Arsenal pull ahead at the top

 

 

• Why is one referee in line to see the same team 8 times this season?
• Four of the top five players in the Premier League play for Arsenal

By Tony Attwood

Paul Merson said, “I think they win the Premier League quite easily after dismantling Aston Villa. It was a statement result, and Man City will have been watching. They will be thinking ‘wow’ after that from Arsenal.”

Maybe so, Paul.  Certainly, I was thinking, “wow, wow, wow” and then some other words that I try not to use on a blog for fear of giving offence.  But you probably know what I mean.

This was going to be the BIG TEST, the time that Arsenal were likely to be found out (at least so the media kept saying), and they would thus make way for the teams that really know how to do it.  Instead, Aston V were humiliated and shown to be what they really are – a mid-table team who have had a good run.

There were the odd signs before this, of course – like Aston V letting in three against Brighton, but then on the other hand, they contained Chelsea and Man U to one goal each.  But not last night.  It was a slaughter.

Here’s the table, and yes, Arsenal did all that last night to the team in third place.  And, as I like to do from time to time, I have included Tottenham just so those journos who thought the Totts would come good this season can be reminded where they are too.  Incidentally, as we have explored on this site before, the great thing about Tottenham is that they keep changing their managers all the time, so the chances are they might now do that again, and that will make things even worse.  Of course, eventually they might get a good one, but each time they employ another mediocre man, the chances of a really recent manager joining them is reduced once more.  Here’s the league table

 

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Arsenal	19	14	3	2	37	12	25	45
2	Manchester City	18	13	1	4	43	17	26	40
3	Aston Villa	19	12	3	4	30	23	7	39
4	Liverpool	18	10	2	6	30	26	4	32
13	Tottenham Hotspur	18	7	4	7	27	23	4	25

 

And yes, I admit it, when faced with headline after headline, all telling me that Arsenal really aren’t that good, even a real positive supporter like me can start to doubt.   But now this morning I can think, before last night Villa haven’t let in four all season.  In fact not since last February.

And since you may not read this anywhere else, let me spell it out.  Arsenal not only have the most points, and the second most goals scored, they have the fewest defeats, by far the best defence and a goal difference that is just one behind the Mancs.  Which is not bad for a club surviving on about 5% of the Manc available cash.

The point is that Arsenal have shown that they can fight it out with teams who want to defend and defend and then nick a breakaway, and they can by-pass clubs like Villa who feel they can beat Arsenal at football.

And a further point was not just that Villa had won their last eight in a row, they had done it by scoring 20 goals.     

Now of course, the ManC have a game spare and they play that tomorrow against Sunderland, who have yet to lose at home this season – although no doubt ManC will pull a trick or two of their own.   Indeed, we can note that the PGMO have moved in referee Jarred Gillet for that game.  Now Gillett has refereed nine league games this season and five of them have been away wins.   I think we can all see where that one is heading.   All I can say is, “PGMO we know what you do.”

And although I normally only cite the “Last six games table” just before each match it is worth looking at it this morning….

 

Premier League Form (Last 6)

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Man City	6	6	0	0	19	7	+12	18
2	Arsenal	6	5	0	1	12	5	+7	15
3	Aston Villa	6	5	0	1	14	12	+2	15

 

…. so we can be reminded that Astn Violla were not some easy to beat team – only one defeat in the last six, and that of course was last night.  But the Mancs are the team of the moment, themselves on a run of eight consecutive wins in all competitions, and knocking in the goals (23 goals in those eight games), so matters are far from done and dusted.  

ManC are playing Sunderland, who, wouldn’t you know it, have only won one game in their last five matches, scoring just two goals in that run.  It does seem that their bubble has indeed burst, at what is a most unfortunate time for Arsenal.  But that is how it goes.