Danny's well back: Why Leicester and Tottenham are bridesmaids in Arsenal’s wedding

If you watched Arsenal versus Leicester City, then you witnessed the beginning of the end of Leicester’s fairy tale run in the premier league.

The manner in which that sucker punch was delivered, on Valentine’s Day, was title ending.

I have heard people say that since they are not featuring in FA Cup, Leicester will get a well-deserved rest so that they can reignite their title challenge. That is well and good, but there is something you lose when you needed to play the next match quickly so that you can overcome the disappointment.

Leicester, as they get their extended rest all that will be on their mind is that last gasp goal. I bet they have been seen dark ghosts forming Danny Welbeck’s face in their dreams. What a way for Danny Boy to come back.

Interestingly, if that goal is going to haunt Leicester as they wonder whether it will be the one that changes the tide and derails the ship, that same goal will have the opposite effect on Arsenal.

After speaking to several Arsenal fans the verdict is out. It felt like Danny Welbeck scored a significant, season-shaping goal, one that will have demoralised Leicester and given Arsene Wenger’s squad impetus. Arsenal will never have a better opportunity to win the title. They dare not blow it.

On the other hand, Tottenham have started hallucinating but I hear they are calling it the ‘belief’ to win the title. They have not featured in a top four finish in the recent past and now they want to win the league?

When did we start running before we could crawl?

The premiership is not a cup competition. Simply because the gods have conspired to have them above Arsenal, in the meantime, and narrowly beat Manchester City, they think ‘it’s their time to eat’. They should know that their place is strictly on the floor feeding on bread crumbs after the big boys are done. Even Leicester beat City, even Arsenal beat City, but we have not seen this kind of collective delirium from their respective fans.

Like Leicester, Tottenham will be like a man who always buys coffee every Wednesday but never gets a kiss, just a loose hug to ease the self-guilt. Leicester and Tottenham are bridesmaids in Arsenal’s wedding. They better start practicing the catwalk down the walkway.

Champions’ drama

Chelsea’s love -hate relationship with PSG is well documented. When they were drawn, there was a collective grunt in both cities. Damn, not again. Every time these two teams meet, always expect some fireworks.

Last Tuesday, it was no different. Chelsea after spending months in Premier League trenches seem to have taken Champions League as the saving face of their desolate season.

In what was a repeat of last year’s fixture, hosts PSG dispatched off Chelsea in the first leg. Coming into the tie having lost only one game this season, PSG started out strong against what seemed like a rejuvenated Chelsea side. The bus parking that was on show by Chelsea would have made José Mourinho proud.

Mikel Obi was supposed to offer defensive cover for Chelsea but he ended up being a villain and a saviour, deflecting into his net as well as equalising. But Edison Cavani lives to score against Chelsea and he did just that to give the PSG advantage. But with Chelsea having rucked up an important away goal, this tie is far from over. It is balanced on a knife edge and we can expect more drama and desperation at Stamford Bridge as both teams aim to progress.

Favourites’ Cup

There is something magical about the FA Cup. It has been dubbed the oldest cup competition in history (sometimes being the oldest is not necessarily a positive attribute, think trade) but still the FA competition continues to be a crowd puller.

The fact that every year it always springs a major surprise when a small team, upsets the big boys who get boots delivered by Puma or Nike by a chopper. This season the FA looks like it is done with the giant killing season, not unless Shrewsbury decided to pull off a major upset and beats Manchester United on Monday evening. It sure looks unlikely but again even the loss to Sunderland, at Old Trafford was hitherto perceived as unlikely until it happened at the Theatre of Dreams.

From the looks of things the defending Champions will put another champion’s performance to remind Hull that well they are just Hull. They scored two goals in Wembley and thought they had won it. They have since learnt that Arsenal are like lions, and despite the jungle economy, the Gunners do not do grass.

Perhaps the match that will be of particular interests is Chelsea versus Manchester City. Having lost considerable grounds to win the league, the well-oiled teams must now view the FA Cup with lustful eyes. The FA Cup must have suddenly become important silverware and this will be proven by the strong squads that will be lined up by the respective managers.

With Chelsea having played in the Champions League against their arch rivals PSG, I expect them to find the going hard against a Man City side that is smarting from two back to back league losses against title contenders.

If City needed some respite and some restoration of pride, then this game is a perfect opportunity to do it.

Twitter:@tonyngare