Where did we finish? A retrospective on 2025/2026

Where did we finish? A retrospective on 2025/2026

How did our predictions do?

And so me and Dave Hardy battled through the long season making our predictions well in advance and, without boasting I have to say we both did very well. We got most results right and even some scores. We never lost faith and predicted Arsenal to be champions consistently. We ended up with 87 points for me and 89 for Dave. In my first blog, I set a target of 89 for winning and 79 would have been good enough but as it happened we won on 82 and got 3 more against Palace in our last game. I was therefore within 2 points of our final total and that is pretty good.

It's not a good idea to have a cock on your shirt, Roberto

The first set of predictions I went for 45 points and Dave, being more optimistic, went 48. 45 was the right figure so I did a bit better. The next time I went 71 and Dave 69 and the right figure was 67 so Dave did better.

A rubbish league this year?

One thing I would to address is the common perception that this was a bad league and Arsenal were poor champions. I totally disagree. This year the difference between the teams was very little and there were far less hammerings than I can remember. Relegated Burnley were only beaten 1-0 by the two best teams in Arsenal and Man City. Another point is that Liverpool won last year and 75 points would have been enough whereas 79 was necessary this year.

Last Year's champion Arne Slot looks doomed but what saviour can come?

The three relegated teams last year got a combined 59 points as opposed to 81 this year. Arsenal are in the Champions league final this year whereas Liverpool did not come close last year. Last year the top four teams had a combined 298 and this year 299. Arsenal’s 85 points is better than 9 other champions since there were 38 matches in 1995/96. As you can see, there are plenty of metrics to suggest that this season was definitely more competitive than last and as competitive as many other seasons. In fact the years that the champions were scoring lots of points should be regarded as the weak ones.

The Little Guys are getting Bigger

Can the quiet man Regis Le Bris, make a surprise league winner next season?

The thing is that now, with the money all Premier league teams are getting, it is becoming hard to beat teams despite their status. A good manager, a good academy and an ability to spot top players at good prices is what makes the difference. Brighton, Palace, Bournemouth and Brentford among others have shown that they can compete despite much smaller grounds and fanbases. Sunderland bought astonishingly well to surprise all and they do have a large ground and a chance to kick on.

Arsenal can only defend?

Michael Cox, the well known sportswriter argued in the Athletic that the perception that Arsenal were defence minded was also wrong as they spent more time in both the box and the opponents half than any other team. He argued that the lack of a settled front line cost Arsenal goals as Saka, Odegaard, Havertz, Jesus and others were missing with injuries meant that the front line kept changing and possession was not turned into goals.

Another one gets a go at Chelsea. Alonso for the first sacking?

I did not see Liverpool falling off a cliff this season and it is hard to see Arsenal collapsing likewise but can we win again? We have not done so for a very long time. City will have an unproven manager, Arne Slot seems to be unlikely to hit the heights with Liverpool again, Chelsea have a young squad and a seemingly chaotic administration, and Man Utd would need to buy very well, in my opinion. Aston Villa need at least a couple of truly top players to come in to make the step up. The Spuds seem to have imploded and Eddie Howe seems to be on a downward spiral at Newcastle.

The Big Clubs don’t know how to be big?

That leaves the B’s mentioned earlier, Bournemouth, Brighton, Brentford or maybe Leeds or Palace to step up, but I doubt if anyone believes they can become champions. When the Invincibles became champions a certain Mr Mourinho was being lined up at Chelsea and soon after Man City became moneybags. Now, the bloated squads seem to have become a handicap at the big clubs and the smaller ones, with a team spirit and a togetherness are catching up. To me, only Arsenal and Villa of the Champions League teams have such a spirit and so yes, it does look optimistic.

If he looks like Pep and walks like Pep, will Maresca quack like a duck?

But we may well be in for a period when unfashionable teams start winning things and the big money and supporter laden teams are finding out that cash alone is not enough. Chelsea, The Spuds, and Man Utd have been throwing out managers to bad effect. Will City do the same as they try to replicate Pep? And if Liverpool dump Slot, will they keep on getting rid in the hope of finding another Klopp?

Is Michael Carrick the new Solksjaer?

But don’t be fooled by the negatives. Arsenal won the league against richer clubs, playing extra games in the Champions league (since the expansion) and getting to the final, getting to the final of the League Cup, and playing 63 matches in total. Manchester United, in third 14 points behind, only played 40 matches. Arsenal are deserved champions and let’s hope that this week will be the greatest of our lives.