Promising Signs at Arsenal

For those who read my blog last month about my concerns as an Arsenal fan regarding our hopes of securing a top-4 finish this season, this blog may just be a cause for a wry smile coming across your faces.

Last month I wrote;

“Arsenal have been tipped up year after year to miss out on a Champions League place, and each year they have proved their doubters wrong. This year, for the first time, I will also be one of the people they will need to prove wrong. I no longer believe that are good enough to hang with the big boys.”

It gives me a great deal of joy/embarrassment to roll back on what I said a mere two weeks ago. Although we are just 3 games in to the new campaign, I can’t help but feel that Arsenal are looking good, really good.

I held off on writing this blog for a week because I wanted to see how the Liverpool game panned out first, but after a very well-organized and impressive display, offensively but particularly defensively, I’m very impressed with Arsenal thus far. They are the only team in the league that are yet to concede a goal. (These are words I never thought I’d mention in a blog.)

While Sunderland and Stoke may not have posed the most significant goal scoring threat that Arsenal will see this season, it was a promising start from Wenger’s men/boys, and it showed us a glimpse of how Steve Bould’s coaching skills are paying off. Liverpool away was the real test however. Jenkinson stood in for Sagna, probably the most consistent full back in the league. Mannone stood in for Szczesny and Mertesacker linked up with Tommy Vermaelen.

Anfield was a real test, and the squad came up trumps. There was a hunger to be organised, a desire to fight for every bit of possession, and an emphasis to get back and cover for out-of-position teammates. Arsenal had performed like this in their previous two games, but failed to find the back of the net when it mattered. This all changed on Sunday, and two goals from new boys Podolski and Carzola secured all three points.

While Liverpool are not one of the best teams in the league, they can certainly beat any team on their day. In comparison to Manchester City’s performance at Merseyside the weekend before, Arsenal were able to contain Liverpool and the outcome of the game always looked in their hands.

Abou Diaby is coming into his own. Having played a mere ninety minutes last season in total, he has featured in a full pre-season programme and so far so good. In fact, he looks better than good. He pulled the strings in midfield and made great players like Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez look ordinary at times.

While strength in depth may still prove to be an issue this season, Arsenal have Wilshere, Sagna and Rosicky to return. In the meantime, Arsenal are grinding out decent results, not conceding goals, and showing more defensive organisation than they have since the famous back five ran rampant in our glory days.

Am I jumping to conclusions? Perhaps. Only time will tell.