Arsene Wenger says Arsenal are still in the title race. In what could best be described as more hope than reality. The Frenchman ever an optimist who seems to be leaning towards a top four finish than any realistic chance of overturning a twelve points deficits over Chelsea with fourteen games left of the season.
Addressing the assembled media during his weekly press conference, he replied thus: when asked whether the title race was over for Arsenal.
"It is never over; we are not to behave like that. Even if you [reporters] think like that, I don't,"
"We look at the teams who surround us, we are all in a pack that is very tight and the fight for every position is massive as it has always been in the Premier League - maybe even more so this season."
The second part of his response is particularly apt with just six points separating Tottenham Hotspur who are second and Manchester United that are sixth. As it stands, one of the top clubs could miss out on the Champions League next season. Arsenal have qualified for the champions league in all of Wenger's season with the club. However, with five clubs separated with just six points, and the club just two points away from dropping to sixth, the consecutive loss to Watford and Chelsea could be terminal in the long run especially with visits to White Hart Lane and Anfield still to come this season.
He went further to emphasise why Arsenal are still in the title race and Chelsea's advantage over other clubs.
"If it is over [title race] for us, then it is over for everyone else because we are in a pack there.
"They [Chelsea] have an advantage - they don't play in Europe, they play for nothing and have no midweek games."
No manager would tell the media that a job has been lost. Doing that would send a wrong message to the players. But in reality, he knows the title race is over. The loss to Watford at the Emirates was the nail on the coffin, the defeat to Chelsea was just to reaffirm the funeral rites of a title race that death already.
Team
|
GP
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
PTS
| |||
1
|
|
24
|
19
|
2
|
3
|
51
|
17
|
34
|
59
| ||
2
|
|
24
|
14
|
8
|
2
|
46
|
16
|
30
|
50
| ||
3
|
|
24
|
15
|
4
|
5
|
49
|
29
|
20
|
49
| ||
4
|
|
24
|
14
|
5
|
5
|
52
|
28
|
24
|
47
| ||
5
|
|
24
|
13
|
7
|
4
|
52
|
30
|
22
|
46
| ||
6
|
|
24
|
12
|
9
|
3
|
36
|
21
|
15
| |||
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