Premier League week 31
Arsenal got the best of Newcastle United to climb to the League’s third place with only 7 more games to play. It will be a tough challenge for the Gunners but also a sign of their current form.
With four wins in the last 5 matches, only Liverpool and Manchester City can boast such a strong record recently. The fall of Tottenham Hotspur to 4th, losing 4 of their last 5 has given the chance for Arsenal.
A month ago, we would not give much hopes for the team to be in the position to play the Champions League. Also still engaged in the Europa League quarterfinals (against Napoli), the season reaches its most interesting point.
Arsenal coach, Emery, comments on the win and third place:
“A big challenge today was to win again and to win a lot of matches consecutively is not easy. But we are feeling a good atmosphere here with our supporters and also we are playing consistently.
Each match is giving us a lot of information for the system and for the players, but we can change the system and the players. Today we showed we can also take a good performance. We are going to need, for the next matches, every player. An example for me today is when we needed Mkhitaryan to play 10 minutes – his impact was good. Mo Elneny and Aubameyang, their impact after starting in the bench. This is like we want to create the team, with good feeling, good team spirit and after, confidence with the victory. Our target is very clear.
It’s going to be very difficult but step by step we’ve started to rise up the table after the first two matches in the Premier League when we lost against Manchester City and Chelsea. We are improving and now we are third. But we know it is going to be difficult for us because our opposition is big opposition. It is going to be very tough for us.
I know it is going to be very difficult. I am not thinking about that. It’s our target, we know. But my first target is to create a big atmosphere here with our supporters. And I think we are creating that little by little. To create a very big mentality with the players and the supporters. I think we are showing that. We were playing some matches, not being consistent, conceding a lot of chances to the opposition.
I think in the last matches here for example, we are winning and not receiving a lot of goals. It’s one big step for our way and after the consequences are on the top. But the next game against Everton on Sunday is going to be a big challenge. It’s a new match, and it’s away. We need to convince people that we can be consistent away.
Our challenge is away because we are going to play five matches away in the last seven matches. Our challenge is to be as consistent away as we are at home.”