Can Arteta Overcome Arsenal's Mental Block to Win the Title?

The Premier League title race has produced many memorable moments over the years, but one recent image that stands out is a Manchester City fan mocking Arsenal by drinking from an Arsenal bottle in the Stamford Bridge away end. This incident highlights the current state of the title race, where City are gaining momentum while Arsenal seem to be losing theirs. Historically, April has been a challenging month for Arsenal, with their win percentage dropping below 50% under Mikel Arteta, whereas City have not lost a game in this month for five years. Arsenal's recent slump has raised concerns, with the team suffering three defeats in their last four games after experiencing just three losses in their first 49 games of the season. So, what is behind Arsenal's decline, and how can Arteta stop the rot? One major factor is the tactical issue of Arsenal's players passing the ball back to their goalkeeper, David Raya, 38 times during the 95 minutes of their defeat to Bournemouth. This problem stems from Bournemouth's effective press, which forced Arsenal to play the ball long or pass it back to their centre-backs, giving the opposition a chance to win the ball back. As a result, Bournemouth's two goals came from Arsenal mistakes. Arteta has had weeks to address this tactical problem, but a solution has yet to be found. The four-man press employed by Bournemouth is a tactic that Arsenal have faced recently, and it has resulted in their struggles to play out from the back. Manchester City used a similar approach in the Carabao Cup final, dominating the second half and stopping Arsenal's ability to play out. Arteta's inability to overcome this tactical issue raises questions about his astuteness and ability to change the narrative. In contrast, Pep Guardiola has successfully transformed Nico O'Reilly into a goalscoring machine, a feat he achieved with Josko Gvardiol two seasons ago. Arteta's management of his squad has also been called into question, particularly with regards to the form of Martin Zubimendi, who looks exhausted after playing more minutes than any other Arsenal outfield player this season. The Spanish midfielder's decline has been notable, and Arteta's failure to rotate his key midfielders has put a strain on the team. Furthermore, Arteta's recent comments and behavior have added to the tension and anxiety surrounding the team. His rallying cry to the fans before the Bournemouth game, asking them to get up early and bring their lunch, dinner, and enthusiasm, has been seen as a mistake, especially given the team's failure to perform in the subsequent match. This is not the first time Arteta has made such comments, and they have often been followed by disappointing performances. Gary Neville has suggested that Arsenal's struggles are due to their desire to win the title, which has led to an emotional and mental drain, causing their legs to feel heavy. The expectation and pressure surrounding the club have taken a toll on the team, and Arteta's restless nature has extended to his players. The team's performance against Bournemouth was marked by anxiety and tension, with Arteta's triple substitution in the 53rd minute being seen as a sign of his jittery nature. Perhaps a calmer approach would have been more effective, especially given Bournemouth's high line. Arteta's ability to fix Arsenal's current predicament is both within and outside of his control. The tactical tweaks needed to overcome City are evident, but they also depend on the return of injured players. The absence of Jurrien Timber, Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori, and Martin Odegaard has been felt, and their return could bring clarity to situations such as building play out from the back. Despite the current struggles, Arsenal are still in a good position given their injury predicament. Before the March international break, no Premier League team had suffered more injuries than the Gunners, but they have managed to stay competitive. While their last four matches have seen standards slip, Arteta's side must remember what has brought them to this point in the season. The form going into the Man City match does not define their entire season, but the game on Sunday will be crucial in determining their title chances.