You think? We seem to have plateau'd this season at best. We aren't playing better than we did in the league last season, and the equation Rice+Havertz = Partey+Xhaka doesn't seem to have added up.
We do have greater commitments with Europe to worry about, so that's something. If we compare ourselves to the formerly widely applauded Newcastle, stepping back into Europe hasn't so far led to a full blown injury crisis or a long, disastrous trough in performances.
We have gone backwards in terms of recruitment. Out of our summer business of Rice, Havertz, Raya and Timber, we have brought in one huge positive footballing supernova, a shadowy piano-playing enigma wrapped in a riddle wrapped in a baby giraffe, a facially damaged midget whose presence makes Baby Jesus (and Ramsdale's dad) cry, and Schrödinger's inverted fullback—is there a useful player recovering in that bariatric chamber, or isn't there?
Of our star forwards of last season, there isn't one in better form now than he was a year ago. Across the team, Saliba is our greatest good news story, and he could even remain fit for the whole season, inshallah. A strong sign we're treading water is there's been no positive surprise in terms of breakout form from a fringe player all season.
We'll fight on in the league, but we're at the point more or less every match is a must win. Bookies have at us 8/1 … that's generous. That said, given the different rhythms of this season (no World Cup, European competition, slightly below par first half), there's a possibility we can finish this season strongly. Arteta will have to work a motivational miracle in Dubai.
