By Iver Wayov Countin
The last six games table brings a little relief from the game yesterday. This is how it looks after Tottenham’s result today but before the 4pm kick offs. Which shows us the rather interesting news is that Liverpool and Arsenal are on the same run of form in the last six games.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nottingham Forest | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 2 | +10 | 16 |
| 2 | Newcastle United | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 5 | +10 | 15 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 7 | +12 | 14 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 6 | +8 | 14 |
But really it is the bottom of the table that is of particular interest. We would expect the clubs that are likely to be going down at the end of the season to be lurking around those bottom places in the last six games table as we approach half way through the January window (at least according to Iver Wayovcountin
As for Tottenham one point in the last six games is worse than even Untold’s team, who were a little critical of what Tottenham have been working on this season. Our view has been that the manager was a man with one point of view, in a situation in which being able to change is vital, and that this approach might not work.
And so it has turned out. For Arsenal it has been disappointing to have 14 points from the lasts six matches in the League, but I think that for Tottenham it might be rather more upsetting to have one point from the last six games.
.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Chelsea | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 8 | -2 | 6 |
| 15 | Brentford | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | -1 | 5 |
| 16 | Everton | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 5 |
| 17 | Manch Utd | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 13 | -7 | 4 |
| 18 | Tottenham Ho | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 16 | -9 | 1 |
| 19 | Southampton | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 14 | -11 | 1 |
| 20 | Leicester Cit. | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 14 | -12 | 0 |
Before the season started the Premier League’s own website published the thought that “This will be a defining season for Postecoglou.,” and who are we to argue with such an authority as that?
Of course, the incompetence of others could still save Tottenham, but I doubt that it will save their manager. He is after all their 19th manager this century, which in itself seems rather excessive, and suggests, as other surveys have suggested, that endlessly changing managers is a recipe for disaster.
Indeed one reason why Arsenal don’t have to worry about the neighbours over much is that they keep changing their managers and s keep on wasting money on going round in circles
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 15 | Tottenham Hots | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 45 | 35 | 10 | 24 |
| 16 | Everton | 21 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 18 | 28 | -10 | 20 |
| 17 | Wolverhampton Wandes | 21 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 31 | 48 | -17 | 16 |
| 18 | Ipswich Town | 21 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 20 | 37 | -17 | 16 |
| 19 | Leicester City | 22 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 23 | 48 | -25 | 14 |
| 20 | Southampton | 22 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 15 | 50 | -35 | 6 |
And let us not forget of course that Tottenham have scored two more goalsls in the league this season than Arsenal have. This by itself shows that the number of goals scored doesn’t really count for too much – which is yet another reasons why the ceaseless demand for Arsenal to get a goal scorer is such a farce.
Herre’s the top of the league (after the Tiny Totts game, but before the later matches.)
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 21 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 50 | 20 | 30 | 50 |
| 15 | Tottenham Hots | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 45 | 35 | 10 | 24 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 22 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 43 | 21 | 22 | 44 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 21 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 41 | 26 | 15 | 37 |
| 11 | Brentford | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 40 | 39 | 1 | 28 |
| 4 | Newcastle Un | 22 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 38 | 26 | 12 | 38 |
(In case you missed it further up the page)
Yes the tiny totts have scored two more than Arsenal, and so for those supporters who think that buying a centre forward is important I guess they can use this example.
I’d prefer to count the points.
As you, myself and others have shown, simply having a ‘proper number 9’ has very little, if any relevance as to whether you will win a title.
Spurs with Lineker and Kane, Shearer with Newcastle, being 3 prime examples of this fallacy.
Yes, you usually need to score quite a few goals, and more importantly to have a good goal difference, though as I have shown, neither are absolutely essential.
All I know is, whatever we do, the media will find a way to knock it. And on the back of that, way too many of our fans will join in. It’s absolutely pathetic. This doesn’t mean I think they are perfect, but I believe they give everything they have, every time they step on the pitch.
We have had 4 MASSIVELY controversial VAR decisions this season. Points affecting VAR decisions, and every one has gone against us.
Yes, each one is subjective, but isn’t odd how each one has ‘subjectively’ gone against us?
All I know is, I’m proud of our manager and this team.
Nitram and Tony, I agree about the notion of buying a proven striker, However, there is no doubt that we need to improve our scoring, so I just hope that our players all get better (or more lucky) in front of goal. Against Villa, several shots were blocked, saved by Martinez, or narrowly wide – like Declan Rice effort in the second-half. Also, I have never seen so many goalmouth scrambles, like the sequence yesterday when the post was hit then the follow-up saved. Also near the end, when Trossard was clean through and missed by inches.
The fact that we did not take opportunities made it possible for VAR and the referee to influence the outcome by disallowing the one goal which would have been the winner.
As I noted in the previous thread, the “handball” was not even assessed by the ref, who immediately denied the goal without looking at the screen. Even Ollie Watkins has said he didn’t think it handball.
This reinforces Nitram’s point about the impact of referees. Also in my previous post, I observed that referees have knowingly taken 10 points from Arsenal this year, and in the process have given an extra point to each of Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City.
I know one thing for absolute certainly. SKY Sports Pigmob apologist Dermot Gallagher and the rest of his cronies will all ratify the decision.