After defeating Watford on Saturday you’d be forgiven for thinking Arsenal had won the league.
The Sky Sports pundits on duty couldn’t hide their delight (one of them was Thierry Henry). It had come off the back of a previous league victory over Manchester United but all sense of perspective was lost. Fast-forward to after the Bayern Munich match and that missing perspective has done a Lord Lucan.
Arsenal fans that have been calling for Arsene Wenger’s head, even going as far to suggest Swansea boss Garry Monk as a replacement, are suddenly eying up a long overdue Premier League title and fancy their chances in Europe again. All this despite facing an uphill task to even qualify from the group stages.
So all it takes to change the direction of a club is a victory over a newly promoted side and stealing a win over the best in Europe? That’s not to say Manuel Neuer didn’t have to make some great saves but Arsenal accepted they’d only have a chance it they absorbed Bayern’s pressure and hit them on the attack.
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They managed this, so congratulations for enacting a successful game plan, but all it indicates is Wenger knows when to be savvy. It doesn’t mean Arsenal have suddenly gone to the next level. There was no talk that Manchester City had when they beat Bayern Munich 3-2… twice. If a team that’s regularly winning titles gets no rise in expectation or credit from the press after beating The Bavarians then it belies belief Arsenal have been given some.
The bipolar nature of the Arsenal fans (do they want to keep Arsene or not?) is only matched by the reports media outlets produce regarding the Gunners. They go from a team that will never win a title again under Wenger, to conquerers ready to reclaim the crown.
The truth is somewhere in the middle and it has been for a long time. Until Arsene Wenger spends money on a world class striker, and perhaps even a few more pounds on ensuring the backline is shored up, they won’t be winning any Premier League titles or seeing another Champions League final.
It’s as simple as that. Wenger has effectively signalled he doesn’t rate Olivier Giroud as a top level striker but to outright replace him would be going against his thrifty nature. There is belief – with good reason – that Theo Walcott could develop into a world class striker, but hoping he does this season is a gamble.
Except Arsene Wenger doesn’t see it as a gamble per se. His season revolves around finishing in the top four and after the preseason evaluation he was correct in assuming that it was feasible without a new front man. He also knows he can ride the occasional waves of discontent by producing big nights at the Emirates every now and again.
On their day Arsenal do play the best football in the Premier League and the Manchester United and Bayern games have shown what they are capable of. There’ll just be more games that reveal what they lack.
Until Wenger goes shopping or leaves altogether, all they’ll be winning is a few more false dawns.
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