By anyone’s standards, Arsenal have had a poor season. The criticism the manager and team have received has been justifiable, especially if measured on performances and the current league position.
However, if we examine the other teams behind a vastly superior Manchester City, you will see that they haven’t fared much better in various ways. Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea have all struggled to keep up with the pace and have been inconsistent throughout the campaign.
Its true Arsenal are in much worse position because the Premiership table doesn’t lie. Too many losses, too many draws, not enough goals scored and far too many conceded are hard facts to argue.
Arsenal’s record against the top clubs is the lowest of the big guns and against the lower half of the table, they have trod on many a banana skin this term. Yet, City have set an incredibly high standard, blitzing the competition and looking imperious in the process but do they look so good because they are at a different level or has the competition handed them the title.
You can argue both points but all the clubs from second to sixth have been guilty of inconsistencies and throwing away points they should have put in the bank. On any given day, Manchester United, Liverpool, Spurs and Chelsea have floundered, looking far from impressive in the process.
As with Leicester two seasons ago, the momentum is with the blue half of Manchester and it’s now inconceivable that the title will go anywhere else. They’ve been fortunate with injuries and certainly blessed to have replacements of equal worth and although they have had the Champions League to contend with, Guardiola has been given a good hand in many respects.
This doesn’t mean a treble is on, far from it. This part of the season is grueling and it will take phenomenal focus to maintain form to pick up the Champions League trophy. City are not looking at an obstacle-free run in and will have to be at their best to achieve, what looks to be the impossible. Neighbours United, have had all sorts of issues. They have potential, one of the best squads in the Premiership but they can’t function together cohesively at present and at times look like a team of strangers trying to work out what the other one does.
Spurs have looked as if they may go far, especially in the CL but it all came undone in a moment of madness and they are now looking at their usual position of being there or there about’s without being a genuine threat. The injuries to Kane and Ali will leave them short and you don’t lose players of that standard without suffering the consequences.
Liverpool flatter to deceive, the defence still needs a little care and attention to stop them getting mugged before getting home from the cash point. Great going forward and delightful to watch at times, they are lacking the final piece of the puzzle that those great Liverpool teams of old had in abundance, tenacity and resilience.
Chelsea have been swallowed up by disagreements behind the scenes, been subjected to a disgruntled manager and a needy owner and had the additional distraction of the Champions League. Even though they performed so well at a domestic level last season, Conte realises that they are at full stretch and with little in reserve.
So on reflection is Arsenal’s season any worse? Yes, and No, they are not only judged by the ability to challenge in the League but also the style of play and that has, at times, been non-existent. Add another 10 or 15 points on to the total and apart from cosmetics, it doesn’t alter a thing. Arsenal have wounded themselves with problems on and off the pitch for the last few years but it just appears to be getting worse.
Again, it’s no different to the last two seasons but as supporters, we have overlooked the obvious to concentrate on the little positives that were left. City, will, if not this season, then next, discover that it’s hard to reach the summit but it’s much harder to stay there.
Expect heavy investment in the summer, if only to stay in the same position but it could mean that at least two of those trailing behind City this term, may be able to mount a serious challenge next season.
Will that be Arsenal? No, there’s so much to do, so many players needed and so many to be sold that they may only be able to compete two years from now. A change of manager doesn’t mean that all the shortcomings disappear, it will just highlight how much needs to be done.
