Premier League Dream Still Alive…by a Thread

5 games left to go, 3 points behind the leaders, it certainly is an improvement on last year for Arsenal. As well as a season in which Arsenal have mounted a greater title challenge than last year, some truly marvellous football has been played in North London. However, there comes a point at which the Arsenal faithful may be entitled to demand that after 5 long, trophy less years, Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas might actually be able to get his hands on some silverware.

 

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger ponders his side’s Premier League ambition.

With Arsenal dumped out of the Champions League midweek to a vastly superior Barcelona side, the sole focus now is that of the League title, which may be no bad thing. One single goal to aim for may mean a greater chance in that competition, rather than splitting energy and time of others, especially when a main title rival, Manchester United, still remains in the Champions League at the time of writing.

A lot has been made in the media about Arsenal’s apparent ‘easy’ title run-in, the Gunners having played all the top 4 sides and many of the others sides vying for the final Champions League place, but the next match is a potentially gruelling game away to fierce local rivals Tottenham Hotspurs. Aside from the afore mentioned grudge between the sides, Spurs themselves are in the thick of the battle to claim the 4^th spot in the table which would lead to a much sort-after Champions League qualifier next season, so this will certainly be a game which they are as motivated as they could be, and is a game which Arsenal could very well drop points, having lost crucial momentum after the Barcelona tie, although having no match this weekend should bring about a welcome break before the final push for the big prize.

Just four days later comes another away trip, this time to the DW Stadium to play Wigan Athletic, who, although have been drawn into the relegation scrap, are a force to be reckoned with on occasion at home, as both Chelsea and Liverpool can testify to. It would also greatly hurt Arsenal fans to drop point to a side that shipped 9 goals against Tottenham however! A side who seem to get up for the big games, and one which has its Premier League safety to play for will certainly fight like dogs at home, so this game is maybe not such a foregone conclusion as it looks on the face of it.

Manchester City the following weekend, as well as Spurs, have the Champions League spot firmly in their sights, and with ex-gunner Emmanuel Adebayor returning to the Emirates for the first time after his infamous celebration after scoring against Arsenal earlier in the season and after stamping on Robin van Persie’s face, this is sure to be another spicy encounter. City will also take heart from how they despatched Arsenal 4-2 at Eastlands at the start of the season, and are looking to be hitting a rich vein of form after trouncing Burnley 6-1 last weekend.

 

Ex-gunner Emmanuel Adebayor celebrates infront of the Arsenal faithful after scoring in City’s 4-2 win of his old employers.

The final two games consist of an away trip to Lancashire to face Blackburn Rovers, and Fulham at home to finish the season, on June 9^th, two sides that can put in useful performances on their day, especially Fulham, but the Cottagers may be preoccupied if their fine Europa League run has continued to the final.

So far from being an easy run of fixtures which Arsenal will stroll though without any problems, they are all potential ‘banana skins’ which all could prove the final blow to a run in which Arsène Wenger’s side cannot afford major slip ups if they are to peg back Chelsea and Manchester United, who, although are 3 and 1 point ahead respectively which may seem like one loss for each would put Arsenal top, but such is their superior goal difference, that Chelsea need to drop points in two games and Arsenal need to win every game to overtake them.

If Arsenal are to be Champions, they must really earn it in the coming weeks, starting with getting over the immense disappointment of the Champions League elimination, and then back into the fire of the North London derby. Even greater is the task as it is without skipper Cesc Fabregas, William Gallas, and possibly Andrey Arshavin. Wenger’s faith in his youngster’s mettle will really be tested.