Can Arsenal really compete for the title?
Arsenal occupy the second spot in the Barclays Premier League table with 32 points. Looking at their position after 17 games, a casual football fan will infer that the Gunners are genuine title contenders this season. Look below the surface though, and many
problems soon become apparent. Arsenal’s loss to Manchester United on Monday means that their abysmal record against the top two sides remains intact. In their last 11 games against Chelsea and Manchester United, the Gunners have failed to win a single match,
managing only one draw.
Arsenal have not won a trophy since their FA cup victory in 2005. This is hardly the sort of form that will end their title drought. The match against United highlighted Arsene Wenger’s inability to learn and adapt. For the last four years, Arsenal have
been repeating the same mistakes over and over again. By playing a 4-5-1 formation, Sir Alex showed that he knows how to play against Arsenal. The problem is, these are the same tactics Sir Alex has used for the past two years. Arsene Wenger is still unable
to overcome his old rival.
Manchester United fullback Patrice Evra recently made some very harsh comments against the club, calling it a ‘football training centre’. He said that the main threat to United’s title ambitions are Chelsea, completely undermining Arsenal as title contenders.
If Arsenal’s performance against Manchester United is anything to go by, then Evra might be proved right. The team simply could not find a way past the United defence, resorting instead to shots from a distance. It’s a horrendous reflection on Arsene Wenger’s
tactical proficiency. When things looked bleak, the manager threw all his cards on the table in a desperate bid to snatch a point from the game. Needless to say, the move was ineffective.
If Arsenal perform like this in the big matches, how can they be expected to regain the title? The team is a mere shadow of the legendary ‘invincibles’ of 2003-2004 season, in which the Gunners won the league without losing a single match. Arsene Wenger’s
current crop of players is young and inexperienced and they lack the mentality to get results in important contests. It’s not all doom and gloom though. This year might be Arsenal’s best chance to end their trophy drought. The Gunners have already traveled
to Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United and are still in 2nd place. This means most of their toughest fixtures are already behind them. If they can remain unbeaten at the Emirates for the rest of the season, they have a solid
chance of clinching the title. For that to happen though, Arsene Wenger must revise his approach against the big teams.
The current season of the Barclays Premier League is the most open in recent memory. Anyone could conceivably win the title next year. As always, Arsenal are in the running, but their performances against Chelsea and Manchester United might ultimately cost
them. If they can somehow overcome their poor record against the top two, they have a very good chance of ending their title drought. It remains to be seen whether the Gunners can finally regain the league title. Their match against Chelsea on the 27th
of December will be of vital importance and might just be an indicator for the rest of their season. Arsene Wenger remains optimistic as always, insisting that Arsenal will have their say in the league.
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