Former Tottenham defender, Stephen Kelly, recently expressed that Arsenal’s unexpected rise as title contenders in the Premier League has captured the interest and admiration of neutral football fans.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily, Stephen Kelly acknowledged that there were initial doubts about Arsenal’s capacity to maintain their winning streak, especially when key players were sidelined.
However, the team has exceeded expectations, showcasing their ability to replace missing players to maintain their momentum.
Kelly highlighted the excellent quality of Arsenal’s play, particularly their ability to move the ball quickly and flood the box with players, making it difficult for opposing teams to defend.
Though a former Spurs player, Kelly admitted that it’s tough to criticise Arsenal’s performance this season.
Arsenal’s resurgence has provided a breath of fresh air in the Premier League, which has seen the same two teams dominating the competition for years. Kelly believes that many neutral fans are supporting Arsenal’s bid for the title, given their exciting style of play and the progress they’ve made since last season.
“There was going to be question marks over Arsenal when some of the big players that were having an influential start to the season were missing,” Kelly said.
“You were thinking ‘can they continue on this? Can they replace them?’
“They have done that. They haven’t slacked at all. They had that one little blip and have come back flying.
“The way they put the ball in the box [against Fulham] and the quality of delivery is just unbelievable. How many players they flood in the box, it’s a nightmare to defend.
“From the way Arsenal play and how quickly they go through transitions, it pains me to say it being Spurs, but it’s a hard watch seeing Arsenal flying so strongly but it’s hard to knock them.
“Everything about their game, they have a lot of players that are performing week in, week out regularly.
“Most people would want Arsenal to do it. It has been a two-horse race for such a long time.
“They have been playing such good football and on the back of last season they just faded, they dropped off when they were in pole position to get Champions League and they couldn’t handle it.
“This season, no matter what is thrown at them they seem to handle it and it’s a huge step forward.”
In the previous season, Arsenal faltered in the race for a Champions League spot, struggling to cope with the pressure. This time around, however, the team has demonstrated its resilience and ability to handle adversity, taking significant strides forward under Mikel Arteta’s guidance.
As the season unfolds, Arsenal’s pursuit of the Premier League title continues to attract attention and win over neutral fans. The team’s progress under Arteta has been impressive, and their on-field performances have garnered praise from both supporters and critics alike.