After successive second-place finishes in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta‘s Arsenal are already five points behind Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, with some Arsenal fans apprehensive about Arsenal’s title hopes this season. With five wins, three draws, and one defeat, Arsenal sit third in the Premier League table and have been far from the defensive standards set last season.
The Gunners have conceded ten goals in nine Premier League games this season having kept two clean sheets, compared to last season where they had kept four clean sheets and conceded eight goals by this stage of the season.
Far from over
It might be too early to be concerned about Arsenal’s season, but in a league with Pep‘s Manchester City, five points behind looks like a long distance to cover.
The 2-2 draw with Liverpool over the weekend could have been a confidence booster for the Arsenal faithfuls as Arsenal took the lead twice against Arne Slot’s Liverpool, who had been in good form.
Two first-half goals from Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino were not enough to seal all three points for the London side, as Arne Slot’s second-half changes inspired Liverpool to a late equalizer. It is important to note that Arsenal finished the game with a makeshift backline as Saliba was absent due to suspension, while Jurrien Timber and Gabriel were substituted due to injury. It’s not far-fetched to think that Arsenal could have won all three points without the injuries and suspension, but football is not a game of IFs.
Arsenal’s resilience shines through
Suspensions have also played their part in Arsenal’s supposedly slow start to the season, as they have picked up three red cards in the Premier League this season, with Declan Rice (vs. Brighton), Leandro Trossard (vs. Manchester City) and William Saliba (vs. Bournemouth) all being sent off. They have failed to win all three games where they have picked up a red card this season, which could have arguably been wins as they dominated most of the match.
Those 7 points dropped in those three games would have seen Mikel Arteta’s side topping the league with 25 points. Injuries have also been a key factor, with club captain Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Bukayo Saka, and Mikel Merino sharing spells on the sidelines.
All roads lead to Arsenal
The underlying statistics have also shown that Arsenal are still in contention for the Premier League title this season (2024/2024). They have scored 17 goals from 14.7 xG this season and rank joint third for big chances created (31), with Bukayo Saka topping the charts with 12 big chances created.
Their attacking dynamics have also been more fluid, with only Manchester City and Spurs better than Arsenal’s 345 touches in the opposition box. With 5.6 shots per match and a shot conversion rate of 13.2%, it is clear that Arsenal’s attack keeps them in close contention with the league title. In the defensive department, Arsenal have conceded 10 goals from 10 xG, which is impressive considering they’ve played a quarter of their games this season with a man down. They are 5th in the Premier League this season for possession won in the opposition final third (150), showcasing how effectively they press out of possession.
It’s also important to note that Arsenal have faced all four of the top five teams in the Premier League last season and have picked up eight points from a possible twelve with two wins and two draws.
A hard-fought 1-0 away win at Spurs and a controlled 2-0 performance against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, coupled with an impressive draw to Man City at the Etihad and a spirited 2-2 draw to Arne Slot’s Liverpool. Mikel Arteta’s men might be yet to find their groove this season, but it is without doubt that the underlying stats support the fact that their performances this season could see the Gunners win their first Premier League title in 21 years.
