Can Arsenal Retain The Top Spot in the Premier League?

The Premier League kicked off this August, with 20 teams fighting for the esteemed title and to be named the champions of England. Heading into the third week of the league football season, Arsenal holds the number 1 spot in the premier league; much to the surprise of many football pundits.

History of Arsenal F.C:

Established in 1886, Arsenal is one of the first football clubs in the history of English football. The Gunners rose to fame after their entry into first division football. Arsenal won their first four league titles in a successive manner, shaking up the football world and establishing their supremacy.

Since then, the team has won 8 more league titles with the most recent being in 2004, when the Gunners did not register a single defeat under the command of Arsene Wenger. The 2003/04 squad received the nickname “The Invincibles” led by Thierry Henry, one of the greatest strikers in football history.

Currently, Arsenal enjoys one of the biggest fan bases in club football and consequently, a strong financial position. However, the North Londoners have been subjected to criticism numerous times, with many pundits questioning their legacy.

Club’s Performance (1985-Present)

Despite cementing its superiority earlier than most clubs in English football, Arsenal has been inconsistent in the premier league. Out of 13 league titles, Arsenal has won only 4 since 1985, with three of them coming after Arsene Wenger’s appointment as team manager in 1996.

The Gooners were thrilled with Wenger as the manager as he won his first league title just after a year of his appointment. Supporters went absolutely lunatic as it seemed impossible to clinch the league trophy in that decade dominated by Manchester United. Wenger put Arsenal on notice with “The Invincibles”, re-establishing their image as European giants.

However, what should have been the start of a dominant era became the start of another stint that continues to this day. The team has acquired superstars like Robin Van Persie, Cesc Fabregas, and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang in an attempt to reignite their title hopes, but all in vain. Arsenal has won 3 FA Cups since 2004, but is yet to win a major award. If you think your luck might be better than Arsenal’s, give it a test run at the online casino777 blackjack.

Arsenal’s Current Premier League Run:

With the Gunners at the top of the table, Arsenal supporters are excited and elated with how their team is performing. It has been a while since the Gunners started the season in such dominant fashion Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta brought the Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City this season, and he went to work right away, scoring 3 goals in his first 6 matches. The talisman received the iconic number 9 from the French striker Lacazette, after he failed to be the leading marksman for the team.

However, the supporters are skeptical of the team’s performance, and rightly so. This is not the first time that Arsenal has started off with a bang, only to slide down the table gradually as the season progresses. The team has failed to secure their spot in the top 4 since 2015 and have not competed in the Champions league as a result. The Gunners came closest to securing the 4^th spot last year but ended short due to the dismal performance in their last 10 matches.

Prediction:

It is hard to predict what this season holds for the Gunners. Following the exit of Wenger in 2018, Arsenal is assumed to be going through a rebuilding phase, in the coaching staff and players.

Having said that, Arsenal has shown signs of improvement since the appointment of Arteta as Arsenal’s manager. The former Arsenal skipper and Manchester City Assistant head coach has been deemed by many as the right fit for the job, given his association with the club and his exposure as a player and a coach. Arteta significantly contributed to the success of Manchester City, and acted as the perfect advisor for Pep Guardiola.

With young prospects such as Gabriel Jesus, Bakayo Saka and Martinelli under the right management, Arsenal might beat the curse of inconsistency this season and bring the direly needed premier league title back to the Emirates Stadium this season.