Just published by the Arsenal History Society
By Tony Attwood
According to the Telegraph Arsenal took “advantage of Liverpool fans turning on Alexander-Arnold,” in their last match. The implication clearly is that mean and nasty Arsenal should have played fair and not used the anger being expressed by Liverpudlians to their own advantage, even though it was created by a) the player and b) the manager for selecting the player and c) the fans for thinking that the player choosing to leave at the end of a contract was legal and reasonable. Arsenal taking “advantage” of that was, it seems, ungentlemanly, and they should not have had a draw in the last match. Presumably, the argument is that Arsenal should give the point they gained to Liverpool.
And of course, the Telegraph want it this way because it plays into their constant narrative that Arsenal are conniving cheats who will stop at nothing to get an advantage, some way or other. The notion that Arsenal actually pulled themselves together and players were excellent despite all the media projections of the club being an utterly spent force with not a hope of getting anything from the game, was challenged, and the media really don’t like that.
But thinking of Europe next season what we know is (I think) that either Manchester United or Tottenhma hots will be there as Europa winners, along with Liverpool, and the clubs placed second to fifth. The FA Cup winners might be in the Europa League if they are not in the Champions League, and Newcastle are already in the Conference League having won the Carabao unless they qualify fotr the Champs League in which case they won’t. At least I think that is how it goes.
Of course the range of teams that can overtake Arsenal is still significant and thus giving much hope to the journalists. For indeed it is true that any of the clubs from third to sixth could technically do it, although the chances of Forest in seventh have now gone. They could equal Arsenal’s total points, but their goal difference is so poor that they can’t overtake Arsenal’s position, even with freaky results in the coming days.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 36 | 25 | 8 | 3 | 83 | 37 | 46 | 83 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 36 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 66 | 33 | 33 | 68 |
| 3 | Newcastle United | 36 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 68 | 45 | 23 | 66 |
| 4 | Manchester City | 36 | 19 | 8 | 9 | 67 | 43 | 24 | 65 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 62 | 43 | 19 | 63 |
| 6 | Aston Villa | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 56 | 49 | 7 | 63 |
Newcastle United need one win more than Arsenal to claim second spot. So if Arsenal win one of the remaining two games, Newcastle need two wins If Arsenal win neither, Newcastle need just one.
But here’s the twist: Arsenal play Newcastle at the Arsenal stadium on Sunday. So an Arsenal win wouold put the points as Arsenal 71, Newcastle 66 and that would be that.
Such a win would mean the ManC’s would have to win their two remaining games by a total of +10 goals. And all this before we consider what might happen when Arsenal play Southampton.
Now of course I know all this is a debate about getting second place for the third year running which for many is not acceptable, although it is interesting that as far as I can see no club has ever done that in the Premier League although it did happen in the old First Division. But I would also add that since before this little run of coming runners-up, Arsenal have only made second once since 2004/5 (the season after the Unbeaten Season), and that does for me show some progress.
But the long and the short of everything is that it would be rather nice to end with a couple of wins, one against Newcastle at home and Southampton away in the next two Sundays, and we can leave it at that before we start contemplating the game against Milan on 23 July. Just two months and 10 days away.
However, before moving on I wonder if we might not spend a second or two contemplating Ipswich Town who are now next door to Tottenham Hots in the Premier League table.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Manchester United | 36 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 42 | 53 | -11 | 39 |
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 36 | 11 | 5 | 20 | 63 | 59 | 4 | 38 |
| 18 | Ipswich Town | 36 | 4 | 10 | 22 | 35 | 77 | -42 | 22 |
| 19 | Leicester City | 36 | 5 | 7 | 24 | 31 | 78 | -47 | 22 |
| 20 | Southampton | 36 | 2 | 6 | 28 | 25 | 82 | -57 | 12 |
As you can see the existence of Ipswich has meant that Tottenham Hots have not been relegated this season. They (Ipswich) were promoted from the Championship last season but in that year their losses doubled to almost £40m, despite the fact that their income rose by nearly three quarters. (Figures from the Swiss Rambles regular updates – available on subscription).
So now having had their one season of glory they are off back to the Championship, with their existence is the reason that Tottenham Hots survive in the Premier League. But the debts that Ipswich carry forward are, I suspect, even greater than the debts they brought within them into their one season in the top level. I wonder how they and their two fellow relegatees (a word I think I just made up) will actually fare financially?
Not easily I suspect. Indeed if we look down we find them relegated for the second season running. In 2013/14 they started their journey from the Conference up to the Premier League – an extraordinary achievement. Now they are on the way backwards. So it goes.
