After the break due to the World Cup, we can finally continue with the Premier League games. The gameweek 17 was not too surprising when it came to results. One of the most important details is that the leader on the table, Arsenal, is continuing to show excellent performances, which means that it will be difficult for Manchester City and other teams to follow and overrun the London club in the battle for the title.
The gap between City and Arsenal is 8 points at the moment, but the blue part of Manchester has one game less by now, and chances are great that it will reduce the difference in points to only five.
Interestingly, bookies still provide much lower odds for City to win the title, with an average of 1.5, while the odds on Arsenal are over 3. This is important for people interested in sport betting, and we can expect these odds to change over time as the last game week gets closer. There are still 21 rounds to be played, and a lot of things can change over that time. One thing is certain, and that is that Arsenal has a great chance to stay in the top 4 while winning the title is not too far for them as well.
1. They Have a Well-Balanced Team
Even though Arsenal is one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League, they had a lot of struggles in recent years after Wenger decided to retire. It was 18 years ago when they managed to win the title, and there were many ups and downs during that period. One of the main issues was the lack of consistency and lack of good players in every position.
For instance, they had a lot of great transfers, especially when it came to the attackers. Some of the players we have to mention are Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, and more. These players scored many goals, but their defense was not good enough to prevent poor results.
However, things are different in the current squad, and we can see great players on every position. First of all, the defensive line is very strong, and that especially the case with the pair of central defenders, Gabriel and William Saliba. Saliba is a great discovery. This player is only 21 one and already a standard player in both Arsenal and France. We also have to mention Tierney and Ben White. Another important detail is that there are decent substitutes for these players as well, such as Zinchenko, Cedric, and Tomiyasu.
The midfield is also very attractive. There is a pair of midfielders with a more defensive role, and Xhaka and Partey are great in that role. On the other side, attacking midfielders are what is pushing Arsenal to their potential title the most, and that is especially the case with Odegard, Martinelli, and Saka. Emil Smith Rowe is recovering from an injury, and it is expected to see him in the play soon.
When it comes to the attack, some people might think that the ongoing injury of Gabriel Jesus will be a huge problem for this team, but they have excellent alternatives on the bench, such as the Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah.
2. They Are not Under Pressure
Arsenal is a big surprise this season. No one expected to seem them keeping the first place for such a long time. According to their results in previous seasons, we can assume that top 4 was the main goal of this team before the start of the league. On the other side, clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool, and Tottenham are feeling a much bigger pressure to either win the title or reach the top 4.
The fixtures for Arsenal are not so easy in the following game weeks. They will have play against the biggest rivals in the next 5 game weeks, and then to play against City in the double game week 23. Still, the fact that they are in great form, and that their main rivals are under a bigger pressure is a huge advantage. The only other team in the top positions that is in the same situation is Newcastle United.
3. They Are Playing Europa League
The second part of the league is always more difficult since there are many games in a row, double game weeks, and the play-offs of European competitions. However, Arsenal is not the playing the Champions League, while that is the case with Manchester City, and we all know they are struggling to win this cup for years without success. Therefore, it is expected from Pep to choose the best formation for each game they will be playing the in the CL, and that could affect their results in the PL.
The consistency can be a problem for every club, even if there are great players on the bench. However, Europa League is not so prestigious, and we think that Arteta would rather keep his top players in good condition for PL instead of EL.
4. A Decent Advantage
While five points might not be a serious gap in many leagues, things are much tighter in England. Arsenal will have to lose two games by the end, while City will have to win all of them to win the title. It will be difficult for both of these teams to avoid losing at least one game by the end. The great thing for the London club is that they will have a chance for recovery after losing one game.
For example, if they lose against the main opponent, City, there is still enough room for one draw, and they are still holding the first place. Still, these calculations are possible only in case that both teams win all of their other games.
Last Words
It would be a huge surprise if Arsenal managed to keep the first place by the end. No one expected that before the start. The current stats are showing that they have a decent chance to keep their position, but there more than 20 games to play. One thing is certain, and that is that we will have one of the most interesting seasons in recent years.
