Premier League: Arsenal has dominated the season thus far, but supporters should be cautious as the team may collapse at the business end, like they did the previous year.
For Arsenal, December is typically a joyful and hopeful month. They led the league table at the end of December of the previous season, four points ahead of Manchester City. This season, they have emerged victorious in the month by increasing their lead to five points, despite the fact that City and Liverpool, two other contenders, still have a game remaining. With a reasonably trouble-free schedule until the end of the month—aside from the daunting trip to Anfield—Arsenal may end the month ahead of schedule. But because of their legendary record of freezing in the final stretch, Arsenal supporters would still be holding out hope for their first championship since the Invincible season of 2003–04.
The previous season, in which Arsenal dominated the league for 248 days, is the best illustration. playing a straightforward but colorful style of football. Mikel Arteta’s team had an eight-point lead against City in the middle of January of the previous season, but the latter team not only overtook them but also won the championship with three games remaining. There were a number of reasons: as the incredibly strong City put together 11 straight victories, Arsenal dropped nine points in four games spread over 17 days, fatigue crept in, intensity cracked, and pressure mounted.
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A few of the more experienced, fate-hardened Arsenal supporters felt history cruelly repeating itself. After dominating the table for more than 125 days, Arsenal lost the Premier League title four times (2002–03; 2007–08, 2013–14, and 2022-23). As a result, despite Arsenal’s recent heroics in eking out points, they are cautious in their hope and confidence.
Tempered by failures
Good teams would only get tougher after losses. Despite their enormous skill set, Arsenal’s burgeoning talent was unprepared for the pressure of facing a formidable City team that was gunning for a third straight championship last season.
However, the core of the Arsenal team would have only grown smarter by the encounter. They are already squeezing out numerous points in the final moments of the game and scumming through victories. The winning goals against Brentford and both Manchester clubs, except for Luton Town, as well as the equalizer against Chelsea, all came late in the contest. They had extended periods of play against Luton, Wolves, and Brentford when they appeared careless and lazy, which was emphasized by a languid goalie and a disjointed backline.
However, they showed remarkable perseverance to finish the job. Football wasn’t always the best, but no team has ever won a league while playing at its best all the time. Errors and missteps are common, and these were the precise kinds of games Arsenal orchestrated to waste points in the previous year.
More difficult grind
But it might be more difficult this season than the last. Of course, there’s City, whose manager Pep Guardiola declared his team would win the league this year—a rare case of sounding arrogant like Jose Mourinho. They haven’t quite reached the heights of previous seasons due to injuries, but after February, they normally find their groove and become an unstoppable force that makes the title race seem like a one-man show. Playmaking center back John Stones has already made his way back to the sidelines following his injury, while magic man Kevin de Bruyne is expected to make a comeback in January, giving opposing defenders a lot of headaches.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool team, motivated by a devilish defiance to once again reach the promised land, would be an equally fearsome force. Retooled and revitalized, yet with imperfections similar to City and Arsenal, they have been consuming a surge of energy (and insanity) that has occasionally caused them to spiral into anarchy. Their compass appears to be never, if not now.
Arsenal is also unable to ignore their mercurial neighbors, Tottenham Hotspur, who have more than half of their regular players injured. Nevertheless, they are steadfast in their pursuit of playing offensive football that is free-flowing and occasionally mindlessly Bielsa-like. Even the languid Manchester United, Newcastle United, and Aston Villa are tough opponents. Much will depend on Arsenal’s fervor, will, and depth.
A depth-related query
Arsenal has more depth of game-changing talent than they did the previous season, even though their bench is not as packed with talent as City’s. They’ve started to fire all of their big summer hires, including Kai Havertz. Declan Rice is one of the transformative ones. However, a few crucial spots are still weak.
Arsenal’s chances of winning the championship are nonexistent if they lose Declan Rice, William Saliba, or Bukayo Saka (whose strength they were lacking at the end of the last campaign). Furthermore, players would have to meet commitments for the FA Cup and the Champions League, which would increase the physical and mental strain.
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