Arsenal Can Win the Premier League Title at Stoke

On first viewing this may seem like the boldest of bold statements, Arsenal are lagging behind Manchester United and Chelsea in the title race, and even the most ardent fan would be hard-pressed to get excited over recent form.

However, Saturday evening could see Arsenal move three points closer to the premier league title, but more significantly, it provides the "young gunners" with a chance to shed that label, and become men seriously contending in the most engrossing title race in recent years.

Stoke will undoubtedly be Arsenal’s toughest encounter in their final eleven games, with the possible exception of Tottenham away in April.  If Arsenal can take the three points back to North London on Saturday evening, even by winning "ugly" if necessary, then confidence will surely peak at the just the right time in the season.

The talent of Arsène Wenger’s current crop of players is undeniable, the only area in which they need to develop now is in the mind.  A victory at Stoke would surely go some way to dispelling notions of frailty and spinelessness, which are tediously banded around by Alan Hansen et al. on plush studio sofas these days.

It is well established that Arsenal have an easier run-in of games than Manchester United and Chelsea, however this does have to be treated with caution when you consider some of the upsets that have occurred in the Premiership already this season. 

What Arsenal can take heart from is that this is a new position to be in; one where there are eleven games to go, and they are quietly sitting just behind the two Premier League frontrunners. 

Arsenal last challenged for the Premier League title in the 2007/08 season.  On this occasion, the title challenge began to fall apart in late February 2008, when Arsenal threw away a lead at Birmingham, and Eduardo da Silva suffered a terrible broken leg. 

Up until then, Arsenal had been sitting on top of the league for weeks.  This time around however, aside from high profile defeats to Manchester United and Chelsea, Arsenal have been going about their business relatively understatedly, seemingly out of the title race, but also out of the race for fourth place. 

For this somewhat inexperienced group of Arsenal players, lying in third with a winnable last few games would appear to be the ideal position to be in.  Winning the title is still a tall order, but if Arsenal can beat Stoke on Saturday evening, Manchester United and Chelsea may well find a talented group of men battling them all the way to the Premier League title.