(Significant Opta Stat: Arsenal have conceded on average 1.43 goals per league game in 2017, their highest rate in a calendar year since 1965.)
Arsenal's performance at Liverpool just before the international break, from a mentality point of view at least, was one of the worst I've ever seen.
Every team is allowed an off day, a poor performance, a good hiding, and fans will accept that if they can see that their players tried their best. But when players effectively give up - and that's exactly what it looked like to me at Anfield - then that's hard to take. It was a performance that suggested to me that some of the Arsenal players no longer wanted to play for the club.
As it turned out Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain got his wish. Alexis Sanchez, and probably a few others, didn't. A £92m transfer fee for Thomas Lemar was agreed on deadline day, but the French international declaring he wasn't ready to move was surely just a polite way of saying, "Arsenal, no thanks!"
So the Gunners that remain at the Emirates Stadium must now roll up their sleeves and get on with it. But I'm far from convinced that will be the case. Sanchez clearly isn't happy, he effectively said as much in an Instagram post after a midweek defeat playing for Chile. Interestingly, his post was put out with a picture of him in an Arsenal shirt.
Mesut Ozil has had his say too, criticising those who have labelled his recent performances for Arsenal as showing a lack of fight and having bad body language. He was then all smiles and put in a brilliant performance for Germany in midweek. Make of that what you will.
With a committed Sanchez and Ozil in their team, Arsenal can beat anyone, but if those two are just pulling on the shirt because they have to then Arsene Wenger may as well start a game with nine men.
In reality Arsenal, with home advantage, should have few problems beating a Bournemouth team that has lost three from three so far, but you're a much braver person than me if you're willing to put that Liverpool defeat to the back of your mind and back the Gunners at just 1.37.
Ability wise, when the correct attitude is applied, Wenger's men win all day long. But if just a few of the Arsenal players show a similar attitude to the one on show at Anfield then ability becomes irrelevant. And until we see evidence that the likes of Ozil and Sanchez are prepared to up their game then laying Arsenal at 1.38 - a small outlay for a decent profit - is the sensible call.
Recommended Bet
Lay Arsenal to Win @ 1.38
Everton 3.90 v Tottenham 2.16; The Draw 3.55
(Significant Opta Stat: Spurs have scored 15 goals and attempted 63 shots in their last three Premier League away games, all resulting in a win.)
It's not often that the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, and Spurs are in 3pm action all on the same afternoon so I best take advantage by recommending some winning bets. And the wager I like here is an away win with plenty of goals being scored.
Neither Everton or Tottenham have hit the ground running it has to be said - both have four points from a possible nine - but from the evidence of their first three league games I can see both sides being extremely entertaining this season, and wagering on goals seems a good starting point here.
Okay, that may sound a bit daft when you consider all three of Everton's league games have witnessed fewer than three goals so far, while two of Tottenham's have paid out on Under 2.5 Goals also. But all six of those games were wide open affairs and all could easily have had double the amount of goals that were actually scored.
Everton's 1-0 win over Stoke saw a total of 18 shots at goal (both teams), and that number increased to 26 in a 1-1 draw with Man City, while the Toffees' 2-0 defeat at Chelsea witnessed 25 shots. And there's been even more goalmouth action in games involving Spurs - 24 shots at goal in a 2-0 win at Newcastle, 27 in the 2-1 loss to Chelsea, and a remarkable 41 shots registered in the disappointing 1-1 draw with Burnley.
So it seems that it's just a matter of time before the net starts bulging more frequently when either Everton or Spurs are in action, and I see no reason why Over 2.5 Goals should be trading at 2.10 when they meet each other on Saturday afternoon. A repeat of March's five-goal thriller certainly isn't out of the question.
Mauricio Pochettino's men won that game 3-2 - at White Hart Lane admittedly - and I fancy them to come out on top again. The Lilywhites have a decent recent record at Goodison Park, not losing there in any of their last four visits, albeit drawing three, and I believe that they're the most likely team to convert chances in what should be a very entertaining affair.
Recommended Bet
Back Tottenham Win/Over 2.5 Goals @ 23/10 (Sportsbook)
Leicester 5.00 v Chelsea 1.82; The Draw 3.95
(Significant Opta Stat: Chelsea have won five of their last six away matches against the Foxes, scoring at least three goals in all of those victories.)
Another cracking 3pm Premier League game - I'm not sure I dare look at Sunday's fixtures given all the big guns are in action on Saturday - and it's one that I'll be surprised if Chelsea don't win.
I like the look of Leicester this season - well I did until they sold Danny Drinkwater and their replacement Adrien Silva wasn't registered in time - and I wouldn't read too much into the fact that they've only accrued three points so far. They've had a tough start, having to facing Arsenal and Manchester United on the road, and now champions Chelsea are in town.
But the Foxes look to have their swagger back under boss Craig Shakespeare and I won't be surprised to see them go on a good run of form sooner rather than later - though the fixture list doesn't get much easier with Liverpool the next team to visit the King Power Stadium after Chelsea.
It was seemingly all doom and gloom after Matchday 1 at Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea showed that they are still together as a unit in recording two excellent victories over Tottenham and Everton, and they are now back to full strength after their recently injured players - most noticeably Eden Hazard - all returned to full fitness.
Antonio Conte's men just look stronger in all departments ahead of this game, and quite ironically it could be former Foxes Drinkwater and N'Golo Kante who could dominate the midfield, though I'd be surprised if the former goes straight into the starting XI.
But Conte isn't short of options now; Hazard should return, Alvaro Morata has hit the ground running, and Chelsea's starting XI is perhaps just as strong as it was last season. I expect the Blues to run out comfortable winners on Saturday at a ground where they have a fantastic recent record (see Opta stat above).
Recommended Bet
Back Chelsea -1 to Win @ 23/10
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