Arsenal's Championship Chances? One in a Billion

Following last Saturday evening’s impressive win at St. James’ Park, Arsène Wenger came out with his usual “spirit”, “desire” and “mental strength” rhetoric for Match of the Day’s Jonathan Pearce in his post-match interview.

What the BBC edited out, and rightly so, was Wenger’s optimistic background chat regarding our so-called title chances.

“I still have hope because I am a bit crazy, even if it is a one in billion chance.”

A bit crazy. Right. As the manager delivered possibly one the early candidates for understatement of the year, football joke of the season etc, he did in fairness admit to his “craziness”, whilst pointing out that realistically we stand no chance.

However, what Wenger said has been a calculated ploy to highlight a crucially important fact missed by many, and only now starting to get picked up, much to our own misfortune as the climax of the season kicks in—we are the form team in the Premier League, and, dare I say it, Europe!

With currently the longest unbeaten run in the Premier League, and, in fact, with the longest unbeaten run out of the last eight contestants of the Champions League, what Wenger pinpointed was our current consistency being a key factor in future success, whilst also pointing out that we are in championship-winning form (despite the zillion 0-0s in that run).

This really does beg the question that I have painstakingly repeated many a time, why show this consistency now, when it is way too late?

I’m sorry, and I don’t like treading murky waters, but Wenger’s words, combined with Manchester United’s oh-so uncharacteristic implosion and Chelsea’s hiccup has filled me with such a deep sense of regret and anger that you cannot help but think that we have, in retrospect, thrown away a fantastic opportunity to climb back to the summit of English football.

Wenger had previously pointed out that no one team was “outstanding” in the division this season, hence retaining his strong belief in our title aspirations back in January. And this was back when, United were slaying all before them, scooping the trophies on offer and boasting a thirteen-match streak without even conceding, let alone losing.

Yet Wenger was right. Here we are now, with United looking increasingly vulnerable, a shadow of their former selves and with Fergie’s “squeaky bum time” hitting them hard before anyone else, and we are left with Wenger’s vindicated prediction but with virtually no chance of claiming the honours, leaving the door ajar for title-deprived Liverpool.

Which brings me on nicely to Wenger’s other sense of recent “vindication,” his belief that he was “right” to stick with his young guns and not replace the likes of Flamini and Gilberto Silva.

Call me old-fashioned or scrupulously sceptical, but I have grown up with the basic idea of never celebrating until the chickens firmly came home to roost. With the way things are going, this is certainly not the case at the Emirates (I still always write “at Highbury” before impulsively backspacing at that point, but I digress).

Not just yet, unless Wenger believes that limping up to fourth in the Premier League is the peak of this team’s ambition and potential!

What an insult this must also be to World Cup-winning, “Invincible” Gilberto Silva, that Wenger feels he has emerged victorious from his battle against the world in replacing him with Denilson or Diaby, two players with some talent but who are infuriatingly frustrating more times than not!

Or to one of Arsenal’s most successful skippers, Patrick Vieira, in being compared to the latter, simply because of their similar stature! I’m sorry Arsène, but Diaby has quite some way before even being half of what the fabulously skilful, tough-tackling player Vieira was, and all at his age too!

With fourth place in no way secure, especially with trips to Anfield and Old Trafford remaining, not to mention a league clash against our FA Cup semifinal neighbours, and with the rest of Europe waiting to pounce, with Villareal’s “Yellow Submarines” first up, it is fair to say that Wenger’s self-congratulatory stance will have to wait just that little bit longer.

In fact, should we finish fourth, and with nothing to crow about in the cabinet (again), I will be left deeply disappointed, and I think it is fair to say that most of you will agree.

Our form has never been better recently, not since our celebrated 49-match unbeaten extravaganza in fact, and now of all times is the time for the manager and players, criticised so publicly so often this season, and sometimes so rightly, not least on here, to stand up and be counted.

And with the international break very nearly upon us (yawn), Wenger, Arsenal, and all of us, should take stock of the recent run, with the firm realisation that while the title might be a one in a billion chance, the Cup and Europe are very much there for the taking.

Well that’s what I think anyway.