It was a big win but can Arsenal push on from here?
Let’s hope it wasn’t just a false dawn, Leicester wheels coming off, lucky or even just a bright spot in a somewhat challenging season.
Arsenal’s 3-1 win away to Leicester, the first time the side has won there since that season when the Foxes won the Premier League, could and should the catalyst for better things between now and the end of the season.
Sure, Leicester ended up being hampered by injuries but that must not take away from 85 of the better minutes of football delivered by Mikel Arteta’s team this season.
How many times have we seen Arsenal go behind to a soft early goal and then just know that was game over before it got started? The best online casinos must have been raking it in at that point – early inplay betting on another defeat for the Gunners.
Fortunately, not this time.
Nicolas Pepe looked a threat throughout, possibly his best performance in an Arsenal shirt since he signed back in August 2019.
Willian, accused of being in ‘mourning’ for leaving Chelsea by Martin Keown, reminded us of what we’d seen him do in blue and what we saw him do against Fulham in creating two of the goals.
David Luiz, apart from that very bizarre blip where he and Bernd Leno got sent off, has actually been very good this season and Granit Xhaka is starting to show why Arteta was prepared to back him and, more importantly, not sell him.
Don’t forget, this win was notched up with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bakayo Saka on the bench and Leicester were looking to move into second if they won.
The win moved the Gunners into the top ten (I know, it’s only the top ten) but when you consider it’s Burnley next, then that lot, then West Ham and then Liverpool you have to feel there is a chance to put a little run together that could boost belief and confidence.
I’m not saying Arsenal will beat Spurs or Liverpool but if they can take points from both and then see off Burnley and West Ham then that could well be another solid eight points on the board. The big win casinos will be offering generous odds on that, admittedly.
From there it’s Sheffield United, Fulham, Everton and Newcastle – three wins from those matches is a must.
Then Palace and Brighton to finish the season? You can dream of six points from those, can’t you?
It’s eight points between Arsenal in 10th and West Ham in 4th. I’m not saying Arsenal can get top four, of course not – but West Ham will fall away, so might Everton, so will Villa and, hopefully, Arsenal can get above Tottenham. The only teams that will categorically finish higher from now are City, United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Leicester – so can Arsenal take 5th?
Wait and see.
