Tactical Troubles and Title Tension: Can Arteta Steady Arsenal's Nerves?

The Premier League title race has produced numerous iconic moments over the years, including Steven Gerrard's infamous slip and Kevin Keegan's despair at Anfield. The recent image of a Manchester City fan drinking from an Arsenal bottle in the away end at Stamford Bridge may seem insignificant, but it highlights the momentum shift in the title race. With City six points behind, their fan's actions demonstrate the current ominousness of the title race, where history threatens to repeat 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, whereas City remains unbeaten in this month for five years. Arsenal are struggling to cope with the pressure of being potential champions, having suffered three defeats in their first 49 games, only to double that number in the last four matches. So, what is behind Arsenal's recent slump, and how can Arteta stop the rot? Firstly, Arsenal's players have frozen on the pitch, and there is a tactical element to their recent struggles. The defeat to Bournemouth highlighted how Arsenal's players passed the ball back to David Raya 38 times during the 95 minutes, indicating their difficulty in dealing with Bournemouth's press. Andoni Iraola's four-man press allowed Raya to have the ball, shutting off the middle of the pitch and limiting Arsenal's passing options. As a result, Bournemouth's two goals came from Arsenal mistakes, including a poor pass from Martin Zubimendi and a hurried clearance from Gabriel. This tactic is not new to Arsenal, as Manchester City employed a similar approach in the Carabao Cup final, dominating the second half by stopping Arsenal's ability to play out. Arteta has had weeks to address this tactical problem but has yet to find a solution, which he desperately needs ahead of the upcoming match against City. The question arises whether Arteta can change the tactical narrative, especially considering Pep Guardiola's success in transforming players like Nico O'Reilly into goalscoring machines. In contrast, Arsenal's reliance on set pieces for attacking play is a concern, with an open play xG of 0.19 against Bournemouth being a tough ask. There are also doubts about Arteta's squad management, particularly with regards to Zubimendi, who looks exhausted after playing more minutes than any other Arsenal outfield player this season. The Spanish midfielder has played 3,751 minutes, over 100 minutes more than the next best in Declan Rice, while Christian Norgaard has played just 995 minutes, yet to start a Premier League game for Arsenal all season. Could Arteta have rotated his key midfielders more, especially considering the injury to Mikel Merino? Arsenal's midfield has been overloaded with minutes, and now it's also being overloaded with pressing opposition. However, there may be a deeper issue with Arsenal's play, as Guardiola suggested, 'it is the mindset, not the tactics.' A worrying trend has emerged regarding Arteta, where he gives rallying cries to his supporters before matches, only for the team to underperform. Before the game against Bournemouth, Arteta asked fans to get up early and make it a 'big day,' but the team did not turn up, failing to score from open play. Similarly, before the Champions League semi-final with Paris Saint-Germain and the Premier League game with Liverpool, Arteta's cries did not translate to on-field success. Gary Neville attributed Arsenal's loss to Bournemouth to the team wanting it too much, resulting in heavy legs and a mental and emotional drain. The noise around the club, the expectation, and the fact that they have not won a title in 22 years all contribute to the pressure. Arteta's restless nature was evident in his triple substitution in the 53rd minute, where he took off all the players behind Viktor Gyokeres for three new options, including 16-year-old Max Dowman. Perhaps a calmer head would have kept one of the pacey Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli on the pitch, given Bournemouth's high line. Dowman and Leandro Trossard are players who enjoy the ball to feet. When Arsenal don't win or perform to their potential, Arteta's rallying cry comes across as hypocritical. Fixing Arsenal's current predicament is both in and out of Arteta's control, with tactical tweaks needed to overcome City, but also dependent on players returning from injury. Against Bournemouth, Arsenal were without Jurrien Timber, Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori, and Martin Odegaard, with Eberechi Eze and Piero Hincapie only fit enough for the bench. At least four of them are guaranteed starters and bring clarity in situations such as building play out the back, which Arsenal are struggling with. It further highlights that Arsenal are in a good situation given their injury predicament, as no Premier League team suffered more injuries this season than the Gunners. While Arsenal's last four matches have seen standards slip, Arteta's side must remember what has brought them into the position they are in for most of the season. The form going into the Man City match has not defined Arsenal's entire season up until now, but the game on Sunday will be crucial.