Arsenal still needs points to come 2nd or 3rd, and today’s team

 

 

by Tony Attwood

• You know something’s wrong when pundit quotes pundit. AFC v Bournemouth
• Arsenal v Bournemouth: the utterly shocking reality of refereeing in the PL this season
• Arsenal v Bournemouth: the old Arsenal problem – where will the goals come from?
• Arsenal v Bournemouth: commands from the people who say they know

It is possible to argue that third place would be ok for Arsenal this season because that would still mean entering the Champions League next season without having to play in the pesky play off round.  So the target could be 73 points given that in picking up two wins in the last four games, they are unlikely to see ManC overtake Arsenal on goal difference.

Incidentally, the only team ever to come second in the top division three seasons running is Manchester United in 1947, 8 and 9 and Leeds United in 1969, 1970,  1971 and Arsenal 1999 to 2001.  If the club do come second it will be the 12th time Arsenal have come runners-up.

Now this charge up the table also means Newcastle will probably have to beat Arsenal, and although that might be possible, doing it by a lot of goals again seems unlikely.    So in effect, to stop both ManC and Newcastle overtaking Arsenal and leaving Arsenal in fourth place, Arsenal themselves need two wins from the matches against Bournemouth, Liverpool, Newcastle and Southampton.   (And remember that does assume the teams around us in the league are winning while Arsenal are losing.)

Victories over Southampton and Bournemouth (today) seem rather likely – especially when we look at the last six games table.  And I’ll put Tottenham in this abbreviated chart because, well, it’s fun.  But yes, six points against Bournemouth and Southampton will certainly help us on our way.   (And remember these prognostications are based on the other clubs winning all their games – which may well not happen).

Last six games selected table.

 

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Manch City	6	5	1	0	12	3	+9	16
2	Newcastle Un	6	5	0	1	18	6	+12	15
4	Liverpool	6	5	0	1	14	6	+8	15
6	Arsenal	6	3	3	0	11	5	+6	12
8	Chelsea	6	3	2	1	6	4	+2	11
11	AFC Bournemouth	6	1	3	2	6	7	-1	6
18	Tottenham Hots	6	1	0	5	7	15	-8	3
19	Southampton	6	0	2	4	5	12	-7	2

 

So still things to play for, and so still teams to pick with a thought of winning rather than a thought of avoiding playing players who will have to face PSG, or with giving a run out to a promising youngster or three.

Arteta said earlier that, “I was very shocked just before the game at PSG at home. I saw Takehiro Tomiyasu, Calafiori, Partey, Gabriel, Gabriel Jesus and Jorginho all together in the dressing room. That could have been a starting line-up and we don’t have them, and we haven’t for months. No-one is talking about it in the building, but that’s happening. I am proud of them.”   And I think that makes the point well.

There is also another note on the BBC site which I like as it suggests they are reading Untold.  It is a headline prefacing Arteta’s remarks and it reads,

On their being a 99.6% chance of a top-five finish according to the Opta ‘supercomputer’:

Now that fascinated me because the BBC has added the inverted comma around the word “supercomputer” – which is the first sign in the media I have seen about the fact that there are NO supercomputers predicting football results.  Maybe someone out there is taking note of our love of being, well, accurate.

So for the team, in the week of constant rabid attacks on Odegaard, the Standard give us

Raya;

White, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko;

Odegaard, Partey, Rice;

Saka, Merino, Trossard

Sports Mole offer on interesting variation

Raya;

White, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko;

Odegaard, Partey, Rice;

Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard

The Metro offer something quite different and indeed something that had us all pondering…

Raya;

White, Saliba, Kiwior, Tierney

Zinchenko, Rice, Merino

Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling

 

So there we are.  Have a great game, and hopefully a rather fine evening also.   The match is on Sky Sprouts.  Sorry, Sports.  No, maybe it is Sprouts.