Arsenal are playing some fantastic stuff and thoroughly deserve to be top of the Premier League.
After a mediocre 2006/07 [by their lofty standards] and the sale of Thierry Henry, the Gunners were written off by many a pundit, critic and football fan at the start of the season.
"Fourth was the best they could hope for," said some.
"Another year of transition," said others.
But Arsene Wenger knew different. He has moulded a side capable of playing in the exhilarating way to which we have become accustomed, but which has the steel and tenacity to scrap their way through games and come out on top.
So what's happened? Why have Arsenal been able to confound the critics and get off to their best ever Premier League start?
1. Strong management
England would take Wenger as manager in an instant. And no wonder. Every time his teams are written off he comes back with a vengeance.
He's a fixture at the Emirates and has a job for life if he wants it. Tactically he's spot on, while under that professor-like persona he has a ruthless will to win.
He has shown typical conviction by dumping Jens Lehmann for Manuel Almunia.
Now I don't personally rate Almunia that highly (he's not in the top three keepers in the league), yet he's been in inspired form. On the other hand Lehmann was an absolute liability at the start of the season, and has been the same off the pitch since. Will he ever learn to keep his mouth shut?
The same goes with Wenger's treatment of Gilberto. Everyone thought the Brazilian would be captain this season, never mind a dead cert to start in midfield. How wrong could we have been? Wenger believed Flamini was ready, and boy how right has he been.
Which brings me on to my next point ...
2. Wenger's faith in younger players
Yes, you can point fingers at the Frenchman for not bringing through many English youngsters, but you can't argue with his overall record of developing young players. If you're good enough you're old enough and reputation counts for nothing (as Gilberto is finding out to his cost).
Let's look at the current team for examples. Well, I've touched upon Flamini already, but there's the wonderful Fabregas, Clichy (who needs Ashley Cole, heh?), Sagna (looks as if he's been at Arsenal for years), Van Persie (I better not start or you'll never get me to shut up; amazing left foot; one of the most talented young players in the world - no question. Wenger has persevered with him, sorted out his temperament and he's fulfilling his potential (when fit, of course), and Eboue (his two bits of skill for Arsenal's goals against Villa were top draw - and he's still playing out of position).
And then there's the older players Wenger has stuck with. And he's getting his reward as a result.
Hleb is the one that stands out the most. Many football fans thought he would have been on his way out last European summer. Two years of mediocrity and he looked like a rare dud Wenger signing.
However, this season it's evident why Wenger persisted with him. It's amazing what a little bit of confidence and faith can do to a player. He's reborn, pulling Arsenal's strings and a constant threat. So skilful and quick. Excellent player.
And then there's Adebayor, who looks 40, so I'm classing him in the older bracket [he is in fact only 23]. Another who didn't look up to the task, but thanks to a little work from Wenger and his coaching staff, he has added purpose, substance and end product to his cacophony of skills. Undoubtedly benefitting from the sale of Henry as well.
Which brings me on to my next point ...
3. The sale of Henry
Wenger had shown in the past with Patrick Vieira that he was not afraid to sell key players when he felt they were past their best, but could still generate significant transfer revenue for the club. The same was pretty much the case with Henry.
The difference here though is that Henry was proving a disruptive influence in the dressing room. And it took balls for Wenger to act on it.
Henry was Arsenal's all time leading goalscorer, was one of the best players in the world and was adored by the fans (all thanks to Wenger I might add, who showed faith in him when Juventus showed none).
However, his heart wasn't fully in it any more, which Wenger knew, while it became a case that he dictated the way Arsenal played too much. They became too one-dimensional, too Henry-centered.
All their football went through him and it left the team relying on him far too much. Hence, when he was injured last season Arsenal struggled.
Now that he has gone, the strikers (Van Persie, when he was fit, and Adebayor in particular) are out of his shadow and are expressing themselves more, while the whole side is playing more like a team. There is a spirit which wasn't there last season.
Which brings me onto ...
4. Grit and determination
When Arsenal came under a bit of pressure last season, especially away from home, they folded like a badly baked merengue.
Yet, this season, it's been a different story. They had a fairly easy start to the season, playing a lot of the perceived weaker teams in the league, and it was always going to be interesting to see how they faired when the true tests came.
And they have faired very well. Unlucky not to win at Anfield despite being one down for a large chunk of the game, they fought back well to draw against Man United as well. And again, in a tough game against an in form Aston Villa last week, they came away with all three points. These are the matches you have to win if you want to win the title.
And I don't think it's been any coincidence that Arsenal's continued run at the top of the league has coincided with the return to fitness of ...
5. William Gallas
I still contend that the Frenchman was the key player in Chelsea's title wins and without him they have never looked as solid. And Arsenal really suffered during his long absences due to injury last season.
Now I know he's missed two months this season, but since he's been back he's looked fitter than he's ever been in an Arsenal shirt. He's getting stronger game by game and as he does, the Gunners will become harder and harder to score against. Quick, agile, strong - he's got all the attributes needed to keep Arsenal tight at the back and thus in the hunt for the Premier League title.
You don't win anything though unless you can create and score chances and Arsenal look so threatening this season thanks to their ...
6. Fantastic football
Arsenal have been playing 'excellent on the eye' football under Wenger for years, but their brand this year has been truly breathtaking. Simple, quick, one touch stuff which bamboozles the opposition and keeps them moving and chasing the ball.
It's not quite total football, but it's not far off. Clichy is like a winger, Toure could undoubtedly play in midfield or on the right wing, while most of the midfielders would be comfortable up front.
I can't see them taking anything other than the full three points against Newcastle tomorrow.
Speaking of Newcastle, I think it is ridiculous that Sam Allardyce has come in for so much criticism at Newcastle.
Yes, they have struggled in recent weeks, and yes, there are understandably high hopes, but give the man a chance. He needs four years like Alex Ferguson got. Judge him after that.
He inherited a poor team, and players beset by bad habits. He needs time to get rid of the dross and totally reconstruct the side.
It's a worry for Allardyce that some players are rebelling against his methods though, [he needs to get rid of them as soon as possible] while it doesn't help that key players Owen, Viduka and Given are always injured. He needs to get them fit asap.
Whether he gets the time though remains to be seen. I think he will.
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