Former Arsenal Chief David Dein Makes Bold Title Claim Ahead of Chelsea Clash
Former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein has declared that Mikel Arteta possesses the "best squad" the club has seen in recent memory and believes Arsenal have a "great chance" to finally end their long wait for the Premier League title this season. The Gunners approach the crucial final stages of the campaign in an exceptionally strong position, competing for honors across all four competitions after five years without major silverware under Arteta's leadership.
Arsenal's Commanding League Position and European Success
In the Premier League, Arsenal currently sit five points clear of their nearest rivals, Manchester City, at the summit of the table. The team has suffered only three defeats throughout the entire campaign, demonstrating remarkable consistency. Additionally, Arteta's men finished top of their Champions League group stage, securing a position as one of the two top seeds alongside Bayern Munich ahead of Friday's eagerly anticipated last-16 draw.
Questions about Arsenal's title credentials emerged during a slight dip in results over a challenging winter period. Back-to-back draws away to Brentford and Wolves had some supporters fearing a repeat of previous disappointments, following three consecutive runners-up finishes. However, the league leaders roared back with an emphatic 4-1 victory in a one-sided north London derby last weekend. Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres combined to torment Tottenham at a subdued Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Dein's Optimistic Assessment and Historical Context
For many supporters who celebrated Arsenal's legendary "Invincibles" season of 2003/04, it would have been unimaginable that the club would go two decades without a top-flight trophy. According to Dein, who served as Arsenal's vice-chairman from 1983 to 2007, there is a strong likelihood that this barren spell will finally conclude this year.
"Well, they've got a great chance, haven't they? They're fighting on all four fronts and it's in their hands," Dein stated during an appearance on talkSPORT. "They've got the best squad that I can remember for a long time, I think they're well organized and they are difficult to beat. They've had a few blips but nothing goes in a straight line."
Dein reflected on the historic achievement of the Invincibles, noting the increased difficulty of the modern Premier League. "We were blessed with Arsene [Wenger] and the Invincibles in 2003/04 going the whole season unbeaten. By game eight this year, all the major teams had been beaten. Arsenal, Spurs, Manchester United, Manchester City... everybody had lost by game eight, not game 38. That shows how difficult it is to win the Premier League and to be invincible."
Bergkamp's Advice and the Road Ahead
Dennis Bergkamp, a key figure in the last Arsenal team to lift the Premier League trophy 22 years ago under Dein and Wenger, recently offered advice to Arteta. Speaking to Ian Wright on The Overlap earlier this month, the legendary Dutch forward encouraged Arteta to adopt Wenger's approach of treating every match like a cup final.
"The danger is that people start to talk about the last few seasons, and if you let that get to you, and you talk about it yourself, then the players will know," Bergkamp explained. "I know what Arsene always said... just take every game as a final, focus on the next game, that is the main thing now. I wouldn't be too worried because I don't feel the other teams are strong enough at this moment, Manchester City may be coming back. But I don't feel that other teams could catch them because they're going to drop points as well, I would just focus on your own squad. Plus, the big games are yet to come, the difficult period is yet to come."
Arsenal will aim to strengthen their grip on top spot when they return to action at home against another bitter rival, Chelsea, on Sunday afternoon. This match represents another critical test in their pursuit of the Premier League title, with Dein's optimistic assessment providing a significant boost to the club's aspirations.
