Whisper it quietly, but could Arsenal win the league title?

However, Arteta’s intelligence and passing quality allows him to sufficiently play the deep-lying playmaker role as it should be done, from deep, giving Arsenal defensive shape and solidity in midfield against breaking attackers. Silva barely got a sniff all game for City while Toure’s marauding runs were noticeably absent and that is in no small part down to Arteta. And then we come to Cazorla. Santi Cazorla. Without a doubt, the signing of the Premier League so far this season.

There have been many articles written about Cazorla in recent days and weeks so simply this: Cazorla is a match-winner, one that can produces moments of genius out of nothing. A perfect case in point was on Sunday, with City 1-0 up and Arsenal seemingly running out of ideas, the Spanish maestro collects the ball, runs with it and unleashes a shot that forces a good save from Joe Hart. From the resulting corner (which he takes), the Gunners equalise.

Simply, Arsenal’s midfield ranks as one of the best and most well balanced in the country and when you consider that this does not mention Aaron Ramsey, who impressed in a wider role on Sunday or the soon to be returning Jack Wilshere, Arsenal’s increasing title chances are there for all to see.

However, that is not to say that Arsenal’s path to the Premier League title is clear. An issue clearly remains up front. Lukas Podolski is an efficient finisher and has made a good start to life at the Emirates but seems to rely somewhat on service and can drift in and out of games while Olivier Giroud has failed to score since his arrival and appears to be lacking in confidence with each game.

Gervinho may have performed well against Southampton but his performance at the Etihad highlighted the problems in the Ivorian’s game. Elsewhere, Theo Walcott’s isolation at the club is becoming more apparent with each muted appearance from the substitutes bench. Fundamentally, for all of Arsenal’s superb midfield work, Arsenal appear to lack of a striker in the mould of dare we say it.. Robin Van Persie to take their chances. Had they had the Dutchman on board, then the Gunners would probably have come away from the Etihad with a victory.

No team can mount a successful title challenge with a faltering strike force so if the travails of Giroud in particular remain, perhaps Wenger should consider a move into the January transfer market.

Saturday’s crunch clash at home to league leaders Chelsea presents another acid test for the Gunners. Arsenal have improved their record over the Blues of late and shorn of the physicality of the likes of Didier Drogba and Michael Essien, the Gunners should find Chelsea’s artistry rather easier to their tastes. With victory in front of their own fans over a local title rival, the Gunners would send out a serious message to the rest of the Premier League and importantly, to the Gunners’ own fanbase, that this time, this Gunners team of defensive solidity, midfield invention and above all experience, could just be ready to rumble the big boys.

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