Why do I say so? Well, while Im NOT as clever as Arsene, I do believe in analyzing football by using the numbers.

When you look at our results you’ll notice 3 very clear stages in our season so far. Up until our game against spurs we’d taken 19/27 possible points. Not sensational by Arsenal standards, but decent nonetheless. If that form from those first 9 had continued, we’d now have 38pts after 17 games (which is what table-top Liverpool have after their17 games).

The 5 matches that followed the shock draw to spurs were a complete disaster. Van Persie and Cesc got suspensions, Adebayor and Walcott got injured, and Gallas went off the deep end. We only managed 4/15 possible points, winning 1 and losing 3…with back-to-back losses.

I think with the change of skipper after the Man City loss performance has improved considerably. Its not where it can be (in terms of the full potential of the team), but its perhaps equal to the performances we gave in our first 9 games this season that returned 19/24 possible points.

If you haven’t been able to notice the difference on the field since Cesc became the skipper (and I’ll admit its not a massive change…yet) then take a look at the table on the skysports website. In the last 6 matches Liverpool have amassed the most points (12). Even with the two losses to Villa and City, Arsenal have a respectable 10pts. In the last 3 matches we have done better than Liverpool and Chelsea. That is an improvement.

With such a young squad, our form and performances are based on confidence and we just don’t have any. And as we’ve show after wins against Manchester United and Chelsea in the following matches we’ve been pathetic.

That does not fill me with confidence when this team only want to win the big games. There’s only 3 other teams we can play in the Top 4 so we can’t rely on that to secure 4th position!

ARSENAL R DA BEST!!!

Dont get me wrong. I agree with you entirely that our form has been bad. Actually, I’d say its been inconsistent. The difference between us is that I see more consistency (improvements) since the loss to Man City in the performance of the key players like Djourou, Denilson, Nasri and even Song. You dont see any. Bendtner, Eboue and to a certain extent Clichy, are still playing below whats expected at Arsenal, so we are not firing on all cylinders, but I see signs that the patient (Arsenal) is recovering.

Anyway, I wasnt trying to convince you of what I believe - that Arsenal are playing well enough to be just 6pts from the top come January, and viable title contenders. What I was trying to convince you of is that we wont finish 5th. If you do the math, you will find that on current form Liverpool are on course for the 88pt total that won the PL last season. Arsenal, on current form, are in line to amass 67pts - enough to win 4th place last season. So, if things stay the same at Arsenal, we will come 4th at worst. Coming 5th wont happen.

I don’t get what you mean when you say ‘Arsenal are playing well within their capacity’ as if that’s a good thing. Surely that should set alarm bells ringing if the team isn’t even up for playing to their maximum!

Sure Arsenal are 5th now, but we are there coz we have played some of our worst football ever. Aston Villa are 4th and Hull 6th because they have been played the best football those clubs have ever seen in decades. There is no way they can go the distance on that. Come FA cup…

In other words. Arsenal are playing well within their capacity and can only improve. The other wheel is waiting to drop off Aston Villa and Hull’s season. So, while you worry and wonder keep that in mind. I see us 3rd again under normal circumstances and 4th at worst. Never 5th.

Should a great club like Arsenal just settle for that? Look what happened to Newcastle. They were a team of nearly men and they’re just a complete joke now.

How bad does it need to get before things change?

If Arsenal slip to 5th this season (which looks possible now with Villa taking advantage of our inconsistency in the league) then the men at the top HAVE to do something to change things.

Truth is, most gooners went along with the pundits in vilifying Wenger for his repeated use of Hleb (dribbling too much) and Flamini (giving up dangerous free-kicks) until their final season. We were even more severe in our criticism of Gilberto…until he got injured and our unbeaten run unraveled. Clearly, we’ve got some cheek suggesting that we see things clearer than Wenger. We moan about Diaby, Song and Denilson now, but - mark my words - those lads have what it takes and we’ll be cheering them sooner than we think.

Some more truth is that in the history of football, Barcelona and AC Milan have always been bigger clubs than Arsenal. So when it comes to prestige and wages Arsenal can’t compete with them. Wenger tried everything possible to keep both Hleb and Flamini. Prestige and cash were against us. There is nothing more to be said about that.

If we want to go on and embarrass ourselves further, lets admit that Wenger tried to bring in Yaya Toure, Kalou, Alonso and some Russians…but they were clearly not interested. The only player that jumped to move to Arsenal was Nasri (whom many of us are slagging) and Silvestre. Personally, I find such talk very embarrassing so I suggest we forget it and move on.

Look, the team started terribly this season. During the last 4 games though, I think we will all agree that the performances are more even. Not perfect, but more even. I think Djourou has really done well, Denilson improved, and Robin van Persie finally is scoring regularly. Sure, if we’d won Saturday, we might only be 6pts from the top, which is very achievable. If we can win 2 of the next 3 matches and start January 6 pts from the top, I’d say we can win it. If we are out of the race by then. I think the idea that we stop supporting is wrong. To say we’re only interested in Arsenal when they win is a bit fickle.