The newspaper journalists are unfair on Arsenal

By 1970's Gooner

I am surprised at the negative way the British press is reporting Arsenal's failure to progress in the CL. They make it sound as though we were rubbish over the two legs, that we are an also run team and that we are not serious contenders for major honours.

Although there is an element of truth in this I feel they are missing the wood for the trees. They are forgetting the following:

- Arsenal have won 20 of their last 25 games! Inclusive of this win at Monaco who have not let a goal in in their last 14 home games.

- All these know it all journalists seem to forget that their PL champions elect, Chelsea, were knocked out of the CL at home, in the same round as Arsenal, by a team playing with 10 men since the 31st minute while they were 2 1 up!

Yet no one of this fine journalists dared to SERIOUSLY challenge the mental attitude of the Chelsea players, their apparent naivety at seeing the game through and come to that their ability to see this PL campaign through.

- Were it not for a run of a large number of injuries at the beginning of the season, a World Cup hangover and Wenger's stubborn refusal to buy defensive reinforcements during the summer, Arsenal would be above Chelsea at the moment in the PL.

- Even after all this I believe that we can mount a serious challenge for the PL THIS season. Chelsea are beginning to run out of steam while Arsenal are gathering a very strong momentum. There are still 9 games to go (Chelsea have 10) and all you need is for Chelsea to lose two and draw two... Ok you may feel that is stretching it a bit but is it really? They have to play us at the Emirates don't forget...

- And finally one must consider that Arsenal have only last season managed to bring the stadium debt to comfortable levels. This means that Wenger's astute management during the 9 lean years can now end and he can reinforce the team with high quality players. As he has been doing. 

But this cannot be done in time zero. You need time to build a title winning team just as Chelsea and Man City did. Wenger is in his first season of a three year project (contract). Believe me he will deliver. 

BECAUSE HE CAN SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TRESS