Why now is the time to bet on future Arsenal success

Arsenal still have much to play for this season

Arsenal may have crashed out of the Capital One Cup but Christian Crowther believes this is a great moment to get behind the Gunners...

The headlines are understandably grim today as Arsenal's stuttering campaign hit its lowest ebb with a penalty shootout defeat at the hands of League Two Bradford.

However, as the vultures gather to pick every last sinew out of Arsenal's latest crisis, it may well be advisable for punters to rise above the pandemonium and take fiscal advantage.

The Gunners may have forfeited their chance for Capital One Cup glory but there is still the small matter of a top-four finish to chase, as well as continued participation Champions League and of course the FA Cup. 

After all, are Arsenal not just following a now familiar blueprint for their season; made up of an agonising autumn followed by spring redemption?

Last season, the Londoners made their worst ever start to the Premier League, losing four of their first seven games, before recovering well enough to sneak past Tottenham into third place.

Arsene Wenger's side currently sit seventh in the table - just two points off Everton's fourth-place pace - and considering they've finished in the Champions League berths in each of the last 16 seasons, backing them at 2.186/5 holds great value.

Admittedly, losing to Bradford is a blow, but Arsenal have not become a bad side overnight and still have plenty to be positive about.

The return to the side of Jack Wilshere is a huge plus point for Gunners fans and alongside Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta, they make up a trio of midfielders that would walk into most sides in the league.

The FA Cup third round is just around the corner, and although the four-time winners under Wenger (10 overall) have a tricky-looking tie away at Swansea, they have never failed to successfully negotiate the third round under the Frenchman.

The Gunners are currently priced at 12.011/1 for FA Cup glory, longer than both Tottenham and Liverpool at present.

And for the more adventurous, this could be the perfect time to back Arsenal to end their wait for the Champions League trophy at 38.037/1, as both Chelsea and Liverpool's winning campaigns coincided with domestic struggles. They can be laid at 1.152/13 to win no silverware in 2012/13.