The table doesn't lie. Does it tell the whole truth?

Do you remember those two agonising seasons when Arsenal lost the league by just one point to Man Utd? The table did not lie but it certainly didn't tell the truth of that season, especially the one before the unbeaten season. When Arsenal finished 13 points behind just a couple of years ago, was that the whole truth of the season?

Well I have spent most of Arsène Wenger's reign querying the idea that the table tells the whole truth but then in frustration this season I realised that maybe it is that attitude that has made us trophyless for such a long time. Maybe as an Arsenal fan, I have got too brainwashed that sustainability, good football and winning are the three equally important things in football. Maybe the more prevalent idea of the top three most important things: win, win and win, is what separates us from our competitors who average a trophy per season.

So this season, I had decided to believe in the table alone as the only thing that matters. The table has always been more negative than I feel but to my surprise this time, the table is more positive than I feel. It is telling me in indisputable figures that Arsenal can win the title. Yet I don't feel like we can. This is odd because when we finished 13 points behind, I felt like we could have won the league. This time I don't feel we are close but the table is asking me to be optimistic.

Wenger has lost 6 matches and some fans are calling for his head. Yet Ferguson has lost the same number and Ancellotti just one less yet nobody expects them to get the sack. In fact, Villa and Man City have lost less games yet a City manager has already been sacked for that. Why do we as fans, feel more pessimistic than the table?

Well perhaps this is the only time an Arsenal fan can say the table doesn't tell the whole truth and be listened to because, this time, it is not about making excuses for Arsenal.

Vidic and Ferdinand have started only a very small number of games for Man Utd together. That's partly why Man Utd are where they are. But nobody is calling for Ferguson to get the sack because he has delivered trophies in the past few years and there is a feeling that it is only an injury problem and nothing else. Arsenal on the other hand, are not given the benefit of the injury-explanation because we have failed so much over the past few years. Basically, Arsenal's losses this season are being viewed as a pattern rather than as a result of the loss of players. That is why we all feel worse than the table. We think we are in pattern that is not delivering and we don't recognise just how much worse other teams cope with injuries and crises.

Gerrard and Torres absent and Liverpool lost 8 games so far as a result. Chelsea lose Essien and have lost 5 games. Without Drogba they could only draw. Man Utd without Vidic and Ferdinand and they lose 6 games. Arsenal have suffered more critical injury crises and did much better especially with such a young squad.

The pattern of trophyless seasons has meant that Arsenal cannot receive the benefit of the doubt that Chelsea and United get. With only three points at the top, there are few people, including Arsenal fans, who think that it will translate to a trophy.

Wenger should be judged as the manager at the end of the season but I am rather reluctant to judge Wenger using the "Youth Experiment" label. I am not entirely sure that Wenger had planned for his team to be as young as this over the years. Wenger has Gallas, Eboue, Sagna, Rosicky, Eduardo, van Persie and recently Vermaelen. These are not young players. With these players, I am not sure why people don't consider the possiblity that Wenger had planned for a blend of youth and experience for a long time but he has suffered injuries to the experienced players.

Rosicky, Eduardo and van Persie are the right ages but have been absent for more than one season each. Gallas and Sagna were out for a while and we should not forget that even Clichy and Fabregas missed more than a third of last season. I don't think that there is clear evidence of what some people think is a careless youth experiment at Arsenal. I think Arsenal have a policy of growing their own players but to call it a "youth experiment" is misleading because the team actually has a blend of ages. The word "experiment" used in this way can unfairly suggest that Wenger is somehow only self-serving. I think that is unfair.

We can't talk about the weekend without talking about Ramsey. Earlier this season, Liam Ridgewell was very close to breaking Theo Walcott's legs. Theo then went on a long injury lay-off. Wenger described his tackle as "a cut-through tackle, without any restriction. It was meant to impress. It looked quick and hard from outside – I don't know if he didn't want to play the ball." And I agreed. Ridgewell wanted to warn Theo against running at him or show that they would be hard.

So when we talk about this having happened to Diaby, Eduardo and then Ramsey, we should also not forget the near misses and Theo was a very near miss. Last time this happened, the focus was on Martin Taylor (whether he was a good boy or not) and whether Wenger was wrong for over-reacting.

This time, I am not going to bother about Showcross or the lack of protection from referees, etc. Ramey is 19-years-old and it is a big, big thing to ask a 19-year-old to take on this kind of challenge and fight to save his career. It is tragic! It is even worse that it is not down to him yet. It is down to doctors for now. What a terrible thing to happen to a young boy who is a wonderful player. Let's focus on Ramsey and wish him well and keep our fingers crossed for him. Let's forget the surrounding issues till the end of the season. Focusing on them will distract us, it will not help us.

We are all with you Aaron. You will come back. I hope the doctors give you good news, I hope your recovery is excellent and that your bottle on pitch helps you deal with this and you come back stronger.

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