 |
Saka scored the winning goal for Arsenal against Fulham. |
With 76 points currently, the London club is temporarily 6 points ahead of their closest pursuer, Man City. However, the blue half of Manchester still has two games in hand to close this gap.
Judging solely by appearances and the numbers on the league table, Arsenal seems to hold a huge advantage. However, a closer analysis of the situation reveals that the fixture list subtly favors and creates a significant advantage for Pep Guardiola's team.
The leader and the draft tactic.
At the present time, both of England's top footballing powerhouses hold their own destiny in their hands. They can both potentially claim first place overall based on accumulated points and the number of goals scored by their forwards.
Even seasoned football analysts firmly believe that the championship title at the end of the season will most likely be decided by goal difference, or even more tensely, by the total number of goals scored.
Former midfielder Paul Merson predicted: "Both teams will win all their games and everything will be decided by goal difference." Former midfielder Jamie Redknapp said: "If we have to consider goal difference, I see Arsenal having a big advantage looking at the upcoming games. But we're all speculating. Man City can crush their opponents, anything can happen. I think Arsenal are the strong contenders, but I don't think they have an 80% chance of winning the title."
In this breathtaking two-horse race, Arsenal resembles a track and field athlete or cyclist leading the race. Mikel Arteta's team must constantly overcome obstacles and exert all their strength to maintain their leading position.
Conversely, Man City played the role of a perfect underdog. The core issue wasn't that Arsenal had a temporary points lead, but rather that the fixture schedule forced the Emirates Stadium team to consistently play first.
At this point, Man City still have two games in hand, and thanks to playing later (including their rescheduled match from round 31 against Crystal Palace), they know exactly by what margin they need to win to overtake Arsenal in terms of goal difference. This advantage allows Man City to be completely proactive in approaching the match to achieve their goal without having to grope in the dark. Thorough preparation, knowing the limits they need to overcome beforehand, is always a crucial factor in top-level sports .
 |
Man City are capable of winning their remaining 5 matches. |
The psychological advantage lasted until the final round.
The fixture schedule's favoritism towards the home team at the Etihad Stadium didn't stop at round 35 but extended all the way to round 37. Discerning fans can easily notice the difference in playing time between the two teams.
While Arsenal had to play Burnley at 2 AM on May 19th, Man City had the luxury of playing a day later in their away match against Bournemouth. Therefore, Man City had the advantage of knowing exactly how many goals they needed to score and how to win to overtake Arsenal before the entire league entered its final round of matches at 10 PM on May 24th.
Recent Premier League history has often seen scenarios where Arsenal lead the race for extended periods, but Manchester City cleverly find a way to surge ahead in crucial matches. Currently, playing later in the season is inadvertently allowing City to execute this familiar tactic with remarkable effectiveness and sharpness.
No matter how hard Arsenal try, having to wait for their opponents to decide the outcome always creates immense psychological pressure. The young Arsenal players will face an extreme test of their mental fortitude as they watch their rivals chase them down step by step.
Admittedly, if Arsenal had scored three more goals in the second half after winning 3-0 against Fulham in the first half, they wouldn't have needed to worry too much about goal difference in the race against Man City.
Source: https://znews.vn/arsenal-hon-6-diem-da-du-vo-dich-chua-post1648316.html
Comment (0)