Sunday 28 October 2012

Will Arsenal contend for the Premier League title this season? - bettor.com (blog)

With the Premier League up and running, everyone has started giving their two cents on who will win the English title this season. With more than half of the season still to go, it is a bit too premature to make such predictions or to speculate on which team will be lifting the prestigious trophy.

However, it's fairly elementary to judge genuine title contenders, and right now, there are a number of teams that will probably make that list.

The likes of current and former champions Manchester City and Manchester United, in that order, are always in contention. Both teams have however made uncharacteristically mixed starts to their respective seasons.

Manchester City have failed to keep a clean sheet, while Manchester United have also been defensively questionable, and have suffered two defeats already.

Chelsea are currently sitting at the top of the table, with 19 points and not a single defeat. The Blues, having strengthened over the summer by acquiring star players such as Eden Hazard and the Brazilian whiz kid Oscar, look stronger with every passing game.

The most interesting team of the season so far, in my opinion, has been Arsenal. The Gunners have been once again unable to hold on to star players this summer, letting go of the likes of Alex Song and ex-captain and striker extraordinaire Robin Van Persie, that too to rivals Manchester United.

Many had already written of the North London club as the Emirates become the subject of another exodus. Arsenal did sign three new players, compensating for the loss of Van Persie and adding a creative spark to their midfield. Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud arrived during the summer, followed by midfield maestro Santi Cazorla.

Van Persie's departure was however still fresh in the memory and was felt further when Arsenal failed to win their opening two games, failing to score a goal as Olivier Giroud spurned some decent chances to make his mark.

The only comfort that fans and manage Arsene Wenger could find was perhaps in the team's defensive display. Arsenal demonstrated an uncharacteristic defensive power at the back, keeping two consecutive clean sheets and holding off bogey team Stoke at the Britannia Stadium.

Arsenal's third game was against Liverpool at Anfield, and perhaps this is just where the team started to show its potential. Scoring two goals courtesy of new signings Podolski and Cazorla, Arsenal cruised to victory as they gave Liverpool a lesson in football in a 0-2 score line.

This game set the momentum for their upcoming fixtures. Every player put in strong individual performances, which were on full display in the 6-1 thrashing of Southampton at home. This was followed by a hard fought come back against champions Manchester City, where Arsenal had been the better team and dominated most of the game.

At the back, Per Mertesacker has been a revelation. The German has made up for his lack of pace by putting in some excellent tackles and managing a good number of interceptions per game.

Perhaps the team's strength at the back lies with its full-backs, with Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Gibbs putting in consistent performances. Jenkinson has come a long way since he was sent off in the famous 8-2 thrashing at Old Trafford last season, and has shown just what he is capable of, both at defending and going forward.

Arsenal's strength however lies in the midfield, with Mikel Arteta and Santi Cazorla pulling the strings. Abou Diaby had been impressive when he was fit, but the Frenchman has been injured once again, and his dubious fitness record may once again restrict him from fulfilling his potential as the next Patrick Vieira.

Arteta and Cazorla play like they always have been playing together. Both players have ranked up the collective best passing stats in the league, and have been the pivot on which Arsenal operate. The other thing the team has to its advantage is the host of options and depth, which Arsenal have failed to benefit from in recent seasons.

The likes of Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gervinho, Podolski, Giroud and Chamakh fighting for spots up front, and the imminent return of Jack Wilshere, and Aaron Ramsey showing signs of his former brilliant self are positive signs for the Gunners. With a new look team, Arsenal have gotten rid of their 'underachiever' label, and truly have the potential of taking the title right under everyone's noses.

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