Following our draw to Spurs, we are now 4 points behind Manchester City after just 6 games. This has led many an armchair critic to claim that Arsenal have had a slow start to this season. But that is just not true.
Let’s get some perception on how poor our start to this campaign has been…
Unbeaten start
P 6 W 4 D 2
We are averaging 2.33 points per season. Over a 38 game season, that is the equivalent of 88 points.
We are one of 4 teams that is still unbeaten this season, yet the only ones having the “slow start” thrown at them.
When you consider Manchester United, Newcastle and Chelsea have all lost 3 times, I do wonder why the focus is on us…
Last season
After 6 games last season, our record read: P 6 W 5 L 1. A total of 15 points.
We were rightly praised for our quick start last season, but half a dozen games in we are just a single point behind where we were at the same stage 12 months ago.
Does that mean that 14 points from 6 games is a slow start, whilst 15 points from 6 is a great start?
And if we did have 15 points from 6 games, we would still be 3 behind City and only in 4th place!
Man City the Great
The reason we sit 4 points behind Manchester City is not because we have been poor, but because the Champions have been perfect.
6 wins from their opening 6 games puts them top of the tree.
Last season, Man City won 14 points from their opening 6 games. So had we had the same start last season as this, we would be level with them at the top of the table.
It is no shame to be behind a team that wins their first 6 games.
Tottenham
Football can be a funny old game at times.
The same pundits making the claim that Arsenal have had a slow start this season are also high in praise of Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham’s brilliant start to the season.
We both sit on the same points – 14.
Interestingly, Tottenham also got 14 points from their opening 6 games last season. Has Ange really improved them that much?
Case for the defence
We have also been criticised for being poor defensively this season.
6 goals conceded is one less than we did last campaign at the same stage. Only Liverpool (5) and Manchester City (3).
So have Arsenal had a slow start? Or is it just the usual suspects trying to manufacture a toxic atmosphere at negativity amongst the fan base to make money off our perceived “downfall”?
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
Spot on. We`ve actually had a really solid start to the season and could have easily won all 6 games. City and Guardiola have raised the bar so high over the past 5 or 6 years that draws now feel like defeats. Think they`ve had a slightly friendlier fixture list so far but we`ve just got to forget about them and concentrate on ourselves.
As you say, we`re currently on course for nearly 90 points but even that could see us fall short. As I`ve been saying for quite some time, hopefully Guardiola fucks off at the end of his current deal because there will be an inevitable drop in City`s standards. We`ve got to keep improving and put ourselves in a position to be the club to take over when it happens.
For me, this season is all about finishing top 4 again and adding a bit of silverware. We`ve got a squad of players more than capable of doing that. I think we were the 2nd beat team in Europe last year and I think we`ve got a seriously good chance of winning a League title or a European Cup over the next couple of years. We`ve just got to “trust the process” and keep the faith.
Up The Arse.
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I think the slow start that many of us feel we’ve had doesn’t refer to the points, but rather the fact that the football has been far less coherent and smooth than it was last season. I think people expected the same speed and fluency but more so given new additions and maturation of the squad, It’s hard to argue that our football has been anywhere near as good as it was last season over the first 6 games – nearly a sixth of the season. Early days though.
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So we are gaining points whilst not playing great. That’s what top teams do.
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