Overcoming Obstacles: Can Arteta Break Arsenal's Cycle of Failure?

The Premier League title race has yielded numerous iconic moments over the years, including Steven Gerrard's infamous slip and Kevin Keegan's despair at Anfield. A recent incident involving a Manchester City fan drinking from an Arsenal bottle in the Stamford Bridge away end has sparked debate about the momentum of the title race. With City six points behind, their fan's actions reflect the current ominousness of the title race, where history seems to be repeating itself. This is the time of year when Manchester City typically hits its stride, while Arsenal often falters, with April being the only month where Arsenal's win percentage drops below 50% under Mikel Arteta. The team has frozen in the face of being champions, suffering three defeats in their first 49 games, only to double that number in the last four games. So, what's behind Arsenal's recent slump, and how can Arteta stop the rot? One key issue is tactical, with Arsenal struggling to overcome the four-man press employed by Bournemouth and Manchester City. This tactic has forced Arsenal to play the ball back to their goalkeeper, David Raya, a staggering 38 times in 95 minutes, resulting in Bournemouth's two goals coming from Arsenal mistakes. Arteta has had time to address this issue over the international break but hasn't found a solution yet. The four-man press is a tactic Arsenal has faced recently, and Arteta needs to find an answer quickly, with a reunion with Guardiola's City looming. This raises questions about Arteta's tactical astuteness and his ability to change the narrative. In contrast, Guardiola has successfully turned players like Nico O'Reilly into goalscoring machines, demonstrating his tactical prowess. Arteta's tactics have relied heavily on set pieces, with an open play xG of 0.19 against Bournemouth, highlighting the need for a new approach. There are also doubts about how Arteta has managed his squad, 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, while Christian Norgaard has played just 995 minutes, yet to start a Premier League game for Arsenal. Could Arteta have rotated his key midfielders more? The injury to Mikel Merino has put a strain on Rice's workload, and the midfield is now being overloaded with pressing opposition. However, there may be a deeper issue at play, with Guardiola suggesting that the problem lies with the mindset, not the tactics. A worrying trend has emerged with Arteta, where he gives rallying cries to his supporters before big games, only for the team to fail to turn up. This has happened before matches against Bournemouth, Paris Saint-Germain, and Liverpool, with Arsenal failing to score from open play in any of those games. Arteta's justification for these outbursts may be honest and innocent, but they add to the noise and tension, which can be detrimental to the team. Gary Neville has suggested that Arsenal's players are feeling the weight of expectation, with their legs getting heavy due to the mental and emotional drain of going for their first title in 22 years. The pressure is taking its toll, and Arteta's restless nature is extending to his team. The triple substitution in the 53rd minute against Bournemouth, where he took off all the players behind Viktor Gyokeres, may have been a sign of this. Perhaps a calmer head would have kept one of the pacey Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli on the pitch, given Bournemouth's high line. Arteta's rallying cry can come across as hypocritical when the team fails to win or perform to their potential. How Arteta fixes Arsenal's current predicament is both in and out of his control, with tactical tweaks needed to overcome City, but also dependent on players returning from injury. The absence of Jurrien Timber, Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori, and Martin Odegaard against Bournemouth, with Eberechi Eze and Piero Hincapie only fit enough for the bench, highlights the challenges Arteta faces. At least four of these players are guaranteed starters and bring clarity to situations like building play out the back, which Arsenal are struggling with. Despite the injury predicament, Arsenal are in a good situation, with no Premier League team suffering 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 to this point. The form going into the Man City match has not defined Arsenal's entire season, but the game on Sunday will be crucial in determining their fate.