For the last few seasons Arsenal’s ambitions have unravelled in the second month of the calendar year.
It all started on February 23rd 2008 when the Gunners were on the crest of a wave, five points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Earlier that month their FA Cup ambitions had been halted by a 4 – 0 defeat to Manchester United but in the league they were set to meet Birmingham City at St Andrews, confident of moving a step closer to a first title in four years.
But that’s when everything changed. All it took was one mistimed tackle from Martin Taylor to break Croatian striker Eduardo’s leg and Arsenal’s resolve. A last minute penalty for Birmingham – accompanied by theatrics from William Gallas – cost the Gunners a certain victory which precipitated a decline pockmarked by draws as Arsenal finished third, four points behind the eventual champions Manchester United.
The following February saw Eduardo mark his return exactly a year after his career’s trajectory was forever affected. But it was the only bit of good news for the Gunners during that month as five consecutive draws from January 28th to February 28th eventually knocked them off course in the league.
Horrific challenge
February 2010 was an equally dark period. Aaron Ramsey entered that month in great form. But exactly two years and four days after Eduardo’s February leg break, the young Welshman would fall victim to a horrific challenge from Stoke’s Ryan Shawcross, altering the course of his career and the course of Arsenal’s season. Although the Gunners were in good form throughout that month, the mental scars from that night at the Britannia may have contributed to their collapse at the tail end of the season, as they slumped to third.
February 2011 saw a last minute mix up between Wojciech Szczesny and Laurent Koscielny cost Arsenal the League Cup final in favour of Birmingham City which meant their trophy drought would continue, especially as Arsene Wenger’s men would be knocked out of the Champions League and FA Cup within the next two weeks.
That February trend continued last season when Arsenal were knocked out of the same competitions by AC Milan and Sunderland respectively.
But this term they have another opportunity to set things right. Most pundits do not hold much hope for them in the European clash with Bayer Munich on Tuesday but later today Arsenal face championship opposition in the FA Cup. Arsene Wenger’s men host Blackburn Rovers at the Emirates with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.
If they can get a win and end their February hoodoo it could give Arsene Wenger’s men the impetus to push on for a domestic trophy and potentially be a psychological boost in the increasingly frantic hunt for a Top Four place.
And the signs are promising with consecutive Premier League wins this month along with the Gunners finally finding a use for the hapless Andre Santos by jettisoning him out of North London on loan.
