WHY SAY ANYTHING?

Arsenal sit near the top of the Premier League waiting. Waiting for other teams. Waiting and watching to see if the other teams will do something positive or negative, or will things stay as they are until the end of the season?

The first thing that they need to happen is for Leicester City to start flagging. To sell a player or two in January, and pick up an injury or two anytime. The fact that Leicester don’t have a big squad full of quality players could be their undoing. If it is, Arsenal are ready and waiting.

Another positive for Arsenal would be Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany remaining injured. That isn’t going to happen as they are both nearing fitness, but that is a state of affairs which is usually very temporary. It would also appear that City will have more Champions League games to manoeuvre as they should expect to beat Dynamo Kyiv. Arsenal will surely be free of any European hindrances after two games against Barcelona.

So, from these two clubs who would be seen as direct competitors, Arsenal are looking for some failings and, in the case of Leicester, a loss of form. City just need to carry on being inconsistent. If they do, Arsenal are waiting.

From another two “contenders”, (Chelsea were at the start of the season!), Arsenal just require that they continue to do what they are currently doing. Manchester United have a manager who knows how to win titles and European competitions, he just doesn’t appear to know how to do it with Manchester United. Arsene Wenger will be hoping that Louis van Gaal doesn’t rediscover the knack any time soon.

Chelsea just need to continue imploding. The way they are currently playing they will be more of a threat to the Championship next season. I don’t think Arsene would wish relegation on them but he will be hoping that the current malaise continues for a while. If it does, Arsene is waiting.

Other contenders for the crown include Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.

Spurs will probably come up short this time. Having gone through the first part of the season having only lost one game, the first one, they drew too many of the remainder before then losing at home to Newcastle. I doubt Arsene will have too much to worry about from White Hart Lane.

Liverpool, on the other hand, are a bit of an enigma at present. Sometimes they look unbeatable, playing free-flowing, attacking football. Then they struggle, for no apparent reason against teams they should beat, particularly at home. Jurgen Klopp says he doesn’t need to buy anybody in January. I disagree. I think the addition of a couple of players and maybe a goalkeeper could turn them into serious title contenders.

Again, Arsene will be hoping that Liverpool don’t find the key to consistency and remain treading water just outside the top four. For these two teams, Arsenal don’t really have to wait and see what happens, they should finish above them quite easily.

All Arsenal themselves have to do is get Alexis Sanchez back to full fitness, ensure that Mesut Ozil doesn’t get injured and play with the consistency they have shown in games against Manchester United at home and Olympiacos away this season.

If they can achieve this between now and the end of the season, they will probably win 90% of their remaining games. Providing they don’t lose many of the others then they should win the Premier League with relative ease.

They are certainly the best team to watch when they are playing well and nobody would begrudge Arsene Wenger another title win as he nears the end of his long career, (except Jose Mourinho).

Unless, of course, all the things that Arsene doesn’t want to happen with the other clubs, happens. Then it could be interesting. He may have to wait a little while longer and the overused cliché, “he’ll never have a better chance of winning it!” may get the chance to be overused again in Arsenal’s case.