Arsenal have been strange in the last few seasons. In 2012/13 the team started very well and were on top of the league for a longer period of time than any other, but due to injuries to key players like Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil, the side ended up 4th in table.
Contrast to 2013/14, where the club had one of the worst starts in its history but ended the season very well. In 2014/15 for example, the club had one of the best records of any team in the league; the side also retained the FA Cup and finished third in the league.
Theo Walcott had this to say prior to the Community Shield against Chelsea: “It’s going to be very tight and I think both squads have improved.
“Chelsea will grow as well but I think the way that we ended the season, just the whole culture around the club now and everything about it, there’s just something special that will happen this year.
“Some people will think it’s just another pre-season game but us players want to go out and win every game we can.
“A lot of kids dream of playing at Wembley so you’ve always got to take it in, put 100 per cent in and I will, like all my team-mates will do too. We won’t want to let our fans down because they’re going to make the game special for us, I’m sure.
“It’s important to actually put out a message to the Premier League that we’re ready this year, against the title champions. We did it last year against Manchester City so there’s no reason we can’t do it again.”
Only time will tell, but if pre-season was an indication of what is to follow, Arsenal fans should be delighted. Arsenal have won two trophies already, bagging the Barclays Asia Trophy and the Emirates Cup; a treble of sorts is on the offer with the Community Shield.
Furthermore, key players such as Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla, Olivier Giroud and Jack Wilshere have been rewarded with contract extensions. Perhaps, “something special” will happen this year.
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