It’s Not Too Late for Arsenal to Overtake Chelsea

All of the experts have pretty much already mailed it in and given Chelsea the title this year. But given that it’s just now the start of Decemeber, isn’t it a bit premature? Especially after seeing Chelsea humanized by a very underwhelming Sunderland squad in a 0-0 draw.

Arsenal find themselves 13 points behind league leading Chelsea at this juncture. But that’s with Arsenal being well below full strength and not hitting their stride until right about now.

Here’s a look at who’s due back for Arsenal by January: Theo Walcott, Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Debuchy, Wojciech Szczesny and Mesut Ozil. Take a moment to contemplate that. That’s five of our regular starting XI. We haven’t even seen what Ozil and Walcott can do together, we’ve only speculated. We’ve seen what our back four can do when healthy and with Calum Chambers playing magnificently, he’s just an added force to shore up that defense.

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Not to mention Jack Wilshere and his hopeful February return.

In short, a healthy Arsenal team is enough to be champions, including whoever (if anyone) Wenger decides to add in January. The only real question is whether they have enough time to bring it all together and catch Chelsea.

It’s not a probable scenario, but it is possible. When Arsenal have put it all together, they’ve been on point this year. With Walcott, Ozil, Sanchez and the Ox leading an attack and our regular back four, our attack and defense is near tops in the league on paper. Then you add to that a midfield with the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta and Santi Cazorla and again, it rivals any in the league.

Arsenal can catch Chelsea. They have the capability to do so.

And then there’s the schedule. From now until we play Chelsea in late April, we play only two top five teams – Southampton and Manchester City, both of whom we’ve already beaten this year.

That match up against Chelsea on April 25th is going to mean more than just an 8th place team facing the league toppers. Arsenal will be in third at the worst and well within striking distance. It may be late in the season, but it’s all starting to come together, and not a moment too soon.

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