Legendary former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson does not feel that the Gunners have gotten enough credit for one thing this season.
Arsenal are currently riding high and are in a rich vein of form.
The Gunners are at the top of the Premier League table and are through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League having overcome a stubborn Porto side on penalties in the last round.
Mikel Arteta’s men were really made to fight by the Portuguese outfit. Ultimately, though, David Raya was the hero as he made two saves in the penalty shootout at the Emirates Stadium to send the north London club through to the last eight of Europe’s elite club competition for the first time in 14 years.
Arsenal will face Bayern Munich in the next round, when they will come up against an all-too-familiar adversary in the form of Harry Kane. However, the Gunners should still back themselves to have enough to overcome the German giants over two legs. If they are at their best, then Arsenal should have nothing got fear. They are good enough, certainly on current form, to get the job done.
Arsenal have also done remarkably well to make it to the summit of the Premier League table at this stage in the campaign, despite the relentless pace being set by Manchester City and Liverpool.
The Gunners still won’t be considered favourites to be crowned champions. However, the data suggests that Arsenal are certainly in with a shout.
Paul Merson wants Arsenal to get the praise they are owed
Arteta will believe that his squad has what it takes to triumph in both the Champions League and the Premier League. That has to be the aim, and they will still be using the pain of last season, when they slipped-up in the title race on the final straight, to fuel them.
Arsenal fans will be behind the team, and dreaming of a glorious end to the season. Match-day atmospheres at the Emirates Stadium are sure to be raucous, as it was against Porto, whilst the club remain in contention for these top prizes.
Paul Merson, who made over 400 appearances for Arsenal between 1986 and 1997, has now had his say on what the mood will be like at the club off the back of their Champions League progression. Speaking on Sky Sports, he said, “I thought it was massive [beating Porto]…it gives you confidence…Because I thought during the season, mid-way through…I just thought that the fans were going back the other way…last season it was like, ‘North London Forever’ and everything, and I thought this season it went off a little bit, and it’s come back again now.”
“At the moment, they’re in a good position. They’re in the quarter-final of the Champions League, they’re top of the league with ten games to go. They should be getting major credit, and I don’t think they get the credit they deserve.”