Why Arsenal fans should have a HAPPY Christmas

Despite the two losses at Everton and Man City last week, Arsene Wenger is pretty upbeat about the season and our hopes of Arsenal lifting the big Premier League trophy at the end of it. In fact it sounds like he is expecting the teams above us in the EPL table to slip up over the festive period.

The boss pointed out that the Gunners have been playing well and looking strong until the last two games and even in those we did take the lead so there are some positives there as well. Just as Arsenal’s position changed very quickly in the space of a week, Wenger reminds us that the same thing can and is likely to happen to our rivals for the title.

He said, “It is part of our job to do that and you know that when you go into a season it will not only be satisfaction. The disappointments are part of a successful season – that’s part of our environment.

“It’s how you respond to it that of course makes your destiny and that’s what we want to do well. I believe that of course in 20 games we lost two, and it is very difficult because we are not used to that, but as well we have to put it into perspective and fight for the next one.

“In both games we were 1-0 up and we lost 2-1, and there are two aspects to it,” said Wenger. “One is the aspect we cannot influence, it’s the refereeing decisions. I must say as well that the two goals [from City] were 100 per cent offside.

“The other factor is our performances – which we can influence. Could we have done better? Certainly, yes. Especially when you lead, I would say it looks like we became a bit restricted, and don’t play with the same intensity and urgency and relentless attitude we have had until now.

“We lost that and I think there was room to win the game at City. There was big room as well to win the game at Everton and we have to look at the fact that maybe we have not had that relentless attitude that we have based our success on.

“But I have a group that is ready for the fight. I am personally really ready for the fight and it’s now for to come back because things can change quickly, especially over Christmas.”

I do think that Arsenal fans have a lot to be happy about at Christmas as we have been looking stronger and more balanced and we did finally manage to win a Champions League group even though we then got the rotten luck of being drawn against Bayern Munich.

So chin up Gooners as there is still more than half of the season to play and Arsenal are still one of the clubs that could win the title.