The Old Guards Gunning For The Top Once Again

This topsy-turvy season has seen Leicester City sitting at the top of the Premiership (and still are there now), having been dead last for a considerable length last year; Tottenham Hotspur put in possibly their best ever season in the Premier League to date… but right behind them sits an old guard. A team that knows how to do it, on more than one occasion, and wants to spoil both fairytale stories of those ahead.

Except they too have an urge to get the job done. Arsenal, three-time Premier League winners (along with ten other top division titles) sit in 3rd, behind Spurs on goal difference, and Leicester who are 2 points clear. It’s been 12 years since the “Invincibles” season where the Gunners last took the title – and did so with 26 wins, 12 draws and not a single loss. It made them the second team in the top division to achieve such a feat, and the first in the 38-game season. Because of this incredible feat, a special golden version of the Premiership title (usually silver) was presented to them.

But one FA Cup trophy came a year later, then… nothing. Arsene Wenger’s team went nine seasons without a single trophy. Nada. Nil. Zilch. Many a call came from fans and higher ups calling for Wenger to leave the club, but despite all that Arsene remained. It took a long time, but the dedication to the Premier League’s longest serving current manager paid off in 2014, where they’d finally reclaim the FA Cup again (before repeating the feat the following season, giving them the most FA Cup wins of all time).

North London is red – this is for the Gunners who agree with that statement 100%!

Add to that two Community Shields, and Arsenal have taken four trophies in the last 2 and a half seasons. Yet, the biggest accolade of all still eludes them. Now is their best chance for a very long time to end the drought. Defending champions Chelsea are well out of it, Liverpool are plenty behind, even Manchester United are out of the picture and Manchester City have been falling away recently.

So imagine that even with all those big teams out of the way, Arsenal still aren’t at the top. In fact, they’re behind their biggest rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester, of all teams…

While Leicester have stunned, Arsenal must still hold belief they can catch and overtake the East Midlands side once again – the Gunners will be the only team this season to do the double over the Foxes. Spurs are doing even better than usual, but Arsenal have ended up ahead of them in the league each and every single one of the past 20 seasons. Theoretically speaking, this should be Arsenal’s title to romp away with now. But this season has proven that any normality can be thrown out the window.

The upcoming games for the remainder of the season don’t particularly lend to one team having an advantage over the other, either: All three teams still have to play Manchester United, Arsenal and Spurs still have to play again, and Leicester and Tottenham both have a rejuvenated Chelsea to face in their final two games (Spurs first, then Leicester last).

It’s been 12 years since the “Invincibles” gave Arsenal their latest Premier League title… can the current group of players end the drought?

So what could be the deciding factor? Outside competitions. Arsenal are still in the Champions League, facing Barcelona tonight over two legs, as well as still in contention to retain their FA Cup once again – and with a replay against Hull City to play, it’s yet another game that could fatigue the Gunners.

While Tottenham dropped out of the FA Cup this past weekend, they’re still part of the Europa League as they face Fiorentina in the 2nd leg of their game against them later this week. It currently stands 1-1, but with an away goal advantage for Spurs they could advance further still.

As for league leaders, Leicester? Nothing – their only focus until the end of the season is the Premier League. 12 more matches is all they have, no matter what. And with nine games in-a-row which, theoretically (again using that dangerous word) they should be looking to win – it’s a chance to try and put some gaps in against the other two.

Experience is always a massive advantage, however. Arsenal know how to keep going, even when the pressure’s on – something they’ll have over Spurs and Leicester. Despite more games than the rest, don’t expect the red side of North London to disappear. They’ll be in it until the end.

Oh, did we mention Manchester City are only four points off Arsenal…?

Ashley Redman
Still in contention to win the Premier League himself