Do Arsenal have the mentality to win the League this season?

Arsenal have been performing extremely well this season, and have gone 12 games unbeaten in the League since our opening day defeat to Liverpool, but as usual very few pundits, or even Arsenal fans, think that we can actually go on and lift the trophy at the end of the season.

In the last decade we have witnessed many seasons where we have been challenging at the top, only to weaken and drop away and ended up fighting for the minor placing. But with our new depth in the squad, and top players like Alexis, Ozil and Cech around, surely we can be a bit more resilient than earlier seasons and can cope with our inevitable injury list?

One ex-Arsenal striker, Alan Smith, thinks that we are still some way short of the mark. “I wouldn’t have too much money on them winning the league, I really wouldn’t.” Smith told SkySports.

“The performance at Old Trafford showed their shortcomings.

“They have got better, they’re winning or drawing some games that they might have lost last year, but I still think they’re a distance off having that mental attitude to go on and stamp their authority on the league.

“They have great quality and strength in depth – but are still a little bit short for me unfortunately.”

It is a bit hard to disagree, considering our recent performances, but every team has a blip at some point in a season, and we will surely recover and start winning every game again, but will we be able to cope when we play our rivals for the title?

Even last season, when it looked like the title race was going to be between us and Leicester, not even the bookies believed that we would win it, and there is no difference this year. I’ve just checked the odds for the title and right this minute both Chelsea and Man City are joint 2/1 favourites, with Liverpool right behind on 3/1 and Arsenal predicted as fourth favourites again at a price of 8/1.

Are Arsenal really that predictable? Or could we surprise all the naysayers this season?

Darren N

12 Comments

  1. Mentality isn’t enough
    We need more depth in quality
    We have a problem at RB
    And need more goals

  2. I think Arsenal have improved their mentality, and are more resilient than before, but that alone won’t be enough for us to win the league. I would say we’re at least two quality players short this season, and one has to take into account that our rivals have improved as well. Without European football, Liverpool, and especially Chelsea (no League cup either), have got a huge advantage over the other big clubs this season, which could prove decisive, as we saw with Leicester.

    I didn’t think Arsenal could win the league before the season started, but the final nail in the coffin is probably Cazorla missing the majority of the season.

  3. wrong! for the first time in years, I’d say we have a team with a strong enough mentality to win the league. Unfortuntely weare a little lacking in qulaity, in fact if recent weeks have proved anything at all, it’s that the only attribute that has pulled us through was the mentality of teh team, late goals, grinding out wins. But name me one game where we totally dominated!? Chelsea ok, Hull maybe. that’s it. ludogrets 6- 0 i here you say, absolutely not. We won by a considerable margin, but we did not dominate. far from it. To totally dominate games you need both the quality and the mentality in balance. right now, based on what ive seen, I’d say arsenal have the mentality but not enough quality or at least depth in quality. notably on the left.

  4. If I say yes, then it would mean that Arsenal is really stupid in football. This is proven a lot of times when we look clueless on the pitch. Such a waste with all the talent we have.

    If I say no, then it means we are really weak mentally. Quality is there but our players are really inconsistent that it becomes a rare sight.

    Go ahead. Pick one for me.

  5. How can you say we have been performing Extremely well??? We have not played well since September!!!!

    We do not have the winning character. Too many things need to go right for us to play 1 decent game.

    We will be lucky to finish 4th.

  6. We all know that the team which gets the least injuries, esp with certain players, holds a huge advantage. If we are that team well then yes I think we could win the title. We are rarely that team though. We need to see other teams lose big players because if one of them, esp che or liv, get very lucky with this well then it is going to be very difficult. I think other teams ( namely city & che) are mentally tougher than us, but I reckon our first team could have the right mental strength too. I think the fringe players could buckle if relied heavily on, like say two to three of them for a run of fixtures during crunch time. We’ll have to wait and see because I believe with the right bit of luck, at the opportune moment, could very well give our players the necessary mental belief. All title winning teams have that moment in the season when they gain the right belief whether through luck or a moment of magic from a star player, we have a couple of players who could do just that for us. So lets not right them off before they get that chance. If we are still in the race come February well then Cazorla still has a large roll to play. We are definitely in this title race.

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