Why Arsenal Will Win The Premier League

If Manchester Utd, City or Chelsea where currently sitting in the position that Arsenal find themselves in, 4 points ahead of second place, then people would be saying that they are in with the best shout of winning the title and that only their own mistakes would be the reason for them missing out on it. However, with Arsenal top of the league, people are still saying they are not favourites to win the Premier League this year, it is almost assumed that they are going to mess up somehow at some point. Manchester City are even still odds on to win the league despite being 4 points behind the Gunners.

However, I am not sure why this is. Of course there is the obvious fact that Arsenal have not won any silverware for eight years, however, with Aaron Ramsey bang on form and Mesut Ozil seeming to bring the best out of everyone, more and more people are coming round to the idea of the London team lifting the title.

Where Arsenal have failed in the past is when it comes to beating teams they really should be beating, they often drop points. At the very start of the year they lost 3-1 to Villa and people believed the tradition would continue, however after their 3-0 win away to Cardiff, a different tune is being sung.

Let's not forget, Cardiff beat Manchester City and achieved a draw with Utd. Southampton beat Utd and Liverpool but both of these teams suffered in the hands of Arsenal. And the win over Cardiff was nothing short of a hammering, and what's more, in style.

This was Arsenals third clean sheet in four league games, showing their defensive problems appear to be over. Their midfield is incredible, I would say the best in the Premier league especially with Aaron Ramsey being in the form he is in currently. Arsenal have now also scored 27 goals this season, they appear to be the real deal.

A lot of the recent success can be put down to Mesut Ozil. This signing has done so much for Arsenal, firstly because he is a wonderful player and has been assisting for fun since signing the dotted line, but also for the change of mood he brought to the club. He excited fans, the other players and has made everyone up their game. Fans had long been crying out for a big name signing after selling Fabregas, Nasri, Van Persie etc. and now they have one, Arsenal appear to have turned a corner.

It is true that Arsenal have not really had to face the toughest of opposition, although they did pick up a win over Liverpool, they lost to Utd and still have to play the likes of Tottenham away, Chelsea and Manchester City in which their season could be turned around completely. However, they have shown they can do the business against the big boys having dominated their group in the Champions League, containing last years runners up.

Arsenal have 11 different scorers this year, joint most with Everton, which shows they have a good team. Often it is the teams who share the goals around who do well, unlike teams such as Liverpool (Suarez) and Manchester Utd (Rooney) who look to one man to score all their goals. However it is undeniable that Arsenal need to sign a world class striker.

Giroud has put in some good displays this season, but he is not as prolific as you would expect of a title winning striker. The only back up Arsenal have is Walcott, Podolski and Bendtner, none of these have set the Premier league alight. If Arsenal were to sign a Rooney or a Suarez they would have a terrific chance of wining the Premier League, this would make a statement that they are in this to win and they are going to achieve that goal.

While there is still a long way to go, I think Arsenal have shown enough for people to take them seriously as title contenders. I may eat my words come May when they are celebrating a fourth placed finish, however I feel Arsenal can for the first time in years, realistically win the title.

Seven Days Of Christmas Sackings

25th November - Guy Whittingham: Portsmouth (17th, League 2) 

Guy Whittingham was the first victim of this mass manager sacking week after being in charge of Portsmouth for just over a year. Whittingham was originally appointed as a temporary manager after Appleton left for the Blackpool job, however after impressing he was given the job. He lead Portsmouth to a bottom of the table finish in league one, meaning Portsmouth are now in division 2, although to be fair this was with a minus ten point penalty to deal with and the club had just come out of a 14 month spell in administration.

Portsmouth are only 6 points above the league 2 relegation zone and after a fourth successive defeat, relegation from the football league altogether just could not be risked.


27th November - Richie Barker: Crawley Town (15th, League 1) 

Scoring just one goal in seven games was enough o get Crawley Town boss Richie Barker the sack. Barker had been in charge for just over a year after taking the role following Steve Evans departure to Rotherham. Last season Crawley Town finished 10th in league one but they were expecting to be improving on that this year. Despite only scoring one goal in seven, the Red Devils are actually unbeaten in their last four games, however Barker could understand that goalscoring was a problem.


28th November - Sean O'Driscoll: Bristol City (23rd, League 1) 

The third man to go was Bristol City boss O'Driscoll who left with only two wins in 18 games and Bristol deep in to the relegation zone of League 1. Sean took over Bristol last season with the club deep in to relegation troubles in the Championship. Ultimately he was unable to save them, however now they face the same situation but a whole division lower.

Sean decided to completely change the squad around over the Summer and it does not appear to be a plan that has worked in his favour. City have one of the biggest budgets in division one and should really be pushing for promotion, however, failing to win their first 12 games has set them off on the wrong foot and the owners felt a change was needed. This is their seventh change in three years however....


30th November - David Flitcroft: Barnsley (24th Championship) 

Bottom of the league Barnsley relieved manager David Flitcroft of his duties on the final day of November, less than a year since he was appointed. The Tykes are not only bottom of the league but they also have the worst defence stats as well. Last season, appointed in January, Flitcroft managed to successfully guide Barnsley to safety where it looked they could be relegated, however with the club 6 points from safety it looks as though they may have to find someone else to do that job again this year.


1st December - Martin Jol: Fulham (18th Premier League) 

After five straight defeats, Fulham lie just inside the relegation zone of the Premier league, somewhere they just cannot afford to be. Jol has been at Craven Cottage for two and a half years and despite being a popular manager, the owners felt he had to go. Jol was very gracious in being removed stating there are "better days" ahead for Fulham. He understood the decision after his final game was a 3-0 defeat by West Ham in which Fulham failed to register a single shot on target.


1st December - Dave Jones: Sheffield Wednesday (23rd Championship) 

With Sheffield Wednesday once again in relegation trouble, Wednesday have taken the decision to remove Dave Jones as manager. The Owls had lost their last three games. Dave Jones lead the club to promotion from league 1 in his first season in charge. Wednesday are the only side in the football league who do not have a single clean sheet to their name.

Last season, Wednesday only just survived relegation finishing in 18th place and the board do not want to take another risk this year. Bottom club Barnsley made the first move by sacking Flitcroft just the day before and Wednesday quickly followed suit.


2nd December - Owen Coyle: Wigan (14th Championship)

To complete the week of managerial changes, Owen Coyle has left Wigan by "mutual consent". Wigan are the highest placed team to change their manager over this last week as they currently sit 14th in the Championship, however, having only just been relegated from the Premier league they were hoping to bounce straight back.

Wigan had a odd season last year, winning the FA Cup and therefore playing in Europe this year, however they were also relegated from the Premier League. Boss Roberto Martinez decided to leave the club and is currently having a very successful spell at Everton.

Coyle won only seven games for Wigan and they are currently 6 points off the play offs, not really promotion form. On the other hand Wigan are having a decent time in Europe and still have a chance to qualify for the last 32. It would surely be easier for them to be competing in the Championship when they are knocked out of Europe, something which Wigan probably should have thought about.

Wigan did make some impressive signings over the Summer, with Grant Holt being an example, a proven Premier League goalscorer, however they have failed to impress in the Championship as of yet this season.