Arsenal are leading in the title race and have the best record in terms of goals scored and fewest goals conceded. However, the upcoming match schedule will be a test of Arsenal’s bravery in the sprint phase, in the context that this team is always known for being erratic when entering this important stage.
Mikel Arteta’s team has had a series of excellent matches since the start of 2024. Up to now, Arsenal has only failed to score in 3 matches and kept 14 clean sheets out of 31 matches in the Premier League. Older brother. Despite having the best performance in the top 3, the difficult upcoming schedule will still make many “Gunners” fans worried.
Challenging schedule
Among the three teams leading the Premier League, Arsenal is considered to have the most difficult schedule in the remaining 7 rounds. While Manchester City and Liverpool only had 3/7 rounds to face opponents in the top half of the rankings, Arsenal had to face 4 teams in the top, all of which were tough opponents like Aston Villa, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United, two of which are away. That includes a trip to Old Trafford, where Mikel Arteta’s team suffered their first defeat in the Premier League in the 2022/23 season.
Among the top 3 teams, Arsenal is considered to have the most difficult schedule in the remaining 7 rounds
Arsenal are expected to extend their longest unbeaten run under Arteta to 11 matches when they face Aston Villa on Sunday. With Villa set to compete in Europe on Thursday, the strength in depth of the two teams is seen as an important factor in this match. Arteta has faced Unai Emery’s Villa twice, winning once and losing once. Even though played at home, this match is expected to be quite difficult for coach Mikel Arteta and his team.
A week later, Arsenal will meet Wolves away from home, which is expected to be a match where Arsenal will not encounter too many difficulties. However, the schedule in the following rounds is no small challenge for the “Gunners”.
On April 24, Arsenal will face Chelsea in a late midweek match. Only 4 days later, they had to meet their “rival” Tottenham away from home – their main opponent could not win at home at the beginning of the season. And just 2 weeks later, Arsenal faced Man United away from home – and Ten Hag’s teachers and students were as desperate to win points to keep their hopes of top 4 alive as Arteta was eager to win the championship.
Obsessing about the sprint phase
No wonder many Arsenal fans feel less confident when this period comes. This time last year, Arsenal seemed like they could win the championship, ending a Premier League title drought that had lasted nearly 20 years. But we all know what happened after that, when Manchester City showed their strength and eventually won their third consecutive Premier League title. It has been 20 years since the last Premier League title, the “Gunners” need to take inspiration from their predecessors in the 2003/04 season if they want to engrave their name on the famous silver trophy.
Although Arsenal are currently enjoying an impressive performance as the North London club remain unbeaten in 2024, there are still tough games to come. If they want to overcome all difficulties and win the championship, Arsenal will need to avoid repeating that “letting go cycle” period at all costs.
Arsenal will need to avoid repeating that “letting go cycle” period at all costs
But those “spiritual” factors are only part of it. In reality, this Arsenal season is much different than 2023. This time last year, Arsenal’s title race was in chaos. , but now the “Gunners” know how to control the match and play more firmly.
A lack of alternatives left Arsenal’s title aspirations unfulfilled last season, but now players like Jorginho and Emile Smith Rowe are making a clear impact every time they come off the bench. reserve. If both of these players can reach peak physical condition ahead of tough matches against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, Arsenal have a great chance of winning the league for the first time in 20 years.
Arsenal are no longer dependent on any particular player. Losing Declan Rice, Odegaard or Bukayo Saka will have more or less an impact, but it won’t be the end-of-season disaster like previous seasons, when Arteta now has players like Jakub Kiwior, Leandro Trossard and Takehiro Tomiyasu on board. bench, reliable players can always make great contributions at important moments.
Arsenal’s recent assurance and consistency will also make the “Gunners” confident when entering this difficult period. Being so far ahead last April has partly made Mikel Arteta’s team become complacent at this stage in the 2022/23 season, while this season, with the points gap very slim, Arsenal forced to focus more and make the most of every opportunity. Arsenal is believing in themselves a lot more, it is completely reasonable for them to have good results in all remaining matches.
