Quote Originally Posted by HCZ_Reborn View Post
It is by its very definition an anomaly because it deviates from what normally has been produced by Arsenal in recent years, and my point is that it’s simply too soon to categorise it definitively as being anything more.

If you’re asking have we been the best team in the league so far this season, the objective answer going by the league table as well as from deriving an opinion from watching us play is yes.

The Germans refer to the team that is top of the table at the half way point as the Autumnmeister, in the last ten years I think Dortmund have been Autumnmeister on more than one occasion but have ended up falling considerably short of Bayern in the end of season table.

We have to go to Liverpool, we have to go to Newcastle, we have to play City twice. All games we could comfortably lose and then our eight point advantage is potentially a four point deficit. And with Newcastle and United closer to City than they are to us, it wouldn’t take an epic disaster to see us tumble out of the top four.

And will City pick up points on a continual basis from January to May?, I don’t know…but historical precedence shows they are more than capable of it, as are Liverpool, as are Spurs…the only teams untested in that regard is Newcastle and Man United under Ten Haag.

We’ve enjoyed a good start to the season, but yes it’s not a reflection on us that we are where we are because a lot of teams have suffered indifferent form (Chelsea nowhere, Liverpool inconsistent, Spurs in a funk and City by their ridiculously high standards and a freak of nature goalscorer have been below par)
Understand all that. But on the anomaly point - football progresses, and while you can of course say that our league position is a divergence from recent years I don't think that you can look at past seasons to assume that this trend will continue for Arsenal this season. The evidence is before our eyes. Arsenal is clearly a team on an upward trajectory and extrapolating from our performances this season suggests that we will finish in the top places. Its a question of belief, really. Yes we need to play teams that may be competing for top four, but we have already beaten Spurs twice for the first time in 8 seasons; Liverpool; Chelsea twice in the last year. We have found consistency that we lacked formerly and there is more reason for reason for optimism than for assuming we will lose against all the teams you have mentioned.

What I take issue with is the suggestion that we are only where we are because the traditional top teams have been inconsistent. Again, football evolves and with the money and talent flowing to the EPL other teams are undoubtedly uppoing their game, and this is to an extent why we are seeing 'anomalous' results week on week. So far, we are the team that has weathered this storm best.

I agree that we may fall short of the title - and the main reason for this (if it happens) will be fatigue and injuries that mean we can't play our first 11. But based on the evidence of this season my prediction is that the inconsistency of our competitors is more likely to continue than not.