Alan Shearer has commended Arsenal’s progress in the last year, but he says it is too soon to name them as title contenders in the Premier League.
The Gunners won their sixth game of the season against Brentford on Sunday. The win put them back to the top of the Premier League, above reigning champions Manchester City, as the international break approached.
Mikel Arteta’s men appear to be well-positioned to mount a title challenge this season. While Shearer conceded that Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea’s inconsistent starts to the season have opened the door, he dismissed Arsenal’s chances.
“In just over a year, Arteta has not just built a different team, he has transformed the mood of the whole club. He deserves great credit for that, because he got a lot of criticism after the way they started last season, with three straight defeats,” he told BBC Sport.
“This time, they have won six out of their first seven league games and go into the international break at the top of the table. They deserve it too. It’s been a strange start to this campaign by some of the big clubs, with Liverpool being nowhere near the levels we know they can be.
“Chelsea have been the same, and they have had more upheaval after their change of manager. Manchester United made a really poor start too but they have recovered well, while Tottenham are still unbeaten and are right up there along with Manchester City, who are still the team to beat.
“I still think Arsenal’s main target is a return to the top four for the first time since 2016, and they have not done too much wrong so far. Their next two league games at the start of October, at home to Spurs and Liverpool, will tell us more about whether they can sustain this strong start but, right now, their fans will be enjoying what they are seeing.”
See Also: Brighton Appoint Roberto De Zerbi As New Head Coach
Shearer Says Arsenal Are Not Title Contenders Yet
The Newcastle United legend also believes Arteta’s victory over Brentford demonstrates how well he has performed over the past year. The Gunners were bottom of the Premier League at the start of the season, but they are now at the top.
“It’s not time to talk about them as title contenders yet, but people now know that this is a different Arsenal to the team we saw just 13 months ago. The Gunners’ 3-0 win at Brentford on Sunday epitomised their progress under Mikel Arteta,” He continued.
“We all remember what happened in this fixture on the opening weekend of last season – when the Bees didn’t just beat them, they bullied them. Everything was different about Arsenal this time – in attack and defence, plus the way they controlled the game, and with their attitude and intensity.
“They ran out comfortable winners. This Gunners side is not only bigger and stronger, it is also more committed. They were better in every department and dominated right from the start.
“When the Bees did attack in the same way they had at Arsenal before, with long throws or crosses into the box, they got absolutely no joy at all. Their two strikers, Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo, hardly got a kick because Gabriel and William Saliba dominated them so much, and it was the same all over the pitch.”
COMMENTS