Right now, would Arsenal fans be happy with coming 6th in the League?

Even after two wins in a row Arsenal are still languishing in 13th place in the Premier League table due to the awful run that preceeded Christmas.

But a quick look at the table shows that we are only actually six points below Chelsea, Tottenham and Man City, which does not seem such a big gap considering there are still 22 games to go. The leaders Liverpool are only 6 points above that chasing pack and the way so many crazy results are happening in this campaign, it would seem that the title could be won by any of the top 13 if they suddenly went on a long winning run.

But the Arsenal legend Ray Parlour thinks that the very best they can hope for is getting up to 6th place. He told TalkSport: “They won’t get in the top four, they’re too far behind and they’ve given themselves too much of a hill to climb,”

“I know the other teams above them are slipping up as well but I just can’t see it.

“There’s four better teams than Arsenal at the moment. For me, sixth place is probably the best they can get.”

“At the start of the season, after winning the FA Cup, they made some good signings. Thomas Partey’s not really been in the team at the moment.

“He’s going to make a big difference in that midfield area, a bit more mobility. Look at the teams. You could argue Liverpool, Manchester City, Spurs are going okay, Chelsea will come good again when they’ve got their players back, Leicester, Manchester United… so it’s going to be difficult.”

Well they way I look at it is that if we can get as high as 6th, then I see no reason why we can’t just get a few more points that put us into the Top Four!

Where do you think we could realistically finish this season if we can get Partey fit, and sign that AM that we are desperate for?

44 Comments

  1. With everything so tight in the league, it’s actually feasible, but I’d still be amazed if we finished as high as 6.
    I’m not expecting things to be smooth sailing because we won a couple of recent games and a mid-table finish (between 12th and 8th) seems reasonable. People won’t be happy, but that’s where we are.
    Hopefully this season will be built upon and next year will be better.

    1. Not convincing at all against Brighton. Almost seemed to go backward after the Chelsea game. If we can win another four on the trot we might consider 6th. But if we are stuttering and don’t improve on our scoring opportunities, you can kiss top 10 goodbye I think!

  2. I’d be unhappy, but I’d accept it since we made a bad losing streak in 2020. I don’t think we’d be better if Partey becomes fit again, because he’s just a box-to-box midfielder

    We’ve had Smith-Rowe, Ceballos and Willian who can play as CAM. So I hope we’d use the budget to buy a target man or a new LB, since Kolasinac is leaving

    If Tierney is injured, Saka would be forced to return to LB position and it would hamper his development in RW role. I’d prefer to get another LB who could compete with Tierney

    1. Hi, Mr. gotanidea.
      Love your analysis. I think Ceballos and Willian have not been given as much freedom in that AM role as ESR. Willian is especially having to play more in the wings and only recently have we seen Saka flourish in that RW role. I have my doubts on Ceballos considering he has been in fights and usually has lost his form this season, but he does give good balls sometimes. By the way, if we can persuade Norwich for Buendia and get a target man, then promote Lopez and Moller, I think we can have a less cost high return window, provided that we sell players. What do you think?

      1. Thanks Sid

        I never paid attention to Buendia, but his previous goal and assist stats in EPL concern me. It’d be understandable if he played in deep midfield area like Cazorla and Ceballos, but as far as I know he was a winger or a CAM

        I also hope Lopez and Moller could be ready as soon as possible, otherwise we’d have to get reinforcement once some of our players leave in January

  3. Say whaaa.The mirror is reporting that arsenal is contemplating sacking Arteta and bring Rafa Benitez,it is reported that arsenal do not want to take chances and are considering hiring a vastly experienced manager.Dispite the improved results arsenal find themselves more at the bottom of table than at the top half of the table.First things first a top manager who knows what he’s doing should be the priority signing the myth of rebuilding is unacceptable football is about results of the day no matter the circumstances.

    1. No matter the circumstances? That sounds like a recipe for mid-term disaster. It’s pretty clear to me we’ve been on a downward trend for the last decade. I think our position is much more precarious than many seem to realise. If we keep going with the overpriced and risky signings, and swapping managers every few months, we could drop even further.
      Get your point that an experienced manager could be better for stabilising the club but I think we need to stick with someone for longer than a year, and accept there may be some difficulties – this bad run has been a long time in the making.

  4. The sad reality is that this is the weakest Arsenal team since the mid-90s, with a lot of dead wood that needs replacing. Meanwhile, the strength in depth of the Premier League is at a level never previously seen. The other five members of the traditional “Big 6” are clearly better than Arsenal, and teams such as Leicester, Everton and Aston Villa are now on a similar level to Arsenal. The likes of Southampton, Wolves, West Ham and Leeds are not far behind.

    The suggestion of a Top 6 finish this season is naïve in my opinion. The best thing the club could do would be to give the best of the youngsters as much top-level playing time as possible, and use the next two transfer windows to trim the bloated squad and bring in at least 3 or 4 world class players. Whether that will happen with Kroenke in charge is unfortunately another matter.

  5. We won’t win anything this season we
    a europa league club now,I would rather we don’t qualify for europa and concentrate on the next epl season to come back to CL.I can now see we talk of top 6 not top 4 lol we have become the lazarus of football.

  6. We are 13 points off the top which is nothing at this stage. Knowing what our players are capable of if they put politics aside, I will accept a top 3 finish with a heavy heart.

    1. Love your optimism, Mr. Highbury Hero!
      For me, I would be happy as long as we show progress this season, because we have a better squad than last season, but are unlucky with injuries.

  7. I’m already tired of the same say every single year-“ Let’s forget about this year,let’s concentrate on the next one”….saying this for how long,8-9 years?How long are we going to accept this story,over and over again?

  8. What is wrong with Arsenal making our business in this January?.

    We could choose not to bring players in during summer but give the young lads a chance with quality players around them,promote academy players and bring back loan players.

    Let’s add Buendia my first choice or isco though we risk another willian

    .then Bissuoma.There is no need buying players who haven’t played the EPL before at this time.there is no time to risk adaptation.

    With these two additions and a decent right back in the summer ,we will do well.

    1. I agree with your assessment. If the sale of Bellerin comes through after the Barcelona FC presidential election on 24 January 2021, then Emi Buendia and Max Aarons from Norwich City should be a priority. Bissouma (given Brighton may be relegated) or another specialist DM can be looked at in the summer.

  9. A slightly optimistic version of realism would put us 9th, at best, at end of this season Look at the current top eight and think RATIONALLY, if you can, about our chances of overtaking ANY of them.

    I say that will NOT happen and predict 9-12TH. But as a realist, I have never fooled myself -as many do – that such as Bellerin are remotely good enough. When your starting view is that poor to moderate players are better than they actually are, then it is no surprise when your predictions prove to be wrong!

    1. Since my post, I have now read pposts from Highbury Hero and by Unge. These are exactly the sort of fantasists I write about who as far fromreality as it is humanly poossible to be.

      To quote HH, “we are 13 points of the top which is nothing at this stage”? That is exactly the sort of self fooler I refer too! He totally ignores the respective strengths and weaknesses of our squad againt those of Liverpool, currently top, and actually expects us to gain 13 points on them. THAT is why debating with fantasists is so frustrating, as all I ever seek is TRUTH.

        1. HH Are you really surprised at me seeking truth? Not from results btw but from life, in all ways. I suspect you really are surprised and personally I find that to be a sad thing, but only for you personally.

          You see HH, you are clearly a likeable and well meaning fellow and I would love to be able to help you. But the basic problem is that you – to judge by your many posts and even your own occasional admissions – like to indulge in an element of fantasy, whereas that is alien to my whole nature as a life long realist.

          To illustrate what I mean, when making important life decisions – nothing to do with football at all – I weigh up the various outcomes that are possible and give a certain percentage chance to each possible outcome.

          I have a mathematical brain and am very quick with mental arithmetic and so I judge every situation in that way. On our clubs chances of top four, it is far less than even one per cent, as we have so many points to make up on many clubs with just 22 games left for us and one extra left for such as City. Then I look at all the remaining fixtures, depth of squads, fixture possible pile up and injury records and it looks hopeless for us. I EXPECT RESUTS TO IMPROVE BUT NOT NEARLY ENOUGH TO MAKE TOP FOUR..

          That is how I assess things and that is on mathematical percentages I have a thorough understanding of them all in my head without even needing help from outside. Percent chances are a very fine guide, IF you want to be a realist and accurately assess the chances of something happening or not.

          I say this not to boast but to try to guide you, if you would let yourself, into more rational thinking based on something tangible and not on mere hope!

          Honestly, I DO admire your enthusiasm and at my older age it is not easy to be enthusiastic nowadays, UNLESS I see a real chance of what I wish coming true.

          It is normal for younger people to be more hopeful, so I do not blame you . But I do urge you to think more practically in future and not let your hopes run away with your thinking , UNLESS you are convinced they are sensible hopes.

          It cannot be rational to expect us to make even near top four THIS season . Not with this squad and the gap from all those above us.

          HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU.

          1. “On our clubs chances of top four, it is far less than even one per cent”

            Please explain your mathematical prowess and show how you accurately came to this “realistic” mathematical conclusion. Hurl abuse also if you must as long as I see your accurate mathematical formula that got you to said conclusion.

            I wait with bated breath.

          2. @dan kit the betting odds on Arsenal making top 4 is currently 17/1 give or take lol a far cry from “far less than even one per cent”

            pseudo mathematics and selective realism at its finest!

          3. some may see a naive optimist , some may see a not pessimistic blowhard . I depends on yr view , which is just like an opinion, which is just like an a$$hole … … every one has one lol if a fan cannot have hope then he is already lost

    2. JF
      Top 6 seems to be stretching it a bit, but not impossible and this has been an extraordinary season so far. Logically or realistically speaking you are right but as Liverpool and Chelsea have been stuttering lately and injuries and COVID issues increase then there is no certainty at all. Results from the beginning of the season have thrown up totally unexpected score lines and this could well continue.

      1. We are here claiming Oracle’s of football analysis

        How many of you predicted a 9th or 10th place finish for Arsenal at the end of this season

        Form is temporal
        ~Thatzall~

      2. Sue, if the bookies are quoting 17/1 odds, we know where the money is going, and it’s not on Arsenal. Accepting that the odds haven’t reached 100/1 yet, hope can still spring eternal, but I know my money stays in the bank, separated from my heart.
        Hopefully the improvement continues into 2021 and we’ll see where things end up on all fronts.

  10. Sixth place is easily achievable ,if we can keep
    Our best players fit there is no need to to think other wise ,in the last 4 days we have gained 5 points on Chelsea if we keep this run going through January then we could be in touching distance of the bigger teams come the end of the month .
    You don’t need to be a self fooler or a fantasist to realise this .

    1. Thanks Dan. I remember in 2008, we lead United by 13 pts, they came and overtook us to win the league.

      We were once above united look at where they are now. Liverpool gained 2 pts out of 6 in their last 2 games. This has nothing to do with one being a self cooler. The season is not over yet for Arsenal.

      COYG

      1. Agree Phenom
        It’s always possible until it isn’t ,like you said teams have come back from impossible positions .
        Until it’s mathematically impossible I will never write off us 👍
        BTW I think you ment self fooler lol

  11. Before this season began it seemed extremely unlikely that we could achieve a Top 6 finish. We finished 8th last season and failed to strengthen in the summer window. I think there are 7 or 8 clubs with stronger squads and 3 or 4 others at a similar level. I think we should be looking to develop the younger players and sell off half dozen or so of the unwanted for a pound or two. If we can find the cash, we should buy 4 or 5 players with prem experience who can give the squad a better balance and Arteta a few more tactical options.

  12. This is the season where we start to unload some of the mediocre players in our pool and/or loan.The process will take some time so I am regarding this season and next as transitional periods within which we can bring in 3/4 top quality replacements.There is no need for us to replace all those shown the exit as we have a clutch of very talented youngsters waiting in the wings.Among them is Balogun who I hope can be convinced to stay.

  13. Very tight season with everyone dropping points and while we’re only 13 points from Liverpool with 22 games to go – even if we can put a run together, top 6 is a very tough ask.

    There are some quality sides in the PL, over and above the “Top 6” and we’ve given them too much or a head start.

    I’d take a good transfer window, some consistency (will mean a top 8 or 10 finish from here) and both / either of the cups we are still in 🙂

  14. As long as the stadiums remain empty the outcomes will be unpredictable and we could benefit from some more bizarre results from the likes of Liverpool, Spurs , United etc.
    It’s a long way from being over and sixth or better is not impossible by any means.

  15. Right now I’d be happy with finishing in the top half of the table!!

    We’ve won our last 2. We’ll be welcoming Partey back soon.. We may even bring in 1 or 2 newbies next month.. so I’d say the doom and gloom is beginning to lift…. 🙂

  16. It would depend how we got there.

    Sixth place on the backs of promising youngsters like Saka, Martinelli, ESR, Balogun, AMN, Nelson, Tierney and Gabriel? Sign me up.

    Being dragged to sixth place by Aubamayang, Willian. Ceballos, Luis, Bellerin and Mustafi? Solid pass.

      1. Have a HNY SueP. Have truly enjoyed your positivity on this site – even when faced with folks trying to drag you down into their dispair. And yes, better times ahead, always the darkest before the dawn, glass half full etc etc

        1. Sue, New Years day here in Oz, border between NSW and Victoria closing again at midnight due to Covid19.
          A safe, healthy and hopefully successful 2021 for all of us Worldwide in the Arsenal family. 🍷🍸🎉

  17. Forget about the league. We should focus on Europa instead. If we can’t qualify to the CL through the front door, we have to do it through the backdoor. Getting back to CL should be our main target this season

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