WENGER: “BIG FOUR” BUBBLE READY TO BURST

Arsene Wenger has finally said what everyone else has been thinking. The Arsenal boss has admitted that the well known ‘big four’ -  who have dominated the Premier League during his 12 year tenure – will not continue their strangle hold over everyone else for much longer.

Speaking as Arsenal sit 5^th in the league, Wenger said that the big four teams is ‘about to change’ and that ‘there have been changes’ in the nature of results this season.

As for why this is happening, Wenger cites the fact that teams outside the top four have improved dramatically because the ‘technical level’ of their play has improved significantly. He went on to say that teams are dipping into foreign transfer markets more than ever and have succeeded in bringing in ‘new talent’.

This has led, according to Wenger, to the series of strange results that have occurred since August. As the Arsenal boss points out ‘Manchester United beat Sunderland only in the last minute and drew at Spurs, we were beaten by Stoke and Hull.’

Now, this statement got me thinking. The ‘big four’ are supposedly under threat because Manchester United ‘only’ picked up four points against a rejuvenated Spurs side and a Sunderland team that has had millions and millions spent on it?

Compare this to the Arsenal examples Wenger used – defeats against newly promoted duo Stoke and Hull. Hmm….not quite the same is it? As much as it hurts me to say it, perhaps Wenger, with these comments, is admitting that Arsenal’s bubble as a ‘big four’ club is about to burst. No-one else’s.

Are Manchester United, Chelsea or Liverpool likely to finish outside the top four this season? The football odds say no chance. Are Arsenal? Every chance. The improvement of Aston Villa has played its part, but overall this bubble bursting talk is a direct result of Arsenal’s poor season.

Fair enough, none of the top clubs have been at their best in recent weeks and maybe the gap is closing slightly, but Wenger’s comments relate only to Arsenal at this stage. They sit 5^th as we speak, after all.

This weekend Arsenal face top of the table Liverpool at the Emirates and this if followed by a boxing day clash with 4^th place Aston Villa. These are obviously two very big games, but which would you prefer Arsenal to win? I personally would love to see them go to Villa and pick up three points. Perhaps this would delay the whole ‘bubble bursting’ process!

By Thomas Rooney – A sports writer who blogs about football betting