Arsenal need to defy the odds if they’re to finish in the top 6 this season

Arsenal are going to have to defy the odds if they’re to finish in the top six this season following a disastrous start to the 2021/22 campaign.

The Gunners have finished eighth in each of the last two seasons and aren’t playing in European competition for the first time in over 25 years so boss Mikel Arteta is under huge pressure to turn things around.

However, Arsenal have made their worst start to a league campaign in over 66 years having lost their opening three games. A shock 2-0 defeat to newly-promoted Brentford on the opening weekend was followed up by another 2-0 loss at home to Chelsea.

Arsenal were then thrashed 5-0 by champions Manchester City at the weekend and the three consecutive defeats without a single goal scored has left them sitting rock bottom of the Premier League table as we head into the international break.

Before the campaign begun, Arteta was tasked with competing for the top four this season but at the very least the board want the club back in Europe which means a top six finish in the Premier League. However, following their disappointing start, most sports book operators are pricing Arsenal as the ninth favourites to finish in the top six this season.

Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd and Liverpool are all heavy odds-on favourites to secure a top six spot while Tottenham are priced at 1/2 after winning their first three matches of the new campaign so the bookies think there is just one place up for grabs.

Leicester City are currently priced as the 11/10 favourites to finish sixth with Everton and West Ham close behind on 11/4. Then comes Arsenal are odds of 3/1, so the Gunners are going to have to defy those odds if they’re to get back in the European places.

There is obviously still a long way to go with 35 games left of the season and there are still reasons to be optimistic if you are an Arsenal fan. The club have spent over £140m this summer rebuilding the squad and they’ve signed some very talented young players.

Ben White, Albert Lokonga, Aaron Ramsdale and Martin Odegaard all have huge futures ahead of them and should make the squad stronger this season while Nuno Tavares also looks like a terrific prospect for the coming years.

Arsenal have also got two of the toughest games out of the way and have some good fixtures coming up with games against Norwich and Burnley scheduled for after the international break so they should find themselves climbing back up the table soon.

If they can secure wins against both Norwich and Burnley, then no doubt the odds of them finishing in the top six will shorten and Arsenal can start to build some confidence for a long season ahead.