Arsenal have won seven league games in a row- the most ever is 14, a record set 10 years ago. Are they destined to eclipse it?
If Arsenal’s winning streak ends tomorrow against QPR, it will be disappointing for players and fans.
After a difficult season, they have finally forgotten what it feels like to lose, or even draw.
If they don’t win tomorrow then it will open the door to Tottenham Hotspur, three points behind them, but on reflection, seven wins in eight is still a terrific return.
However positive thinking is what has got Arsene Wenger’s men back up into third, so here are some more positive thoughts for Gooners to aim at.
Arsenal hold the Premier League record for consecutive wins, 14 in a row.
They set this between February 2002, finally dropping points at the beginning of the next season in August.
It was a winning run which began at the same time of the season as this, and 10 years ago led to them winning the league, through a memorable Sylvain Wiltord goal at Old Trafford against Manchester United.
This certainly puts their achievements of 2002 in context, their current run is another seven wins away from equalling their feat, and eight from beating it.
It seems like a pretty impossible task, but Arsene Wenger was manager then, and will be instilling the same confidence-inspiring team talks in his players now as he was back then.
Let’s have a look at Arsenal’s remaining fixtures. QPR (A), Man City (H), Wolves (A), Wigan (H), Chelsea (H), Stoke (A), Norwich (H), West Brom (A).
That’s eight games, so if Arsenal win all of them, they could beat their own record on the last day of the season at the Hawthorns.
Even so, there are plenty of difficult matches coming up before then, even away at QPR will be tricky, as it always is facing relegation battlers at this time of year.
Then there are clashes against Chelsea and Manchester City, where they will at least be at home, while the away trip to Stoke is always one which causes Arsenal a degree of difficulty.
Talk of records should really be a long way off, but it is good to look at current and past achievements and put them in context, and important to have something momentous to aim for.
Call it a bit of Friday morning positivity. Cue defeat tomorrow.
What do you think of Arsenal’s current run? How does their team compare to the double winners of 2002?
image: © wonker
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