The hidden Arsenal statistic that no-one is talking about as Mikel Arteta faces toughest period

The mood is low, hopes and dreams have been dashed for some to the point where despite Arsenal sitting second in the league, many have even given up. I empathise with the frustrations.

Had anyone been offered the chance to be six points above Manchester City come January, I think most would have been naive enough to believe it would see the Gunners top of the pile. The reality is, should Liverpool win their game in hand, they would be 15 points ahead of the champions.

Arsenal are currently six behind, potentially nine, but sit on 40 points: the same number they were on after 20 games in the previous season. This is not a so secret statistic, I have certainly brought it up more than most as an attempt to provide context during a dour period of watching the side.

However, another element of the table I did not even look at has evaded me. The discourse has been that Arsenal look less potent and less threatening than they were last season; that the attacking players have somehow regressed.

On that point, if our attacking players have got worse and yet we have somehow achieved the same number of points at the same stage, that is a hell of a job that Mikel Arteta must be doing to extract the record they have managed. However, I digress; taking a look at the table after 20 matches, Arsenal have scored 39 goals in the league.

Compare that to the same stage of last season, when the tally was 37. Arsenal would go on to score 91 and break the record set the previous season, which stood at 88.

Considering the injury frustrations Arsenal have had with Bukayo Saka currently out, Martin Odegaard also missing 12 matches already this season in addition to their other issues and the perception that the side is lacking in attack, the fact they're tracking ahead of the previous season is quite something. Of course, signings this winter would lift the mood and adding a forward is something I and many others see as a must in the near future.

However, the club will not be rushed into making big decisions on transfer moves. While on the lookout for opportunities in the market, there is an understanding that they will not compromise on quality.

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