- No FFP problems, no shortage of cash. Financially, Arsenal are looking ok
- New Super League announced; Uefa caught flat-footed
By Tony Attwood
It seems like forever interrupted – a game or two, then internationals, then the wait to see who had been crippled by a careless international manager playing a player when he shouldn’t, and the note saying sent back with the ambulance, “get him fit for the next one”. On and on the international torments go, although the next interruption is a little while away, but it sure is a big one. 7 January – 5 February 2027, the Asian Cup. Will it ever end? No, it won’t because the clubs won’t stand up to Fifa. One day they will, but not yet.
But for the next couple of months, we do have some real football, and we can return to our normal way of checking the league table.
And indeed, you may be forgiven if you have forgotten how jolly it looks….
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 11 | 16 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 15 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 14 |
| 14 | Fulham | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 11 | -3 | 8 |
Of course, Fulham do have the most expensive restaurant in London overlooking the Thames atop their new stand, and as a result, the ground has a capacity of 29,600, up from the previous 25,700. But let us not be unfair, they have kept to their traditional home, and the traditional cottage is still there. Yes, sometimes moving is the only way to increase capacity, as Arsenal found, but there is still a lot to be said for keeping the old place running. Like not having the inevitable downturn when the club moves.
Meanwhile, in other games, Liverpool are at home to Manchester United on Sunday, and the tiny Totts are also at home, in their case to Aston Villa, also on Sunday. Both games appear easily winnable by the second and third clubs in the league, while Arsenal have the away trip. Liverpool have won all three of their home games this season, while Tottenham have won one, drawn one and lost one, so we might have a thought of them losing some ground, although Aston Villa are yet to win an away game. But the threat, of course, comes from Liverpool, so Arsenal have to win to stay above them.
One thing we should also note is that every club now blames the financial rules for holding them back, but really, the rules are pretty much the same for everyone, and it is all a case of how they have used them.
On 23 September, Fulham were 8th in the league but have since slumped to two consecutive 3-1 away defeats to Aston Villa and Bournemouth, and they may well be feeling they have a greater chance of stopping the rot by playing this game by the Thames.
This is their third London derby of the season, having so far lost to Chelsea away 2-0 in August while beating Brentford at home 3-1 in September.
For Arsenal, this is their second London derby in succession, having beaten West Ham United 2-0 in their last game. However, Arsenal are catching up in this regard as our next London derby is our next league game after the Fulham match – at home to Crystal Palace on 26 October. Not exactly “thick and fast” as the journalists love to say (due to their desire to use old phrases rather than develop their own narrative, but still, two in a row.
So Arsenal enter the game with four wins in a row, and Fulham turn up with two defeats in a row. But as we have so often seen, home and away form can make a mockery of the overall league table. Here’s the comparison – and it is one where Fulham are further down the league table at home than Arsenal are away, but they have more points at home.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Fulham home | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 4 | Arsenal away | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
That’s undoubtedly a reflection of the early games played – and we have noted several times how the League gave Arsenal just about the toughest bunch of opening matches possible. So it can be worth going back to compare last season.
| Team | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Fulham home | 19 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 27 | 30 | -3 | 26 |
| 2 | Arsenal away | 19 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 34 | 17 | 17 | 35 |
As we can see across the whole season, last campaign, Arsenal away outplayed Fulham at home with a goal difference that was 20 goals better. And that is interesting in that already this season, taking both home and away games into account, Arsenal have a goal difference that is 14 better than Palace,
Leaving aside any omens (and I am not sure there are any), the statistics make it look like a certain Arsenal win. The only reason you might not say this is either because you are suspicious (and I’m not) or because of the referee getting up to some tricks.
So we’ll look at the ref next..
