Almost every week from the very start of the season the vast majority of football fans and pundits have dismissed Arsenal and their title chances.
They have all been waiting for us to slip up and that was proven when we undeservedly lost away at Man Utd. The glee and celebration at our loss were hysterical and what did we do? We bounced back and got back to winning ways.
We have easily beaten Tottenham, dominated Man Utd despite the loss, deserved winners over Liverpool and today we were clearly the best team and the result was a just one.
Only once this season was we outplayed and yet we still won that game against Leeds United and so many started cackling that the wheels would now come off.
How did that work out for them?
Some pundits have started slowly coming over to the idea that Arsenal is now genuine title challengers but the vast majority do not and I suspect that will still be the case after today.
I have no way of proving this but I reckon some pundits declared that Leicester City is title challengers before they ever do the same with Arsenal.
There is clearly an anti Arsenal section of the media but that is fine, it just drives us on harder the more we are disrespected, so let them carry on.
But for me, I will say it clearly and with my chest well out.
Arsenal ARE title challengers and to all those that dismiss us, live with it.
The gaffer got it right. Now the bullies can come, as Chelsea tried to bully the children only to receive yellow cards and be minus 3x points. The boys are men now
We have been top spot many times in this 22 yrs but never have we won the league. Others may disrespect us but the most important thing is we don’t disrespect ourselves and don’t lose ourselves from the track, AGAIN!
Let’s just keep on doin what we’re doin. Let the boo boys boo. We’ll see em at the finish line…
I can say it bodly without apology that Arsenal will not win the league,
But LET’S KEEP BEATING EVERY TEAM THEY HAVE ANOINTED TO WIN THE LEAGUE.
WHO IS NEXT?
Especially man united legends have that bad heart for what the young boys are doing now
We failed the first test at Old Trafford, but we were totally dominant since the first minute at Stamford Bridge today
Because of those results and the rustiness of our bench players, I believe we’re 50% from being a real challenge to Man City. Nketiah and our other squad rotation players will face their test against Brighton in EFL Cup game soon
The bench are certainly getting game time with the Europa League and now Carabao Cup …let’s see who wants it and steps up !
Yes, it’d be interesting to see how our bench players react
No Thomas Partey.
This game was like the replay from preseason, only the goals missing.
No Drogba or the big bad wolf Diego Costa, Chelsea was toothless from the get go.
We are developing a habit of starting on the front foot, now even the mighty assemble Man city will take note.
Am told this is the most impressive first thirteen games played to start a season the gunners have ever make,
But the way the gaffer is going about his business if he should decides he wants Bellingham in January, the board should break the bank and support him.
Bellingham is out our financial reach I’m afraid. I can’t see us paying 100 million for a player. Even the Pepe deal was super shady affair and very unArsenal.
There’s a player at Lorient, Enzo Lo Fee who’s similar to young Verratti. Check him out. Creative, quick, tackling machine. He’s short like Kante but he’s a terrier. I really like how he plays and more in our price range.
Prior to Partey arriving here I had Partey and Verratti as the two best players in their respective positions, if that kid is anywhere near the moisture he will be some player.
But Arsenal can’t afford to gamble with our signing in January, so it has to be a game changer like Savic maybe Neves or a young player with very high ceilings, Danilo and Tohouamani though Bellingham fits both the bills.
Damn I have to say in addition to us and City, Newcastle is playing really well too.
Anyhow, we just have 2 games to go. Mickey mouse cup against BHA which I don’t care about that much to be honest and potential banana skin Wolves. They have been quite horrible team to watch but we can’t take them granted, they sure can park the bus.
But for today, let’s enjoy the day.
We’ve defeated Pool, Spurs and Chelsea all in the same season. When’s the last time that happened..?
And that’s 3 wins in a row at Three Point Bridge!
@DaJuhi
What made it all the more sweet, is that it was in their house and we kept a clean sheet…😁
Aye that we did!
As of now we are 11 points clear inside the top 4 which I think was the main aim this season.
I think it’s fair to say we have already made top 4. Not because we will win all of our remaining matches but because the likes of Toons, Spuds, Manure etc. will also drop points like crazy.
Great performance but we missed loads of chances to win 3-0.
White, as I said earlier, was immense today, our best fullback.
I keep saying it. Our poor finishing is what is holding me back with this Title talk.
We create so many clear cut chances in most games but end up scoring 1 single goal that we start panicking to maintain in the end.
If Jesus, Saka and Martinelli were more clinical then I would be confident of a title challenge against City..
Weak finishing from our players is my worry..
I would be concerned if our front three were older …
Jesus will come good
Saka and Martinelli still v young
So key is we ARE creating so many chances that we are not yet taking BUT we are still top !
👍 Goonster, I have the same concerns. Too bad Arsenal and Martin Odegaard couldn’t talk Eric Haaland into coming to the Emirates. There must be another unpolished gem out there.
I have to agree…as good as we are playing,we must be ruthless in front of goal
FYI: last year Man City scored max goals – 83 @ 2.18 goals per match.
Arsenal this season is at 2.38 goals per match. We are not that bad in terms of goals scored. Problem is that others have also upped the game., mainly ManCity (ahead of us), NewUtd (very close in 3rd) and spurs in 4th (fortunately they are conceeding more!)
Other way to look at it is that we are creating so may chances that it looks like we need to score more ! With present runtate we will score 90 goals…..not bad at all.
I still don’t think we are title contenders yet.
But we should be aiming to push City as much as we can. Any slip ups from them and we can capitalise.
Let’s cement 2nd place and make 1st place a our Free Hit. 😊
I seriously can’t believe how the season is going so far. Unbelievable.
The table says we are currently in the title race and I expect us to beat Wolves next week to remain top going into the world cup. Then we move into a challenging set of fixtures West Ham(h) Brighton(a) Newcastle(h) Spurs(a) Man Utd(h) with the possibility of Everton and Man City(h) rescheduled in as well likely domestic cup fixtures. If we can get through that period unscathed and add more fire power upfront plus a midfielder in the transfer window then we are set up nicely for the second half of the season. 🙏🏾
P.s Newcastle are looking a real threat to the big six and will without doubt spend in January
It is a disrespect to call us title challengers in a one horse race. We are already winners.
We’re gonna win the league! Come on Arsenal!!❤️🤍
Love the impetus love the energy. Keep it coming.
Unless you think that this season will be a cake walk coronation for Man City, of course we are in the title race. Will we win it? Probably not, but this faux modesty from many Gooners is getting tiresome. We are title contenders – say it loud and proud and enjoy it. Lord knows it doesn’t come around.every season.
I disagree that there is faux modesty. MC are clearly and rightly favourites given their recent history and the strength of their squad.
As of now Arsenal are title contenders and will remain so for as long as we keep the pace that we have set so far. We have never been in this situation before so the caution that is regularly expressed is natural and reasonable
I think if we Played city now we have a chance
We are so afraid as fans but our players will manage them…I’m very confident
Last year we were unlucky to loose home game. As long as we dont have injuries and fatigue, bring them on.
MC still has 2 out of the big 6, including us to play. Whereas Arsenal has played all bar MC. COYG
U gorgot Newcastel. They are playing too good. Infact I am more worried of them than Lpool, Chelsea, ManUtd n Spurs.
That puts them in slightly better position.
Let them keep disrespecting us and say we will implode. This should fuel the team to keep it going until May.
Now we want the spuds to lose to make it a perfect weekend.
COYG
Spuds 0-2 Pool I think we are going to get that perfect weekend!
Nearly perfect weekend…
It would have been perfect weekend if City would dropped points yesterday…
Then we would have been ahead by 4 points
We were not only best today but actually we were the only team today…
Chelsea was miles away from us at least today…
We can be tittle contenders but we still need 3-4 players…
Yet another fan – and this time an in house writer – who suffers from paranoia.
Yes, most football people DO say that we will not win the title. But why not praise them for being realistic and stop being paranoid ourselves and recognise that CITY are levels above ALL Prem teams, us included .
Not only are their players superior but they have huge depth in their squad, UNLIKE OURSELVES.
Realists like myself know we are fighting for second plcae and we are likely to be second but a distance behind City, the certain winners Reality, not blind hope, for me every time.
@jon fox: to suggest that a football team dispatching teams left and center should curtail their beliefs and aim for third place borders on abject stupidity!!
Does Leicester rings any bells for you??? Surely they should have settled for 3rd place in that season if they listened to abject paucity of a human beings the likes of which you personified! Frigging sad!
Lupe_Nets, to so easily and wilfully misrepresent what I ACTUALLY SAID, IS STUPID AND LOW CLASS TOO.
How you can so easily misunderstand my ” we are likely to be second” as “aim for third place”, beggars belief! I assume you CAN actually READ??
@ Jon Fox: too late to twist your words now that someone show you up for who you are now innit?
Keep the bile down and go find another page to pour it!
Spuds page? That will be a good fit!
We certainly have the team to win the league but i don’t think we have the squad unless we stay mostly injury free. A decent cover for partey and another striker/winger would give us more of a chance.
Last time we were in a position to challenge for the title in january we failed to invest in the squad mid-season.
I hope Partey is not getting injured in WC
I hope he is not getting injured ever !
Never ever again
Who cares what others say.
I really believe the pundits and Arsenal antagonist not including us as title contenders is actually taking the pressure off the team while they do their thing low key. Just want the team to win all the matches that come their way and see what happens at the end of the season
My fear is competing for the title and losing it has some negative energy, which can overflow to the next season. If we compete to the end then we better win it!💪
I legit reckon with this. Been a fan for over ten years and not once have anti-arsenal bad belle tried to write us off.
I’m so glad for this season and I hope the boys keep up the good job
I am sick and tired of this talk about not yet being title contenders! Who decreed that we are title contenders? This talk is simply offensive to some of us, not least because it attempts to demean our team. No Arsenal official has declared that we are title contenders. Why then should anyone engage in this idle talk about the title? Besides if we are to win the title no detractors will prevent us achieving that feat. Let us concentrate on what is within our grasp and leave the rest to God.
I say that after the run we have been on and where we are right now with topping the Europa League group and being top of the Premier League that Stan will release some funds in January to push us on for the Title.
Another midfielder in Youri Teilimans who is available & into the last 6months of his deal. Will not cost alot and is Premier League proven at 25. 5 & half year deal.
Next is an attacker in someone with some Experince and into last 6 months of his deal also & is Premier league proven. Wilfred Zaha on a 3 & half year deal. Won’t cost as much Mudrik but I would like him also if we could get him but maybe that could be for the summer. Plus Smithrowe to return after New year
Another defender in Evan Ndicka, Frankfurt, Europa League champion playing really well in Germany. 23yr old Left footed CB. Room for improvement and proper cover for Gabriel.
We can do some smart moves this January.
Still think city will win the league by some distance however qualify for champions and we then can attract the top quality players that are needed to take us to the next level really impressed with how Arteta is changing Arsenal and got no hesitation in predicting that he will win the Premier league with Arsenal!
Which 3 players should drop out of the 25 man squad for us to sign those 3 players you mentioned ?
“Smart moves” which I agree we need, cannot possibly include the way overhyped Tielemans or the already 30 year old with a lax lifestyle, Zaha.
I live very near Palace and know for a fact as do many Palace fans too, a great deal about how Zaha lives his life.
I know that for a fact and I know for a fact that MA will not entertain a player like ZAHA, WHO DOES NOT buy into a one for all, all for one team lifestyle.
We urgently need better quality players than both those way overrated two.
Glad I’m not the only one who thinks Tielemans is overhyped and that we should steer clear of Zaha. I worked in Croydon for 20 years and too know that Zaha thinks of himself as something of a king down there. And totally bottled it at MU a bit like Grealish is doing at MC. Big fish syndrome.
I totally agree with Ackshay. We have a very competitive team but the same cannot be said about the squad. I don’t see many game changers on the bench. The squad needs to be beefed up a bit to sustain a serious title challenge after the World Cup. Ideally, there should be two good options for every position/role. If you look at the Invincibles squad for instance, the standard first 11 had Lehmann, Lauren, Cole, Toure, Campbell, Pires, Gilberto, Vieira, Lundberg, Henry and Bergkamp. Let’s look at the left back position for example, if Cole wasn’t available for whatever reason (injury, suspension etc) we could call upon Van Bronckhorst and Clichy who was aged 18 then. Even Edu could be deployed as an improvised left back, not to mention Pascal Cygan who was a left footed centre back. Keown was also an option at centre back. Upfront there were options in Kanu, Wiltord, Reyes and Jeffers. There were exciting players coming up like Fabregas and Bentley to mention just two. Our reserve keeper Stuart Taylor was even in the England set up if I remember correctly. There was a good mix of youth and experience and a large pool to choose from.
Am watching Palmeiras live with Danilo releasing two 30 yards screamers, lots of venom in that left foot.
Cuiba scores against the run of play.
The league table position does not lie. I would rather be in the lead, with points on the board, rather than being in the chasing pack.
The big question is can the Arsenal first choice players remain fit for the remainder of the season?
@DGoonster,David&Jon Fox.
I do agree with your sensible comment postings. For, there are a lot of commonsense sayings in them. As they concerned Arsenal’s unexpected Epl title challenge this season.
But let me add, that this title challenge coming from Arsenal this season is huge. And it will hugely become huged by the time when Arsenal lift the title trophy at season’s end to us Gooners admiration and celebrations since the Arsenal Invisibles Season of history record making feast in 2003-2004 season.
Which I think and believe the current Arsenal team if improved on next January transfer window with some 2 very top quality additions of a defensive holding midfielder and a 3rd striker signings will see Arsenal pressing and pressing and pushing and pushing relentlessly for the title win . Which could happen. And God’s willing, it Will.
The way we played today and dominated Chelsea completely is a clear indication of the progress Arteta has made. Our playing style is reminiscent of the golden days of Arsenal. That said, our finishing must improve for certain so that we finish off teams as real champions do.
Two ex Arsenal players scored goals on the weekend; Joe Willock for Newcastle United and Sam Greenwood for Leeds United. Good to see them doing well, as long as it’s not against Arsenal.
MA has come out and said why not but apart from us fans, the club, manager and team
Who cares what others think
13 games gone and 25 left
A heck of long way to go and to throw a spanner in the works. A world cup to stop our momentum.
Happy with what we got now and aim was always 4th. If we are in the mix come end of Feb then who knows what we can achieve.
A mature display yesterday which proves the team is learning so Onwards and can’t say upwards as we are there already 😀
Most likely Arsenal will be top of the table when they go into Worldcup break , scenario most is fans were not expecting at the beginning of the season. However this kind of opportunity does not come easily as many things need fall in place for the team to perform. so hope the board invests in Jan to give this team real chance to fight for the title.
We are definitely challengers
But I think if City pips us to winning the championship title it will be because of lack of depth in our squad
We have excellent first teamers but we need stronger back ups in some areas.
Specifically,
Why do we care about the media?
The vast majority of them are the ex Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea and Man City pundits, who to a man, are all waiting for the “I told you so moment”. they feel must come.
I think that, even if we come second in the League, they will still say we were lucky!!!!
I will be very happy if I can say, after every remaining EPL game of this season:
“One Nil to the Arsenal”
and rub their noses in our success!!!