Arsenal Stars Expect Title

It has been 11 years since Arsenal last lifted the Premier League title.

Back-to-back FA Cup triumphs and the construction of a star-studded squad have led many to label them as genuine title contenders. A point which both Mikel Arteta and Theo Walcott agree with, writes Patrick Davison...

It was a slightly surreal experience being in the home dressing room at the Emirates for the first time.

Mikel Arteta said: “Something is different this year, the attitude is different, the desire is there and we are ready,” said the club captain. “We can compete for the Premier League and the Champions League.”

Theo Walcott was just as certain. “We can do anything,” said the forward, preferred to Olivier Giroud in the central striker role for last Sunday’s Community Shield.

“This season we need to be competing for the Premier League, not fading out toward the end. We need to compete till the last day.”

There are good reasons for the confidence, they finished last season strongly and have had a brilliant pre-season, winning every game; Jack Wilshere aside, there are no major injury concerns and promising young players are bursting onto the scene.

On top of that, Kieran Gibbs says the signing of Cech has brought, ‘calm and cohesion’ to what was already an increasingly solid defence.

And there’s still time for more signings - although the last time Wenger’s major summer signing was a goalkeeper was back in 2003, when Jens Lehmann joined from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £1.5m.

Then Arsenal went on to win what, at the moment, is their last league title. It was the season of The Invincibles.

Of course, no one would expect this team (or any other) to match that feat, in fact not many expect Arsenal to win the league at all.

Since 2004 they’ve become the team that falls short, often in the race but never genuine contenders.

We all know the arguments as to why - the tactics, the transfer policy, the perceived lack of mental strength.

But this season, as Mikel Arteta said, ‘there’s something different about them’.

No matter what anyone outside the club thinks, inside that dressing room, they believe Arsenal can be champions again.