Why This Arsenal Team Are Legit Contenders

Farooq Ahmed by Correspondent Written on October 09, 2008
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With the premier league six weeks into the new season it seems that this year the premier league could be as wide open as any other season. With things shaping up the way it has been for a while, I have looked at the so called “Big Four” clubs, along with other clubs that may be optimistically looking towards that goal, and I believe that this Arsenal team can be the best of them all.

Arsenal have had their doubters over the past few weeks, defeats to much weaker teams in Fulham and Hull City have meant that a team that should be top of the league are currently sitting in fourth spot behind league leaders Chelsea, Liverpool, and Hull, whom they lost to in an embarrassing defeat at the Emirates.

Champions League games seem to be the forte of this young Arsenal team who enjoy passing their opponents off the field, that’s all well and good in the Champions League. Premiership away days seem to be more difficult for a side that has been notoriously criticized for not being able to win ugly and tough it out in poor conditions.

Weeks Six’s efforts against a fairly strong Porto side, Portuguese champions four years in a row are not a team to be taken for granted, and a simply stunning performance as they outclassed them in a 4-0 win that really should have been six or seven.

Add a tough 1-1 away draw against a very good, up and coming Sunderland team managed by one of the brightest young managers in Europe to me was a point earned in the final minutes of the game. That to me shows resilience and the highest of efforts, Arsenal had struggled all day against Sunderland and their best seemed to be a below average effort on the day.

Having a goal wiped off the scoreboard didn’t help either. But then when Sunderland scored on 86 minutes with a stunner from Grant Ledbetter, it would have been easy for Arsenal to accept their fate and go home with nothing. But in the last seconds of the game, veteran Cesc Fabregas came in and capitalised on a Goalkeeping error by Craig Gordon. As Arsene Wenger tells us every week “They Showed Great Character.”

Even though many people have already, six games into the season written off Arsenal for the title, I believe that they can still win it. It may be pushing it, but if they can turn losses into draws, and draws into wins, and finish games off then they do have a great chance of winning the Premiership this season in my opinion.

All the talent and experience is there for a great season, the addition of Silvestre may be a stroke of genius by Arsene Wenger as he provides experience, knowledge and has experience of winning trophies, plus the fact that he could get into any team in England, its just because Ferdinand and Vidic are just that good.

A solid back four and goalkeeper. A packed midfield when fully fit, still with Rosicky and Diaby to come back from injury. A productive strike force with height, power, skill, and speed, all capable of scoring 20+ goals during the season, bar any injuries (Eduardo will be back before Christmas we are told).

So, I conclude with this, if Arsenal do not win any trophies this season then you can re-publish this article and mock me all you like, but the truth is that I will be incredibly surprised if Arsenal go a staggering fifth consecutive season without winning a major trophy.

Vote Now! - Author Poll

Do You Think Arsenal Will Win A Major Trophy This Season?

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Results - Author Poll

Do You Think Arsenal Will Win A Major Trophy This Season?

  • Yes

    72.3%
  • No

    14.3%
  • Maybe

    13.4%
  • Total votes: 224
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written on October 09, 2008 Opinion

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