutes.

Spain, Italy and Germany are doing fine because their heavy-hitters have money, big squads and good academy players who are trotted out against economic minnows.

England is tougher and other countries like Holland, Belgium and even France have a few clubs with economic means and the rest do the best with whatever they can find.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

The one thing to keep hope for Arsenal is as bad as this stretch has been, City have made up almost no ground. But, of course, you do wonder about their mental state. Time to see what they are made of.

We’ve seen this movie before. We know what an Arteta team is made of.

[cam_calderon]

Does Arteta go if they don't win league or UCL, or has he done enough to make them competitive after rebuilding from the ashes? Perennial top four team, genuine contenders.

[Barnet Flame]

Arteta certainly has improved Arsenal during his time, but he has plateaued and there is zero sign there that he is able to take Arsenal to the top.

The end of the road is approaching.

[cam_calderon]

I guess if you look at the market, there aren't any really premium options apart from Tuchel, which would require paying the FA millions, maybe Ancelotti or Pochettino? Not a candidate that really stands out. Unless they get the next Slot out of a tier two league.

[Senator Clay Davis]

It's tough, cause on the one hand firing him without an upgrade has backfire written all over it. On the other, if he can't win the PL when it is as bad as it currently is then I don't know how you can persist with him. I'd probably make my call with how they finish this season in terms of play, if they go out and play aggressive and it just doesn't happen I might let him come back. More of this cowardice #### they've been doing and he can hit the road.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

It's tough, cause on the one hand firing him without an upgrade has backfire written all over it. On the other, if he can't win the PL when it is as bad as it currently is then I don't know how you can persist with him. I'd probably make my call with how they finish this season in terms of play, if they go out and play aggressive and it just doesn't happen I might let him come back. More of this cowardice #### they've been doing and he can hit the road.

The talk of the Premier League being bad is overblown. Four of the top 8 teams in Europe including the 16th place Spurs are from the Premier League. That it is competitive is a strength rather than a weakness, but yeah football in general right now is not going through a golden age.

[cam_calderon]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

The talk of the Premier League being bad is overblown. Four of the top 8 teams in Europe including the 16th place Spurs are from the Premier League. That it is competitive is a strength rather than a weakness, but yeah football in general right now is not going through a golden age.

Well Liverpool and Chelsea have #### the bed this season, there goes two of Arsenal's three realistic challengers. United were never gonna be contenders, Villa are punching above their weight division. So I get what Clay is saying, it was your title to lose.

How many years can you say, "if not this year, then when?" with Arteta? But if he goes there has to be an adequate replacement in place.

[cam_calderon]

Saka extended to 2030, no surprise. Where does he rank in terms of Hale End graduates?

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

It inevitable for Arsenal to collapse the second Senator put his jinx on the season.

Also is it just me or is the quality of soccer world wide pretty #### right now.

Brazil, Italy, Germany (and more) squads are not nearly as deep or good as they've been in the past.

Serie A is a mess, Spain is weak beyond the top couple teams, Bundesliga is Munich and everyone else.

And where are the stars. The 90s and early 00s truly were the glory days as there were stars in all the leages across Europe, then Messi, Ronaldo and Spain really carried things for a decade, and now...who is really exciting to watch or a superstar on the level of before?

EDIT: I'll add the death of the 10 position in the big European leagues is a large contributor to this I think. Now the midfielders all need to be able to run and press and you don't have room to have a passenger on the field.

Honestly plop somebody like Totti from his era into this era and he probably wins the Ballon D Or easily when he didn't get a sniff in his era.

I think the sport is overcoached right now. The decisions and creativity have been coached out of these athletes by the time they're 15 and they have preprogramed looks with where they're supposed to move the ball based on when and where they receive it. Thanks Pep (and all the rest).

That and pressing is so in vogue that press and counter press are being used to manufacture chances in place of more naturally creative players.

I think the overall level of the athletes is probably higher than its ever been but it sure isn't more pleasurable or fun to watch. And Arsenal attempting to win the Premier League by playing English lower league style is definitely a choice.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by cam_calderon

Well Liverpool and Chelsea have #### the bed this season, there goes two of Arsenal's three realistic challengers. United were never gonna be contenders, Villa are punching above their weight division. So I get what Clay is saying, it was your title to lose.

How many years can you say, "if not this year, then when?" with Arteta? But if he goes there has to be an adequate replacement in place.

I don’t get why you’re replying to me like this, my post had nothing to do with Arsenal. It was about the state of English football and about the PL being bad. Relative to other leagues, it objectively isn’t as demonstrated by how dominant English clubs have been in Europe this season.

My feelings on Arsenal and Arteta are in previous posts if that is what you’re referring to.

[cam_calderon]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

I don’t get why you’re replying to me like this, my post had nothing to do with Arsenal. It was about the state of English football and about the PL being bad. Relative to other leagues, it objectively isn’t as demonstrated by how dominant English clubs have been in Europe this season.

My feelings on Arsenal and Arteta are in previous posts if that is what you’re referring to.

English clubs have succeeded in the watered down group stage since the format change, that doesn't really mean much.

The EPL has been awful to watch this season, especially marquee games and as mentioned is being horribly over coached. It isn't what it used to be, and Arteta's haramball is a pretty big part of the problem.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I've seen this theorized about English success in CL, and it makes sense to me, but the success is primarily in the group stages. And thats where PL depth matters because they can put out their B teams against mid-level sides and still win. But at the knockout phase the advantage shifts to the other European teams because they have weaker leagues and can rest players ahead of CL games, whereas now basically everyone who made the knockouts from England has to keep going hard in PL, save maybe Newcastle.