- Arsenal’s away form this campaign, better than the Unbeaten Season
- 35 Arsenal transfers in this summer and 10 players leaving
By Tony Attwood
Change is at the heart of liberal democracy. Indeed it is the essence of such societies. It is part of openness. And so it is not surprising that our football media exists almost totally on the basis that clubs will change, endlessly predicting who will be in the team next week, and who will brought in for the new season.
Which raises the question, what could Arsenal do to make themselves better? What with having the best defence, the best goal difference and (at the moment) the most points…
As we have seen, Arsenal has improved on last season, fine though that campaign was. Six more goals scored, a whopping great 15 fewer goals conceded and five more points than last campaign, after 37 games.
This season at home Arsenal have improved at home by concedeing ten fewer goals after 18 games, although they have scored two fewer. But the points total is up by two.
Away Arsenal have scored eight more and conceded five fewer. The points total is up by three.
So reducing the number of defeats even further and turning draws into wins looks to be the next step forward.
If we assume that Manchester City win their last two games, and Arsenal wins its final game that means Manchester City end up with 91 points and Arsenal with 89. So we are two points short.
Goal differences are very close – 61 to Arsenal 58 to Manchester City at the moment. Now assuming that the case between the Premier League and Manchester City either continues next season, or is decided in such a way that Manchester City lose no points (or indeed is decided in any other way but then continues for another two years as Manchester City appeals to the League, the government and the House of Lords), then Arsenal’s target needs to be at least three more points than this season.
Where could they be picked up? Here’s some thoughts…
| Date | Match | Res | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Aug 2023 | Arsenal v Fulham | D | 2-2 |
| 24 Sep 2023 | Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur | D | 2-2 |
| 21 Oct 2023 | Chelsea v Arsenal | D | 2-2 |
| 04 Nov 2023 | Newcastle United v Arsenal | L | 1-0 |
| 09 Dec 2023 | Aston Villa v Arsenal | L | 1-0 |
| 23 Dec 2023 | Liverpool v Arsenal | D | 1-1 |
| 31 Mar 2024 | Manchester City v Arsenal | D | 0-0 |
| 14 Apr 2024 | Arsenal v Aston Villa | L | 0-2 |
The most likely place would be to turn a couple of those draws in the first half of the season, into wins. Beating Fulham at home and drawing with Villa rather than losing, would have been enough, providing everything else went the same way.
But there is more, because we have to remember that during the Villa game at home there was a mass walk out, with multiple complainants saying that Aretea was totally at fault and should be replaced.
Such commentaries by fans, aided and abetted of course by the ever-aggressive media, makes life even harder for Arsenal than it might otherwise be. So I suspect to get the extra points needed, there will need to be a change in attitude among the nay-sayers.
Somehow they have to learn that one bad result does not mean that the club and the manager are crap. For if Manchester City is allowed to carry on as they have been doing they are likely to be getting between 89 and 93 points again.
Arsenal on the other hand have got 84, 87 and 90 points in the past with this season ending at 84, 85 or 87 depending on the last result.
So how does Arsenal improve for next season?
Certainly, some more goals would help. Arsenal have seven players who have scored five or more this season in the league (Saka 16, Havertz 12, Trossard 12, Odegaard eight, Rice seven, Martinelli six, Nketiah five). So where can the extra goals come from?
The media’s answer is to suggest Arsenal need to buy another goal-scoring player, but my concern is that this could upset the flow and balance of the team at the moment, which leaves the opposition unsure of where the goals are coming from.
But I think there is another solution. Martinelli and Odegaard each scored 15 goals last season. That was 30 goals, which this season was reduced to 14. If we can get those two scoring again at the level of last season that would cover both the goal scoring issue and probably give us those few extra points to see of Manchester City.
Of course the Manchester City dispute with the rest of the league cannot go on forever, as it is making the League look stupid in the eyes of the world, taking on a challenge that it cannot win, while knocking out punishments to the easier targets like Nottingham Forest and Everton. If the Chelsea issue is resolved soon that will leave Manchester City sitting on its own as the target of investigation.
Something has to give, but I’ll continue with what, in another piece.
The improvement is namned Bruno Guimaraes and Viktor Gyökeres. It’s that simpel.
As Mr Wenger has stated it so often : it is about small details, small differences.
And say what you want, if Arsenal win their last 2 games and don’t win the PL, they will have lost it by just 2 points, this against the ‘galactic’ unbeatable team with an endless supply of money. Which means that the investments done by Arsenal are paying off and Arsenal are ready for a sustained effort. And as their squad is young, this is not a fluke result. But a progression
Aston Villa 3 – 3 Liverpool
So a draw it was which means as I said yesterday:
“Spurs now have to WIN both their final games, to get them to 69 pts 1 ahead of Villa, and even that still might not be enough as a draw for Villa at palace would probably keep them in 4th on GD, unless spurs can turn that 8 goal deficit around”.
Is it good that Spurs have to go for a win? Is that preferable to them only needing to play for a draw?
Who knows, but at least they should at least try to get a result, which I suppose is the best we could of hopped for.
I cant believe I’m going to say this but, Come On You Spurs.
Got to go, feeling a bit sick!
too close to call.
Nitram
The other factor in both yesterday’s and today’s match is Chris Kavanagh. He was VAR last night and, in my opinion, stopped Villa from winning – he is tonight’s referee…
@Jack Foolish
If it’s “that simple”, one can only assume that you are using a pseudonym and are actually a qualified, professional football manager of one of the top clubs in Europe. Go on, put us out of our suspense, do tell………..