Yes. You read that right.
Of course you need some luck along the way, but It's what I firmly believe!
And here's why;
People are quick to say that apart from Cech, it's the same squad as last year, when we finished 3rd, how can we improve our position without more signings?
Firstly, it has to be remembered that last season came off the back of a World Cup where 3 of our players reached the Final.
They were all jaded as a result, Podolski left on loan, Özil had a long term injury and Mertesacker looked shot to pieces for the first few weeks back!
On top of this, we had 2 tough Champions League qualifiers to play, which our rivals didn't have! Most of our focus were on these games as it was imperative that Arsenal were in the Champions league group stages once again.
We had new players finding their feet.
Debuchy looked a solid good signing, but soon picked up a nasty long term injury that kept him out for most of the season. As a result, another new signing was used at right back sooner than was planned. Teenager Chambers had only ever had a handful of Premier League games for Southampton and was really thrown in the deep end at Arsenal!
To start with he flourished, for one so young and inexperienced, he impressed a lot of us with his confidence and ability.
Unfortunately, his form, as is reasonable to expect, started to dip, culminating in the away game at Swansea, where he was given a torrid time by the speedy and tricky winger Montero, in a game we went on to lose.
Chambers is versatile and keen, but he's no right back, I see him as a centre back with huge potential!
So the decision was made to promote Bellerin from the reserves and give Chambers the break he needed. What a good decision that turned out to be!
Koscielny missed chunks of the first few weeks of the season so due to our lack of alternatives, the unpopular Monreal was used as an emergency centre back. This became the making of him as an Arsenal player. Fans warmed to his effort and commitment in an unusual role, and as a result his confidence grew and he eventually replaced Gibbs as our first choice left back. In January our lack of centre back options was rectified by the signing of the hugely promising Gabriel.
Back to the beginning of the season, Szczesny was under fire and making mistakes, whilst new keeper Ospina was injured after the World Cup.
In front of this cobbled together and out of sorts defence, our defensive midfield options were startlingly thin. Arteta was injured and Flamini was showing his limitations. It wasn't until Coquelin was recalled from a loan stint at Charlton that the problem position that had lasted for years was finally solved!
Coquelin was nothing short of a revelation in the role! He'd been nothing more than a utility player for years, being used as a right and central midfielder, and a right back when needed. When not filling in somewhere, he was invariably sent out on loan. It looked like he had no future at Arsenal, although it must be noted, Wenger never sold him.... he could have done easily and no Arsenal fan would've batted an eyelid if he had done so. He must've seen something in him!
Coquelin himself must take enormous credit. I remember him as being box to box player when he did get games. He attacked AND defended! He will have looked at the team and thought that with the class of attacking midfielders at Arsenes disposal, he'd have no chance of making the team in his favoured role, but he'll have also thought that the team was crying out for a no-nonsense defensive midfielder, sacrificing himself in a way for the good of the team, putting some balance between attacking and defending that we desperately lacked.
He identified that this was the only way he could cement himself into the first team, and in his first game back, away to Champions Manchester City, he put on an eye opening and impressive show, totally nullifying the threat of David Silva and helping Arsenal to a famous and well deserved win! Alongside him, little magician Cazorla, was just as impressive, playing a deeper role than usual, taking the ball off Coquelin, buzzing around and setting up attacks.
Again, early in the season, our main striker, Giroud, picked up a nasty injury and missed a few months. New signing Welbeck filled in admirably and weighed in with a few goals, most notably with a hat-trick in the Champions League. Despite this, he isn't yet a prolific finisher, but together with Alexis, he works his socks off, defending from the front, chasing and harrying.
Walcott was also still out with the injury from the previous season!
Add to all this, injuries to Wilshere, clattered by United's McNair at the Emirates, and to Ramsey and the Ox, it's little wonder that Arsenal lost so many points in the first half of the season!
In this time, Chelsea opened up a huge lead in the Title race. This is where we lost the League.
In the 2nd half of the season, once our problems were finally alleviated or solved, Arsenal really flew, even managing to be mentioned when the destination of the Title was brought up!
Unfortunately our first half of the season put pay to that dream.
Instead we won the FA Cup for the second year running, and for a record 12th time, and we won it in style, 4-0 against Aston Villa, with Alexis, Ozil & Cazorla on fire.... in fact the whole team put on an 8 or 9 out of 10 performance!
For the second half of the season we were the best team in the league and picked up the most points!
And this is my point.
Those people that say 'it's the same squad as last year, how can we improve our position' forget all the things that I have just pointed out!
Most of our previous problems have been solved. Important positions have been filled. New players and younger ones have settled into the team and are raring to go!
Important players who suffered long term injuries are back!
We have 2 players for every position!
We have no qualifiers to play this season!
No World Cup hangover!
We have a world class keeper at last with the experience of winning everything!
We have new and young players who have now won a trophy at Arsenal, breeding that all important winning habit as a result!
Let all the doubters and Wenger haters find the negatives in that lot!
Arsenal go into the new season in better shape than they have done in many years!
I expect Alexis Sanchez to have an even better 2nd season, he's established as one of the world's best players already, he can go on to become an Arsenal legend alongside the likes of Henry, Bergkamp and Vieira!
A fit and firing Walcott will be a great weapon to have, as demonstrated by his last few games of last season. Ozil is looking physically stronger and more confident as a result, Wilshere can get back to his marauding best, he could even do a 'Ramsey' and start adding regular goals to his game, judging by his scoring end to the season!
There's too many reasons to be positive to list!
On top of everything, the next batch of kids look bright and exciting too!
Arsene Wenger looks to have re found his mojo!
For me, whether we sign another DM and striker or not, we are going to properly challenge for the League Title again this season!
And I can't wait!
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