Suck an egg, van Persie. Without you, we still scored 72 goals, only two less than last year. You’re like heroin. The rush is incredibly euphoric but ultimately short-lived, and it ravages you from within as each hit delivers less and less pleasure. This year, we’ve concocted a pretty-damned effective methadone clinic as four players reached double-digits in goals. However, this is not meant to be a vindictive post. I don’t really want to wallow in that. Who knows what could’ve happened this year had RVP remained? On one hand, he might’ve replicated the form he showed in 2011-12. However, this would have prevented Walcott, Cazorla, Podolski, or Giroud from scoring at the same rate that they did. On the other, he may have reverted to his previous, injury-prone form and played in about half of our matches as he had done in just about every year before last, in which case, Walcott, Cazorla, Podolski, and Giroud might all have scored in the double-figures anyway. In other words, a wash.

Instead of thinking about what might’ve been or what could’ve been, let’s just celebrate what actually was. 72 goals in 38 games. Not bad. Not bad at all. Here, then, is a nifty little recap of all of those goals, thanks to SlimSwaidy, whom you can find on twitter and on facebook.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy a bevvie or two. It’s a solid half-hour of glory.
This doesn’t mean our offense is fully-sorted, of course. A deeper look at that is coming up here soon.