Wenger and Walcott say Arsenal WILL challenge for title

You don’t normally hear football players and managers talking up their chances too much, but Arsenal Football club is a place full of confidence and optimism at the minute. A few days after Theo Walcott made a bold statement of intent about Arsenal and their chances of claiming the Premier League crown this season, Arsene Wenger has backed him up with some firm words of his own. Walcott was speaking after the Gunners’ win at Marseille in the Champions League made it 10 straight wins away from home. With the history of the club, including the unprecedented feat of the invincibles going a whole season unbeaten, you cannot blame Theo for getting excited about the current crop setting this new club record, as reported in the Mirror. The England international said, “I think we will push on and we can definitely challenge this year, for sure. “There is so much belief in this team at the moment and I think it’s showing. We just need to make sure we get that home form going now, the away form is absolutely fantastic. “It’s a record. I didn’t know that until after the game. “To be part of a team that has done that, in the amount of years that Arsenal has existed, is a great honour and a great achievement for everyone. “It just shows how good and talented these players are.” Sometimes listening to managers talk, it is like watching a replay over and over again, because they say the same things, almost as if there is a manager’s phrase book that they all use. One of these cliches is for a team in form to play down any possibility of going on and winning anything, but Wenger seemed happy to back Theo, perhaps trying to keep the confidence flowing, as reported by the Independent. Le Prof said, “I believe we have a chance to win the title. My energy is focused on making sure we grab that chance.” Both player and manager, however, know that Arsenal’s chances of really pushing on for the title depend on keeping the relatively small number of first team players fit. That means avoiding any more injuries and getting back the players who are already on the sidelines, but that is starting to happen. Vermaelen and Arteta could feature against Stoke, while Bendtner is almost ready to make his comeback. Cazorla is the next in line and Podolski’s recovery is going well, so it is looking good. Surely Arsenal have had all the bad luck we are due for quite a while. Do you agree that Arsenal are title contenders this season?