Newcastle were put to the sword by Vermaelen’s late dagger Monday, in what has become a familiar come from behind victory. This Premier League record-setting 4th comeback in a row is a testament to the new mentality within the squad. In years past, the Arsenal have wilted under the pressure come crunch time but that was a team lacking identity.
Now led by the mercurial Robin van Persie, and anchored by Szczesny and Vermaelen, Arsenal have a spine that no one can question. Players are committed to the cause and ready to fight til the end, and more importantly, refusing to fail.
It should come as no surprise that Vermaelen was the player bombing forward to get the goal and you could see in the celebration what the goal meant to the team. When asked about what the four comeback wins meant about these Arsenal players’ tenacity and resilience, Vermaelen responded “I think we showed the mentality of fighters.” Fans are seeing the true potential of this team, not only in footballing ability but in their spirit to persevere.
By matching their season-best five victories in the row, the gap to third has been narrowed to a solitary point and Spurs are shaking in their boots. The perennial patsies are pissing themselves at the thought of another late season collapse that could quickly turn into a fifth place finish if Chelsea find their form.
Arsenal are in the driver’s seat, still a point off third place but the form team of the league, brimming with confidence and self belief. Third place will be a major coup considering how much of the season has gone, but the squad and Arsene deserve credit for staying strong when there were so many times the season could have gone pear-shaped.
There are 30 points left to play for, and a lot can happen over the rest of the season. The job has not been completed, and difficult matches await. But there is one thing I do know. This Arsenal will not quit. This Arsenal will not crumble. If these men finish outside of the top four it won’t be due to a lack of effort. I believe in the spirit of this team and more importantly, they believe in themselves.
Up the Arsenal!
It’s also important to give a LOT of credit to the home fans, who have been spectacular for the second half of the season. I think that’s a big part of why our boys have the ability to come back from behind (4 times in a row!) and win.
Another big difference is that we’ve really got something to fight for, versus something to hold on to. I suppose the latter can make you feel complacent, especially if you’ve got a big enough cushion like we did last season. This season, ALL the odds are against us and the boys have no margin for error. Also, I think Robin van Persie’s contract looming is a big factor as well. He’s made statements with the subtext saying that he wants to be thoroughly convinced that Arsenal can win everything. If we continue our climb up the table, I don’t think RVP or Theo will hesitate to sign an extension. It would be really, and would expedite a renewal if we get some legitimate signings in the summer.
Finishing in third and tying up this Podolski deal so early would be a great start to the offseason and could have Robin believing we can win the league next season. Him playing hardball over his contract may be exactly what we needed, putting pressure on Wenger and the board to spend to compete.