In the torrential Leicestershire rain, the pressure weighing heavy on Unai Emery's shoulders was cranked up to previously unheard levels with another miserable defeat on Saturday evening.
Traveling up to the King Power Stadium, nothing other than a win, or at the very least a credible point, would have sufficed to silence the increasingly vocal brigade of supporters who want fast and efficient change at Arsenal, starting with the manager being relieved of his duties.
It appears as if those fans are getting one step closer to that conclusion, however, not in the manner they would have liked.
Jamie Vardy and James Maddison got the goals that consigned the Gunners to yet another miserable away performance, in a match that Arsenal truly deserved nothing from.
And while the writing appears firmly on the wall for Emery, this handful of Opta stats will do little to help his case as we head into an international break.
Indeed, since Arsene Wenger left there was genuine hope that a new Arsenal would emerge. However, the club appear to be regressing on the pitch when you take into account the old and new guard's respective records.
In Emery's 50 Premier League matches in charge, the Gunners have earned a poor 87 points (W25, D7, L13), one point fewer than they accrued during the final 50-match stretch they embarked on under the much-maligned Frenchman (W27, D7, L16).
87 - Arsenal have won 87 points in their 50 Premier League games under Unai Emery (W25 D12 L13) - one fewer than they managed in their final 50 under Arsene Wenger (W27 D7 L16). Regression. pic.twitter.com/jAfA0dzuIj
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 9, 2019
The reason for the club's struggles can be attributed to a multitude of factors, but one which will be doing little to aid their cause is their distinct lack of potency in attack.
Yes, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has already netted eight goals in the league this season, but their failure to create any meaningful opportunities against Leicester was highlighted when they could muster just a solitary strike on goal throughout the 90 minutes: Alexandre Lacazette's effort in the 20th minute.
To categorise the club's start to the season as anything other than woeful would be unjust, even if they remarkably still sit in sixth place despite a plethora of on-field and off-field issues to tackle.
If Raul, Edu and Co. really believe Arsenal are on the right path and think the display up to Vardy's goal last night proved that, then they will be as much to blame for what's still to come this season (and in the summer) as Emery.
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) November 10, 2019
It's clear to see that things are broken.
In fact, Arsenal's points haul of 17 with a -1 goals difference is their worst start to a top-flight season after 12 games since the 1982/83 campaign (15 points). Back in the 2014/15 season, they could also only muster 17 points at this stage, but at least on that occasion they possessed a +5 goals difference.
To summarise appropriately, Arsenal are in dire straits.
Something needs to change, and quick.
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Source : 90min