If Arsenal realize these five mistakes they can win the premier league title next season.
Arsenal can still win the Premier League, but Manchester City‘s relentlessness during awards season makes it unlikely.
Mikel Arteta’s team is four points behind City with two games to go after Sunday’s 3-0 home loss to Brighton. Pep Guardiola’s team has a game in hand.
If City beat Chelsea at the Etihad next Sunday, whatever of Arsenal’s result at Nottingham Forest, they will win their sixth title in six years.
Arsenal completed the 2021-22 season in a similar melancholy tone, but their progress over the past year means they are now lamenting a Premier League trophy rather than a top four finish.
Arsenal’s goal before August was to return to the Champions League, which they accomplished with matches to spare.
However, Arsenal dominated the Premier League for most of the season before City caught up.
Arteta hopes to build on this year’s improvement in 2023-24, and facing City should benefit a talented young squad.
Improve defensive backups
Rob Holding’s rise in Arteta’s central defense pecking order after William Saliba’s back injury has made him an unfortunate scapegoat for Arsenal’s decline since March.
The figures show how crucial Saliba is to Arsenal’s defense. Arsenal won 21 of 27 Premier League matches with Saliba, averaging 2.4 points and conceding 0.92 goals per game.
Without him, Arsenal have won four of nine league matches (44% win percentage), averaged 1.66 points, and surrendered 1.8 goals per game.
Saliba, one of Europe’s greatest young defenders, is far superior to Holding, an Arsenal backup for seven years.
City’s Ruben Dias, John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Manuel Akanji, and Nathan Ake are all comparable, so Guardiola doesn’t worry.
Holding has been a devoted and unselfish worker to the Gunners, particularly in the 2017 FA Cup final win when he marshalled Diego Costa well.
Arsenal need more defensive depth to catch City. Ben White might switch places with a new right-back.
Simplify at home
Arsenal’s home defense is shocking.
In 18 matches at the Emirates, the Gunners have conceded 25 goals, sixth-worst in the Premier League. Only 10th-placed Fulham has conceded more (27 goals) than top-half teams.
Manchester City is the only team to have conceded fewer away goals than Arsenal (14 to 17).
Arsenal has conceded almost a third of its home goals without Saliba, although it may be tactical.
Arsenal’s desire to dominate at the Emirates may have left them vulnerable to counterattacks.
Be crueler
Arsenal took two-goal leads against Liverpool and West Ham in back-to-back meetings in April and had chances to win before letting their opponents back in.
The Gunners had five shots in the first half at Anfield, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring their second and Gabriel Jesus scoring their fifth.
Arsenal had four more shots in the final hour and injury time, one after Roberto Firmino’s 87th-minute equalizer.
Arsenal retreated after being 2-0 up, giving Liverpool hope; a third goal would have ended the game.
Arsenal got a pass in that one due to Liverpool’s attackers and Anfield, but the London Stadium collapse was wholly self-inflicted. Arsenal were 2-0 ahead after 10 minutes but conceded a clumsy penalty and an avoidable equalizer.
Next season, Jesus will be held accountable individually. The Brazilian started well at Arsenal but has struggled to score. Jesus has scored 10 league goals in 24 games but squandered 16 good chances. He must improve there.
Manage their emotions
Arsenal may have gotten carried away too soon.
When a 98th-minute winner completes a 3-2 comeback, as Reiss Nelson’s against Bournemouth in March, footballers, coaches, supporters, the tea lady, and others have every right to celebrate.
City’s 11-game winning streak since February hasn’t seen such wild scenes. City calmly went about their business knowing titles are won in May, not March.
Arsenal may have been overexcited. Getting too emotionally involved in the title chase may have intensified their strain.
Since this is the second-youngest group in the division, the players will learn a lot from this experience. They should be mentally prepared next time.
Arteta’s touchline antics have been criticized throughout the campaign. He is not the only manager to abuse fourth officials, but he is one of the most visible. Maybe he should tone it down.
Rebuild midfield
Martin Odegaard has excelled all season. Granit Xhaka had his finest Arsenal season ever, earning a terrace song for the first time in seven years. Thomas Partey was the club’s most important player in the opening two-thirds of the season.
Odegaard aside, Arsenal could improve in midfield. Xhaka’s decline and Partey’s decline have made the defence leakier.
Read more:
- Pochettino must release Chelsea’s “frightening” £100k-p/w star
- Ange Postecoglou stated what Tottenham star did in Wolves loss after significant team changes
- Mikel Arteta subjects a clear report on Martin Odegaard, Ben White injuries
- Leandro Trossard “peaks” as Arsenal startled to life by Burnley.
- Arsenal star’s January move could be in trouble after injury blow
In the summer, Arsenal are expected to sign Declan Rice from West Ham, who would be significantly more dynamic than Xhaka or Partey. Xhaka may return to the Bundesliga.
Arsenal can attract better players by securing Champions League football. Rice fits the description and might be available for the right price after David Moyes admitted that there is a “good chance” he will leave West Ham at the conclusion of the season.
If Arsenal realize these five mistakes they can win the premier league title next season.