Arsenal and Arteta on the night of judgment

Everything was going great for Arsenal, until the 4th minute of the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at the Emirates, when Ousmane Dembele scored the only goal for PSG. That was when fear crept into the minds of the North Londoners. The 2024/25 season was in danger of collapse.

To be honest, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are a worse version of themselves than they were two seasons ago. While the Gunners could finish second in the Premier League in 2024/25, it's clear that they'll be doing so in a much less impressive way. For most of the season, they've never challenged Liverpool for the top spot.

Arteta recently said that The Kop won the championship with fewer points than Arsenal two seasons ago, but he forgot one detail, there are still 4 games left in the season. If only counting 34 games, the Gunners will collect 77 points in the 2023/24 season and 78 in the 2022/23 season, less than Liverpool's 82 points but still more than their own 67 points this season.

Arsenal could even lose second place in the Premier League if their inconsistent form continues.

Failure in the FA Cup and League Cup also means Arsenal could end the season empty-handed. Excluding the Community Shield, they have gone five seasons without a major trophy.

It’s also Arteta’s fifth full season as Arsenal manager (he arrived midway through the 2019/20 season and won the FA Cup that season). The board and fans have recognised the Spaniard’s work, given him time to establish, tweak and add, before introducing a winning team. And now they’re demanding results.

That is why the Champions League became a lifeline. Forget domestic failures, beat Real and reach the semi-finals is considered a maturity. But that is not enough. Arsenal must be present in the final, then make history with the first championship.

If this scenario happens, it will be a monumental milestone and a turning point, taking Arteta’s reign to new heights. If it doesn’t, it will be a disappointment like no other in North London.

The pressure is also on Arteta, and the board, fans and players are starting to question whether his methods can bring victory. This is exactly what happened to Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's MU after letting the opportunity to win the title slip away.

All of this puts Arsenal at a crossroads, either all or nothing, a bright future beckons or disaster awaits. Let's wait and see whether Arteta and his team can pull off a miracle on the night of the verdict.

Thanh Hai

Source: https://tienphong.vn/arsenal-va-arteta-trong-dem-phan-quyet-post1740187.tpo