Arsenal dug in to safe a draw at Manchester Metropolis in an important title battle on Sunday – and former Gunners winger Theo Walcott thinks their new-found ‘nasty’ streak could possibly be pivotal of their makes an attempt to win the league.
Mikel Arteta’s aspect drew 2-2 on the Etihad on the weekend, regardless of being lowered to 10 males earlier than half-time – they practically gained it, had it not been for John Stones’ late equaliser.
The Gunners have been hit by accidents and suspensions in latest weeks, with key man Martin Odegaard dominated out, however Walcott thinks their probabilities of successful the title this yr are good.
‘Arsenal have gotten an incredible probability of successful the league… and I nonetheless really feel like they’ll’
“That hasn’t modified after the weekend, I nonetheless really feel like Arsenal have gotten an incredible probability of successful the league, and I nonetheless really feel like they’ll,” the 35-year-old instructed FourFourTwo.
“Sure gamers aren’t enjoying, shedding Odegaard actually takes the creativity out of the entire group, however they’re so regimented in the way in which they defend as a unit, all of them have one mindset – speaking to workers on the membership, the backroom workers all have that mindset as properly, everyone seems to be so constructive across the place and that feeds into the group.
“You’d have taken some extent at the beginning of the sport on Sunday. Mikel gained’t dwell on the actual fact they misplaced two factors, he gained’t fear about that, the video games the place they tousled beforehand are in opposition to the West Hams and Fulhams, these are those they’ll’t afford to lose.
“They’re good groups, however for Arsenal to win the league, they need to be successful these video games, as a result of Manchester Metropolis don’t actually lose them.”
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For a few years, Arsenal have been considered too good to win the Premier League, missing the metal that they used to have in the course of the early seasons underneath Arsene Wenger.
The Gunners confirmed a harder aspect on the Etihad, accused of using the darkish arts to interrupt up the sport and cease Manchester Metropolis securing victory.
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“I feel there’s positively a aspect of Arsenal that’s a bit nasty now,” mentioned Walcott, who’s additionally now an envoy of the membership. “Being round them in pre-season and seeing how bodily sturdy and massive they’re, we take a look at the Arsene Wenger groups of the Invincibles, they have been massive guys and it’s coming again to that now. They’re not afraid of anybody.
“They confirmed a special aspect the place they annoyed Man Metropolis to photographs from distance, it was simply that after the place they switched off.
“You’ll want to gradual the sport down if you’ve received 10 males. It’s not nice for the impartial, I perceive that, but it surely’s a outcomes enterprise and other people will look again on it in the event that they find yourself successful the league, and that was the second, that time at Metropolis.”
‘I’m a giant fan of Timber’
Walcott has been significantly impressed this season with Dutch defender Jurrien Timber, who joined Arsenal a yr in the past however rapidly sustained a cruciate ligament harm.
After making his restoration, this time period he’s established himself as a daily, first at left-back, after which beginning forward of Ben White at right-back on the Etihad.
“I’m a giant fan of Timber,” Walcott mentioned on a go to to the KickX area, the place he has invested.
“He’s gone by way of a large harm and when somebody goes by way of an harm like that, like Tino Livramento who I used to be at Southampton with, seeing them undergo it, it’s not simple.
“However Timber matches wherever within the again 4, he can adapt and when you might have gamers like that, no-nonsense, he’s received a presence about him, I’m a giant fan of his.”