Just a wobble or something bigger for Arsenal?

Karan Ahgun

— 3 min read
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Just a wobble or something bigger for Arsenal?

Arsenal's draw against Wolves on Wednesday sent alarm bells ringing throughout the Premier League as the Gunners failed to win against the team at the foot of the league. Arsenal have only won 2 out of their last 7 Premier League games, and this recent form has opened the door to Manchester City in the title race again. Fans across the league have been asking whether this is just a dip in form for Arsenal or whether it speaks to a wider mentality problem for the current league leaders.

Wednesday's result means that Arsenal's points gap to Man City was extended to 5 points but the latter have a game in hand. There was a point not too long ago when the Gunners were 9 points ahead of their title rivals but now there's everything to play for in the title race. The sides still have to play each other twice this season, once in the league and the other in the Carabao Cup Final next month. Both games will have a significant impact on where the Premier League title will end up in May. The cup final can act as a major confidence booster for whoever wins it and can also sow the seeds of doubt in the aspirations of the loser. Then there's the showdown at the Etihad in April. By that point, if the points gap is still the same or if City have played and won their game in hand, we could have a title-deciding game on our hands. And that wouldn't bode well for Arsenal, whose record at the Etihad is quite poor. So to avoid any added pressure in the final stretch of the Premier League campaign, Mikel Arteta must find a way of helping his side see out wins in a more effective manner than they have recently.

One of the gripes Arsenal fans have had with their team in recent weeks is that they don't go out to finish games once they're ahead. The feeling amongst some fans is that their side tend to drop back once they gain the lead in games and give the impetus to the opposition. This was the case in games against Manchester United, Brentford and Wolves and as a result, the Gunners were made to pay the price for their lack of proactivity. Arsenal's attack has also left fans underwhelmed. We know how good they are at attacking set-pieces but from open-play, they don't look very creative. The likes of Martin Ødegaard and Eberechi Eze have struggled to find their groove this season, whilst new signings Viktor Gyökeres and Noni Madueke has failed to make any consistent impact. In the past couple of games, we have seen Arteta deploy Bukayo Saka as a No. 10 - a role in which Saka has played well in but the standard of opposition acts as a limiting factor. In remains to be seen whether Arsenal are only having a wobble right now or whether they're in the process of capitulation, but victory in the North London Derby this weekend can act as a tonic for those nerves!

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