Comparing Arsenal’s Premier League start this season with 2015/16

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Arsenal have made another promising start to a Premier League season, but how does it match up against this time last year?

Arsenal’s strong start to the season has got many asking similiar questions to years gone by. Can they last the distance this time? Will they fold and end up just settling for a Champions League place? Will Arsene Wenger be there next season?

As it stands, the Gunners are in second place in the Premier League table, with many asking whether they can get through the month of November in a strong position given the curse the month seems to have had over them in recent years.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger

If they are going to be in with a chance of ending their 13-year wait for a title, they have got to be in contention at this stage of the season so they can kick on – a poor November or not.

Let’s compare how they started this season, to last year:

Arsenal after 11 games – Premier League 2015/16:

Arsenal after 11 games – Premier League 2016/17:

Just the one point worse off, but with more goals scored, more conceded and fewer clean sheets suggests an Arsenal side that is a little more open this season. One must add that caveat that they conceded four goals on the opening day of the season to the league’s current leaders and leading goal scorers and the Gunners have kept in touch.

At the same stage last season the Gunners just had their noses in front of the rest – given they are only one point worse off this season and fourth it suggests this title race could be a little more competitive and the eventual points total to be crowned Champions may be a little higher.

Arsenal players celebrate their first goal scored by Tottenham’s Kevin Wimmer with an own goal

Scoring more goals can be suggested with their wealth of attacking options so far this season. Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott have both found the net pretty regularly, Mesut Özil seems to be upping his goals tally, while in recent weeks Olivier Giroud has reminded everyone that he is not only Arsenal’s Plan B but provides some firepower of his own. Others have also chipped in.

The question remains then with Arsenal, can they maintain their consistently high standard over the course of the season and really challenge for the title?