From Rahul Balakrishnan
As Arsenal enter 2016 top of the pile and with the obvious pressure of not winning the league title in over 12 years.
Yes the last one was a memorable one : P38, W26, D12, L0.
No one will forget that in the next 100 years possibly.
In the last 12 years, Arsenal only came close only once to winning the title. In 2007-08.
Arsenal had just beaten Blackburn at the Emirates 2-0 with Adebayor banging in the goals and Hleb, Flamini and Cesc playing triangles around teams and winning games. Until Birmingham happened.
Eduardo broke his leg. Gallas imploded and suddenly Arsenal lost the plot and with it lost everything that season.
The team that Wenger put out that season:-
Goalkeeper: Alumunia
Defence: Eboue, Toure, Gallas, Clichy
Mid-field: Walcott, Flamini, Cesc, Hleb, Van-Persie/Eduardo
Forward: Adebayor
Average Age: Approx. 24
The only so-called leaders in the Arsenal team then were Gilberto and Lehmann.
Unfortunately Lehmann had a injury-filled campaign and Gilberto found it increasingly difficult to get into this vibrant, strong, pressing Arsenal line-up.
The repercussions were obvious. Whenever the going got tough, Arsenal just got hammered. Arsenal had lost their talisman Thierry Henry and no one gave them any chance. Chelsea had lost Jose Mourinho in November after a 0-0 at WHL. Manchester United was on the up. Tevez, Ronaldo and Rooney were good but Arsenal set the pace and was well on course come February with 5 points clear. They were in the FA Cup quarters. Champions League quarters too, after beating a great AC Milan side 2-0 at the San Siro.
But Arsenal just lost all the momentum with some key results.
Some key results from that year:-
1. FA Cup drubbing of 0-4 at OT. ManUtd played a so-called second string with Fletcher and O’Shea pulling the strings and they hammered a full strength Arsenal side that looked tired. No squad depth.
2. Birmingham Away: A 2-2 draw after being 2 goals up and that too against 10 men. The red card shown to a Blue after the tackle had broken Eduardo’s leg. Gallas lost the plot in a penalty incident in the 93rd minute to further complications as Gallas was the so-called leader of the group.
3. A couple of draws against average opposition at home after the Birmingham result meant the chasing pack was on to them.
4. A bad bad result at Anfield in the Champions League. 2-2 after a majestic run by Walcott after 84 minutes, and Arsenal were ahead on away goals but Eboue conceding a penalty after 60 seconds of Adebayor’s goal just ended whatever energy they showed that season.
Final result in May 2008. : Arsenal 3rd in the table behind eventual champions league finalists Chelsea and eventual winners ManUtd.
So why am I dwelling into the past and talking about something 7-8 years ago?
Well that was the last time when Arsenal genuinely challenged for the title. And 8 years later they are at the same street again.
Mourinho has been sacked. Chelsea are way off the pace this time. ManUtd are more like a Liverpool of the past decade. But the real obstacles for the Gunners come in the shapes of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
Let us look at the line-up Wenger has used this season:
Goalkeeper: Cech
Defence: Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koschielny, Monreal
Mid-field: Ramsey, Coquellin, Cazorla, Ozil, Sanchez
Forward: Giroud
Average Age: approx 28.
What strikes me is that this the team has WINNERS and EXPERIENCE.
It also has the energy of the 2007-08 season but as a collective it has those winners who have done it all. Sanchez, Ozil have had tough times in Spain competing for titles and have won them too.
A Mertesacker, a Cazorla and a Monreal who have been in fights before in their respective pasts and have brought their experience at vital times. And most importantly a Cech who has been on the top of the ladder and won things playing the hard way and has given the confidence to the rest of the team. Plus a Flamini whose name is not mentioned there who is the only surviving member of the 2007-08 implosion who left Arsenal the same year to Milan and has come back with a calmer head and has till now played a pivotal role.
Yes Arsenal have a clutch of away games to come this year. WHL, OT, Etihad, Anfield (the next one) to name a few but also some games like Upton Park, Goodison, Britannia Stadium where the mettle will be really tested. And not to forget the home games will not be any easier in a league where any team can beat any team.
But somehow I think Arsenal is going to do this and win the Premier League.
It will not come easy and there will be some hiccups along the way the wealth of experience that Arsenal has in their line-up and the bench coupled with Manchester City’s existence in all competitions Arsenal do stand a very very good chance.
Also something that history tells us, no team has won the league after getting beat 5 times or more.
City losses till date: 5
Humour aside Arsenal do have a real chance and I think they’re going to grab it with both hands, and just maybe we might see a certain Pep walking down to North London to take over the biggest club in London.
The system Pep likes to play as illustrated by Thierry’s analysis on sky, Arsenal’s squad can cope with Pep’s demands and above all make Arsenal an irresistible force in the next 5 years.
This is the YouTube link which I found fascinating: – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svh5lMUfotc
With Arsene in entering his final year of contract, I do see Arsenal’s board attempting the biggest coup. It would be bigger than Pep joining Bayern after Bayern had won a treble. (At least that is what I hope).
And thanks a lot Myles for keeping up the good work.
I love your website and I am the Indian Gooner, Rahul Balakrishnan, an Arsenal fan for 19 years and counting now and a fan of your blog for 13-14 years if I am correct. A very Happy New Year to you.
Myles says:
Thank you for such a thoughtful and comprehensive expression of optimism.