The witty opinion on the banter block is that watching Arsenal is like watching Netflix... you wait for the next season.
In the past two seasons the red-and-white-clad men from north London enhanced their reputation as part of the English Premier League chase conversation, a contest which before had been an absorbing and enthralling preserve of Manchester City and Liverpool.
Mikel Arteta had seen enough of the battle of wits between Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, so he gatecrashed the party. His Gunners will misfire no longer. He propelled them from pushovers to earn the right to be title contenders.
His project seemed poised to finally produce the goods and inject the Emirates faithful with intense excitement for the English crown they were last adorned with when Frenchman Arsene Wenger masterminded the famous 2003-04 Invincibles season.
Arteta’s Arsenal powered forward with irrepressible intent. They purred to the point of being faultless. Expectation simmered that their plot to get over the line at the third time of asking would bear fruit.
But they flattered to deceive, with successive campaigns going up in smoke with the final line in sight. They appear to be fluffing their lines, already lagging City and Liverpool, doing a disservice to the bid to add to their 13 league titles.
They appear to be fluffing their lines, already lagging City and Liverpool, doing a disservice to the bid to add to their 13 league titles
It is way too early, with 10 games into the season. But the stakes are high for those hoping to finish in pole position on May 25. But Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United does damage Arsenal’s title aspirations.
That reverse, coupled with a 2-0 beating at Bournemouth, places their challenge further off the pace and may prove a costly defeat at the final count. It’s been an uncharacteristic stuttering start highlighted by a poor return of a single point from their last three outings which they gained against Liverpool at home.
For a team trying to fight for the title, one shot on target against Bournemouth and Newcastle should be a cause for concern, given that they had developed a ravenous appetite for free scoring. They have fallen to fifth and may fall further down the log should Aston Villa and Chelsea triumph over Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United today.
Without Martin Odegaard orchestrating matters in midfield there seems to be no way forward for Arteta’s men. They missed their Norwegian captain due to an ankle injury suffered while on duty for Norway in a Nations League clash in early September.
According to Arteta, Odegaard is in the final stages of his recovery and may be available for Wednesday’s Champions League clash away to Inter Milan.
The sooner they get him back in the saddle the better for their chances to get their campaign back on track. Adding to dropped points is ill-discipline which saw Arsenal get three red cards in the opening eight games of the season with the dismissals of William Saliba, Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice.
Speaking to Michael Owen on my podcast in August, the former Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United, Stoke City striker asserted that Arteta was poised to scupper Guardiola’s attempt for an unparalleled fifth consecutive EPL title and become only the second Spaniard to reign supreme in England.
“They’ve got so much desire in their squad, their manager, they are desperate to win it. Over the years they’ve been getting better and better, last season being their best performance.
“They took City right down to the wire and have signed one or two players. They are getting a little bit stronger; they don’t have an old squad. Maybe that extra year of experience is going to help them. The club is building towards something quite special. They are best positioned to challenge City,” said Owen.
Things don’t look so convincing right now. They could get worse if Unai Emery continues to fire Villa and Enzo Maresco to shake the blues out of Chelsea. Even their Jesus, Gabriel that is, can’t save them. But there are still 28 matches to go.
With apologies to Charles Leonard, Stuart Hess, Sazi Hadebe, Mahlatse Mphahlele, Ron Derby, Kgomotso Mokoena, Carlos Amato, Amukelani Chauke and ahem, S'thembiso Msomi. The devil made me do it, gents.
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