WILL SANTA BRING US A TITLE CHALLENGE?

The busy week of festive fixtures is nearly upon us and the wish list of the average Arsenal fan hasn’t significantly changed over the past few years: fewer injuries, reinforcement in defensive midfield and a proper title challenge.

With the transfer window set to open, it may be time for the club’s owners to make some costly new year’s resolutions. But before we reach that stage, there are points to be gathered. In what can only be considered a bizarre season of Premier League football, every title contender appears weaker than last term. We face a lack of goal scorers, Chelsea a crisis of confidence and United have a Ronaldo-shaped hole in their frontline. Liverpool, meanwhile, are wearing a clown suit retaining the faint odour of Alan Shearer and the band of motley Geordies who modelled it last season. This season could present a chance for Wenger’s men to justify Arsenal’s Premier League odds.

A month ago we stared another year of disappointment in the face, but the league suddenly looks ripe for the taking, as every contender stubbornly refuses to adequately perform the basics. This season’s most common problem has been a laughable standard of defending.

With games away to Portsmouth and home to Aston Villa, we have a decent chance to influence the short term relegation positions. More importantly, six points are there for the taking. Chelsea face the league’s in-form journeymen sides, Birmingham and Fulham, while United are likely to receive McCarthy-esque charity from Hull and Wigan, if not in terms of lineups, then at least in resolve. But now the gap has closed, we need to make the most of things. Campaigns are won and lost in the second half of the season. None of the big boys will look fondly back over the past 5 months. Everyone is turning a corner. We need to take a racing line.

Meanwhile, away from football, the odds for next year’s Grand National are already starting to look interesting.