Everton’s win over Arsenal has seen the Gunners rocked with the naysayers wasting no time in questioning the title credentials of the team that has been the most consistent in the Premier League. Prior to the blip in the ground that has now become the host to regular Satanball, Arsenal had played 19 games, won 16 and had two stalemates against Southampton and Newcastle, which is title winning form if you ask me.
Following the loss to Everton, Mikel Arteta said a lot in his post-match press conference, but I’d lay some emphasis on what he wants his team to do in the next game,
“I want the team to know how much I love them. I love them much more now than three hours ago, a week ago, month ago, three months ago. It’s very easy to be next to the players when they are winning and performing. This is the moment I love my players more, the staff more and now we stick together. This journey is going to be difficult and challenging, and there’s going to be bigger stones in the middle that we’re going to have to overcome that. And now we’re going to prepare really well in the week to get to Saturday in the right emotional level and right spirit to be perfect.”
Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles of 2004 may still be the only team not to lose a game in the Premier League and win the damn thing, but defeats are also part and parcel of the game. The defending champions, Man City, lost three games last season, a shocking home loss to Crystal Palace, and a Spurs home and away double, but their 29 wins and six draws were more than enough to secure the title.
The title race has always been a marathon, not a sprint and as you expect in a marathon, there are times even the Haile Gebrselassie’s of this world take breaks and reduce their pace, only to surge for the final push at the business end of the race. Arsenal has to play Brentford next week Saturday, before hosting their title rivals, Manchester City, then there are some tough visits to Unai Emery’s Aston Villa and Leicester before hosting Everton in the rescheduled fixture on March 1st.
Speaking of Man City, unless you’re living under a rock with no access to internet, Cable TV or social media, you must have heard about the 100 charges labeled against them by the Premier League. Arseblog’s Andrew Mangan covered it in this fantastic piece. Worth a read.
There have also been talks of the potential sanctions Man City can face, ranging from relegation from the Premier League, fines and my personal favorite, points deduction. I’m not really in support of just fines, because its like water off a duck’s back, with the amount of financial power the club has, but when you’re out there cooking your books and posting irregular numbers, there was to be some ramifications like, you know, points deduction.
Take a good look at Juventus, a club never far from scandals, if you recall the Calciopoli indicent that saw them relegated to Serie B, but they have been docked 15 points this season by the Italian FA for “financial irregularities” and “false accounting” in relation to historic transfer dealings – the exchange of players between clubs. Those points deductions has seen the club dropped to 10th place this season, a whooping 30 points behind the league leaders, Napoli.
I know Man City has denied all the charges and investigations are ongoing, but some antics are expected to take its toll on the team, and the performances haven’t really helped. There was the strange departure of star defender, Joao Cancelo, that got everyone bemused, especially the FPL universe, and their recent outings haven’t been that impressive on the pitch, to match the mess ongoing off it.
The title race is in full effect, and Man City has to also be mindful of their neighbors, Manchester United, that has been in a rich vein of form, and a win tonight against managerless Leeds will put both Manchester clubs level on points at 45, even though Man Utd would have played a game more, and still have a shitty goal difference.
We will keep enjoying the drama the Premier League continues to unfold and hopefully, it will end with Arsenal being triumphant.
Sayonara.
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