Arsenal overturn 5-point deficit to top the league

Top of the league

Seven games into the new season and we sit at the top of the league.

When we paused for the last international break, we were all on a bit of a Debbie Downer having lost 1-nil to Anfield. For many, it was not that we had lost to a magical free kick late in the game, but the way we had set up defensively.

I am not sure what some fans expected us to do? Go to Anfield and look to play attacking football and play Liverpool off the park? The stats show that you do not need to go to your title rivals and win – and winning away at the 2nd place team has only been done 9 times in the Premier League era. And something Pep Guardiola has only done once in 10 attempts with Manchester City (P 10, W 1, D 3 L 6).

After just 3 games it felt like some were writing off us. You are not going to win the title playing like that at Anfield and 3 games in, already out of the title race were just a couple of comments around that time.

4 games on, 3 victories and 1 draw, and we go into this latest international break 1 point ahead of Liverpool having overturned a 5 point deficit.

With two defeats in their last two games, they have shown the late goals that saw them win 5-from-5 were covering up poor performances. It was not a case of great teams win whilst playing poorly and more they are not as good as last season.

With Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk on the clear decline, we have a great shot at the title. Although we should not write Liverpool or Manchester City off.

Martin Odegaard injury update

The club announced that Martin Odegaard facing a spell on the sidelines having picked up a medial collateral ligament injury to his left knee.

I have looked into the injury (thanks Google), and we should not be overly worried. Google AI tells me that: The average professional footballer’s recovery time from a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury is three weeks. For mild injuries, 1-3 weeks. For a severe injury, it takes 6 to 12 weeks. 

The club have not let us know how severe the injury is. The good news is that 2 of the weeks will be covered by the international week, so I imagine he will only end up missing a handful of games.

And having strengthened the squad massively over the summer, we do not need to rush Odegaard back. Eberi Eze is ready to step up for the Premier League and Champions League, and Ethan Nwaneri will also be an option in the League Cup and to come off the bench. We also have Mikel Merino, who is certainly not a defensive midfielder.

International break

We now have a two-week break from football before we return with a trip to Fulham on October 18. That the begins a run of 3 league away games in 4 games.

Whilst on paper, Fulham, Sunderland and Burnley should be 9 points, games are not won on paper. Fulham will be tricky, and Sunderland have started this season very well. And in between them we also have Champions League and League Cup to contend with.

Throw in Crystal Palace at home and you would like to think the 4 game period before the next international break will prove fruitful. And with Liverpool set to face Man U (H), Brentford (A), Aston Villa (H) and Manchester City (A), we have a chance to open up a little gap on them.

Manchester City’s run is easier, with 3 games at home (Everton, Bournemouth, Liverpool), with only an away trip to Aston Villa.

Without looking too far forward, if we go into that next internal break extending our lead on Liverpool and maintaining the same gap to Man City, we would have done well.

Have a good 2 weeks of no football doing whatever you do at this time of year.

Keenos