Arsenal suffered a 4-1 loss to EPL title co-contenders Manchester City on Wednesday night. Caretaker holds the opinion Gunners may not win the title for ONE reason.
REASON
Arsenal lack the courage and self belief required for the final run-in. Nothing has changed from the team which took the entire league by surprise to emerge as favourites for the title from October 2022 to the opening weeks of April 2023.
After their best start to a Premier League season in history, the Gunners were in dreamland and rightly so. There was statistics to show that the previous eight teams to start as good or better than the Gunners after 12 games had gone on to be crowned champions in May.
BUT, when you have as contenders a very talented Manchester City handled by a coaching genius like Pep Guardiola, you must be courageous in the face of mounting pressure through the crucial final weeks. Here lies the spot where Arsenal have failed.
For this reason, the Gunners first let a 2-goal lead against Liverpool slip to draw 2-2. Seven days after, the Arsenal again allowed West Ham claw back in similar fashion to share the spoils following a 2-2 score. That run will hit an all-time low when the team needed two late goals to take a 3-3 draw at home to bottom placed Southampton.
No surprises at the Etihad. The gulf in class and pedigree was evident from start to finish. Pep Guardiola and his men have a clear picture of what they want to achieve and so whatsoever spotlight their ambition brings must be matched on the pitch.
The move by Kevin De Bruyne to score the Citizens opening goal perfectly illustrates the character the league leaders have failed to demonstrate. Picked the ball, unfazed by the challenge of three to four chasing opponents, set the ball in a perfect direction and fire into the direction to score. That player who will stand up and give the team inspiration to soar. Arsenal don`t have that character in their team.
Even the Leicester City EPL title winning squad of 2015/2016 had a Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy to produce moments of individual brilliance to lead the team over the line.
Who slips like this in the final months of a Premier League season and expects to survive the chase by star-studded City. As it stands Arsenal will be needing a miracle to end their long 19-year wait to get their hands on the Premier League trophy.
In their remaining games, Arsenal will drop more points and could potentially finish 6-7 points behind City despite the latter facing a fixture congestion following their Champions League Semi-final against Real Madrid in the mix of two outstanding league games to play.
On paper it is in Manchester Citys hand to claim a third straight Premier League title. If they win their outstanding games, City will be four-points clear of Arsenal at the top. , but its is not over until it is over.
That means, Arteta must rally his young and talented squad to find the spark and win their remaining games to take advantage in case City slip.
MANCHESTER CITY REMAINING LEAGUE GAMES
Fulham (A)
West Ham (H)
Leeds (H)
Everton (A)
Chelsea (H)
Brighton (A)
Brentford (A)
ARSENAL REMAINING LEAGUE GAMES (5)
Chelsea (H)
Newcastle (A)
Brighton (H)
Nottingham Forest (A)
Wolves (H)
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