The next 13
Premier League games are massive for Arsenal Football Club. Despite finishing
in the top four every season since 1997, they are currently four points adrift
of Tottenham in fourth position. Arsenal would suffer consequences on and off the
pitch should they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
The 2012/2013
season has been, so far, one of Arsenal’s worst seasons under the Wenger era,
as the table below shows.
After 25 games:
Season
|
Wins
|
Draws
|
Losses
|
Points
|
Position
|
Final
League Position
|
2012/2013
|
11
|
8
|
6
|
41
|
6th
|
?
|
2011/2012
|
13
|
4
|
8
|
43
|
4th
|
3rd
|
2010/2011
|
15
|
5
|
5
|
50
|
2nd
|
4th
|
2009/2010
|
15
|
4
|
6
|
49
|
3rd
|
3rd
|
2008/2009
|
12
|
8
|
5
|
44
|
5th
|
4th
|
Fourth position after 38 games:
Season
|
Team
|
Points
|
2011/2012
|
Tottenham
|
69
|
2010/2011
|
Arsenal
|
68
|
2009/2010
|
Tottenham
|
70
|
2008/2009
|
Arsenal
|
72
|
Looking at the table
above, you could assume that at least 68 points are required for a 4th place Premier League finish. Therefore, Arsenal need to collect 27 points from
an available 39. This would be difficult; Arsenal have already dropped 12
points in 2013. Comparatively, Manchester United have dropped 13 points during
the whole season.
Arsenal would
need a repeat, or even an improvement on their seven game winning streak recorded
this time last season.
Remaining
games:
Fixture
|
Date
|
Sunderland (A)
|
9th
February
|
Aston Villa
(H)
|
23rd
February
|
Tottenham (A)
|
3rd
March
|
Everton (H)
|
9th
March
|
Swansea (A)
|
16th
March
|
Reading (H)
|
30th
March
|
West Brom (A)
|
6th
April
|
Norwich (H)
|
13th
April
|
Fulham (A)
|
20th
April
|
Man Utd (H)
|
27th
April
|
QPR (A)
|
4th
May
|
Wigan (H)
|
12th
May
|
Newcastle (A)
|
19th
May
|
March could be
the decisive month for Wenger’s team. With the four point gap, the game at White
Hart Lane on March 3rd will have extra significance. Everton visit
The Emirates on the 9th and a difficult away trip to Swansea follows
on the 16th. These three games are easily losable; this would extinguish
Arsenal’s top four hopes.
Although the slightly
easier games of Reading, West Brom, Norwich and Fulham follow, the gap could be
too large by then. But it is worth remembering that Tottenham threw away a ten
point lead over Arsenal last season.
The verdict? If Arsenal drop six points or more during March, then it could be all
over. They would then have to rely on winning the Champions League in May in order
to qualify for the 2013/2014 tournament. Various large bookmakers have written
Arsenal off as 40-1 outsiders.
By Kelvin Jones
Follow me on Twitter! @KelvinJonesss
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