The Coca-Cola Company. Heinz. Jack Daniels. All those companies should file a class-action lawsuit against Arsenal for trademark infringement.
Leave bottling to the professionals! But in all seriousness, Arsenal’s 2-2 draw at Wolves feels like the beginning of an all-too familiar tale of woe. Now I don’t want to be too reactive: Arsenal are still five points clear at the top of the Prem and technically still on for a quad. But let’s look at the broader picture. They have only won two of their last seven Prem fixtures, picking up 13 of 24 available points this calendar year. And all of this while battling arguably the worst City squad of Guardiola’s entire tenure.
We certainly haven’t reached the point where you can confidently label Arsenal bottlers again. Arsenal are fortunate that Guardiola’s City have been so unconvincing for most of the season. You still can’t see this City side going on a 13 or 14-match winning streak like they did during the Klopp era. I would say that we are in the pre-bottle stage (think Rafa’s ‘facts’ monologue or Keegan’s technical-area slump). The actual bottle stage is reserved for moments like Gerrad’s slip or Keegan’s ‘I’d love it if we beat them’ speech. I think this is a good time to identify some of the key issues Arsenal need to address they look to clinch their first title in over 20 years.
Injuries catching up
Arsenal haven’t suffered nearly the number of injuries as last season (that was absurd). But they have started to pick up a worrying amount of knocks in quick succession and constantly seem to be reintegrating players back into the first 11. Martin Odegaard is a case in point, popping in and out of the side like Nick Fury in the Avengers films. And they are now sweating on two more injuries after the Wolves debacle, with Saka and Trossard looking a little worse for wear in the Midlands downpour. City are in the reverse scenario , slowly starting to welcome back players after an injury-ravaged campaign. Availability could turn out to be the best ability.
Arteta allergic to rotation
One of Arsenal’s biggest issues is Arteta favourtism. A few weeks ago, you had the always-sensible Piers Morgan claiming that Arsenal have the best squad in European football history. And while that is demonstratively false, you must admit that his squad has more depth than any Arsenal squad of the past 20 years or so. Yet Arteta seems disinterested in testing the limits of his squad, running his favourites into the ground while neglecting other potential gamechangers. Jurrien Timber and Bukayo Saka are only dropped when they are injured (and even play through injury at times). What does Ben White have to do to get a game of football? Has he stolen money from Arteta or something? Norgaard has looked rock-solid whenever he has got the opportunity in midfield. Why didn’t he come into to relieve a visibly shattered Zubimendi on Thursday night? This insistence of basing his squad on 15 or 16 key players is probably a key component in all those muscular injuries. He needs to loosen the shackles and give White, Norgaard and Eze more responsibility.
A Saka-ble offence? Running the star-boy ragged
I just want to focus on one of Arteta’s most loyal pack mules: Bukayo Saka. Arsenal’s talisman just tied his immediate future to the club with a lucrative five-year contract. But what happened to the tearaway winger who was traumatizing left-backs just a few years ago? The truth is that Arteta has run Saka into the ground these past three or four years (just compare the way he has dealt with Saka to the way Guardiola nurtured Foden’s development). Saka couldn’t get past anyone on Thursday night. I honestly think that the decision to play him in the 10 in less of a strategic masterstroke and more out of necessity: he doesn’t have the explosive pace to play on the right now.
The best offence is a good defence
There’s also a deeper philosophical issue that needs addressing. Why does Arteta feel the need to muzzle his side’s attacking potential? Why did they adopt a hyper-defensive posture after going 2-0 up at Wolves? It wasn’t like they were at Anfield. You have a vastly superior side and should be looking to assert your superiority. A 2-0 lead against any side in the league is fragile. Gyokeres is currently their leading Premier League goal scorer with eight goals. Eight! If Arsenal go on to win the title, he has a chance of breaking the record for least productive top scorer for a Premier League winning side (Lampard and Gundogan share the record with 13). Arteta is more interested in maintaining a lead than expanding one. And that was all well and good when their defence looked impenetrable. But they have started to leak goals in recent weeks, with Gabriel and Saliba suddenly losing their aura of invincibility. Now, more than ever, he needs his attacking unit to bail the defenders out. Can they suddenly change their entire playing ethos?
North London derby beckons
This weekend’s trip to Spurs is suddenly pregnant with possibilities. Spurs will be looking to welcome Igor Tudor to the club in style, giving him the mother of new-manager bounces. Spurs- Europe notwithstanding- have endured a nightmarish campaign. Their fans would think it was all worth it if they could throw a wrench in Arsenal’s title ambitions. Arteta needs to be brave this weekend. If he is, Arsenal should brush Spurs aside with ease. But we could be approaching a nuclear-level bottle-job if he gets too cagey.
