- Arsenal’s “expected points” in the last six. Just how well are we doing?
- Suddenly it has become incredibly difficult to predict which team Arteta will put out
On the Arsenal History Site: 100 seasons in the top division: Arsenal after the second world war
By Tony Attwood
Why would anyone want to run a football club?
Surely not because “it must be fun,” because although it can be, such fun doesn’t last. Whatever transfers are made, they are never enough, and certainly not always the right players. Whatever tactics are used, there will be criticism. And even if the club goes unbeaten through the season, even that might not be enough, “some of those draws were dire,” as my pal said to me at the time.
And of course, there is the fact that when the build-up to a big match happens, key facts seem to get lost. Like when was the last time Arsenal lost a home league game to Tottenham?
You will of course, be forgiven if you don’t know because it was a way back. In fact it was 15 years ago, on 20 November 2010. Yes, that is the last time Tottenham beat Arsenal at Arsenal’s ground in either the Premier League or the FA Cup. The result was 2-3 on that day, and I mention it not just because it was a long time ago but also because it was a shock. The league table before that game showing Tottenham already having lost three games away from home in that season.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 28 | 9 | 19 | 28 |
| 2 | Manchester United | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 28 | 15 | 13 | 28 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 28 | 15 | 13 | 26 |
| 4 | Bolton Wanderers | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 26 | 20 | 6 | 22 |
| 5 | Manchester City | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 22 |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 21 | 19 | 2 | 22 |
However, there was a big difference between then and now, in that Arsenal in November 2010 had already lost two games at home, while of course this season it is four wins and one draw before today’s game.
Of course, the media often portrays local derbies as “dour” affairs, chiding fans for getting so worked up about playing their noisy neighbours, But “dour” is not normally a word used for these derbies.
In the last eight games, there has only been one game in which there have been fewer than three goals. The two clubs don’t do the sort of dire dull affars that mark local derbies in some parts of the country.
So, as noted in previous articles, there is little to worry about historically as we get close to the game, and even our shacking injury record might be lessening its grip somewhat with only Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kai Havertz, Gabriel and Gabriel Jesus definitely out – and quite possibly most of those players being able to make an appearance before the end of this injury-wrecked year of 2025.
Tottenham are certainly missing Kulusevski, Solanke, and Maddison, although many more are on the “unlikely to play” list due to recent injuries.
But as we have noted, Tottenham have been having some local difficulties of late, their two wins in the last seven games being away to Everton (who have only won half their home games this season) and at home to FC Kobenhavn who are currently nine points adrift of the top club in the rather limited Danish League. The last four games for Tottenham have shown one win (that being the match against the aforementioned FC Kobenhaven, defeats to Chelsea and Newcastle United and a draw with Manchester United. They do indeed seem to be struggling.
So after six games without a win against Arsenal, they might be feeling a little apprehensive. And there is one other little benefit Arsenal can take from the current situation – it is that instead of the media focusing on some sort of Tottenham revival or breakthrough of whatever they come up with next, the main focus remains on “The story of the season is the fall of the champions”
Yes for the media, Liverpool remains the big story, although it isn’t of course – it is Arsenal’s battle to turn three second-placed finishes in consecutive seasons into a title-winning campaign. But the media will have their little ways…
Oh and if you thought that the “fall of the champions” story was a one off, picked by me from the depths of a paper just to illustrate a point, the same outlet is also running “Arne Slot offers no excuses and vows to plot route out of Liverpool malaise”, and “Liverpool in disarray as Nottingham Forest storm Anfield again with 3-0 win”.
It can be a bit frustrating when the media won’t take note of Arsenal being top of the league, but then, I suppose watching them try and explain the fall of their favourites is quite amusing too.
Next up, the team.
