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5 reasons Arsenal are top of the league
Topic Started: Oct 24 2013, 04:05 PM (672 Views)
cruyff_turn
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From Michael Cox: http://www.freebets.org.uk/blog/5-reasons-why-arsenal-are-top-of-the-league#more-3822
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dsch15
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The grain of salt to go with our results so far [emphasis is mine]:

"No. 3: Weak opposition
"Arsenal have faced rather mediocre opposition in their eight Premier League matches so far: the teams they have played are currently positioned 13th, 14th, 5th, 20th, 16th, 11th, 12th and 18th. The only top half side, Spurs, were faced at a great time – just before the transfer deadline, when Andre Villas-Boas hadn’t yet got his squad in place.

"Equally interestingly, Arsenal won each of these eight matches last season – 24 points from 24, so they’re currently collecting worse results compared to last season’s equivalent games against the same opposition.

"Arsenal can only beat the opposition placed in front of them, of course, and they’ve managed that impressively. Still, if explaining why Arsenal are top, it’s tough to ignore."

We were without Ozil when we played Spurs, so that's a wash, but the rest of this is a bit of cold water in the face.
Edited by dsch15, Oct 24 2013, 04:25 PM.
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cruyff_turn
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I think much of the optimism among Arsenal fans is based on the fact we're not out of the title race yet, as has been the case at this point in the last two seasons.

One caveat I would add to the 24 v. 19 point: While we had better results last year in these fixtures, there's no doubt we've won much more comfortably this season than last, where I swear I was going to have a heart attack in a number of those fixtures.
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phatosas

What is really wrong with threads like this is we are talking of a team being on top of the league after 8 games of a 38 game season. I also think it is quite pointless that people are comparing our results from equivalent fixtures last season (I saw Gary Nevelle make that comparison) and then comparing the fixtures that we have to come. I dont think any team has ever won their first 8 league games in a season. I also dont expect Arsenal to be that poor in the more difficult fixtures as we were last season. The season is a grind and the team that grinds out the most ends up winning.
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dsch15
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phatosas
Oct 24 2013, 08:59 PM
What is really wrong with threads like this is we are talking of a team being on top of the league after 8 games of a 38 game season. I also think it is quite pointless that people are comparing our results from equivalent fixtures last season (I saw Gary Nevelle make that comparison) and then comparing the fixtures that we have to come. I dont think any team has ever won their first 8 league games in a season. I also dont expect Arsenal to be that poor in the more difficult fixtures as we were last season. The season is a grind and the team that grinds out the most ends up winning.
Not sure how anything could be more appropriate for an Arsenal message board than a discussion of our results to date and what, if anything, they portend for our success this season. That's all this is.

In that context, I thought the article was well worth reading and full of food for thought.
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santry_gooner
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phatosas
Oct 24 2013, 08:59 PM
What is really wrong with threads like this is we are talking of a team being on top of the league after 8 games of a 38 game season. I also think it is quite pointless that people are comparing our results from equivalent fixtures last season (I saw Gary Nevelle make that comparison) and then comparing the fixtures that we have to come. I dont think any team has ever won their first 8 league games in a season. I also dont expect Arsenal to be that poor in the more difficult fixtures as we were last season. The season is a grind and the team that grinds out the most ends up winning.
So when there is a bad run we are not to show restraint. However, if there is a good run we are. Amazeballs.
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santry_gooner
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The thing about confidence is very true. I think some of the fans were venting with Ramsey. Towards the end of last season he was playing well in games, but one mistake and the grumbling happened. Ramsey therefore becomes nervous. Fans then declare that they want Ramsey gone. Maybe he has learned to block out the fans.
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supercollider7
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The thing about comparing equivalent fixtures is that form is a big factor that it doesn't consider. When you're in form and playing well you can beat even the best teams. When you're not playing so well you can lose to minnows at home.
Also, you don't expect to visit places like Fulham, Swansea, WBA, etc and win every time. The fact that we managed it last season didn't guarantee 3 points this time around. 7 points from those fixtures is a very good return.


Another thing about those fixtures is that we've played almost all of them during our run of good form. We played Fulham, Swansea, WBA, Aston Villa during our run of 8/10 wins last season.
So really what's happened is that we've carried on our good form from last season and have continued to win most games.

And we've faced difficult opponents in the CL. Marseille and Napoli were good wins. Against Dortmund, the CL finalists, it was a good performance if not a good result. If you consider last season we beat Bayern 2-0!
We also beat Spurs in the league.
And most of this despite a pretty heavy injury list. So you could probably say we'd improve.

But our big match record is still the question mark hanging over the team. The Dortmund game was encouraging in some respects but disappointing in others. It won't do us any good to play well and get nothing from the games against our rivals. But if we can take 4 points from Liverpool and United coming up, I think we can start to take ourselves a little seriously.

Until then I'll just enjoy the football we're playing.

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mlshock35
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We are beating the teams we should be beating. I take it.
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santry_gooner
Oct 25 2013, 01:08 AM
phatosas
Oct 24 2013, 08:59 PM
What is really wrong with threads like this is we are talking of a team being on top of the league after 8 games of a 38 game season. I also think it is quite pointless that people are comparing our results from equivalent fixtures last season (I saw Gary Nevelle make that comparison) and then comparing the fixtures that we have to come. I dont think any team has ever won their first 8 league games in a season. I also dont expect Arsenal to be that poor in the more difficult fixtures as we were last season. The season is a grind and the team that grinds out the most ends up winning.
So when there is a bad run we are not to show restraint. However, if there is a good run we are. Amazeballs.
but phato is spot on, we've played only one-fifth of the league and we are already discussing this?
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