Mikel Arteta says the pain of Arsenal’s loss to Man City in the Carabao Cup final will help them in their run-in. It won’t be so easy to maintain a positive story after losing to Southampton in the FA Cup.
Does Arsenal have the temperament of a champion?
That will be the question the team will now be asked after their shock defeat to St Mary’s in the quarter-finals.
Despite Southampton’s recent form, their lower-league opponents in the last eight return to Wembley with a huge chance to end their six-year trophy wait and give them another chance to reach the finals.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said: “If anyone has to take responsibility for their side’s defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup, it’s me.”
The draw with Sporting in the Champions League quarter-finals is also seen as favorable. Their lead in the Premier League should be seen as overwhelming.
However, nothing seems certain for this Arsenal team at the moment.
Arteta’s solid and dependable unit faltered in a crucial situation.
Where cold efficiency existed before, now vulnerability exists.
Quad chatter is now about whether they can win anything.
Southampton’s first goal was due to Arsenal’s Ben White
City’s victory in the League Cup final felt like a huge blow at the time. The 4-0 defeat of Liverpool earlier on Saturday, combined with Arsenal’s tame defeat on the south coast, should now be ringing alarm bells in north London.
City are nine points behind Arsenal in the Premier League but have a game in hand. Arsenal head to the Etihad next weekend after a tricky home test against Bournemouth and a second leg against Sporting.
There is no doubt that Arsenal’s team and fan base, scarred by being cornered by City in previous title races, are concerned, and rightly so.
City showed they know what it takes to win. For Arsenal, the next two weeks will be a tough test of their character and whether they have the temperament of a champion.
A cause for concern for Arteta…
Individual mistakes are on the rise
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Jamie Redknapp and Ian Wright discuss whether Kepa Arrizabalaga should have started against Arsenal number one David Raya in the Carabao Cup final after Kepa’s mistake gave Manchester City the lead.
Arsenal’s nervousness as they take the final step towards glory seems to be reflected in individual mistakes made in key moments.
Against Wembley, Kepa spilled a cross that allowed Nico O’Reilly to score Man City’s first goal, while against St Mary’s Ben White mistimed his jump and powered Ross Stewart to give Southampton the lead.
According to Opta, Arsenal have scored eight goals through mistakes in their last 23 games. It was just one of the previous 28 games.
Are defensive weaknesses exposed?
“We didn’t manage the long balls well enough, which is very strange,” Arteta told the BBC after the loss to Southampton. “In the first half, we just passed the ball through and they were one-on-one. The way we conceded the second goal was very similar.”
Whether it’s due to a personnel change at centre-back, with William Saliba on the bench on Saturday, or the disruption caused by David Raya’s inability to play behind the back line against City and Southampton, that’s an issue that opponents will focus on.
injury problem
Arsenal’s injury list is not that long considering the extent of their absence from international football. However, key players are either unavailable or lack full fitness.
Gabriel appears to be on the verge of returning to the treatment room after suffering problems at Saints, but Saturday’s squad was without the handy Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka. They are Arsenal’s top two set-piece players, but the absence of Eberechi Eze will further limit their open-play attacks.
Martin Odegaard made his first start since January 25, and Martin Zvimendi, Noni Maduke and Saliba could all come on as substitutes, but it’s certainly not the case that Arsenal’s squad is completely fit and strong at the moment.
City charging
Overturning the largest deficit in over 30 PL games
The current City team may not be at the same level as some of Guardiola’s great teams. But that manager and that club have an aura coming from them as they chase the championship at the end of the season.
They may not be able to win 12 games on a spin like they did in 2023 when they won the title by five points over Arsenal.
They may not even be able to match the nine-game winning streak they won in 2024, one point ahead of Arsenal.
But it doesn’t have to be. With seven games remaining, if City can reproduce the quality they showed in their last two matches against Wembley and Liverpool, they could hope to win another title.
Crucially, Arsenal, who previously underwent an overhaul, may also be thinking about that.
Arsenal’s crucial moment
Arsenal’s next 5 matches:
Tuesday 7th April: Sporting (A) – Champions League Saturday 11th April: Bournemouth (H) – Premier League Wednesday 15th April – Sporting (H) – Champions League Sunday 19th April – Man City (A) – Premier League Saturday 25th April: Newcastle (H) – Premier League
Man City’s next 5 matches:
Sunday, April 12: Chelsea (A) – Premier League Sunday, April 19: Arsenal (H) – Premier League Saturday, April 25/26: FA Cup semi-final (opponent to be determined) Monday, May 4: Everton (A) – Premier League Saturday, May 9: Brentford (H) – Premier League
