Arsenal FC are/were without European football for the first time in a quarter century this season. That ramped up the heat on the seat of manager Mikel Arteta, and things got even more scorching when the Gunners got off to a horrendous start this season. They quickly righted the ship, and after the top sides in the Premier League, Manchester City and Liverpool, they are the team thatr nobody wants to play right now. The Arsenal youth movement is underway and bearing a lot of fruit already
Let’s analyze and predict, starting with a look at the current standings for those looking to play Euro football next season. The top three seems safe, so we’ll skip them, and the ninth place team is so far off the pace, we left them out.
Current Standings for European Places
4th Arsenal FC 28 matches played, +13 goal differential, 54 pts
5th Tottenham Hotspur 29 matches played, +11 goal differential, 51 pts
6th Manchester United 29 matches played, +8 goal differential, 50 pts
7th West Ham 30 matches played, +10 goal differential, 48 pts
8th Wolverhampton Wanderers 30 matches played, +5 goal differential, 46 pts
5th and 6th go to Europa League with seventh goes to the recently created Conference League; something that no one wanted or needed. All it does is celebrate being mediocre.
Run In Predictions
Mon Apr 4, Palace, A, W, 2-1
Sat Apr 9, Brighton, H, W, 2-0
Sat Apr 16, Southampton, A, D, 1-1
Tue Apr 20, Chelsea, A, L, 1-2
Sat Apr 23, United, H, W, 3-0
Sun May 1, West Ham, W, 1-0
Sat May 7, Leeds, H, D, 2-2
Sun May 15, Newcastle, A, D, 1-1
Championship Sunday, May 22, Everton, W, 2-0
Final numbers: 74 pts, GD +21
Arsenal FC Bottom Line
Considering where Arsenal began this term, and also how the rest of the Arteta era went, prior to this season, it’s a tremendous victory for the north London side to be where they are right now
Top Four/European Football Chances Analysis Series
United Arsenal FC Tottenham Wolves West Ham
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.