We’re nearly half way through the season and Arsenal find themselves top of the Premier League and in the semi final of the Carling Cup, where the second highest placed team remaining is 14th in the top division. For a side that haven’t won a major trophy since their FA Cup triumph in 2005, things are shaping up well for at least some silverware to make it way into the Emirates trophy room. But with all of Arsenal’s undoubted talent, one question still remains; have they rediscovered the killer instinct to finish the job?
The Carling Cup may not be top on the list of priorities for many teams, but it is still a major trophy up for grabs, and with all due respect to the clubs left in the competition, Arsenal must be favourites, especially having drawn Championship side Ipswich in the semi finals. The Carling Cup, being the first piece of silverware (apart from the Community Shield) available in the season, also represents an excellent springboard for the rest of the Premier League season. To win the competition from such a powerful position, with all other major sides having been dumped out of the Carling Cup, will provide a timely confidence boost at a time when the race for the title will really be hotting up.
Results in the league also provide hope that this Arsenal team are made of sterner stuff than their predecessors of the past 5 seasons. After an energy-sapping and soul-destroying defeat against local rivals Tottenham, Arsenal have responded well with an impressive victory over Aston Villa, and a hard fought victory over Fulham, both of which included late goals to seal victory.
The real test for Arsenal will come in the second half of the season, as that is when their title aspirations have so often faltered in recent years, most notably in the 2007-08 season when they were top of the pile as late on as the 28th game of the season. Even as recently as last season, Arsenal were in 1st as late on as the 31st game before eventually finishing 3rd, so the true test will come in the early part of next year, and with the possibility of a confidence boosting piece of silverware coming their way in February, that could well provide the platform for a title push come May.
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