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Arsenal: 4 Reasons This Team Is Different Than Years Past
4. Away Win In Greece Against Olympiakos
As hat-trick hero Olivier Giroud mentioned in his post-match interview, Arsenal’s qualification for the Champions League knockout stages was crucial in maintaining the morale of the team.
A poor performance in the first match against the Greeks as well as a thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich and a humbling defeat in Zagreb highlighted what was an underwhelming group stage of the UCL for the Gunners. However, there are positives to be taken from it. Their brilliant escape against Olympiakos joins Arsenal’s 2-0 win against Bayern Munich as one of the best results of their season thus far.
Arsenal FC
Any result that would have lead to a Europa League berth would have been a huge disappointment for Arsenal fans. Arsene Wenger also clearly likes tradition judging by the similar rate of success he has had at the club since the 2005-06 season; anything less than the outcome of the past five seasons would represent a step in the opposite direction to the one the Gunners should be heading in.
Not only does the win against Olympiakos save their Champions League campaign, it also keeps positive momentum ahead of a run of fixtures Arsenal can pick up a lot of points from. The standout fixture is a home tie against fellow title contenders Manchester City. However, at the moment, the Citizens’ defense does not look capable of keeping clean sheets against anyone.
Other than the title clash with City, Arsenal do not have an opponent in the top six until February 13, when they take on current leaders Leicester City. A win against Manchester City would not only provide them with a platform of high spirits going into the Christmas period, it would also serve as a signal of the Gunners’ veracity about their title challenge. And it could put them on top of the table if other results go their way.
The questions remain as to whether or not they can persevere through to the final stretches of the Premier League season. As Wenger’s men have proven, though, they are far from out of the picture.
Next: 3. Strikers Coming Good In Big Games