Arsenal – My predictions for this season

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 23: Laurent Koscielny of Arsenal is mobbed by his team mates after scoring their first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on September 23, 2012 in Manchester, England.

As an Arsenal fan, you will not be surprised to find out that I am rather happy at how things are going at the moment at the club I love.

Currently lying fifth in the premier league with only two goals conceded, unbeaten, already been to the Etihad and Anfield unscathed, with new signings Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski already hitting the ground running, and the classic Arsenal free-flowing attacking-passing style successfully being put into action.

Add that to three points in our Champions League group, after a hard-fought win away to French champions Montpellier, and through to the fourth round of the League Cup successfully after a 6-1 home win against Coventry, where Olivier Giroud grabbed his first goal for the club and many young stars shone on the pristine emirates turf.

Add to that Jack Wilshere making his return in an Under 21’s match vs West Brom this coming Monday (1st October), after 14 months out with various injuries, Emmanuel Frimpong back playing after a lengthy injury, and Bacary Sagna and Tomas Rosicky on the mend too. This is in addition to Laurent Koscielny back fully match fit.

Usually this is the stage of the season where, regarding we haven’t got off to a horrendous start like last season, all Arsenal fans are rather optimistic of our clubs chances. I, too, am. This is because, so far, the team look genuinely united.

Without Robin Van Persie, and Alex Song, who both seemingly lost all loyalty and love for the club in the summer and decided they wanted to leave, this team now looks like they all want to play for the club.

BARCELONA, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 22: Alex Song of FC Barcelona controls the ball during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Granada CF at Camp Nou on September 22, 2012 in Barcelona, Spain.

Even Theo Walcott is happy now, with many fans worried he was also off, after stalling on a new contract, it became apparent last week that Theo loves the club and is stalling due to the position he wants to be played in, the striker role – to emulate his hero Thierry Henry, who also wore the number 14 shirt and switched from a winger to a striker.

You could tell the team has been united this season already, with all players wearing huge smiles on their faces and playing with confidence, but it was this last weekend at the Etihad stadium against Manchester City, after Laurent Koscielny’s 82nd minute equaliser when there was a 10 man Arsenal pile up of players purely in joy.

This showed me, and other fans I hope, that the team are playing for each other, the manager, the club and us fans.

Another reason for my bewildering optimism is that we look very difficult to beat. This is because of new assistant manager, Steve Bould, who has bolstered up our defence, with the hard work put in by the team clearly evident.

So far this season we are unbeaten, and haven’t lost a competitive match since April. But it is not just the defence, Bould has also helped improve all the players’ tackling skills and desire to win the ball back when they have lost it.

Mikel Arteta, also, is looking brilliant and composed in the deeper midfield position, allowing players like Abou Diaby, and Santi Cazorla, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Aaron Ramsey to show their attacking skills.

So my predictions for this season? I believe we are genuine title contenders, we have Wilshere and Sagna returning back very soon who will literally be like new £20m signings if the pick up where they left off, in which I have no doubts about. Of course it is a long season, and the standard of the Premier League is improving every year, but

I am very confident that a first, second or third-place finish will be on the cards this season, and even a trophy. I seriously would not underestimate this team, and for the 17th season running, North London will be red. As always!