Statistics suggest that it’s all over for Wenger and co
Arsenal started last season in blistering form and it wasn’t until rain-sodden February that the cracks emerged in their title challenge. With the fixture list giving them a helping hand, everything was in place for another explosive start this year but after losing at home to Hull last week and escaping the Stadium of Light with a fortuitous point today, the Gunners could end the weekend as low as sixth, with Manchester United poised to overtake with their game in hand.
These stats suggest that Arsene Wenger might as well raise the white flag now:
In each of the three seasons that Arsenal won the Premier League, and in their near miss last year, they were in the top two after seven games.
In two of their title winning seasons, as well as last year, Arsenal went unbeaten through the first twelve games.
The last time Arsenal lost more than one of their first eight games - 2005-06 - they finished fourth, 24 points off champions Chelsea.
Just one of the teams Arsenal have faced this season finished in the top half last year, compared to four of Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool’s first seven opponents.
Using the previous play-off winners Derby in place of Hull and last year’s 18th-placed side Reading in place of West Brom, Arsenal took nineteen points from the equivalent seven fixtures last season, compared to thirteen this year.
So are Arsenal out of the running already or are they just doing things the hard way this season? Let us know by voting below and leaving a comment.
11 responses so far
1 Jack // Oct 4, 2008 at 6:52 pm
After only a small number of articles, is The Spoiler the most inane site on the net?
2 Andreas // Oct 4, 2008 at 6:56 pm
dude, one game doesn’t make a season.
3 x..cescs_gurl..x // Oct 4, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Haha you’ve already started a vote on whether Arsenal are outta th title race after the ‘7th match’ of the season? I’m actually pissin myslf laughin! Goshh this is insane, remembr man utd last season? Slow start & they ended up as champs!
Lol heres a tip; Restart this vote after xmas. Maybe you’d get a decent result then.
Oh btw just to answer th question: ARSENAL ARE “NOT” OUTTA TH TITLE RACE!
Arsenal4Life x
4 Harry the Hornet // Oct 4, 2008 at 7:42 pm
It’s not one game though, they lost to Hull and Fulham and nearly lost to Sunderland. They lost three games last year and still didn’t win the title and have already lost two this time. I thought they stood a good chance this year because of the really easy start but they’ve blown it already. They’ve still got to play the Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool, Spurs, Villa, Man City, Everton and West Ham before the halfway point! They might win the Champions League though.
5 Upminster Iron // Oct 4, 2008 at 7:45 pm
I saw someone mentioned Manchester United’s poor start last season but they were back in the top two after seven games, just like all of the last five champions have been.
6 fourstar // Oct 4, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Wenger clearly isn’t bothered about the Premiership, as his style of football is more suited to European competition. Will anyone care if we finish 17th (still above Spurs, mind) when we raise the CL trophy in Rome in May? Yeah, didn’t think so :)
7 masterblaster // Oct 4, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Damn right it’s over. This baby is toast, history, finished, done. It’s laughable listening to Arsene Whinger… err.. Wenger complain about Sunderland’s defensive posture as if it was the first time he’s ever seen this from an inferior opponent. He even said that he was surprised to see them put 10 men behind the ball which probably explains why he replaced one of his most creative midfielders for a more defensive one to start the game. Good luck holding on to fourth.
8 LEON // Oct 5, 2008 at 12:34 am
i feel wenger was looking keep tight and protect the defence and i feel we did that but up front they lacked sharpness,but densively arsenal looked very solid and that was what wenger was looking for expecting sunderland to be alot offensive which is not what happend, i feel this going to have to approach when face chelsea away and team slike that, did arsenal play that well no but so what,sometimes we are going to play crap and we will need to get a result and today got a valuable point,the fact last season we vary rearlt out played but lack of goals from midfield cost us,both chelsea arsenal and amnu are going to drop points and its far to early to riding off anyone,we are still missing edwardo and risisky and once we get those players back will be evon greater chance of winning the title,lets see where we are in fenb and march then you realy judge but not now
9 Ebrahim // Oct 5, 2008 at 1:34 am
I totally agree, despite some of the piss taken by phoney gooners. Read the online gooner and you will know our feelings. You happen to be right.
10 A. Wenger // Oct 5, 2008 at 5:31 am
I’m an Arsenal fan, sadly i must said that arsenal will be out pf the title race IF they continue with their draw and lose results and we can see that other team in the premier league are getting tougher and on forms. Our bad results thanks all because of Arsene Wenger stubbornest on keeping our defence very terrible and not signing anyone but old player (M.Silvestre) and country’s racist for only signing france player all this time which arsenal can have a france squad soon wearing arsenal jersey.
11 LEON // Oct 5, 2008 at 9:16 am
i must agree that if continue with to many draws we will be out of title race,but i dont think it was lack trying get a new signing can you believe wenger went for at laest 4 players but all slubed arsenal and stayed with there own clubs,but dont think lack of signing is lack signing is problem is the inconsistancy of our forwards,did arsenals play a bit underpar yes but so what arsenal are going to have learn to win when they under par,when i look ta fabs header,i feel that lack of height is not the problem for arsenal is disier