Is it Arsenal’s Year?

Back in March, shortly after Arsenal’s acquisition of Andrei Arshavin, we wrote of the embarrassment of striking riches at their disposal. Back then we forecast they’d sell Adebayor, and if the money was used correctly, this season

“could be the Arsenal renaissance”

Then again, when we gave Andrei Arshavin the ‘Player of the Second Half of the Season’ we said:

“Arsenal will be a force to be reckoned with next season”

So we’ve already stuck our necks out, predicted Arsenal would do well, would surprise those who claimed theyd drop from the top four, and in fact, at around 10/1, were an outstanding bet for the title:

“Starting with one of the more controversial ones… People are writing Arsenal off this season, saying this is the year they drop out of the top four – but if their wealth of attacking talent (RVP, Arshavin, Fabregas, Eduardo, Walcott, Bendtner, Rosicky, et al) clicks, they will be irresistible. On their day Arsenal can blow any team away, and if they add a strong defensive midfielder they could make the 10/1 odds for them to win the league look enormous”

So what are we doing here? Going balls out and predicting they will win the Premier League? After the first weekend of the season, it’s tempting to get the bandwagon rolling. Of course Arsenal’s performance has a bearing, their incredible 6-1 win over hapless Everton is some statement of intent. But it’s also the performance of the rest of the Big Four that will give encouragement to N7. Chelsea huffed and puffed, and lacked spark to edge past Hull in stoppage time – Man Utd had incredible amounts of ball against Birmingham without ever putting the game safe – and worst of all Liverpool looked anaemic and blunt in defeat to Tottenham. Let’s not start on Man City – they will just not win it.

All of those sides (except perhaps Chelsea) have been weakened in the close season – Ronaldo and Alonso were integral to their respective sides last season, and leave huge voids, while althogh Chelsea have retained personnel they are an old side who can look pedestrian. Again, ignore Man City when talking about Champions…

Of course, after one game, it’s far too early to draw any conclusions. But the Arsenal ‘feeling’ has been festering here for a few months, as the articles above show. And the weekend only did more to convince us.

The 10/1 has long since gone – but I’m off to back Arsenal at 6s… They might not win it, but that is cracking value.