How quickly can things change! At the beginning of the season, Arsenal were mooted strong contenders for the Premier League crown. But, their disastrous start against West Ham United suddenly put the spotlight back on them. Everyone is questioning the credentials of the team and their ability to win the title.
Former Arsenal great Ray Parlour stops short of doubting the team’s credentials but believes that the side is under pressure for the weekend trip. Arsenal play Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and the Gunners would be wary of further pitfalls.
Parlour saw that his former club’s hopes have been punctured by Steven Bilic’s side in the first match. The Gunners struggled throughout that match and this lack of resilience irked Parlour. He believes that the squad will need to show more resilience and recover quickly from the setback.
“There’s pressure on every game when you’re at the top level” he said.“When you’re a top side people expect you to win every week so when you don’t it puts a question mark on it.”
Selhurst Park is a graveyard for visiting teams and Wenger’s side will have to be at their best to put one past Palace. It would be a stern test of the team’s character and ability to bounce back.
Parlour believes that the deal to sign Yohan Cabaye from Paris St Germain will be one of the signings of the summer. Cabaye along with their high-pressing forward Yannick Bloasie and Wilfried Zaha make the Park a fortress for Crystal Palace.
“Selhurst Park is a tough place to play as well, it’s a fortress for them.”
Wenger would have ideally liked to build up momentum before playing these tricky games. But, having said that, If Arsenal still harbours any hope of winning the league title, they have to put in a strong performance in the weekend.
Sridhar