When Will Arsenal Become “Serious” Title Challengers?

Most experts or pundits say that after 10 games of the season you can judge a team on how well they’re going to do that season. After 10 games of this season, Arsenal were first in the table with 25 points. Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham were 5 points behind in 2nd, 3rd and 4th, and Manchester City were in 5th position on 19 points.

Now we have reached 22 games and where are Arsenal? Still top.

But despite this, most people still think that the title is going to Manchester City or Chelsea.

Liverpool and Tottenham have dropped off since then, while Manchester City and Chelsea are only within 2 points of Arsenal.

We have lost the 5 point lead we had earlier in the season but every time we’ve needed to win to stay top, we have. Manchester City are raving about scoring 100 goals this season, but the fact of the matter is you still only get 3 points for a win in the Premier League.

Arsenal are sitting top of the Premier League after 22 games, and that’s with a lot of injury problems on the way. Manchester City have spent obscene money and have squad which is probably cost 5 or 6 times more than ours did to assemble. Chelsea have spent a lot of money as well and this season alone, we’ve lost many key players. Diaby, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo, Rosicky, Podolski, Arteta, Ramsey, Wilshere, Gibbs, Sagna, Mertesacker, Özil, Giroud and Bendtner have all missed games due to illness or injury.

And we’re still top!

I’m not sure what else we can do to be considered “serious” title challengers.

We’ve won games when we haven’t played well, we’ve played some scintillating football this season, we’ve had a solid defensive attitude and reduced the number of goals we concede over the last 12 months, and scored goals from all over the pitch.

Szczesny has been the best goalkeeper in the league this season, we have a good mix of experienced and young players, and our best player Mesut Özil is currently playing okay but still has a few more gears to get through to reach his peak – and that only has to be a good thing going into the second half of the season.

So what negatives are there?

The only one I can think of is our “record” against the top sides. We beat Liverpool and Tottenham already this season, drew against Everton and Chelsea but lost to Manchester City and Manchester United. The only grumble I have out of those 6 matches were the games in Manchester.

Against Liverpool and Tottenham we got our game plan right and played a high tempo game which got us the 3 points. Everton were fortunate to nick a point and Chelsea parked the bus. But against Manchester United, we were to cautious and should have really taken the game to them. And against free-scoring Manchester City, we probably should have played a similar system to the one in Dortmund and tried to steal the game on the counter-attack.

With only a one point lead at the top, I suppose it will be the remaining games against the top sides which could prove decisive.

But then again, we seem to be the only team who have a consistent record against the rest of the league, so in the end that may be enough.

 

16 thoughts on “When Will Arsenal Become “Serious” Title Challengers?

  1. Sorry mate, I’m a diehard Gooner but I just can’t see our squad seeing us over the line without the addition of at least a decent striker.

     
  2. you are serious title challengers,the bookies are only offering 4-1in a 4 horse race thats pretty damn short odds.IM a city fan and wouldnt put my house on us winning the league,dont know where your coming from withn this

     
  3. there’s no doubt arsenal are doing well but u still think they can’t win the league.They struggle against the big teams.the tittle is Chelsea’s. city 2nd and d gooners 3rd. manUr will retain their current league position.

     
  4. there’s no doubt arsenal are doing well but i still think they can’t win the league.They struggle against the big teams.the tittle is Chelsea’s. city 2nd and d gooners 3rd. manUr will retain their current league position.

     
  5. With respect who cares? Listen to the so called experts and just hand the cups to Man city & Chelsea no one else has a chance! Thankfully this is football and it doesn’t listen to so called “experts”. I love the fact no-one gives us a chance, if we pull it off, watching the closet Arsenal experts come out with some face saving drivel will be so satisfying, but hey ho we don’t stand a chance do we?

     
  6. Gunners 4 life realy we are trying but one thing remain if wenger refuse or delay in buying a beta striker i don’t think catching d league will happen but never d less i wish us well gunners 4real

     
  7. Gunners 4 life realy we are trying but one thing remain if wenger refuse or delay in buying a beta striker i don’t think catching d league will happen but never d less i wish us well gunners 4real

     
  8. People talking about arsenal beating liverpool, Chelsea and spurs, i beg to ask how many points did these team take at d emirates? Just 1 point. It is better we are not considered so dat at d end we rub d title on d faces of dis morons

     
    • The pundits are probably looking at LFL results from 212/13. Replacing the new teams with the results against those relegated, we are actually 3 points worse of then achieved last season. Hopefully, our results in the remaining fixtures are better than the corresponding fixtures in 2012/13 – our form says they will but the pundits do have a point. At least it takes the pressure off of us while they claim it is a horse race!

       
  9. I’m a Manchester City fan, and believe me Arsenal are considered serious contenders. You should have heard the groans in the pub yesterday whilst we were watching City’s match and scoreflashes of Cazorla’s goals popped up. Arsenal were top PL points scorers in 2013 by 6 points. It seems to me that it’s only Arsenal fans who have the self-doubts. Enjoy your season – Arsenal have a true quality team.

     
  10. Arsenal will be serious title contenders when football pundits aren’t all former Liverpool and Manchester United players. Jose Mourinho had a point.

     
  11. I am a spurs fan and i think wenger should be given all the credit as he is making a thin but qualitiy squad do better than they should but i do believe and this is not a spurs fan being nasty but city just score so many goals for fun as us north london fans know its city to pip Arsenal for me sorry gooners

     
  12. Spurs fan here – asking you the killer question – why do you need to consent or agreement of others to say what your league position tells you already? If you need the opinion of others that much you’re a girl, you’re insecure. FACT – you’re too of the league. You’ve been there a while. You DONT need others to tell you what you already are – do you?

     

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