Can Arteta Break Arsenal's Cycle of Collapse?

The Premier League title race has produced many iconic moments over the years, including Steven Gerrard's slip and Kevin Keegan's despair. One recent image that stands out is a Manchester City fan mocking Arsenal with a bottle in the Stamford Bridge away end, highlighting the momentum shift in the title race. With City six points behind, their fan's actions demonstrate the ominousness of the title race, where history seems to be repeating itself. This is the time of the season when Manchester City typically hits top gear, while Arsenal often falters. Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's win percentage drops below 50% in April, and they have lost three of their last four games, doubling their defeats for the season. So, what is behind Arsenal's recent slump, and how can Arteta stop the rot? Firstly, Arsenal's players seem to freeze on the pitch, and there is a tactical element to their recent struggles. In their defeat to Bournemouth, Arsenal's players passed the ball back to David Raya 38 times, struggling with Bournemouth's press. Andoni Iraola's four-man press shut off the middle of the pitch, forcing Arsenal into difficult situations. As a result, Bournemouth's two goals came from Arsenal mistakes. This tactic is not new to Arsenal, as Manchester City employed a similar approach in the Carabao Cup final, dominating the second half. Arteta has had time to address this tactical problem but has yet to find a solution. The pressure is now on, with a reunion with Guardiola's City looming. Arteta's tactical acumen is being questioned, and he needs to change the narrative. In contrast, Guardiola has turned Nico O'Reilly into a goalscoring machine, demonstrating his ability to adapt and thrive under pressure. Arteta's squad management has also been called into question, particularly with regards to Martin Zubimendi, who looks exhausted after playing more minutes than any other Arsenal outfield player. The Spanish midfielder has played 3,751 minutes, over 100 minutes more than the next best in Declan Rice. Meanwhile, Christian Norgaard has played just 995 minutes, highlighting the need for rotation in the midfield. However, with the current injury predicament, Arteta's options are limited. A deeper issue may be at play, with Guardiola suggesting that it is the mindset, not the tactics, that is the problem. Arteta's pre-match rallying cries to the fans may be adding to the tension, rather than alleviating it. His comments before the Bournemouth game, asking fans to get up early and bring their lunch, may have been well-intentioned but ultimately counterproductive. In all three matches where Arteta made similar comments, Arsenal failed to score from open play. Gary Neville attributed Arsenal's loss to Bournemouth to the team's anxiety and desire to win, which has led to heavy legs and a mental and emotional drain. Arteta's restless nature was evident in his triple substitution in the 53rd minute, which may have been premature. Perhaps a calmer head would have kept one of the pacey players on the pitch, given Bournemouth's high line. Arteta's rallying cry after the defeat came across as hypocritical, given the team's performance. To fix Arsenal's current predicament, Arteta needs to make tactical tweaks and rely on players returning from injury. Against Bournemouth, Arsenal were without several key players, including Jurrien Timber, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard. At least four of them are guaranteed starters and bring clarity to situations such as building play out the back. Despite the injury predicament, Arsenal are in a good position, considering they have suffered the most injuries in the Premier League this season. While their last four matches have seen standards slip, Arteta's side must remember what has brought them to this point. The form going into the Man City match does not define their entire season, but the game on Sunday will be crucial.