There was something notable about the way Arsène Wenger highlighted consistency as being the quality Arsenal require more than any other if they are to climb into the Premier League’s top four. There was authority and certainty in his voice, a tangible sense that he has been here and seen it all before. Which he has. There is nothing Wenger takes greater pride in than his record of having led Arsenal to the Champions League for 17 successive seasons. They may never win it but Wenger’s teams are always there and after a sticky start to this campaign Arsenal look primed once again to make a successful push for qualification to Europe’s elite competition.
Heading to West Ham on Sunday, Arsenal are one point behind Sam Allardyce’s fifth-placed side. They are also two points behind Southampton, who face the daunting prospect of taking on the leaders, Chelsea. So it is conceivable that Arsenal could leapfrog both teams and begin 2015 in fourth, the position they have ultimately occupied in six of the past 10 seasons, finishing third three times and second once in the other campaigns.
“There are 20 games to go, it’s very tight and it’s down to consistency now,” said Wenger. “Can you reproduce performances? Christmas is a bit special in England because you have to recover quickly, prepare quickly, focus quickly. That is a quality we want to show at West Ham.”
Recent form is with Arsenal, given they have won six and drawn one of their past seven visits to Upton Park, with their most recent victory in east London being a 3-1 win on Boxing Day that put them on top of the table. They went on to win five of their next six league matches, drawing the other, proving this is a side that can do as their manager desires and produce consistently strong performances during a testing time of the year.
In fairness, Arsenal have been displaying that quality for some time this season. For all the talk of yet another crisis they have lost one of their past eight matches in all competitions, albeit that being the bruising 3-2 reverse at Stoke this month that led to some supporters jeering Wenger and his players as they boarded a train back to London. As is often the case with Arsenal it is not when, but how they lose that draws criticism and the manner in which they capitulated at the Britannia Stadium, finding themselves 3-0 down by half-time, suggested again that this is a side lacking heart.
Fast-forward three weeks, however, and that is exactly the trait Arsenal showed in overcoming QPR. The hosts fully deserved their 2-1 Boxing Day victory but had to dig deep to secure the three points after Olivier Giroud was sent off for butting Nedum Onuoha early in the second half. The French forward, not long back from a broken leg, is suspended for Sunday’s match as well as the New Year’s Day visit to Southampton and next Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Hull.
Giroud’s absence is a blow for Wenger but his angst will be soothed somewhat should Laurent Koscielny have passed a fitness test on Saturday and be able to feature against West Ham. The defender has been out with an achilles injury since the start of the month, leaving Arsenal’s defence, and his regular centre-back partner, Per Mertesacker, in particular, glaringly exposed.
“Koscielny has a chance [to play against West Ham],” said Wenger. “There’s a little chance. And Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain [who missed the win over QPR with a groin strain] has an even smaller chance.”
Almost certain to come up against Arsenal today is a player Wenger knows well. Alex Song spent six largely successful years at the club prior to joining Barcelona in 2012, and having become a forgotten man at Camp Nou is shining again on loan at Upton Park. The midfielder was rested for Friday’s defeat at Chelsea, with Allardyce clearly feeling he can make a greater impact against Arsenal.
“I brought Alex Song here at the age of 17 and kept him despite all the opinions that were against him,” said Wenger. “You don’t need to convince me that he’s a good player — he was a very good player when he was here. But you can always improve as long as you play and he didn’t play a lot in Spain.”
Refreshed and ready to go, Song will hope West Ham can get one over his former team-mates. It will be a stern test for Arsenal but they have form and experience on their side. The top four beckons for those who know it best.
