Since Arsene Wenger last guided the Arsenal team to a Premier League title back in 2004, there have been plenty of ups and downs. It has not all been bad by any means, as the Gunners did reach the Champions League final in 2006 and nearly beat Barcelona despite an early red card for our keeper Jens Lehmann.
Arsenal have been close to the title since then but something has always got in the way, most notably the injury to Eduardo in 2008 and the host of injuries to players like Ramsey and Walcott a couple of years ago. But because of our long wait for another EPL trophy and with a stunning ability to ignore all the many problems the manager has had to cope with, the football media has found it easy to find fault.
There have been a number of criticisms aimed at us in the last 10 years; we can´t defend, we are too focused on attack, we have no plan B, we have no leaders, we crumble in big games and many more. Whether you thought they were fair or not, the current Arsenal squad has by and large answered all these questions, except one.
What I am talking about is the theory that we only perform under pressure and that we are no good as front runners. A perfect example of this was in the final 16 of the Champions League last season. A brilliant draw (for a change) and we all expected to breeze past Monaco. And then again on Boxing Day we blew a big chance to go top after an insipid showing at Southampton.
How do Arsenal get over this final hurdle and win the race to the Premier League trophy?