The king is dead but Arsenal lives on!!!

When Arsene Wenger sensationally sold Thierry Henry to Barcelona for £16.5million this summer, more than a few eye brows were raised as to the logic and wisdom behind selling the clubs best player and record top scorer.

Gunners’ fans waited with baited breath over who the manger might buy to replace their hero. The press speculated, linking the club with many of the world top strikers including; David Trezeguet, Carlos Tevez, Miroslav Klose and many more.

Instead of buying an established house hold name, as the tabloid press had speculated. Arsene Wenger signed the unknown Brazilian born, Croatian striker, Eduardo Da Silva in a £10 million transfer from Dinamo Zagreb. Suddenly expectation around the club dropped and Arsenals title chances were in a flash written off of by the critics.

How could they win the title after losing arguably the best player in the league? How could this young and inexperienced team cope with the rigorous premiership when all the clubs around them have spent millions adding to their squads?

Despite all the doom and gloom surrounding the club Arsene Wenger stayed positive, almost bullish when asked about his side’s title chances. He asked Arsenal fans to be patient and to have in faith in the team, because he believed they had the quality within the side without having to spend millions on big name players.

Instead he demanded his young side all take on more responsibility to fill the void that their skippers’ departure had left. He convinced them that they had the quality to mount a serious title charge and encouraged them to prove all their doubters wrong.

This is a plan that is now seemingly bearing fruit with Arsenals hugely impressive unbeaten start to the season.

The player who seems to have flourished most with his new found responsibility is Cesc Fabregas. The 20 year old Spanish midfielder has now become the focal point in the team. He is the gunners’ maestro, conducting the Arsenal side like they are his orchestra. He has added scoring to his repertoire already equalling last season’s tally with 4 goals in six games.

Even the misfiring misfits, Tomas Rosiky and Alexander Hleb, have started to score. Between them they only managed five Premiership goals in the whole last season. So far Hleb has grabbed a brace of goals and is finally producing an end product to his skilful play. Whilst Rosicky has two goals as well, and is now looking a real replacement for Robert Pires.

Robin Van Persie in a way has benefited in the loss of his captain and strike partner most. He’s now Wengers star striker and is now the player expected to produce a piece of magic or be the likely source of a goal. After an impressive preseason, which included a wonder goal against Inter Milan, Van the Man has started the season with a bang scoring two goals and putting in some highly impressive displays.

Arsenals great start to the season shouldn’t be attributed to any individual player on the whole it has been a great team effort. The likes of Clichy, Toure, new boy Bacary Sagna, Gilberto Silva and Adebayor have all put in consistently good performances.

But the main plaudits should go to Wenger, whilst other mangers went out and spent millions; he didn’t panic but instead stayed true to his beliefs and his players. Now as Arsenal sit second in the Premiership, their highest league position for three years, they are looking every bit the title contenders that Wenger had promised.