Premier League: Gunners must gather their courage and win like champions
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta during the Emirates FA Cup, quarter-final match at St Mary's Stadium, Southampton.
What had been shaping up as a fairly humdrum procession to the Premier League title for Arsenal has suddenly developed into something far more compelling. A sharp and unexpected dip in form — domestically, at least — has thrown the door wide open and injected real drama into the run-in.
It’s hard the elaborate, but Arsenal’s defeat at the hands of Bournemouth last Saturday, was somehow surprising while also seemingly completely inevitable. When the result dropped, it felt less like a bolt from the blue but maybe the next step in a worrying trend for Arsenal.
With the season entering its decisive phase, the pressure is now unmistakable. Manchester City are looming large in the rear-view mirror, and the familiar doubts have resurfaced around Arsenal — and Mikel Arteta — about whether they can actually get this over the line.
Not to take anything away from Bournemouth, a side who have produced some significant upsets in recent seasons under their talented manager Andoni Iraola (who looks set to be leaving for greener and larger fields). But Arsenal surely needed this a win here more than the south coast outfit. Arsenal needed to put a stop to the rot that has creeped into their game across their cup and league competitions over the past few weeks. Instead, they put on a timid performance, lacking commitment, and purpose of cause.
The cracks have been showing for weeks. In hindsight, the Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City at the end of March feels pivotal. Since then, Arsenal have exited the FA Cup to Southampton and now suffered only their fourth league loss of the season — but one that carries enormous weight.
That once-comfortable nine-point lead has been cut to six. Next up is a trip to the Etihad this Sunday, with the very real prospect of the gap shrinking to three — while City still hold a game in hand.
Without doing much wrong, Arsenal are witnessing their season crumble around them. And the team and its manager would not be human if they don’t entertain the doubts about their ability to see the job done. In the Carabao Cup final and again on Saturday the players looked like they were only able to contain the game rather than expressing themselves to push on for the win like a champion side should.
As we have pointed out, the Cherries are no pushovers and deserve great merit for coming back to take and hold the lead after Arsenal had equalised from the penalty spot. But it’s beyond just fair play, Bournemouth were the better side on Sunday. In a game, it must be remembered, was of incredible importance to Arsenal’s title hopes. To make matters worse, it was at home in the Emirates. Arsenal needed to not lose even more than they needed to win but it didn’t play out that way as they trudged off the field like a busted flush.
The Arsenal sequence of results has a familiar look to it. Liverpool were also in the hunt for the quadruple well into last season. They seemed imperious on all front… at least until they weren’t.
Once the results started unravelling, the once unbeatable Liverpool looked a much frailer image of their once imperious selves. Which, looking back, foretold their form into this season. But for Liverpool having even a greater points margin, later into the season, saw them fall over the line before the rot fully took hold.
A defeat this Sunday for Arsenal’s will not only wash away the once seemingly untouchable lead, but flood Arsenal minds with doubts that may just grow unstoppable.
And yet, it isn’t over. The Opta supercomputer still makes Arsenal favourites. Win every remaining match and the title is theirs, regardless of what City do. That remains achievable. City themselves have been uneven for large parts of the season. They too may struggle to win all their remaining matches.
The main point is this, that it’s still in Arsenal’s hands. If they can gather the courage to back their undoubted talent and win at the Etihad, then they will have answered all the doubters, the bridesmaid’s jibes, and little Arsenal bottlers. And thus claim the prize on their own terms as champions.
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