It is broadly recognized that Liverpool are likely the Premier League champions after a weekend where they defeated Manchester City with surprising ease, while the Gunners suffered a well-deserved 1-0 loss at home to West Ham, a team they had previously thrashed for 11 goals in their last two encounters.
The achievement Arne Slot has accomplished in his inaugural season at Anfield is truly remarkable; he has performed so impressively that doubts are emerging regarding Mikel Arteta’s entire approach at Arsenal and his ability to advance from an elite rebuilding coach to a consistent victor.
Arsenal secured the FA Cup in the Spaniard's inaugural season at the club in 2020, but they have not claimed a trophy since then. Their progress has been significant and apparent to everyone except the blind, yet the club has no concrete results to demonstrate for all that advancement.
Many think Arteta’s achievements are diminished because of the absence of trophies, with the case often made by referencing Manchester United. They are an absolute mess and seem far from being able to compete for the Premier League and Champions League, despite their Carabao Cup and FA Cup victories with Erik ten Hag. No supporter of Arsenal would exchange standings and recent journeys.
Shifting focus from Ten Hag and Manchester United, it's yet another bald Dutch manager who arrived in the Premier League and made a huge mess of Arsenal, Arteta, and his ‘process’.
Slot assumed the difficult task of succeeding Jurgen Klopp last summer. It was expected to be a cursed opportunity, and Liverpool were significantly underestimated in pre-season forecasts; the focus was entirely on another championship competition between Manchester City and Arsenal. A season-opening ACL injury to City star Rodri immediately shifted the title pressure to Arsenal, despite Liverpool securing 12 points from 15 at that time.
However, it was Arsenal’s opportunity to win, and Man City’s downfall ought to have positively impacted them. They ought to have used capital letters. In contrast, the Liverpool Slot machine has continuously paid out, whereas Arsenal has been stuck going in circles on a carousel.
Throughout the season, the title has never belonged to the Gunners, and they have never truly appeared to be champions, even with the facade of a 15-match unbeaten run prior to the loss against West Ham.
Certainly, there have been numerous injuries to key players such as Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, and Benjamin White, yet Arsenal has utilized 24 players in the Premier League this season. That figure matches Liverpool's and is the second-lowest in the league.
Additional justifications include the PGMOL conspiracy – which is hardly worth considering – and the belief that Arteta hasn't received adequate support from the club's owners. That truly only applies this January, potentially being the sole occasion Arteta has expressed the need for mid-season additions, given the severity of their attacking injury issues, which have worsened since the transfer window shut.
Aside from January, it is important to note that the Spanish manager, who is still in his initial position, has received significant support from Stan Kroenke through the acquisitions of Declan Rice and Kai Havertz, among others. There have been claims that multiple board members opposed a club-record agreement to acquire Rice, but it was still approved to satisfy Arteta.
Although there are few justifications for insufficient spending, these fall apart with the revelation that Liverpool is leading the league after acquiring a reserve player in Federico Chiesa and no one else. Arsenal can rely on that defense when facing a cheat-code powerhouse like Man City, but not this Liverpool squad.
Liverpool’s probable title victory is much tougher to accept than losing to City – it’s a painful setback to pursue and pursue only for another team to come in and snatch what you desire so intensely.
Liverpool have achieved success to the extent that one could claim it isn't a lost chance for Arsenal. The Reds have suffered just one league defeat this season, convincingly defeating Man City both at home and away, and their quality has led us to attempt to persuade ourselves there might be a title competition or collapse following two justifiable draws and a messy victory.
This upcoming title loss will hurt Arsenal, introducing a fresh dimension to the trophy story and Arteta’s capability to be the consistent victor the club requires to succeed in the Premier and Champions League.
Prior to Slot's arrival, Arteta was invulnerable, and most Arsenal supporters – myself among them – were prepared to grant him all the time he required given the effort invested to get here. It now seems like a final opportunity in 2025/26, unless the Gunners secure an unexpected Champions League victory.
You must sense that if the Big One isn't won, next season will be Arteta's final attempt at securing something significant. If he fails to secure a trophy, he is squandering the excellent foundation established; someone else must step up.
Arteta is undoubtedly a top-tier rebuilding manager, but he cannot demonstrate that he is a victor without, as you might have guessed, achieving victories. Arsenal experienced two seasons as genuine title contenders following an unexpected surge in 2022/23, and if they do not meet pre-season hopes of securing another trophy, some difficult questions may arise.
The groundwork is strong, but how much longer will William Saliba or Bukayo Saka stay if the team keeps failing to win trophies? It has been five years now, and visibly, this team of players has not progressed sufficiently since 2023. This argument has gained momentum due to Liverpool's achievements under Slot.
In the end, the tough decisions Arteta faced early on, such as removing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil, must be reconsidered later if the Gunners don't achieve any victories. Arteta himself is the highly paid individual not meeting expectations.
With Liverpool having a strong grip on the Premier League trophy, the pressure on Arteta at Arsenal has increased; the next 18 months at the Emirates will be crucial.
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