Let’s start with the facts. As things stand Arsenal sit second on the Premiership table, level on 67 points with Manchester United but trailing due to an inferior goal difference of +36 compared with +44. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side of course have a game in hand, while the only other challengers for the title, Chelsea, sit a further three points back from the leading pair. However, like Manchester United they have played one less game than Arsenal but have a slightly less positive goal than Arsene Wenger’s side, that of +31.
Breaking things down a little further, assuming that both Chelsea and United win their game in hand that will see the Manchester side go three points ahead of Arsenal at the top with a far superior goal difference while Chelsea would go level on points with Wenger’s side but most likely stay third due to a mildly inferior goal difference. What this essentially means is that going forward, if either Arsenal or Chelsea are to win the title they are going to have to score four points more than Manchester United in the run-in.
Looking at the fixtures, this is not impossible task, but results will have to go the right way in the games between the top three sides. Indeed, each of the leading three teams will play each other once more, with Arsenal having the most difficult task of traveling away to both United and Chelsea while Avram Grant’s side have it the easiest with two home ties against their main rivals. Manchester United, of course play Arsenal at home but Chelsea away. The other club that will be expected to steal some points of the leading pack are Liverpool, who play both Arsenal and Manchester United in the run-in. Arsenal will host Liverpool in a couple weeks time while Manchester travel to Anfield this weekend.
Update: As has been pointed out, United are in fact hosting Liverpool at home this weekend, not traveling away. Unfortunately you would back them to get all three points in that one so Arsenal are erally going to have to beat Chelsea.
Given that Chelsea also host Arsenal on the same night that Liverpool host United, this weekend could go a long way to determining who will walk away with the Premiership this season. If either Arsenal or Chelsea lose their match they will virtually be out of the race, while the other will be right back in it, especially if Liverpool can steal two or three points off Manchester United. If Ferguson’s men take all three points home from Anfield and Arsenal and Chelsea draw then the Premiership is as good as United’s. There’s a lot of ‘ifs’ an ‘buts’ to take into account, but at the end of the day this weekend is about as big a weekend as there is going to be in the Premiership this season.
A big weekend coming up
So what does it all mean for Arsenal? I mentioned yesterday that after the draw with Middlesbrough, for the first time this season I really feel like the Premiership could be slipping away. Of course, a win away to Chelsea and a helping hand from Liverpool would mean Wenger’s side would be right back in the race again, but I have to say I’m still a little worried. Grant’s side are yet to lose at home this season and it’s going to take a monumental effort and performance from Arsenal to get the win they so badly need. Given that a loss for Chelsea would be nothing short of disastrous for their title aspirations, it’s going to be one hell of a battle at Stamford Bridge this Saturday.
The benefactor of any points dropped by Arsenal or Chelsea will of course be Manchester United, but there is still a very real possibility of them dropping points of their own away to a Liverpool side who have lost just once at home this season. Given United’s tendency of losing rather than drawing games when things don’t go so well and Fernando Torres’ amazing run of form of late and it not impossible that they will drop all three points at Anfield.
In short, this means that if things go Arsenal’s way this weekend then they are still every chance to win the title. It remains a big ‘if’, but supporters should not lose hope yet. However, a poor result against Chelsea and a win for Manchester United against Liverpool and the title race is all but over. Unfortunately this is a very real possibility, perhaps the most likely of all the scenarios, so I will be hoping for the best but expecting the worst this weekend.
As fans, all we can do is keep supporting. Things may look bleak but the reason why Arsenal are such a great club is that they continue to try and win whilst playing wonderful football. When the trophies don’t come and the wins dry out people will always begin to question what the priority is at the club but I think that would be missing the point. Just because Wenger wants his side to play romantic football does not mean he has lost his winning edge. Indeed, this side has been as competitive as any Arsenal side has been in the past three seasons and supporters should remember that.
What do you think?
Have your say on Arsenal’s season by leaving a comment.
If we can get a result at the bridge and liverpool beat the mancs we’ll be right back in it.
[...] disappointed with some of the comments made by so-called ‘Arsenal fans’ over the past two days. Things are not lost yet and a difficult run of form resulting in four draws does not [...]
Nope,the league title is gone.Losing points in the
“wrong” games is fatal.Wenger was a bit naive and to much a man of principle not to buy anything in jan.Well known injuries and a thin squad should ring a bell.
Nope,the league title is gone.Losing points in the “wrong” games is fatal.Wenger was a bit naive and to much a man of principle not to buy anything in jan.Well known injuries and a thin squad should ring a bell.
HI Everyone.This weekend is a tight one so we better play better than chelsea otherwise will be in third place.Am hoping that liverpool will outperform united and if we win we be back on top.what arsenal needs is concentration,the main thing is to score.nevertheless, whatever will happen this weekend am still an arsenal supporter and will forever continue to be.benrry
I declare up-front that I’m a Man U fan
The results last night were good for United and although Arsenal didn’t lose second place to Chelski United’s victory over Bolton just rubber-stamps United’s Premiership superiority.
Just a correction: the two games United v Liverpool and Chelski v Arsenal are being played on Sunday and not Saturday as the the lead article states.
My spin is that Arsenal have thrown it away (with only 4 points out of the last 12) as mch as United have put themselves in pole position.
I expect a hard game against Liverpool and I think United will not claim all the points. A draw would be a good result I think because I expect that Chelski will not beat Arsenal so I expect a draw at Stamford Bridge.
Thus with two draws the top 4 positions and points differences and goal differences will remain static.
If United win and Chelski/Arsenal draw then I would expect the race for the title to be all but over. I can see United dropping a 5 point lead over Arsenal (especially with Arsenal in such poor form) and with Chelski being 7 points behind.
If Arsenal do the unexpected and beat Chelski then United’s result against Liverpool is crucial. United must match results with Arsenal to feel some sense of security (if any can be drawn from any title run-in).
Chelsi are almost out of it following last nights draw and United’s form. If Chelski fail to win this weekend they are really out of it I feel.
So the results I predict this weekend are:
United 2 Liverpool 2
Chelski 0 Arsenal 0
Main factors affecting the top 4 are:
United – the form of Ronaldo, the depth of quality cover in the squad, the lack of crucial player injuries, the fact that United have more home games than away games and meet 2 of the top 4 at home and only 1 away, the Alex Ferguson factor (the best manager to have in this situation), the fact that by the time we have our most difficult game (away at Chelski) the race may already be over.
Arsenal – the lack of form of Adebayor, the lack of goals from other players (especially in the last 5 / 6 weeks), poor and over-emotional on-field leadership (Gallas), the lack of Eduardo (genuine United fans wish him well) nobody likes to see such tackles and injuries, not enough British based players who really can be a huge asset on title run-ins, the Arsenal factor – they really believe they are hard-done-by!!!
Chelski – Avram Grant – not good enough – he is relying on the skills of his players and very little else (poor tactics, team-selection, motivation and a plan), the impatience and pressure of Abromovich, the points they need to make up is already too high, too many hot-heads (Essien, Obi-Michel, Terry, A. Cole etc.), the indifferent form of Drogba
Liverpool – too many points to make up, the rotation policy means that Raffa will drop Gerrard and Torres between now and the end of the season and that means they will drop more points, just too many sapping battles against Arsenal, the squad is threadbare when it comes to quality replacements for the quality players, there appears to be little hunger just an acceptance of the Premiership situation (they fear at the outside are not going to finish above United or Arsenal and possibly Chelski) and the only desire is to finish in the top 4.
Prediction
Champions – United 90 points
Runners up – Arseanl 85 points
Third place – Chelski 84 points
Fourth place – Everton – 72 points
We have to keep our fingers crossed.It’s a nail biting time for all of us.We just hope for the best.Let’s see what will happen on sunday. God willing, we will salvage something.
er yeah watever!