The Premier League might have looked destined to head toward the Emirates Stadium, but a slip-up during the weekend motivated the English Champions to cut the lead to three points with only 11 more games to go. The question now remains: Have the Gunners run out of ammunition or will they strive under pressure and win the Premier League for their injured Eduardo?
Flamini has rallied his troops to win the title for their teammate, but will they have enough in them to finish the season strongly or will they fall just short?
We have seen the unthinkable occur in this remarkable season so far. Thierry Henry left Arsenal and Jose Mourinho left Chelsea. There were also some big-name transfers, horrendous refereeing, and the never-ending potential of Cristiano Ronaldo. The list can go on, but truly this season will go down in the history books as very eventful.
Coming back to the 11 games left, with Arsenal and Manchester United battling it out on the top we have the Silent Assassin Chelsea only six points behind Manchester United with a game in hand and nine points behind the league leaders.
Throughout the whole season we have seen the depth of both Chelsea and Manchester United coming in handy. Because of their squads they are being able to rest their stars and get the same results. Wenger continues to complain about his players being exhausted. The only solution is that he should consider rotating his squad a bit more and if he can’t, please stop complaining. Injuries are a different story, but not using your fringe players and complaining is not too sensible.
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The difference in class was clearly seen when Manchester United thrashed Arsenal in the FA Cup, whilst Arsene Wenger (the man with excuses for everything that happens on the field) complained about the pitch and how his players were exhausted.
Well, I must have lost the plot but clearly, they fielded five (six) first team members in Toure, Gallas, Fabregas, Hleb, Eduardo, and if you consider Eboue has started in more games than a fringe player would then he is also a first team member. Compare that to Manchester United's, Brown, Rio Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Van Der Sar, and Rooney. We fielded same number of first team members, yet we looked as strong as our preferred 11.
Clearly a master class performance shut down Arsenal to an extent that Wenger had nothing to complain about but the pitch. However, during the match—whoever watched it will agree—the only thing Arsenal was doing was kicking the ball up and hoping one of their strikers would get onto it. That doesn't require a good pitch because the majority of the time the ball is in the air.
Since then Arsenal have found it hard to finish off games. It was seen against AC Milan, as they had several opportunities but couldn't find the back of the net.
On the other hand, Manchester United was boosted by their emphatic victory over their rivals and went into the Lyon game full of confidence. They didn't put in a majestic performance like they did against Arsenal, but they did get a good result with a 1-1 draw away from home.
As you can see Arsenal was hit with a morale damaging defeat at Old Trafford, while Manchester United has hit their stride having put behind their embarrassing performance against their fiercest rivals Manchester City.
Again, during the weekend against Birmingham, Wenger’s men could not get the result they desired, missing an opportunity to go eight points clear. If it wasn’t for Eduardo’s injury it could’ve been a different story, but a draw against a 10 men side is still not a good result.
However, The English Champions put in another effortless display of clinical finishing making it two six-goal thrillers against Newcastle. With Cristiano Ronaldo in the current rein of form it’s hard to tell whether he is a striker or a winger because he is finishing the ball better than Arsenal’s top-scorer Adebayor.
With that in mind, Manchester United capitalized on the slip-up and cut the deficit to three points. This has allowed Manchester United right back into the title race! Will this slip-up cost Arsenal the title or will they have just enough to fend off the Scorching hot Red Devils?
Prediction:
1. Manchester United
2. Arsenal
3. Chelsea
4. Everton
5. Liverpool
6. Aston Villa
7. Portsmouth
8. Manchester City
9. West Ham United
10. Blackburn
11. Tottenham
12. Middlesbrough
13. Newcastle
14. Wigan
15. Sunderland
16. Bolton
17. Birmingham
18. Reading
19. Fulham
20. Derby
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6 months ago
that's good stuff dude! booooooooo Arsenal! yay United! booooo amar haha!
6 months ago
united are looking on fire and arsenal are starting to stutter, thats true. having played more games then any one in europe and with the shrinking team starting to look a bit ragged through injury then i think wenger has every right to point out uniteds advantages in reserve, which is the result of our differing transfer policies. "The only solution is that he should consider rotating his squad a bit more and if he can’t, please stop complaining." i know wenger does complain alot but would you say the same of everton if they were challanging united and moyes complained that everton were struggling to fend off united as they didnt have the reiforcements required? i think not. if you look at the money united have spent on their team- 25mil rooney ,18 carrick, 30 Rio, 30+ for nani and anderson, 12 ronaldo, 8 evra, 8 vidic, 20 hargreaves, 15 saha, 30 tevez and the list goes on... then i think arsenal are doing a great job staying top and have far exceeded my expectations of the pre season.
hopefully we can nick a result at old trafford in april and really stick it up united!
6 months ago
Prediction:
1. Arsenal the title comes down to how the 2 teams handle nearly identical schedules, but i think the Old Trafford match will end in an Epic 1-1 draw. so i see this Arsenal's title to lose.
2. Manchester United finish a close second
3. Chelsea they are locked in here a bad year will move Avy to the hot seat next year.
4. Liverpool goal difference will qualify them
5. Everton the McFadden loss comes back to bite them
6. Portsmouth with a reliable striker they have a really nice team and will get rewarded
7. Manchester City just short but i think that team is just in need of some jelling and they could be a perennial contender
8. Aston Villa - they aren't deep enough to land a europe spot and i don't trust that back line at all maybe next year
9. Blackburn - good finish for blackburn they spend very little so this will turn them a good profit.
10. West Ham United - too old no depth and there old i see the drop in there future.
11. Tottenham - an atrocious start has cost them a higher finish but they get to look at the youngsters and hey theyre going to the UEFA cup again anyway.
12. Middlesbrough - they got better Allaidere and Alves will make a nice strike force with Mido coming off the bench Tuncay and Downing off the wings with a solid young defense a great building block for the future.
13. Reading - after the season i saw out of them last year, i have to believe they'll climb out of this rut.
14. Sunderland they get pounded by the big clubs but take there points against drop teams and thats plenty good to stay up.
15. Wigan - one more year this team stains the premier league
16. Birmingham McFadden steals them some points and they stay up
17. Newcastle - 36 points is all i can give them right now, and that is being generous
18. Bolton - no strikers and a bad coach means the drop is coming for the wanderers
19. Fulham Fulham are a good team they take the drop for now but i don't think fulham will be down very long.
20. Derby -63GD is my final 11pts worst prem team in history
6 months ago
looks good although i think villa may edge past city (and even portsmouth) and maybe everton can sneak past liverpool to finish 4 th
6 months ago
it will great to see teams like everton play in the champions league...these underdogs r really making their presence felt in the EPL...great work man...i need learn how to write like that haha
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