By Bulldog Drummond
So here we go, the very last game for the man who revolutionised the club from being a place where finishing sixth was “not a bad season really” became “an absolute disaster”. From “something to build on” to “get him out at once”.
And so he has changed the club he found languishing but with a huge potential, and realised that potential. A club that become more than it has ever been since the 1930s. But somehow ended with a very poor away record. Not our worst away record of all time by any means, but still, not something to be enjoyed. And because of all that has gone before we have an away support that will still buy out every ticket, to such a degree that unless you’ve got away credits you can’t go to away games. That is support.
I’ll run the away table just one more time, so that the season’s approach is complete, and because the home and away league tables, simple as they are, have turned out to be the best predictor of results we’ve ever had in the 10 years of Untold.
So, one more time, Arsenal away…
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 18 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 44 | 13 | 31 | 47 |
| 2 | Tottenham Hotspur | 19 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 34 | 20 | 14 | 34 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 19 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 30 | 19 | 11 | 34 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 18 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 32 | 19 | 13 | 33 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 19 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 39 | 28 | 11 | 32 |
| 6 | Burnley | 19 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 20 | 22 | -2 | 28 |
| 7 | Leicester City | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 27 | 33 | -6 | 20 |
| 8 | Crystal Palace | 19 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 16 | 28 | -12 | 18 |
| 9 | Southampton | 19 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 17 | 30 | -13 | 17 |
| 10 | Newcastle United | 19 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 18 | 30 | -12 | 16 |
| 11 | AFC Bournemouth | 18 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 30 | -13 | 15 |
| 12 | West Ham United | 19 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 24 | 42 | -18 | 15 |
| 13 | Everton | 18 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 33 | -18 | 15 |
| 14 | Watford | 18 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 17 | 32 | -15 | 14 |
| 15 | Huddersfield Town | 19 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 33 | -21 | 14 |
| 16 | Arsenal | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 19 | 31 | -12 | 13 |
| 17 | West Bromwich Albion | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 25 | -15 | 13 |
| 18 | Swansea City | 19 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 32 | -21 | 12 |
| 19 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 18 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 25 | -15 | 11 |
| 20 | Stoke City | 18 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 37 | -24 | 10 |
Curiously a win could lift us to mid-table in the away league, but I don’t think that’s the point any more.
Here’s Huddersfield at home:
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 19 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 61 | 14 | 47 | 50 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 19 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 54 | 20 | 34 | 47 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 18 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 37 | 9 | 28 | 44 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 18 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 41 | 10 | 31 | 40 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 18 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 35 | 12 | 23 | 40 |
| 6 | Chelsea | 19 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 30 | 16 | 14 | 37 |
| 7 | Everton | 19 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 28 | 22 | 6 | 34 |
| 8 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 19 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 24 | 25 | -1 | 29 |
| 9 | Leicester City | 19 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 25 | 22 | 3 | 27 |
| 10 | Watford | 19 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 27 | 31 | -4 | 27 |
| 11 | Burnley | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 26 |
| 12 | AFC Bournemouth | 19 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 26 | 30 | -4 | 26 |
| 13 | Newcastle United | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 17 | 1 | 25 |
| 14 | West Ham United | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 21 | 25 | -4 | 24 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 23 |
| 16 | Huddersfield Town | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 24 | -8 | 23 |
And looking at that table makes it so strange: a little part of the Arsenal home support has turned against the club and failed to show up for games, while the away support has remained solid. For at home we have been the second best team in the league, beaten only by the sovereign wealth fund of a dictatorship.
Curiously though Huddersfield’s home form is only a little better than our away form, and the goal tally is particularly interesting. Arsenal away have scored 19 and conceded 31. Huddersfield at home have scored 16 and conceded 24. A goal difference of -12 to -8.
Not that I am suggesting it is ok to be comparing Arsenal to Huddersfield, but there is just a chance that we might finally end the dreadful run away, today.
Here are our most recent games:
| Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
| 05 Apr 2018 | Arsenal v CSKA Moscow | W | 4-1 | UEFA Europa League |
| 08 Apr 2018 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 3-2 | Premier League |
| 12 Apr 2018 | CSKA Moscow v Arsenal | D | 2-2 | UEFA Europa League |
| 15 Apr 2018 | Newcastle United v Arsenal | L | 2-1 | Premier League |
| 22 Apr 2018 | Arsenal v West Ham United | W | 4-1 | Premier League |
| 26 Apr 2018 | Arsenal v Atlético Madrid | D | 1-1 | UEFA Europa League |
| 29 Apr 2018 | Manchester United v Arsenal | L | 2-1 | Premier League |
| 03 May 2018 | Atlético Madrid v Arsenal | L | 1-0 | UEFA Europa League |
| 06 May 2018 | Arsenal v Burnley | W | 5-0 | Premier League |
| 09 May 2018 | Leicester City v Arsenal | L | 3-1 | Premier League |
Four wins, four defeats, and two draws. 22 goals scored 15 conceded.
And Huddersfield…
| Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
| 24 Feb 2018 | West Bromwich v Huddersfield Town | W | 1-2 | League |
| 03 Mar 2018 | Tottenham H v Huddersfield Town | L | 2-0 | League |
| 10 Mar 2018 | Huddersfield Town v Swansea City | D | 0-0 | League |
| 17 Mar 2018 | Huddersfield Town v Crystal Palace | L | 0-2 | League |
| 31 Mar 2018 | Newcastle Utd v Huddersfield Town | L | 1-0 | League |
| 07 Apr 2018 | Brighton and Hove v Huddersfield Town | D | 1-1 | League |
| 14 Apr 2018 | Huddersfield Town v Watford | W | 1-0 | League |
| 28 Apr 2018 | Huddersfield Town v Everton | L | 0-2 | League |
| 06 May 2018 | Manchester C v Huddersfield Town | D | 0-0 | League |
| 09 May 2018 | Chelsea v Huddersfield Town | D | 1-1 | League |
Won 2, drawn 4, lost 4. Scored 5 conceded 10.
Which makes it look that this time, maybe just this time, we could get that allusive away win. It has been a long way but it would be good not to go into next season with this run of away results hanging around our necks.
More anon.
All the latest
- Huddersfield v Arsenal Sunday 13 May 2018 – The Match Officials
- Arsenal’s next manager; we list the 16 (yes sixteen) men being tipped
- The complete list of the 61 players that our new manager will certainly buy
In truth, to finish 5th,6th and 7th in the PL table is not a bad finish. For, it gives Europa League Cup competition to clubs in the 3 positions. And I believe many clubs in the PL who finished outside below 7th in the table this season will not mind to pay for a switch of posiition to 5th, 6th or 7th if the rules will permit the switchi to happen. Chelsea, Arsenal and Burnley who are occupying 5th, 6th and 7th in the table will finish in these positions this season to play in the second tier of European club football competition next season. And that’s the benefit of finishing in 5th, 6th and 7th in the PL table..
But to be frank and to be kindid, Arsenal FC being a super club side in European club football top Leagues cannot afford to be finishing 5th, 6th or 7th in the PL table as such finishing will consequently make the Gunners to not only miss out on the Champions Leagues but also cause Arsenal FC to lose it’s super club side status image projection in European club football which has gradually suffered it is lowering to the medium club side status. Last season’s campaign in the PL that saw Arsenal finish 5th in the table to play in the Europa League competition this season will see them finish in 6th this season to still make them play in the same competition next season for 2 consecutive seasons and without even winning it this season as they campaign in it to qualify for the CL competition next season. If the taking of the action taken by the Arsenal board that was recently taken to honourably eased Le Boss out of Arsenal was delayed to the end of next’s season campaign to allow Le Boss finish his contract at the club, the situation could arise whereby Arsenal may not even qualify for the Europa League Cup campaign next season talk less of to make the CL qualification. So to forestall further decline in the table by Arsenal, the impromptu measure taken by the Arsenal board intervening to stop the progressive descending in 2 campaign seasons in the table by Arsenal FC is in order to me. Which if not taken could see Arsenal finish in 7th or 8th position next season.
Allow me please to edit this my above comment and repost it.
In truth, to finish 5th, 6th and 7th in the PL table is not a bad finish. For, it gives Europa League Cup competition to clubs who finised in the 3 positions. And I believe many clubs in the PL who finished below 7th in the table this season will not mind to pay for a switch of posiition to 5th, 6th or 7th if the rules will permit the switchi to happen. Chelsea, Arsenal and Burnley who are occupying 5th, 6th and 7th in the table will finish in these positions this season to play in the second tier of European club football competition next season. And that’s the benefit of finishing in 5th, 6th and 7th in the PL table..
But to be frank and to be kindid, Arsenal FC being a super club side in European club football 5 top Leagues cannot afford to be finishing 5th, 6th or 7th in the PL table as such finishing will consequently make the Gunners to not only be missing out on the Champions Leagues but also cause Arsenal FC to lose it’s super club side status image projection in European club football which has gradually suffered as it is lowering to the medium club side status in Europe club football.
Last season’s campaign in the PL that saw Arsenal finish 5th in the table to play in the Europa League competition this season will see them finish in 6th this season to still make them play in the same competition next season for 2 consecutive seasons and without even winning it this season when they campaigned in it which would had make them to qualify for the CL competition next season. If the taking of the action taken by the Arsenal board that was recently taken to honourably eased Le Boss out of Arsenal was delayed to the end of next’s season campaign to allow Le Boss finish his contract at the club, the situation could arise whereby Arsenal may not even qualify for the Europa League Cup campaign next other season talk less of to make the CL qualification. So to forestall further declining in the table by Arsenal, the impromptu measure taken by the Arsenal board intervening to stop the progressive descending in the table by Arsenal FC in 2 campaign seasons is in order to me. Which if not taken now could see Arsenal finish in 7th or 8th position next season.
You know what. It doesn’t matter one bit anymore. We may as well show up with our under 19 team.
I would suggest that some of our players are playing for their jobs.
SAA if you have to edit a simple comment (3rd one in a row), what makes you think you know more than Wenger or for that matter any 10 year old?