With solid performances and results to go with our last seven games in the Premier League, a team once thought to be in tatters and on the brink of missing out of Europe’s elite competition have suddenly found themselves with their fate right back in their own hands.
With 22 goals and 21 points from their last seven games, Arsenal have managed to climb up to a position that once seemed to be out of our reach. The Gunners now sit rightly above the Spuds and Chelski with three and eight points respectively, and look good to cement their grip on 3rd place as the two aforementioned managed only a draw at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
As Arsene Wenger rightly pointed out, this is the first time in about six seasons we would be on a positive spin from February onwards – that is the business end of title contenders. Seasons past have seen Arsenal race hard with the best in the land until the month of February, which brings about the UEFA Champion’s League knock out phase, FA Cup fixture and Carling cup final, if we qualified for any of these.
We have always stuttered to the finish line due to increasing injuries and a sudden loss of form. This has led to severe criticism of the wily Frenchman about his squad depth from all angles and the need for him to strengthen the team. From the first blast of the whistle this season at St James’ Park through to The Emirates Stadium and back to Old Trafford, this season had started in a nightmarish manner, with the Gunners claiming a solitary point in nine with many injuries and suspension to go with it. This left us somewhere between 15th and 17th, an unfamiliar position for the high-flying north Londoners.
Though we were able to put together a string of impressive results to climb up to between 5th and 7th, it was a season that promised doom and gloom as many believed and said Arsene for once had come unstuck and would be missing out on Europe for the first time in as many years. The steady rise was thwarted when the Lilywhites were handed a narrow win at White Hart Lane and it seemed we were handed a jinx by our noisy and disrespectful neighbours. We struggled to blow away opponents once more and constant injuries to our full-backs and their deputies meant we were left short of cover in our rearguard.
The year began in a more terrible manner with January bringing us only two wins in the FA Cup and all losses in the Premier League. It was as if Arsene and his team had finally lost their way but as they say, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I think we will beat Man City when they come to Emirates, and Chelsea too….why not win the rest and beat out City for second, as it appears that SAF has the upper hand? Why not the Gunners?
I have a sneaky feeling that we will nip man city for second