Arsenal were today handed a perfect opportunity to end their trophy drought as Wigan earned themselves a shock 2-1 defeat of Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter finals. The victory means the Gunners’ will face the FA Cup holders in a semi-final tie, with only Hull City or Sheffield United standing in their way should they advance to the final.
This represents the Gunners’ best chance at a trophy since they fell to a heart-breaking 2-1 defeat to Birmingham City in the 2011 League One final and punters would be mad not to back Arsenal given their desire for success this season.
32Red have installed a price of 4/9 for Arsenal to lift the FA Cup later this year and that price leaves little reason why customers shouldn’t pause their play at the 32Red casino for a few brief moments in order to snatch up what seems like under-estimation on the part of the bookies’ sports-book.
Arsenal have shown this season that they are capable of mounting a valiant title charge and were considered favourites for a long spell during the course of this year. They have since dropped off the pace and now face elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich, but these factors only strengthen the argument that Arsene Wenger will launch an all-out attack on England’s number one domestic competition to ensure a trophy arrives at the Emirates this season.
The reality is that the FA Cup is now the only trophy left that Arsenal look genuinely capable of winning this season and if the club and fans cannot see that at this time, they will do soon. With an away tie to overcome in Munich to progress in the Champions League and league fixtures against local rivals Tottenham, as well as tough matches against Premier League title rivals Chelsea and Manchester City, there is a high likelihood that the Gunners will have to settle for another season where they fall just short of the top spots in the league.
The achievement, should they earn it, is no less commendable than any other that could have bene expected, given the problems they have endured this season. Mega-money signing Mesut Ozil faded into a shade of the player he once was and is now only recently recovering his star attributes, while untimely injuries, most recently to Jack Wilshere, have hampered Arsenal’s chances of a consistent season, despite their impressive opening form this year.
A trophy, regardless of whether it was the FA Cup or the Champions League, would have been welcomed at the Emirates by almost every Gunners fan across the globe at the start of the season, given the perks it comes with, most notably the confidence boost of a team knowing their hard work has been rewarded with success. Arsenal may have fallen off the pace in the elite competitions they have been competing in this season, yet have still managed to reach the final four of a cup where the nearest opponent lies as far as ten places away in league standings and the remaining two teams lie divisions below. It is this gulf in class alone that makes 32Red’s price of 4/9 for Arsenal to lift the FA Cup later this year one that should be taken without a second glance.