Arsenal Again In Management Of EPL Title Race. Has Arteta Realized From Final 12 months’s Collapse?

Mikel Arteta had simply seen his Arsenal workforce come up painfully brief in its English Premier League title race with Manchester Metropolis and he couldn’t conceal his anguish.

“I do know we’re not at that stage,” a crestfallen Arteta mentioned final Could, “however now we have to discover a manner.”

Effectively, Arsenal’s upgraded class of 2024 are discovering a manner.

They’re there once more, main the league with seven video games left — identical to final season.

And as soon as once more, Metropolis is on Arsenal’s shoulder, ready to pounce.

Will this yr be completely different?

The mathematics is easy: Save for an unlikely big swing in objective distinction, Arsenal can seize the league for the primary time since 2004 by profitable its final seven video games.

In a remarkably tight title race, Arsenal is tied for factors with Liverpool however has a superior objective distinction of 9 over Jurgen Klopp’s workforce. Metropolis is some extent again in third.

All three golf equipment have seven matches remaining, with every of their run-ins sprinkled with what seems to be dwelling bankers and difficult highway journeys.

Arsenal is within the driving seat, although, and is mounting an more and more convincing case.

Not like final season, when Arteta’s gamers stumbled — some say froze — late within the marketing campaign with simply two wins of their final 9 video games as accidents took their toll, they give the impression of being to be rising in energy this time.

Right here’s a deeper have a look at the info and figures round Arsenal’s newest title problem and what may be the defining options of the following six weeks:

STATISTICS

The numbers recommend Arsenal is able to take this ultimate step. Unbeaten within the league in 11 matches in 2024, the workforce has scored 38 targets and conceded simply 4 in that spell — higher than anybody else in each features. Within the season as a complete, Arsenal has a league-high 75 targets and let in a league-low 24. Arsenal has probably the most dependable protection within the league, as proven by shutting out Metropolis dwelling and away this season.

SQUAD STRENGTH

Declan Rice is the plain improve in Arsenal’s squad, with the England midfielder’s $138 million payment proving to be worth for cash. A lot of Arsenal’s defensive energy is right down to the safety the again line will get from Rice in entrance of it and likewise from Jorginho, who has established himself as an everyday within the second half of the season. Kai Havertz was a extra contentious offseason signing however is confounding his critics, having scored in 5 in Arsenal’s final seven league video games. Most notable had been the late winners dwelling and away towards Brentford. Arsenal has additionally coped tremendous with out its different large summer time signing, Jurrien Tumber, who has missed just about the entire season due to harm. Jakob Kiwior, an unheralded January 2023 recruit, has stuffed in properly at left again in latest months.

LESSONS LEARNED

Arteta was accused by many pundits of being too emotional on the sidelines final season and letting that seep into his workforce in these pressure-filled previous few months. He’s nonetheless lively on the touchline, for certain, however he’s proving to be a calmer determine because the depth builds. The identical may be mentioned of his workforce. Arteta seems to have adopted the playbook of Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola in pacing the marketing campaign far more successfully. Arsenal controls video games higher, making them much less frenetic. Arteta has not been afraid to relaxation gamers, when final season he might need overplayed the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli and noticed their late-season shows tail off. By taking part in Kiwior, Arteta has additionally began to deploy a again 4 fully composed of middle backs — like Guardiola did at occasions final season to nice impact.

EUROPE

The largest concern for Arsenal may be its continued involvement within the Champions League, with a two-leg quarterfinal with Bayern Munich arising over the following two weeks. If Arsenal advances, it could play both Metropolis or Actual Madrid within the semifinals. In that case, the Gunners wouldn’t have a free midweek till the final week of the season — they usually aren’t used to such a fixture pileup. That may be the final word check of Arteta’s credentials and his squad depth. Forward of the primary leg of the quarterfinals on Tuesday, Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel was stuffed with reward for Arteta and the way he has modified the tradition at Arsenal after a tricky begin. “They’re the very best workforce in Europe, at the moment,” Tuchel mentioned on Monday. “They’re dominating the hardest league on this planet.”

SAKA’S FITNESS

The health of Bukayo Saka, Arsenal’s key attacker, is a priority. The best winger pulled out of the latest England squad due to a muscle harm, didn’t play in any respect towards Luton final week and didn’t final the complete recreation towards both Metropolis (78 minutes) or Brighton (64 minutes). Arteta has mentioned Saka is affected by “niggles” and “kicks” and is clearly treating his prized asset with warning. He’ll want him over the following few weeks, although.

FIXTURES

Away from its extraordinarily tough Champions League schedule, Arsenal may additionally have the hardest run-in of the three Premier League title challengers. Away video games towards Manchester United — away to whom Liverpool has simply stumbled twice — and north London rival Tottenham stand out, as does subsequent weekend’s match towards fifth-placed Aston Villa, which comes between the doubleheader towards Bayern. Negotiating a visit to Wolverhampton, which beat Metropolis at dwelling this season, after which a house match towards a mercurial Chelsea workforce within the area of 4 days after the second leg towards Bayern can even be a check for Arteta.

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