Five Reasons Why Arsenal Can Win the EPL After Their Win Against Wigan Athletic
Arsenal cruised past Wigan today following a phenomenal performance from the home side. The Gunners won 3-0 thanks to Robin Van Persie's hat-trick and could easily have scored a lot more if it hadn't been for some great goalkeeping by Al-Habsi.
Some pundits have been quick to write off Arsenal's title hopes this season, but after some great performances, it looks like the "The Invincibles" could be a lot better placed to get some silverware this season than most people think.
Here are five reasons why.
Arsenal's Goalkeeping Crisis Appears To Be Over
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Arsenal have always had a weak link between the posts in recent seasons, but following the emergence of Wojciech Szczesny, they seem to have found a solution. The 20-year-old from Poland has played three games in the Premiership already and looks set to add to that tally by the end of the season.
Szczesny has proved to be a reliable keeper and has had some great performances, including the League Cup game against Newcastle. The Pole is exceptional at dealing with crosses and has made some great saves this year. And if you're still not impressed by the young keeper, he does a mean Ronaldo impression (see next slide).
Fabianski has also improved greatly this season, and should Wenger decide to stick with the 25-year-old, the Gunners will still have a solid keeper between the posts.
Finally, with Almunia rumored to be leaving in the transfer window, the pair will receive much more game time and will only get better as the season progresses.
The Fixture List Is Looking Good
2 of 5Although Manchester United are two points clear at the top with a game in hand, the Red Devils have some tough fixtures ahead, including a home game against Manchester City, away trips to Liverpool and Arsenal and two games against Chelsea.
Arsenal's fixture list, on the other hand, looks a lot easier in comparison, with an away trip to Tottenham and home games against Liverpool and Manchester United looking like the hardest matches on the list.
Alex Ferguson's side are likely to drop more than a few points in these games, which gives Arsenal a great opportunity to close the gap at the top.
The Premiership could very easily be decided come the 30th April, when the two sides sitting at the top of the table will meet.
Van Persie Is Back!
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The dynamic Dutchman hasn't been firing on all cylinders for awhile because of consistent injuries, but after scoring six goals in his last three games, Van Persie looks sharper than he's ever been.
Van Persie has been linking up with Walcott and Fabregas brilliantly over the last few weeks and has either scored or assisted on all of Arsenal's goals in the last two EPL games. If you take out his penalty miss, he's been almost flawless lately.
The Dutchman is a world-class player who has produced some great goals in his time at Arsenal, and for those of you who disagree, look at his goal against Charlton four years ago.
If Van Persie can keep this form going and remain injury-free (fingers crossed) until the end of the season, he will be a great asset to the Gunner's title hopes.
Breakout Season for Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri
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The 2010/2011 season has seen Samir Nasri and Theo Walcott improve massively so far.
Walcott, who has been criticised for his decision-making in recent years, finally seems to be getting it right, and he is no longer "just a sprinter". He has had nine goals so far this year and will undoubtedly score more before the end of the campaign. The 21-year-old is a constant threat on the wing and has contributed greatly to Arsenal's play this year.
Nasri is also in great form and has won the PFA Fans' Player of the Month award for October and December of 2010. The Frenchman has been playing some great football since the preseason and has been compared to Zenedine Zidane by Arsene Wenger. Nasri has also proved that he can play the Fabregas role when the skipper is injured.
Both of these players are great footballers, and they will need to keep up their breakout seasons if Arsenal are to earn some silverware this year.
Arsenal Play Great Football
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Although this point is obvious to anyone who watches football regularly, it still doesn't mean it isn't valid. The Gunners have been playing some exquisite football under Arsene Wenger's reign and are a feast for the eyes when they're on their game.
Cesc Fabregas is back in the team and on form, and Arsenal are looking much stronger. The skipper has the ability to pick out some exceptional passes and he has also proved that he can score goals.
With players like Fabregas, Van Persie, Nasri, Walcott, Wilshere and Arshavin in the squad, Arsenal boast an array of creative talent that has the skill to beat any team on their day. And with Thomas Vermaelen and Sebastien Squillaci set to return over the coming weeks, the Gunners will soon have a defensive spine to match their attack.
