Arsenal icon Sol Campbell thinks that the Gunners are doing well but are not favorites to win the Premier League title despite their great start to the season. Campbell urged his former club to maintain their current form and adopt an optimistic mindset to stand a chance of ending their trophy drought.
Mikel Arteta's side are currently sitting atop the Premier League table, one point ahead of defending champions Liverpool. Meanwhile, Arteta has also overseen Arsenal's consecutive second-place finishes in each of the last three occasions.
When questioned by Journalist Ben Jacobs who he thinks are favorites for the title, Campbell said (via talkSPORT):
"No one yet, no one. Liverpool, obviously they've been champions, they're always going be in with a shout, and Arsenal are the chasers. They're in a good position at the moment, but they just have to...The proof's in the pudding, they have to keep going, keep going when it's January, February time, when it's wintry and raining, away, picking up points. So at the moment, it's so early but they've got great signs. Arsenal are looking good, but they've got to believe they can do it, that's the thing.
"If you don't believe you can do it, something's going to come up, and then you're not going to get the points, you're not going to have that total belief. Everybody's got to believe they can do it and when they get that mental kind of herd mentality when everyone believes it... not stupidly, like far-fetched, but, 'We've got a great chance and we've got to believe.'
"If you add too much doubt in it, it takes a little bit, one percent, and that one percent added up through the whole team, the whole squad, can actually take away that momentum. So they've got to truly believe they can do it, they've got a chance to do it."
Campbell was part of Arsenal's 'Invincibles' that won the Premier League title in 2004.
Under the guidance of Mikel Arteta since 2019, Arsenal have managed to win only one major trophy. The side has gone through major changes and looks set to win their long-waited Premier League title this season.
Amid their near encounters in the EPL title race over the past three seasons, Arsenal have been slammed for their lack of winning mentality. When asked about how to create a serial winner mentality the Arteta project at Arsenal as been built slowly, Campbell answered:
"I think slow is good sometimes. Some people are lucky, they inherit a really good side, [Arne] Slot inherited a fantastic side [at Liverpool] and then won the league. He didn't have to change much, he was lucky. A new manager, good bounce, players responded and yeah, he was lucky. Arteta had to get rid of some players and deadwood but the last couple of years, he's had pretty much the team. I think the centrepiece is a centre-forward, they've finally got someone [Viktor Gyokeres]... But they've got to find out how to play him. But you build it, you have to build it somehow.
He added:
"I went to Arsenal [in 2001], I've not won anything. Yeah they won before, but every year is different, you've got to believe that you can do it, and you've got to have the players around with the quality that can do it. You have to manifest it, you have to make it, that's how champions are made. You've got to manifest that, 'We can do it this year.' Not being ridiculous, not being so far-fetched, but you've got to start somewhere. Everybody starts with nothing, and then you've got to build and create something."
Arsenal will next face Fulham after the international break.