Arsenal star believes Gunners can win Premier League

Good news for Arsenal fans today, the Mail reports that Bacary Sagna has proclaimed that the club can win the league title.

The assertion is a bold one given the north London side’s current propensity for not winning league titles or indeed silverware of any description.

The Frenchman appears to have based his prediction almost entirely on the end of season run that saw them pip local rivals Tottenham to fourth place: “We got 26 points from a possible 30. Not a lot of teams can do this and this is what makes me believe we can beat anyone.”

An interesting point of view and the resurgence following the derby defeat at White Hart Lane in February was certainly impressive, I’m not sure however that it warrants such a confident declaration.

Wigan ended 2011-12 with the form of champions and no doubt felt coming into last year that they too “could beat anyone” we all know how that particular tale unfolded.

Arsenal themselves have not been averse to a bit of an end of term flourish, as recently as the previous year they accrued 33 points from their final 15 games, just three less than last season, Gunners fans will be aware that this was no prelude to a trophy winning campaign.

Sagna arrived from Auxerre in 2004 and has been an integral component of the side that has shown adeptness at attaining third or fourth position.

Despite this serial under achievement he remains positive that the club’s future looks bright: 'I truly believe we can be champions or else I wouldn't be playing football. I would have gone already.”

Given his optimistic forecast of imminent success, it is perhaps surprising that Sagna has yet to commit himself to an extension of his current contract that has just a year to run, talks in this regard are apparently still ongoing.

His quote that ‘I would have gone already’ is also interesting; this indicates that he has had the opportunity to leave?

Carl Jenkinson has proved an able deputy when Sagna has been unavailable and his promise along with alleged stash of cash at Wenger’s disposal could mean that the club are prepared to embark on their prize laden future without the 30-year-old full-back.

Allen Whyte

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