If it were only March, Arsenal would have won the title.

In the last three seasons, Arsenal's quest for the Premier League title has repeatedly turned into a tragedy in April, relegating them to second place.

A familiar image of Arteta in April.

Every time April arrives, the Emirates Stadium team seems to lose their way, creating the perfect opportunity for Manchester City to accelerate and snatch the silver trophy. This season appears to be following that familiar pattern. From a nine-point lead, two consecutive defeats in April have narrowed that gap to just three points, while Arsenal have played one more game.

Historical obsession in the final stages

Looking back, April has truly been a huge psychological hurdle for Mikel Arteta and his team. In the 2022/23 season, Arsenal displayed devastating form with a perfect winning record in March. However, upon entering April, they unexpectedly suffered a dramatic decline, securing only one victory in five matches. Dropping nine points during this crucial period directly handed the championship to Manchester City.

The same cruel scenario repeated itself in the 2023/24 season. The London team succumbed to Aston Villa in the 33rd round in April. That bitter defeat paved the way for Manchester City to take the top spot. Despite Arsenal's efforts to secure all points in the remaining matches, they still had to settle for second place.

Last season, despite a slight improvement in April, Arsenal fell prey to a "drawing" syndrome. Being held to draws in three out of five matches cost them valuable points and prevented them from maintaining a close pursuit of the reigning champions.

Returning to the present, the disappointment is further amplified by the fact that the capital city team has failed to win any of their last two matches in April this year, which is even worse than the previous three seasons combined.

Is Arsenal trapped in a time loop for the fourth time?

Strategic mistakes and psychological barriers

Arsenal's cyclical decline stems from several underlying causes. The biggest problem lies in how they manage their players' energy levels.

Arteta's team plays like a sprinter thrown into a marathon. They frequently accelerate with incredible speed, play brilliantly, and pull far ahead of their rivals in the early rounds.

However, when approaching the crucial, endurance-demanding curves, their physical fitness is severely depleted, causing their legs to feel heavy and gradually give way.

Another fatal mistake for the Emirates Stadium team was their greed on all fronts. Trying to pursue an unprecedented quadruple drained the energy of their key players. They should have proactively given up on the secondary competitions to focus all their efforts on the national league.

The obstinate pursuit of every trophy to satisfy their thirst for success has led to a situation of "spending all their efforts for nothing." Failures in domestic cup competitions like the Carabao Cup or FA Cup do not help the players shake off the burden; on the contrary, they bring about extreme frustration and exhaustion.

The ultimate consequence is psychological inertia. Fatigue from poorly managed energy and taking on too many goals often leaves Arsenal struggling when April arrives. This recurring tragedy, year after year, inadvertently instills an invisible obsession in the players. They gradually come to believe that fate has destined them to remain runners-up forever.

The collapse in both performance and morale following their recent defeat to Manchester City is the clearest evidence of this mood. Despite still holding their fate in their own hands and being ahead of their rivals in points, Arsenal are in a state of despair. They feel trapped in an endless time loop, like something out of a science fiction film, where every struggle ultimately leads to a sad ending.

The future of the remainder of the season will depend on whether Arteta can rekindle the fighting spirit and lead his players out of the shadows of the past.

Highlights Man City 2-1 Arsenal: On the evening of April 19th ( Hanoi time), Man City defeated Arsenal 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in the 33rd round of the Premier League.

Source: https://znews.vn/neu-chi-co-thang-3-arsenal-da-vo-dich-post1644994.html