Well, I guess it only took them four months to choke away the league this year. Arsenal have just gone from leading the league on Christmas to now being stuck in 4th place after the New Year holiday as they have literally choked away a golden chance for a Premier League crown.
Some holiday break it’s best for Arsenal fans.
Despite leading the Premier League by a small lead on Christmas Day, Arsenal now find themselves stuck in 4th place and a full 2 points behind league-leaders Liverpool (who have also played a game less than the Gunners) on New Year’s Day after two losses and a draw. And, to be honest, this collapsing title charge might cost Mikel Arteta his job.
So, Arsenal are really doing their best Spurs impression. Nice to see such fierce rivals getting along after all these years!
Okay, being serious, I don’t want to make it sound like it is all doom and gloom for the Gunners as they still are within two points of 1st place and are more than capable of going on a long winning streak and splitting away from the pact as they did last season. Plus, the FA Cup and the Champions League are still in grasp for Arsenal…but something just feels off about this team.
Not only have the Gunners fallen three places and are looking at being 5 points behind Liverpool for 1st, but they are also a full 10 points WORSE OFF this season than they were last season at this stage. And, remember, last year they were not predicted of doing anything more than beating out Tottenham and Man United for a Champions League spot, while this season had the expectations of being champions after signing Declan Rice, David Raya, Kai Havertz, and Jurrien Timber (who hasn’t featured due to his ACL tear).
Yet, despite playing very well (if not a little lucky) football for the opening few months of the season, Arsenal have now dropped 4 of their last five games (and have just lost their last two against Fulham 2-1 and West Ham 2-0) without a win and have crumbled under the first stage of pressure in the Premier League calendar.
That’s not a good sign for things to come with Manchester City only going to get stronger and more resilient, Liverpool looking like the Liverpool of old, Aston Villa mounting a serious title push for the first time in 40 years, and their arch-rival Spurs only being a point behind them in 5th place. And I have to be honest: this is Mikel Arteta’s fault.
I know Mikel Arteta has been the best thing to happen to Arsenal since Arsene Wenger was winning titles and FA Cups with this team in the 2000’s, but the drop in form of superstar players like Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey (who has been frozen out of the squad completely), and Gabriel Martinelli, and the overreliance on average players like Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, etc. has really damaged this squad.
Arsenal just doesn’t have the depth and goal scoring firepower needed to overcome difficult spells if and when they run into them, while their forward core might be one of the worst in the Premier League aside from Bukayo Saka and Martinelli on his day (which hasn’t happened often this season given the strange formations Arteta has devised).
And that’s on Arteta as he’s the on playing Havertz and Odegaard in the midfield together when they both play the same positions, he’s the one who has left Declan Rice on an island to both control and defend the midfield, he’s the one who refused to sign a big-name striker in the offseason when that was Arsenal’s biggest need, and he’s the one that has caused this team imbalance that has really hurt their wingers and midfielders.
Obviously, Arsenal is still a really good team and has the capability of winning the Premier League title…but they kind of have to win something this season to justify keeping Mikel Arteta on. I mean, yeah, the 2020 FA Cup was great and all, but that’s going to be four years ago when this season ends.
Can Arsenal really afford another year of disappointment and failure to grow within this squad under Arteta if he doesn’t win the FA Cup, Champions League, or the Premier League this season? Maybe, but there are title-proven managers on the market who can take the good work Arteta has done already and push this squad over the hump if necessary.
I’m not saying Arteta needs to leave as if he wins another trophy, then I’d keep him on indefinitely (or until he really screws up). But the clock is ticking on this Arsenal side becoming the champions they look like they can be.
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