Through Adversity Comes Great Strength…

Arsenal continued their great recent form yesterday against Aston Villa, after a great result against the mighty Juventus in midweek.

Many people have talked about the similarities between us and Liverpool last season, with our poor league position and our adventure in the Champions League. As the season progresses, it’s hard to dismiss what’s happening.

So here are the obvious – and not so obvious – similarities with last years Liverpool side:

• Arsenal (like Liverpool) are struggling to fight at the top of the Premiership and are fighting for the fourth Champions League spot.
• They are fighting for the fourth spot with their closest rivals (Arsenal – Spurs, Liverpool – Everton).
• Arsenal (and Liverpool) play against Juventus in the Champions League quarter finals, and in the first leg manage to score two home goals.
• One of their most influencial players (Vieira/Owen) leave for a top European team the summer before to challenge for European honours. They are unsuccessful and their former club progress further in Europe than their new team.
• The captain (Henry/Gerrard) is strongly rumoured to be leaving in the summer unless they match their ambition on the football pitch.
• They sign a Monaco striker (Adebayor/Morientes) in the January transfer window, but he is cup-tied for the Champions League.
• The both play in red…

But I’m not that superstitious, and that last point I made is leaning on the fact that I’m sure if we look over the last hundred years of British footballing history we could find similarities with a number of clubs.

The fact is that Arsenal have been brilliant in Europe this season, and because of this I think that we have every chance of winning the competition – not just because of the similarities with Liverpool last season.

But as the season goes on, it’s funny how the similarities start building up… I’m not a believer. Yet… I’m off to buy a lottery ticket!