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Arsenal head into the international break six points clear at the top of the Premier League, with nine wins from their first 10 games.
The latest of those, a 1-0 win over Hull on Saturday, was typical of their season so far. Martin Odegaard’s late tap-in was enough, and once again Arsenal found a way to win without playing at their best.
We asked fans on Talking Points what they made of it, and while plenty were happy to take the points, others think they’ve spotted a problem.
TalkingPoints
Arsenal have edged past Hull 1-0! What did you make of that? 🤔
Arsenal are winning games by the narrowest of margins, having won each of their last three games by one goal. Stretch back further and the Gunners have won eight of their 12 wins across the Premier League and the Champions League by a single-goal margin. That leads some to believe that sooner or later, that one goal won’t come, and Arsenal will start dropping points.
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seanfisher
I do think the minute that they can’t get the 1 goal they need, there will be question marks about how they play and they could have a bit of a wobble
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Dig even deeper and there may be some cause for concern. Arsenal have scored 15 goals in 10 Premier League games, the same as Ipswich. Five teams have scored more, with second-placed Brighton scoring 26, despite boasting a similarly strong defensive record.
Interestingly, according to Opta Analyst’s expected points table, Arsenal are over-performing by around seven points, meaning the gap at the top is bigger than their performances alone suggest. Some fans are convinced a slip is coming.
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john.haigh
I’ll pick up flack here but I see Arsenal hitting the banana peel soon. These Houdini acts can’t continue.
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Others feel the champions are fortunate that none of their rivals are good enough. But is that fair? Is that really Arsenal’s concern?
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james.brooke
They are lucky in a way that there is nobody good enough to challenge them, as they do look like a wobble will arrive at some point. Credit for winning consistently, and it will probably be enough, but a 1-0 home win against Hull feels about right for where they are at the moment
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Not everyone is worried, though. Arsenal are still top of Opta’s expected points table, which suggests they’re the best team in the league even if they don’t deserve quite such a comfy cushion.
Game state has played a big part, too. Arsenal have often scored first and then managed the game, which naturally keeps the scorelines tight. Hull on Saturday, for example, never looked like scoring even if the game went on for five hours. One goal was enough.
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kyle.dimond
Not a glamorous performance but Arsenal have what none of the other top teams in the league do right now. They’re hard to beat. Even when they find it hard to win, they’re in such a more stable position
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Others pointed out that Arsenal fans have seen the alternative before. During Arsene Wenger’s later years, they were constantly criticised by the media for playing nice football but not having enough steel to win any silverware.
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dale.odonnell
A win is a win. I remember when people slated Arsenal for playing attractive football and having nothing to show for it – in the Wenger years that followed the Invincible season…
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It might not be entertaining for neutrals, but the eye test still says Arsenal are the strongest team in the country. The fans have a point, though. There’s a clear weakness in attack, and it’s something Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta should address as early as January. They can win the Premier League with what they have, but if they want to make a serious push for the Champions League, they’ll need more game-winning quality up front.
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