Comment: Arsenal Fans Still Have Reason To Be Cautious About Title Chances

It was a stuttering performance at the Emirates and despite what the Premiership table says - the Gunners are level on points with Chelsea, who began the day as league leaders - they do not have the look of a side who could win the title this season.

Cesc Fabregas, who is one of the few Arsenal players to exceed expectations so far this season, scored the opener but then was forced to limp off injured.

His withdrawal is believed to be cautionary but should it prove to be any more serious than that then his would be a major loss to Arsene Wenger’s side.

The Spaniard has contributed 16 goals in all competitions this season - twice as many as Van Persie and Arshavin, the next highest scorers for Arsenal.

He is also the Premier League’s leading assist provider with 15. That’s four more than James Milner and five more than Frank Lampard who are second and third in that table respectively.

The other key factor that will worry Wenger as he analyzes the Burnley game is his side’s inability to keep a clean sheet.

Arsenal face Porto on Tuesday and can ill afford to concede against the Portuguese otherwise they will need to win by at least two clear goals to salvage their Champions League ambitions.

The fact that a player of David Nugent’s caliber could cut through the Gunners’ defense will give the likes of Porto’s Brazilian international Hulk reason to feel confident as he prepares for the last 16 tie.

Of course, it wasn’t all bad news. Arsenal have now won four Premier League games on the bounce and if they manage to keep this run up then Chelsea and Manchester United will have to begin to take them seriously as title contenders.

Yet it is hard to take Arsenal too seriously with their main striker Nicklas Bendtner missing a total of four sitters from inside the box.

The Dane looked to have been finding some form of late having scored two in his last two Arsenal games plus one for Denmark in a midweek friendly.

But this performance seemed to be a return to last season’s dreadful form when he admitted himself that he was playing at times like a pub player.

Theo Walcott’s goal and rising confidence is however one aspect of this performance that can be applauded.  

The England man could prove crucial to Arsene Wenger this season and Fabio Capello this summer if he can continue to combine his blinding pace with footballing nous as he did at the Emirates today when he cut in from the right to finish coolly with his left.

Should Arsenal fans get to see more shooting like Walcott’s and Arshavin’s – and less like Bendtner’s  - as the Gunners attempt to overhaul their title rivals then the Emirates faithful could finally have some silverware to cheer come May.