I hope this season Arsenal will shrug off their years of under-achieving and will perform to their potential in the Barclays Premier League. Past four-five years have been difficult for an Arsenal fan but they have been patient and I am confident this Arsenal side will surprise us all in the new year.
Their opening fixture against Liverpool is quite tricky. It is going to be tough for Liverpool. They have had a lot of troubles during the summer break, so at the moment it is difficult to predict how their season will shape up. However, I hope Arsenal win the match as it will set the tone for rest of the season.
Arsenal didn’t really deliver in crunch matches last season and that cost them dear. They have to change that trend this season.
Under Arsene Wenger, the team looks better than ever. Arsene is very ambitious person, and can bring the best out of his players.
He is a perfectionist. So, sometimes it is very demanding to play under him. But in the end, as a player you are going to benefit from it. He has developed a very good side with some exciting new youngsters and with Cesc Fabregas staying put, I think Arsenal really should challenge Manchester United and Chelsea for the title.
If Arsenal don’t get things going their way, I believe it will be either United or Chelsea who will end up winning the title. Both these teams have spent cautiously but have got the right players who support their system.
And when we speak about spending money, we really can’t ignore Manchester City, can we? Last I heard of them was their intention to buy Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Barcelona for 96 million pounds. Well, that is simply astounding! Guys, this doesn’t represent football. This is just about a rich guy who is creating a different market for himself.
Unfortunately for these investors, they want too many big players. They should buy someone who can win them trophies. They can invest in the club’s infrastructure, the youth development and look forward to the long term.
But I still feel City are capable of challenging Arsenal, United and Chelsea for the title.
One team I am excited about is Tottenham. They have peaked last season and Harry Redknapp has done an incredible job with this side. This season, though, will be different for them. They do not have the experience to play in the Champions League and that could be a tough challenge for them. How they balance between EPL and Champions League will be interesting.
All in all, for any team aspiring to be champions, merely having good start won’t matter. As we have seen over the last few seasons, the teams have to measure themselves and play consistently.
— As told to Mihir Vasavda
