Arsenal: Arsene’s Lazarus complex

Michael Foster returns after a break to discuss the changing constitution of the Premier League…and Arsenal…

Arsene Wenger does lend himself well to Hollywood Movie similes. Arsenal fans probably view him as a James Bond-esque figure. Just when he’s been tied to a chair by the evil billionaire terrorist, Wenger manages to use the concealed laser hidden in his wristwatch to cut through his bonds, storm the villain’s lair, save the world and snog the blonde Russian supermodel. Spurs fans however probably view him as Alien. Just when they thought he was dead and they’d escaped to freedom…arrgh he’s with them in the escape capsule!

It looks like the dancing on Wengers grave was a tad premature, and there is plenty of roasted crow to be eaten. To be fair though, it was pretty inconceivable a couple of months ago that Arsenal would be willing to spend 40 million quid on Ozil. That moment of inspired insanity, combined with the bizarre (at the time) free transfer of Flamini and the sudden emergence of Aaron Ramsey as the Premier League’s Welsh player du jour, has left Arsenal sitting very pretty indeed.

That and the fact no other team beneath them has been consistently picking up the points. Chelsea have been solid but uninspiring, Manchester City have been stunning at home yet can’t replicate their performances on the road, Liverpool’s fortunes depend on how many goals are scored by either Suarez or Sturridge, and Spurs are currently Bambi-like, trying to find their feet as they come to terms with their new existence. And as for Man United, well, the press have probably stuck the boot in David Moyes enough for now.

I suppose we all got a bit carried away with the flurried transfer activity from certain teams. We were all convinced that the table was about to be overturned and a new era was to be ushered in. Yet what Arsenal have proved is that maintaining the status quo in a time of uncertainty, while making a super transfer which is as much of a morale booster as a squad booster, is often just as effective as rewriting an entire team’s DNA with expensive investments. It says a lot when you can count the league losses Arsenal have incurred since their defeat to Spurs last March on the fingers of one hand. Their rejuvenation has been something to behold.

Thing is though, that Arsenal haven’t looked unbeatable this season. It will be truly interesting to see how they cope when they play Manchester City at the Etihad soon. The current league leaders against a team irresistible at home, an enticing, lip smacking prospect indeed (and one guaranteed to eventually end a 1-1 draw). But in their weekend match against Everton they were often outmuscled in the midfield, and were often pegged back by the high tempo passing game of their opponents. Yet they always manage to find a goal from somewhere, and when you have the likes of Giroud, Ramsey and Ozil all in top form, it’s no wonder they are where they are. I know Arsenal fans are getting narked off by the scepticism about their title credentials, but if they maintain their frightening consistency against Man City and Chelsea, then they will certainly have become the front runners.

Everton themselves have been surprising this season. Everyone thought it would take a few months to adapt to life under Martinez, but right off the bat Everton have been tough to break down yet have played fantastic, attacking football. Not all of it is down to their magnificent loan signings or the press fawning over Ross Barkley (don’t you just love the phrase ‘he’s got a lot of development to do but…’) Players like Pienaar and McCarthy have also impressed. Martinez’s stock continues to rise at the same time as Everton’s, for whom a top four finish is no longer a pipe dream. They need two problems rectifying however. They need to develop a killer instinct to stop drawing so many games, and they have to have a sit down and think of what happens when Chelsea, Barcelona and Man City come wanting their players back.

The point can be made that Arsenal’s early lead in the table is more down to the weaknesses of the top teams, and that is a factor. But claiming this is the only reason would be to do disservice to how teams throughout the league have strengthened. The Premier League is now a much more level playing field than it has been in the past, with teams like Newcastle, Southampton and Swansea in possession of some real talent capable of giving any team a tough day. Let’s not forget how even teams round the drop zone like Cardiff and even Sunderland have managed to whip out the odd surprise. Instead of a league which descends into a two/three horse race teams are now close knit and jostling side by side. Instead of bemoaning the weaknesses in the top teams, perhaps we should celebrate the strength running through the league which is now making it so competitive.

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