Arsenal are pretty used to dropping behind the League leaders in the New Year but traditionally have an excellent run of form towards the end of the campaign, usually to claim a place in the Top Four. This season we are in a much better position just three points behind the leaders and Arsene Wenger is confident that we will once again have a strong finish and hopefully this time it will end up with Arsenal as Champions.
“The secret is that you are rewarded for your consistency of the attitude and your focus at the end of the season,” Wenger said. “The fact that your perseverance comes out is why I’m positive, because I feel this team has been on board since the start of the season. That will become stronger in the final part of the season.”
Another reason we always do well is that all our injury problems seem to miraculously disappear when we are out of the title race, but now they are returning while we are still in contention, and Wenger thinks that is crucial to our success. “The squad should all feel more confident and they should also feel more competition for places,” he continued. “My problem for selection will be bigger but when you look around you, you have players on the bench who can change the course of the game. That makes the squad stronger.
“The squad has responded remarkably well to play so many big games and win them. The fact that we suddenly have more choices at this crucial point in the season means that you can sometimes rest a player who needs a breather and that is an important luxury to have.
“If we want to compete on all fronts, that will be very important.”
So if everything goes like previous seasons where we have won at least 33 points out of the last 45 (and won two FA Cups), maybe, just maybe, this really could be Arsenal’s season…..