Wenger wants Arsenal title challenge

Arsene Wenger has said that he is ready for his Arsenal side to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title this season.

Anyone checking out the latest Arsenal news will note that the Gunners finished in third place last campaign which when you consider the awful start they had, with the 8-2 defeat to Manchester United as well as other poor performances, it was a good return in the end.

Now though, the Frenchman believes his squad have the capability to not only get off to a good start, but to maintain it throughout the season.

With Wenger showing his intent in the summer transfer window, signing Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla and Oliver Giroud – the North London side to look to be in good shape. Of course there is still the doubt over where Robin Van Persie will be playing his football come the end of August.

Van Persie was a substitute in the comfortable 4-0 victory over FC Koln over the weekend and he was given the captains armband when he came on. There then is course Jack Wilshere who is set to return from an injury that kept him out of the whole of last campaign.

Podolski seems to have settled in to life at Arsenal very well as he scored a brace against his former club. Those interested in Arsenal betting will certainly be looking at him for a top goalscorer pick this season.

When asked if he thinks he side can end their trophy drought this time out, Wenger said: "We are up for it, and we want to come out of the season and know we have given our best.

"I feel we did that last year, finishing third with the start we had. "The first target is to do as well as we can in every single game and see where we stand at the end of the season, but of course we want to fight for the championship."

Arsenal lost two of their star men last summer as Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas both left the Emirates Stadium. Although the speculation over Van Persie has gone on for a while now, he is still a member of the squad and as it stands Wenger has only strengthened his team.

Their Premier League campaign gets underway with a home tie against Sunderland, which will be a game they will want to take three points from and show they really mean business.