Surely not. How many times have we seen Arsenal fold under pressure? The club’s recent game against Manchester United could not have come at a worse time.
Both Manchester City and Aston Villa had closed the gap on the leaders to just four points. It all came down to the final match of the weekend. A home fixture against the Red Devils.
Three weeks previously, this could have been a walkover, but the visitors were a very different animal. All changed since new boss Michael Carrick was installed on a temporary basis following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim.
A squad resurgent having beaten fierce rivals City just a week earlier. A walkover, by all accounts. United were at the Emirates for three points. And they weren’t letting up.
It was arguably the game of the season in the Premier League, though one which ended in tears for the Gunners. A wonder strike from Matheus Cunha proved to be the ultimate decider as the Red Devils travelled back north with a 3-2 win, leading many to question whether Arsenal were going to bottle it again.
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And it’s not all plain sailing for Mikel Arteta’s side. Next they travel to what will be a raucous Elland Road and a Leeds United side that has lost just once in 10 of their last Premier League games.
The Whites have either held or bettered every ‘top six’ side to have played there this season, while demolishing Chelsea 3-1 so Arsenal will need to be at their best.
With City also seemingly ‘back-to-business’ and hunting them down, plus a Villa side that is surprising everyone, Arteta knows his team cannot afford to drop many more points.
What is The Likeliest Scenario?
Barring a major slip-up, it is likely that Arteta will finally deliver the Premier League title for Arsenal and the club could add another trophy. While no club has ever won the quadruple, this could be too big an ask, though technically, it is still possible.
The biggest test though, is arguably if the club has the stamina to see out a Premier League campaign. Having strengthened considerably last summer, Arsenal now has at least two quality players for every position and this is not by accident. Their recruitment campaign was well-thought out; as detailed as architectural plans are for a house, in-depth casino reviews are or even a medical operation.
Ultimately, Arteta should have everything at his disposal to win trophies, or at least see out this Premier League title race from the summit – even with a couple of injuries. It has always been about mentality with Arsenal. The squad though, appears to be at an age now, where it can cope with it and no doubt, Arteta will have had top performance psychologists working extensively with players to help with this.
Undoubtedly the quality is there. But is the self-belief to deliver? Certainly it is to win football games. There is no problem there. Against United, they were unfortunate, but they certainly didn’t disgrace themselves.
Only winning trophies breeds the required confidence in football. When you have done it once, you know you can do it again. That will be part of Arteta’s masterplan.
