Mikel Arteta is WRONG! Arsenal ‘deserved’ nothing from humiliating cup defeats – now Tottenham have the chance to end the Gunners’ season and send them into complete crisis
Arsenal are currently facing a severe crisis after suffering back-to-back cup defeats at home with manager Mikel Arteta struggling to find answers for their poor form Arsenal lost 2-0 to Newcastle in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at the Emirates Stadium and then got knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United on penalties making it a disastrous week for the Gunners
Arsenal were expected to challenge on all fronts this season and looked in good position just a month ago when they were viewed as serious title contenders who could take advantage of Manchester City’s inconsistent form but things have rapidly unraveled for Arteta’s team in recent weeks with injuries mounting and performances declining significantly The mood around the Emirates Stadium has become increasingly negative
Arsenal now face a crucial North London derby against Tottenham that could define their season Arsenal’s attacking statistics from the Newcastle and United defeats show they created plenty of chances with 6.44 expected goals and 49 shots across both games while maintaining 70 percent possession but they only managed to score once which highlights their finishing problems
The team is particularly missing injured star winger Bukayo Saka who emerged from the academy to become their most reliable attacking threat and his absence has made their forward line look stale and predictable Arsenal no longer play with the same intensity and freedom that made them such an exciting team to watch when they first emerged as title contenders under Arteta and their current style appears more labored and less effective The manager has to take responsibility for how the team is currently performing since this squad has been built in his image over several years at considerable expense
Arsenal have developed a concerning pattern of struggling to quickly bounce back from setbacks and often find themselves in extended poor runs of form that derail their trophy ambitions as evidenced by their earlier slump this season when they only won two games out of seven The finger of blame for Arsenal’s recent attacking struggles has particularly been pointed at striker Kai Havertz who missed three excellent chances across the two cup defeats and also failed to score his penalty in the shootout against
Manchester United Havertz was originally signed from Chelsea for £65 million to play in midfield as a replacement for Granit Xhaka but has ended up being converted into a striker due to circumstances which has complicated Arsenal’s transfer strategy The German international is reportedly on wages of over £250,000 per week which makes him one of the club’s highest-paid players and this could create problems if Arsenal try to sign another striker since it may affect dressing room harmony and completely destroy Havertz’s confidence
Arsenal’s other attacking options are also struggling with Gabriel Jesus potentially out for the season through injury while Leandro Trossard Gabriel Martinelli and loanee Raheem Sterling have all failed to perform consistently this season Young prospect Ethan Nwaneri is still a few weeks away from full fitness which has left Arsenal short of reliable goalscorers Arteta’s public comments after the recent defeats have drawn criticism for being overly defensive and failing to acknowledge clear problems with statements like claiming Arsenal deserved to win both games by a mile and suggesting their FA Cup exit to United was a one in a thousand type of result
The manager said he loves his players and insisted very few teams in the world can play at Arsenal’s level but this siege mentality is being viewed as increasingly unhelpful especially since Arsenal created many of their chances only after going behind to Newcastle and when United were reduced to ten men Arsenal now find themselves effectively out of both domestic cups face an uphill battle in the Premier League title race and are outsiders for the Champions League despite their current strong position in both competitions The mood of apathy that has started creeping back into the club threatens to make this another trophyless season which would be their fifth in a row under Arteta’s leadership Arteta has stated Arsenal won’t panic buy in the January transfer window and will focus on the players they currently have available but this approach carries risks given their obvious need for reinforcement in attack
The upcoming North London derby against Tottenham represents a chance for Arsenal to get their season back on track with captain Martin Odegaard calling for unity and emphasizing that the team needs to stick together through this difficult period Tottenham have only won twice at the Emirates Stadium since Arsenal moved there in 2006 and are currently dealing with their own injury crisis especially in defense where they are missing several key players including goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and defenders Cristian Romero Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie However Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has already secured impressive wins against Liverpool Manchester United
Manchester City this season showing his team can rise to big occasions Arsenal could close the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool to just three points if results go their way this week though Liverpool would still have a game in hand The title race isn’t over yet but history suggests these types of crises tend to severely damage Arsenal’s trophy hopes and only a win against Tottenham can stop their current slide from becoming a complete derailment of their season Arsenal still have the quality to compete in both the Premier League and Champions League but their lack of clinical finishing and apparent psychological fragility when facing setbacks threatens to undermine their efforts across all competitions The next few weeks could prove decisive in determining whether Arsenal can salvage something from what started as a highly promising campaign or if they’ll endure another disappointing season without silverware Arsenal’s transfer strategy and squad building under Arteta will face increased scrutiny if they fail to arrest their current decline with particular focus on their inability to sign a reliable goalscorer despite significant investment in other areas of the team
The pressure is mounting on Arteta to prove he can guide Arsenal through this difficult period and demonstrate that his project remains on track after several years of steady but ultimately trophyless progress The North London derby takes on extra significance given Arsenal’s recent struggles and Tottenham’s own ambitions to finish above their rivals this season making it a potentially season-defining moment for both teams Arsenal’s defensive solidity remains a strength but their attacking concerns and apparent lack of leadership in difficult moments has emerged as a serious issue that threatens to derail their campaign across all competitions The coming weeks will test not only Arsenal’s playing squad but also Arteta’s tactical flexibility and man-management skills as he tries to navigate through this challenging period without making major additions in the transfer window Arsenal’s inability to convert dominance into goals has become a recurring theme that needs addressing quickly if they want to maintain their challenge for major honors this season particularly given the efficient form of their title rivals The pressure of trying to end the club’s long wait for a major trophy appears to be weighing heavily on the team with their recent performances suggesting a lack of confidence in decisive moments
Arsenal’s strong underlying statistics provide some hope for improvement but they need to start converting chances more efficiently and showing greater resilience when facing adversity in big matches The next few fixtures could define Arsenal’s season with the North London derby potentially serving as either a turning point toward recovery or another step in their current decline Arsenal’s chances of winning their first Premier League title since 2004 hang in the balance with their recent form threatening to leave them too far behind the leading pack despite their strong start to the season The team’s over-reliance on young players like Saka has been exposed by recent injuries highlighting the need for more experienced quality in attack Time will tell whether Arteta’s faith in his current squad will be rewarded or if Arsenal’s decision not to strengthen in January will prove costly in their pursuit of major honors this season.
