Arsenal
Premier League • England
‘Annoying’ Arsenal title challenge divides rattled pundits, with claim they’ll ‘crumble’ dismissed with bizarre analogy
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta
Arsenal have been branded “annoying” and compared to an intrusive fly with their impressive start and potential title challenge beginning to wind up the pundits.
The Gunners are the early pace setters, leading the way thanks to their nine victories from 10. They already hold a four-point lead over title favourites Man City, though Antonio Conte’s well-drilled Tottenham must not be discounted from the conversation.
Arsenal’s season shares similarities with Liverpool’s near miss in the 2013-14 campaign. The Reds had no Champions League football to split their focus and were managed by a hungry, young manager with an explosive set of attackers at his disposal.
Whether Arsenal can go one better and pip Man City to the title, or whether they fall short as Brendsn Rodgers, Luis Suarez and co. did remains to be seen.
On that subject, Arsenal’s title charge has divided opinion in the talkSPORT studios.
When discussing whether the Gunners can maintain their fast start, former Arsenal winger, Jermaine Pennant, believes they’ll “crumble”.
Pennant was on Arsenal’s books between 1999-2005, though is actually a Liverpool fan. The former winger is floored by the miracles Arteta has performed, though reckons they’ll crumble after the World Cup nonetheless.
Will Arsenal “cookie crumble”?
“I think that Arsenal, after Christmas, will cookie crumble like they did the year before to drop out of the Champions League spots,” Pennant told talkSPORT.
He later added: “What Arteta has done at Arsenal, where they were two, three seasons ago and what they are doing now, is absolutely amazing.
“We are giving Arsenal a lot of praise about where they are going and how they have conducted themselves in the first ten games. But it is all about will they maintain that, will they continue that after Christmas?
“We have seen a lot of teams come flying out the blocks and then as soon as the Christmas period comes and the games come thick and fast, they slip over easily.”
Pennant’s comments weren’t echoed by fellow pundit and Chelsea fan, Jason Cundy.
“Annoying” Arsenal not going away
The former Blues defender harbours concerns Arsenal are for real and will not fall away.
Explaining his belief, Cundy opted to deploy a rather bizarre analogy when comparing the Gunners to an annoying fly you can’t get rid of.
“Arsenal are there and they’re not going,” said Cundy. “They’re annoying, Arsenal.
“I was saying to the boys in the office, Arsenal are like that fly in the summer when you’ve got the windows and doors open, but he just flies around the house at a lazy pace and you’re like, ‘Come on, go! I’ve had enough now!’
“Then you go into the other room thinking he’s gone and he just follows you in and goes past you. You open the windows and try to force him out, but he keeps flying into the closed window!
“Go! Arsenal are like that annoying fly!”