Review & Preview: Are we destined to win the title?

Sorry about the lack of daily posts since Friday, but it was a busy weekend, which unfortunately caused me to miss the Bolton game. However I did see highlights and read match reports and reviews, so I know what happened, but more importantly I know what the win up north meant: we're top of the league.

Yes, with the win Saturday, and Chelsea's subsequent draw at home to Man Utd, we're top of the league for the first (and hopefully not last) time this season. All of the sudden the media don't hate us anymore, and in fact I read one article in I think it was the Guardian which mentioned that because Arsene Wenger used the word magic, we are probably on course to win the premier League. But then, that's what the English media does, and a few weeks from now they'll be saying we're on course to finish mid-table. But for this week at least, I'm enjoying the lessening of media attacks on Arsenal.

Of course the other thing to love is this (the league table). It doesn't happen very often (though I wish it would) but for this week at least we and Sp*rs are at opposite ends of the table. We are of course first, and even though Tottenham are often dreadful they aren't often last while we are first. Truly then this is a moment to savour.

It seems like now for the last two seasons in a row we have surprised the critics, and perhaps ourselves by finding ourselves top of the league by mid-September. Hopeful this time around though we've learned our lessons and are more prepared for this year's title push. You know, I truly to see history repeating itself this season and last, and I've noticed it since March, when we started our slide out of first; now my prediction that history would repeat itself is hopefully coming true. It's a similarity which has been missed by many Arsenal commentators and I hope this does indeed happen. Here's what I mean:

We seem to mirroring the events of exactly five years ago. In the 2002-03 season, we led the league for most of the season (i.e.-2007-08) but then a series of events and bad results in spring saw us lose the title to Manchester United despite playing well enough to win it for most of the season (i.e.-2007-08). We won the final few games of the season, but it did nothing other than give us a bit of pride after giving away the title (i.e.-2007-08). Then came the 2003-04 season (i.e. 2008-09). We took an early lead of the Premiership and went on to win the title unbeaten. Now obviously we won't go unbeaten this season (we lost at Fulham) but do you see the parallels? I hope against hope that history is repeating itself and we are destined to win the title this season, and if we do, my history repetition theory will have been proved correct.

Now a bit about this Tuesday evening's match. According to Arsene Wenger, we may be fielding our youngest ever Carling Cup side with Song and Djourou being our "experienced veterans". Here's the quote:

“There is a possibility [it will be the youngest side ever],” said Wenger. “In the first team there are many players around 20. In the Carling Cup we will keep a few in there but the side will be more between 16 and 19. At Arsenal you can say 20 and 21-year-olds are the experienced players.
“You are likely to see Gavin Hoyte, Abu Ogogu, Aaron Ramsey, Mark Randall, Jack Wilshere, Fran Merida and Carlos Vela. Maybe Bendtner will play. Song, Djourou and Lukasz Fabianski will be the experienced players. But you will have players like Emmanuel Frimpong and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas so it will be a very young side.”

There you have it then. We are going to see a very young and inexperienced side line up on Tuesday night, but then when do we not in the Carling cup? I'm looking forward to the match, and I'm going to be positive and predict 2-0. To be perfectly honest, these matches with our youth players are almost impossible to predict, but we've become accustomed to seeing the Carling Cup sides Wenger puts out do well, so Im' not too concerned.

Until the match review, I'll be watching the Sheffield Utd game with interest.

Fab 4