Mikel Arteta has refused to be drawn on whether his side should be favourites to finish inside the top four, downplaying Arsenal’s current advantage in the race for the Champions League places.
The Gunners are currently sat just outside the top four whilst having played three times less than both West Ham United and Manchester United who occupy the places just above.
While just one of those three wins would see us climb into that all-important fourth spot in the table, the manager was refusing to get ahead of himself.
When quizzed on his side being favourites for fourth during his press conference ahead of the Watford clash, he replied (as quoted by Arsenal.com): “I don’t know, I think it’s positive because we want to be playing and the reality is that we are not fourth, we are sixth still and if we win those games – and we have to win those games – we know what we have to do to get there. It is a long way to go, to focus and the only aim is to win against Watford.”
It is a typical sporting phrase to take each opponent seriously, and is crucial if you do not want to become unstuck by distractions, and at this stage there is still plenty that could go wrong.
Watford have their own fight on their hands as they look to secure their place in the English top flight, and we would be naive not to give them the respect they deserve, and another victory could well see us move into fourth, especially with United and the Hammers taking on the top two in the division.
Will there be more pressure on us if we was to leapfrog the pair into fourth this weekend?
Patrick
Just Arsenal Show – Dan Smith discusses Arsenal’s chances of finishing in the Top Four
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
All managers want to raise player standards internally but externally play down expectations. Both Guadiola and Klopp are playing the same game right now regards their title chances.
Both are saying the other is the favourite for the title in a constant psycological battle in a title race reminicent of their epic 2019 show down. Managing fan expectations is a hopless task with the average manager life span across the 92 team FL landscape being just 2.5 years. Fostering “high hopes” but being taciturn about actual table position is the managers role. Arteta does not want to publicly set too high a bar because if the bar is not cleared he ostensible announces his sacking.
If results go to form this weekend, we could be in fourth by a point and 3 games in hand on most around us. Lets not kid ourselves 4th is ours to lose.
Hope we can leapfrog Chelsea🧐
@Reggie let’s not kid ourselves 4th is ours to “try and win”.
Are you now saying Arsenal are formidable, accomplished 4th best team in the league with 14 games to go ??
I thought you was quite negative about us (Arsenal) but you now seem to be our (Arsenal) greatest cheer leader??
Make your mind up !! Or are you trolling us (Arsenal) 🤔
Or are you the troll @Specs?
Reggie is only speaking facts…
Specs, if you have ever took the time to read what i have always said (which you obviously haven’t and thats ok) im not sure Arteta is capable of getting us fourth. Now getting fourth is not anything to do with what i may think Arteta is capable of. Its about wanting Arsenal to get fourth and if we do my opinion was wrong. I dont see how on earth that is in anyway negative!!!!!!!
And i am no less a cheer leader as you put, as anyone else. I want Arsenal to be the best, have the best players and manager, whoever that is. Because i have doubts about Arteta and quite rightly so, if he gets is fourth my opinion will matter very little and so will those who think he is the next coming. Its Arsenals standing that counts at the end of the day.
All you keep saying is your not sure about the MIGHTY ARSENAL but also the spurs and Man Utd’s. Maybe you’ve already answered your questions we are much stronger now and we are in a strong position of course anything can happen but forget fourth and let’s go for 3rd Chelsea have there problems and so do Tottenham and Man U are there for the taking so COME ON THE ARSENAL. Be more positive you do good work but come on we are arsenal KNOW YOURSELF
Win and we are 4th as i dont see city/Liverpool losing. Also it would make those games in hand bonus pts to increase our advantage rather than must win to get 4th place hence removing the pressure from these games.
Watford are fighting for their PL survival so we must not take the game lightly and we have to play our best to win. Also, we must remember that our 3 games in hand are against Liverpool, Chelsea and the Spuds, so not easy by any means. But I am optimistic, given our current form, we will do well, but we must take each game by game and focus on the next game rather than seeing too far.
We will finish third or fourth i know that for sure.
Our season is 13 games and should be treated as normal fixtures. We should be looking to pick up 10 wins from those 13 games. I honestly don’t think our competitors form will strengthen they too will drop points. Our biggest 2 games are Utd and Spurs, two 6pt games. Win those and it puts us in a super strong position. Don’t forget we have to play West Ham, Villa, Newcastle, Brighton and Southampton away which other teams have found it difficult to get pts.
When you line up our last games:
Watford A
Leicester H
Liverpool H
Villa A
Palace A
Brighton H
Saints A
United H
West Ham A
Leeds H
NUFC A
Everton H
Chelsea A TBA
In that I feel there is only 1 easily winnable game in there and that’s Leeds at Home. I think we are still relying on Utd Spurs and even Chelsea’s form to be inconsistent and like I said at the top us to win at least 10 of those 13 games.
We are not there yet there are plenty of hurdles we have to overcome yet before we say 4th or even 3rd is ours
I missed west ham in relying on inconsistent form too
I have more confidence in Arsenal now to get a win because they are showing more resilience and team spirit, all of which were in short supply in the past. They are beginning to find a way to win and that’s half the battle. It is grinding out a result even if you’re not having a great afternoon. Liverpool are class but the hullabaloo surrounding Abramovitch could affect Chelsea who have dropped off recently anyway. The Spurs game is 50 – 50 in my mind as they are inconsistent.
We play Everton on the last day who I hope haven’t been dragged into a relegation battle. It situations like this where you expect to win but come up against team desperate for points that can be really crucial. Obviously that’s a way off, but it reminds me that no game is easy from now on. A win tomorrow please. Two nil would be even better to improve my middling points tally in Dan’s prediction game.
Dear Sue , so mature, shrewd, considered and down to earth. I love down to Earth people who say it as it is but who say it far more kindly and less combatively than me.
Give it a try Jon .. it might unleash a whole new you!!
Sometimes this team can disappoint. It’s very difficult to know which Arsenal will show up. They can go on a consistent run of form, all of a sudden they relapse again. Let’s just hope a consistent Arsenal shows up till the end of the season.
MA IS SENSIBLY BEING CAUTIOUS AND REFUSING TO LOOK TOO FAR AHEAD.
HE LEAVES THAT TO WE FANS WHO LOVE TO SPECULATE THOUGH OFTEN FOOLISHLY AS WE ARE NEVER FORTUNE TELLERS. BUT SUCH IS THE STUFF OF SITES LIKE JA.
Consistency is the key.
We are still struggling to convert chances / score enough goals which is the main reason all our games end up being squeaky nail biters.
We create enough opportunities but can’t convert them which in turn puts us under pressure to hold on or not to lose any given game. This summer we are going to need a proper striker but I don’t know where we are going to find him.
😊