5 Reasons why Arsenal could win the Premier League 

For the first time in a very long while, Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal side are not being seen as title challengers.

Given the huge amounts of money spent by rivals (Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City) and the fact that the others (Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur) have been able to keep their star players, the Gunners were not tipped for the title at all.

An underwhelming transfer campaign saw the arrival of Alexander Lacazette from Lyon as the only high-value acquisition. Sead Kolasinac was brought in on a free from Schalke while the rumours about the situations of Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Özil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (who eventually moved to Liverpool) dominated the headlines.

The poor start where the team lost two of its three opening games certainly contributed to the doom and gloom scenario but a run of no losses and 3 wins in the last 4 games suggests that the team has turned a corner.

#1 The attacking potency has been enhanced

An attack featuring the likes of Lacazette & Giroud should not be underestimated

Whisper it quietly but Arsenal as an attacking force, are up there with the best in the land.

Only a few teams in the league (probably Manchester City) have the depth and variety of attacking weapons that Arsenal have and if they can be combined properly, pose a threat that will provide goals.

Though the team has posted three goalless encounters in their first seven league games, this can be viewed as a result of bad tactics rather than the quality of the attack.

In Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott, Arsenal have speedy players capable of stretching defences.

In Olivier Giroud & Alex Lacazette, they have two front men who are capable of being effective either on their own or in tandem. One should not forget the playmaking genius of Mesut Özil (yes, he is still a very good player), the goal scoring runs of Alex Iwobi and Aaron Ramsey and most importantly, the goal, assists and workrate of a fit-again Alexis Sanchez

#2 The defence can be good if managed properly

Mustafi, Kolasinac & Monreal have been impressive when played in their natural roles

When the players are fit and played in their proper positions, the Arsenal defence is not as bad as statistics or popular opinion will have you believe.

They may have conceded 8 goals in the season but ever since the debacle at Anfield which saw Arsene Wenger deploy Hector Bellerin as a left wing back and have an improving but slow Rob Holding against a rapid Sadio Mane, the defence has gelled better, conceding no goals in the last four games.

Sead Kolasinac and Bellerin have been excellent in their favoured wing-back positions while Shkodran Mustafi, Nacho Monreal, and captain Laurent Koscielny have looked solid as well.

As long as Wenger does not tinker too much and plays his defenders in their accustomed positions, this team has a shot at the title.

#3 A steady selection of players in central midfield

A Xhaka-Ramsey central midfield combo

It is true that Arsenal has struggled greatly since its last great defensive midfielder, Gilberto Silva left. Various cheap acquisitions (Arteta, Denilson, Coquelin, ElNeny et al) have been tried to fill the giant hole left by the towering Brazilian since 2008.

The 35m arrival of Granit Xhaka last season was supposed to be the answer but the Swiss hard man had a season notable for his disciplinary issues on the field rather than his footballing.

The failure of Arsene Wenger to sign a specialist holding midfielder means Xhaka has had to adapt his game to fit the role with the Albanian-born midfielder acting as the enforcer in midfield. Aaron Ramsey has been his partner and the two have kept it tidy and simple, doing the basics and allowing the front three to get on with it.

This situation may change as the games get tougher but the Gunners have options should Arsene Wenger need to change the system that is currently working smoothly.

#4 Some of the big guns have things to prove

Özil is playing for an improved extension like other key players in the team

After a summer filled with news of unrest and discontent among fans, ex-players and stoked by a media who could not get enough of the “Arsenal in Crisis” stories, things have normalized with Arsene starting the first of what is expected to be his final two seasons at Arsenal.

While it seems inevitable that Alexis Sanchez will leave on a free next summer, a host of players will be looking to give their best to ensure they get new contracts or position themselves for lucrative free moves.

Mesut Özil, Jack Wilshire & Santi Carzola are all in the same boat as Alexis and while the Chilean will not be short of suitors, the same cannot be said about the other players, especially Carzola, who hasn’t played in almost a year with various injuries.

A host of first-team players whose contracts expire in 2019 will also be looking to impress as it is expected that Wenger will want to leave a team that has been cleared of deadwood before he steps down. Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey, Danny Welbeck, Petr Cech, Olivier Giroud are among these players.

If Arsenal can dangle the juicy carrot of new, improved contracts in front of their noses, the team might just benefit from the extra motivation these fellas will bring in.

#5 Lack of Champions League football could be a blessing

Arsenal's absence from this season's UCL can be a blessing

Say what you will about Arsenal’s barren run in Europe’s top club competition, they have been a fixture in the tournament since the Wenger era began.

For the first time in 18 seasons, the Gunners are outside looking into the UCL but this could be of benefit in mounting a title challenge.

With all five of their potential title rivals involved in the UCL, Arsenal enjoy the advantage of being able to field weakened teams in the early stages of the Europa League with group opponents BATE Borisov (Bulgaria), FC Köln (Germany) and Red Star Belgrade (Serbia) providing little resistance.

This should keep the team’s top gun fresh for an assault on the league while their opponents battle the cream of European football and its attendant effects (injuries, jet lag et al).