Arsenal form represents a team destined for the bottom half of the table.
Arsenal is now seven points off fourth and seven points of 18th and if their current form continues then they could finish closer to the relegation zone than top-four.
If you take the 14 games played this season and the last seven games of last season Arsenal will have collected 26 points in 21 games. By any reckoning that is bottom half form and not much better than relegation form.
Of course, seven points is not an insurmountable amount of points to make up on fourth-placed Chelsea but the form Arsenal are currently in is so bad that the gap may as well be 17 points.
In the last two games, Arsenal have drawn 2-2 against Southampton and Norwich, two teams in the relegation zone and you can add Watford into the mix as well, freakily enough we drew 2-2 with them as well.
But the thing is this, can anyone really say we deserved to win any of those games? I cannot. Think about that, outplayed by all three teams in the relegation zone and collecting just three points from a possible nine.
Now let’s look at our next seven fixtures up to and including 1st January.
Arsenal v Brighton
West Ham United v Arsenal
Arsenal v Manchester City
Everton v Arsenal
AFC Bournemouth v Arsenal
Arsenal v Chelsea
Arsenal v Manchester United
Now, let me ask you, how many points do you think Arsenal will get from those games? How many wins?
It is not inconceivable that we only pick up 5-6 points, in fact, I suspect some will say less.
We cannot say we will beat Brighton, not after the home performance against Southampton. West Ham is Jekyll and Hyde, lose easy to Spurs at home, go away to Chelsea and win. You have to be honest and say it is unlikely we get anything at home to City. Everton is in bad shape but even so, at home, we know what they did to us last season. Bournemouth away is never easy, then two home games to Chelsea and Man Utd, do I need to continue?
Unless there is a dramatic improvement and it has to be dramatic if we are honest then we are in some serious trouble.
New signing in January will not help with those fixtures and whoever we buy needs time to settle in.
I am afraid to say this, but the truth is we need to lower our expectations because if we do not we are in for a very painful time.