Simon Jordan: I've changed my mind on Arsenal 'bottlers' – they could win the Premier League title this weekend
This weekend Arsenal could win the Premier League title.
That is the belief of talkSPORT's Simon Jordan, who has changed his mind about Mikel Arteta's team, having recently branded them “bottlers”. that shook Gunners legend Martin Keown.
Arsenal They have certainly proven their title-winning credentials in recent weeks and helped set up what could be one of the closest and most exciting title races in years.
The Gunners have been on fire since their disappointing FA Cup third round exit against Liverpoolbouncing back with seven league wins in a row, including some big results.
Alongside those results were a 3-1 revenge win over Jurgen Klopp's Reds, a 4-1 win over Newcastle, two 5-0 wins over Crystal Palace and Burnley and incredibly also two 6-0 wins over West Ham and on Monday, Sheffield United.
They were so irresistible against the Blades – with the home fans at Brammall Lane watching them leave before half-time – that Arteta commented it was the best he had seen his team play.
In that group of seven games, they scored an astonishing 31 goals and only conceded three.
The top three remain separated by one point each, but that could all change this weekend when Liverpool host Man City at Anfield in a clash that could well decide the championship with two months still to play.
That's according to Jordan, who says that if the title rivals draw and Arsenal manage to beat Brentford, the Gunners will rise to the top of the league and could be difficult to topple.
“The interesting thing about Arsenal is that if the results go well this weekend, if Liverpool and Man City draw and Arsenal do what I expect them to do against Brentford, Arsenal will go into a three-week break from the Premier League in the top of the league,” he said. White and Jordan host.
“And I think if they get to the top of the league (before the international break), I think they could win the league.
“They have the momentum behind them. I think this time you will see the emotional intelligence and the change of direction, the signings of Declan Rice and people like that and the general determination within the team.
“I think if they get to the top of the league at a time when they control their destiny, they won't make the same mistakes they made last year.
“I know they have to place Manchester City and I think this season will depend on who doesn't slip. “I think they will all beat the teams around them, but when they play each other, that will be the slip, and Arsenal can take advantage of that slip to go to the top of the league.”
When asked what had changed to change his opinion, having called Mikel Arteta's team 'bottlers', he replied: “They have learned lessons. They have clearly learned lessons.
“There is nothing wrong with making mistakes, there is nothing wrong with learning from past experiences. The mistake would be not learning from them.
“I don't like the signing of Kai Havertz, I know he's scoring goals at the moment, but I don't think he added much value to the cash contribution he cost them.
“But a lot of things are being built behind Arsenal. Questions have been asked about their exuberance and excessive celebration, you look at last year's season and wonder if their lack of emotional intelligence contributed to them ultimately drowning at certain moments.
“But going where they are now… the result that stands out for me is not crushing a hapless Burnley or a useless Sheffield United or an out of sorts Crystal Palace, it's what they did to Newcastle.
“Let's put aside the game against Porto, because they will correct that mistake in the second leg of the tie at the Emirates, but the way they destroyed Newcastle and made them look like they were not even in the game because of the dynamism , the ruthlessness and general competence of everything Arsenal did showed me something.
“There is something irresistible about Arsenal, it is an irresistible force at the moment.
“The only question is: is Man City an immovable object? When an irresistible force meets an immovable object, the result tends to be neutral.
“But I think if Arsenal get to the top of the table there is a clear chance they will stay there.”