As little as we would like to admit it, Saturday's defeat at Stoke City has left Arsenal's title dreams in real jeopardy.
Wins and games in hand elsewhere for our title rivals means that The Gunners' push for the league could arguably become a second priority in the coming weeks. But is this down to (my) paranoia or genuine concern?
There are a number of problems facing Arsenal at the moment in their quest for a long-awaited trophy. One is the much-hyped and over-mentioned succession of fixtures that, especially based on recent big-game form, will kill our season.
Another is the inevitable tight scheduling of these fixtures that only Manchester City can moan about otherwise, but for a squad with a depth of Arsenal's, no team is working collectively harder and we may be witnessing the exhaustion that has caused several below-par showings.
And now for the potential horror scenario - winnable games are few and far between and those mugs from across the Seven Sisters Road are coming. Lose the North London derby on Sunday week and they are within touching distance. That seemed unthinkable a few months ago. If there was ever a time we had to pull it together, that time is NOW.
It seems remarkable, at least to myself, that a season that has produced so much optimism can offer just as much pessimism after one measly defeat - and I have always considered myself as, on the whole, an optimist. But that is the Premier League for you, I suppose.
This might sound crazy, but if there was one game we could win out of Spurs, Chelsea and City, I would take Spurs in a heartbeat. Not because it is the enemy (though that does add unlimited gloss), but that, at the very least, should consolidate another top-four finish for an ever-improving side soon to reap the benefits of a more ethical boost in finances than some of our rivals. This team is on the up.
And I am not going to get dragged into a "top-four or trophy" debate. The financial benefits are there for all to see. No Champions League, no "Mesut" moments in the summer. No Mesuts, no world-class team. No team, no trophies. Simple.
And besides, clinch the top-four position and we may yet get both. The FA Cup is a real possibility this year. Wembley is 90 minutes away. Nothing gets the juices flowing like a trip to Wembley - even if only for a semi (no matter how depressingly anti-climactic it makes the Final).
The way I see it, I believe there is only one thing that will win us the ultimate prize of the Premier League - and that is one more epiphany moment.
A repeat of the upturn in fortunes we enjoyed after playing Bayern Munich that sent us on title-winning form until the end of the last campaign will get us going again. Whether that comes in the shape of a cup fightback, a derby victory or another near-miss at the Allianz, I could not care less - but that could be the catalyst for true glory.
The probability of another Bayern-esque revival seems unlikely, but the reality is our season will either end up in success, failure or disaster.
You know what some Arsenal fans are like; singing Arsene Wenger's praises one moment, calling for his head, the next. No man would have got us Champions League football every year, and without him we would not be where we are today as a club post-2005. Just remember that. I just do not want my fellow Gooners getting mad, is all.
So the question is: do we, as fans, at this moment in time, forget about winning the league in the hope of ending our trophy drought, or do we expect to go all-out for everything with the knowledge that failure could see all of Arsene's hard work go to waste?
All we can do is support, watch and pray.
Come On You Reds!
Wins and games in hand elsewhere for our title rivals means that The Gunners' push for the league could arguably become a second priority in the coming weeks. But is this down to (my) paranoia or genuine concern?
There are a number of problems facing Arsenal at the moment in their quest for a long-awaited trophy. One is the much-hyped and over-mentioned succession of fixtures that, especially based on recent big-game form, will kill our season.
Another is the inevitable tight scheduling of these fixtures that only Manchester City can moan about otherwise, but for a squad with a depth of Arsenal's, no team is working collectively harder and we may be witnessing the exhaustion that has caused several below-par showings.
And now for the potential horror scenario - winnable games are few and far between and those mugs from across the Seven Sisters Road are coming. Lose the North London derby on Sunday week and they are within touching distance. That seemed unthinkable a few months ago. If there was ever a time we had to pull it together, that time is NOW.
It seems remarkable, at least to myself, that a season that has produced so much optimism can offer just as much pessimism after one measly defeat - and I have always considered myself as, on the whole, an optimist. But that is the Premier League for you, I suppose.
This might sound crazy, but if there was one game we could win out of Spurs, Chelsea and City, I would take Spurs in a heartbeat. Not because it is the enemy (though that does add unlimited gloss), but that, at the very least, should consolidate another top-four finish for an ever-improving side soon to reap the benefits of a more ethical boost in finances than some of our rivals. This team is on the up.
And I am not going to get dragged into a "top-four or trophy" debate. The financial benefits are there for all to see. No Champions League, no "Mesut" moments in the summer. No Mesuts, no world-class team. No team, no trophies. Simple.
And besides, clinch the top-four position and we may yet get both. The FA Cup is a real possibility this year. Wembley is 90 minutes away. Nothing gets the juices flowing like a trip to Wembley - even if only for a semi (no matter how depressingly anti-climactic it makes the Final).
The way I see it, I believe there is only one thing that will win us the ultimate prize of the Premier League - and that is one more epiphany moment.
A repeat of the upturn in fortunes we enjoyed after playing Bayern Munich that sent us on title-winning form until the end of the last campaign will get us going again. Whether that comes in the shape of a cup fightback, a derby victory or another near-miss at the Allianz, I could not care less - but that could be the catalyst for true glory.
The probability of another Bayern-esque revival seems unlikely, but the reality is our season will either end up in success, failure or disaster.
You know what some Arsenal fans are like; singing Arsene Wenger's praises one moment, calling for his head, the next. No man would have got us Champions League football every year, and without him we would not be where we are today as a club post-2005. Just remember that. I just do not want my fellow Gooners getting mad, is all.
So the question is: do we, as fans, at this moment in time, forget about winning the league in the hope of ending our trophy drought, or do we expect to go all-out for everything with the knowledge that failure could see all of Arsene's hard work go to waste?
All we can do is support, watch and pray.
Come On You Reds!
Comments
Post a Comment