Everything going according to plan for Wenger and Arsenal

Strength in depth making the difference in Premier League title push

Nicklas Bendtner's performance against Hull City was an example of the strength in depth that could carry Arsenal to the Premier League title. Tal Cohen / EPA
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Slowly, as Arsenal keep winning, the doubts are beginning to melt away. But as they approach their second key week of the season, there was a major positive in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Hull City.

It could all look very different after a seven-day period in which Arsenal face Everton at home and Manchester City away in the Premier League, with Napoli away in the Champions League in between.

However, the fact they could rest players and still beat Hull comfortably spoke volumes for the confidence around the club and perhaps hinted that the squad is not as thin as many thought.

There would still, of course, be major concerns if Olivier Giroud were to suffer an injury, but Nicklas Bendtner performed well enough in his absence that he was applauded off after scoring the opening goal, while manager Arsene Wenger was moved to reminisce about the talent the Dane had shown when he signed him as a teenager.

As Wenger pointed out, for all the problems Bendtner has had, he has twice encouraged him to sign long-term contracts. There has always been a measure of faith.

“We are definitely on a good path and we have the potential to win the title, even if it is a bit too early to comment on this,” Mesut Ozil said.

“What I can say at the moment is that our confidence is very high and we are very strong. You can see that whoever comes from off the bench, that player just works in the team. There is no loss of quality when people come from off the bench.”

At the moment everything is going right for Wenger, who is seemingly on the verge of signing a three-year contract worth £24 million (Dh144.1m). He has even been fortunate that results have fallen his way in the Champions League — Arsenal must only avoid a three-goal defeat in Naples to progress.

Wenger could protest at the difficulty of having to play the late Sunday game and then the early Saturday game with a trip to Naples in between, but the truth is, he can probably afford to rest players for at least part of Wednesday’s match.

“They have just come out of a win against Manchester United,” he said. “We are lucky this season a little bit, because there is always a big warning before we play against these teams when they have exceptional results. That keeps us on our toes.

“I don’t think there is a danger [of becoming complacent] because we are hungry, we want to win, and we have just put a few results together that will make us more ambitious.”

The one doubt, excellent as Arsenal have been this season in winning 11 of their last 13 matches to go four points clear at the top, is that they are still a point worse off than in equivalent fixtures from a year ago. That is, comparing the comparative results of 2013 games against those of last season.

It does give some support to the theory that Arsenal have benefited from a relatively simple fixture list.

That is why this month, in which they face Everton and Manchester City, but also Chelsea on December 23, is so vital. And that is why being able to shuffle the pack against Hull to give Giroud a break was so valuable.

It was not a match likely to be remembered in perpetuity, but it may have been a key game in the planning of this season.

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