Where did we lose the title? Arsenal 2015/16 Season Review Part 1

With perhaps the most surprising title winner of all time lifting the Premier League trophy, the go-to thought amongst experts and Gooners alike is that this season was a missed opportunity of epic proportions for Arsenal.

This is of course a disservice to Leicester City. Losing only three times all season and refusing to buckle under the huge pressure doled out by all who expected the Foxes to crumble, they showed they were worthy Champions.

Two of those three losses were inflicted by Arsenal however. So many questions regarding the events that unfolded through the season. Where was our title challenge lost? Was it in March that the wheels came off or should we have expected our annual blip and made more of our games beforehand? Let's have a look at how Arsenal finished as runners-up and where that became the best we could hope for.

August

The season started so optimistically with Arsenal winning the Charity Shield by beating bogey side Chelsea by a goal to nil at Wembley convinced nay-sayers that we could make the final leap from also-rans to winners. It was also believed that the final piece in the Arsenal team puzzle had been acquired in Petr Cech — a world-class goalkeeper who would save us title winning points where messrs Almunia, Fabianski and hot-headed Szczesny had failed us before.

However, in his first Premiership game against West Ham, it was Cech who was at fault as we lost 2-0 and optimism gave way to the more familiar vibes of morose realism. The next game saw an away victory — a tight 2-1 win over Crystal Palace which was stilted and painful to watch — but more dropped points were to follow.

The perennial phrase 'a game of two halves,' was made for our 0-0 draw versus Liverpool. Denied a clear penalty in the first half, we spent the entire second half on the back foot. One plus point was Arsenal proving we had defensive nous and steel, but our attacking touch had vanished — although Ramsey was wrongfully denied a perfectly good goal.

Arsenal finished the month with a hard fought 1-0 away win against Newcastle United. Overall, not the best start to a title tilt...

End of month position - 5th
Leicester's position - 3rd
Points taken - 7/12

September

September started well for Arsenal with a routine 2-0 win over a Stoke side that was far removed from their previous incarnations. Despite an average August, Arsenal found themselves riding on the coattails of runaway leaders Manchester City. Domestically we looked to have found our pace  but an awful start to our Champions League campaign — a 2-1 loss to Zagreb — took away the momentum we had painstakingly gathered.

An Arsenal void of confidence is a painful, laborious beast, but a golden opportunity was on the horizon. Chelsea were next up and if we had thought we had started slowly, then the boys in blue from the Kings Road had to go one better and flirt with relegation. It was our chance to lay to rest some awful performances and results against Jose and his team, and for Wenger to earn a first 'competitive' win over his Portuguese tormentor.

Everyone forgot to change the record however, so once more we faced defeat. Arsenal failed to score, conceded cheap goals and to rub salt into the wounds there was controversy as Gabriel was sent off for an altercation with the demon that is Diego Costa. The Brazilian had his card rescinded, but the damage was done.

We rolled with the punches though. A thoroughly memorable 5-2 win at the home of Claudio Ranieri's Leicester was ninety minutes where our attack clicked for the first time. Alexis and co blew them away with our movement and once again, we were on the crest of a wave. Could we do it on a consistent basis?

End of month position - 4th
Leicester's position - 6th
Points taken - 6/9

October

October was our most convincing month for league results and what a way to start as well. Our 3-0 win at The Emirates over United was our most thorough display. For the first 45 minutes we were rampant, and Van Gaal's defence had no answer to the blizzard of questions we threw at them. The second half was a defensive masterclass that showed we have more than enough teeth to deal with the slings and barbs of the high end of the table.

Next up was Vicarage Road, and another 3-0 victory. This was markedly different to the previous game, as the Hornets, for 60 minutes, were more than a match, but they crumbled under the pressure we inflicted on them. A famous 2-0 win over Bayern Munich followed this, and the belief was coursing through our side, not to mention the fanbase using free betting online to back Arsenal for the title..

A 2-1 away win over Everton was the next triumph. Two goals in the first half were enough to see Arsenal to the top of the league — the first time since February 2014.

The only blip on October was the embarrassing 3-0 defeat at the hands of Championship side Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup. The fans who watched and attended this game are still attending counselling sessions...

The month ended with another 3-0 win, this time over Swansea at the Liberty Stadium. All three goals were scored in the second half, and it seemed patience and not deviating from an effective game plan were becoming another arrow to an increasingly impressive looking quiver.

End of month position - 2nd (on GD)
Leicester's position - 3rd
Points taken - 12/12

November

If October brought us bountiful pleasure, November was the polar opposite. The 2-0 victory over Bayern was erased comprehensively with a 5-1 drubbing in Germany.

We played three Premier League games in November. First up was a 1-1 draw in the North London derby, a point that on the basis of play, we scarcely deserved. Kieran Gibbs was the unlikely hero as he rescued our point from yet another Özil delivery. The ennui displayed in this match was more thoroughly punished in the next game, a 2-1 loss at The Hawthorns.

Arsenal took the lead with Özil supplying Giroud — to give him seven assists in seven games — but James Mclean equalised, but worse was to come. Mikel Arteta, on for the injured Coquelin, diverted a cross into his own net, for a heart-breaking cameo. The second half saw the inevitable pressure poured onto a Baggies backline, and we even had a late penalty to restore balance, but Santi Cazorla slipped as he kicked and the ball was sent into orbit.

To compound the growing ill-feeling, we then went to Carrow Road and drew 1-1. November truly was awful, and with hindsight, it was to prove quite telling...

End of month position - 4th
Leicester's position - 2nd (on GD)
Points taken - 2/9

December

The fixtures came thick and fast in the festive schedule — which was to prove a blessing. When hiccups occur, it is always good that the next opportunity for redemption isn't far away.

The previous horror show of a month wasn't quite erased, but our 3-1 over Sunderland at home meant we were at least back to winning ways. It was followed up by a regulatory 2-0 victory over whipping boys Aston Villa.

We were still within touching distance of the top, and dreams had every right to flourish. They downright burst into vivid colour when we defeated fellow title contenders Manchester City 2-1. Two first half goals from Walcott (his goal being one of his few highlights in a poor season) and Giroud, set up a second half where once again our defensive merits were put to the test. Yaya Toure scored a late goal, but our line held firm and the three points reinvigorated the team and our fans.

Arsenal being Arsenal though meant we couldn't enjoy ourselves for too long. Arsenal's gleeful skipping after convincingly thwarting City saw them fail to recognise hazardous steps in front of them and they swiftly tripped and fell on their face. A 4-0 hammering at the hands of Ronald Koeman's Southampton — thoroughly deserved as well — showed that whilst our squad was stronger, our mentality was fragile.

We ended the month with a 2-0 win at home over Bournemouth, but the result against the Saints had left us wounded and exposed.

End of year position - 1st
Leicester's position - 2nd (1 point behind)
Points taken - 12/15
Points taken for the season so far - 39/57

Arsenal finished 2015 on top of the league, a great position to be in for the New Year, and all they had to do was keep their noses in front...

Part two of the season review will be out tomorrow. Leave your comments below on the matches discussed and if you believe we've already listed the turning point.

http://twitter.com/jokmanafc Tell us what you think! If you agree, or have a different view, please leave a comment in the comments section or why not write a response or your own article on YouWrite?

Think you know Arsenal? Test your Arsenal knowledge on our trivia page and see if you can beat the top score.

Don't forget to like us on Facebook, add us to your G+ circle and follow us on Twitter.