Arsenal are currently 5th, on 47 points with 10 games to go. So the maximum number of points we can finish with is 77. If, against all odds, we get 77, I guarantee you, we’ll finish 3rd or higher. I looked at the last seven season’s minimum points required to finish 4th. Lets have a look:
Teams finishing 4th:
2011/12 – Sp*rs (69 points)
2010/11 – Arsenal (68 points)
2009/10 – Sp*rs (70 points)
2008/09 – Arsenal (72 points)
2007/08 – Liverpool (76 points)
2006/07 – Sp*rs (70 points)
2005/ 06 Arsenal (67 points)
As you can see, statistically, you need atleast 67 points to finish 4th. That means we need minimum of 20 out of those 30 points. Sadly, even then, chances of us finishing 4th is highly unlikely as there is more competition this season.
Let’s look at our remaining fixtures:
Swansea (A)
Reading (H)
West Brom (A)
Norwich (H)
Everton (H)
Fulham (A)
United (H)
QPR (A)
Wigan(H)
Newcastle (A)
On paper, we are the stronger side than almost all those teams. What I’m saying is, theoretically , we should be able to beat 9 out of those 10 teams. However, having lost against Norwich, Swansea, Bradford and Blackburn this season, and having witnessed our tendency to self destruct, I have no confidence on this team to be honest.
What does this mean?
This means, if you think rationally that is, we are not qualifying for the Champions League this season. I am not being able to let this thought sink in to me yet and I know most of you can’t either but we might just have to.
Of course I hope I’m wrong. Of course I hope the Spuds and Chelsea fall apart. But this time, it’s not just them bottling it, it’s about us taking our chances too which we are not. I’m just trying to point the reality of the situation and the most likely outcome of that situation and trying you make you ready so that it won’t hurt as much later.
On the positive, I quote Harvey Dent,’The night is darkest before the dawn…’ .
Is this the final push that the board and Wenger needs? Is this the wake up call? Is this the kick on the butt? Is this is not, then I don’t know what is.
Failure is not falling but refusing to get up. I hope we learnt our lesson. I hope we get back stronger than ever.
And oh yeah, ‘Arsenal is the only English team who is still in the Champions League.
Up the Arsenal.
This season was the worst I have seen. Not only will be (probably, hopefully not) finish below Spurs, we (probably, hopefully not) won’t even qualify for Champions League. But what’s worse, by far, is what we’ve seen on the pitch. I pride my club for playing beautiful, passing football. This season I saw none of it. But worse still is the lack of desire from the players. Apart from a certain no. 10, I could not see the desire to win from anyone, most of the time.
Next season will be crucial for Arsenal and Wenger. Next season will decide whether we continue like Liverpool, or if we can come back stronger.
Wenger needs to spend.
We need more depth in our squad. We need a striker who can take most chances. Someone like Lewandowski, or Jovetic? I personally feel David Villa is not the man for the job. ‘The little boy inside of me’ today dreamt of a cheeky bid for Rooney, with the rumours and all that. But no one in their right mind would sell their best player to their rivals..
We also need a DM. Arteta is not made for that role, it’s not Jacky Wilshere favoured position, Coquelin is not good enough (yet?) and Diaby, who’s been injured 36 times in his Arsenal career, is.. Well, he’s just Diaby. A suitable replacement would be Song? He’s been hinted for a return, and his descision to leave still baffles me. He’d be perfect for the gaping hole between our midfield and defence, as he was last season. Other than him, who else? Bender, Tiote would be on my list. As well as Pogba, who I’ve been impressed recently. Top player
Apart from striker and DM, I do like our squad, and with a couple adjustments, additions, tweaks, teaching them how to defend, our team is good, and we can challenge for trophies, and we definitely will beat Spurs
Also, just like to add, Carl Jenkinson <3 What a legend, need more players like him.
North London is Red
COYG
[...] pouvez d’ailleurs retrouver l’article de Funny Gooner qui détaille les impératifs de cette fin de saison, notamment en terme de points nécessaires [...]