With the Premier League title race coming to the wire, all eyes are on manager Mikel Arteta. The former player has come under wider scrutiny for falling at the finish over consecutive seasons, most recently being outdone by Pep Guardiola in the Carabao Cup final and continuing a run without a trophy win that will look worse if they fumble their lead atop the table. In this, we will be looking at the three major decisions that the coach has to get right if he wants to win the league title this term.
Top 3 Decisions Mikel Arteta Must Get Right To Pip Manchester City
How to Beat the City Press
One of the biggest fixtures of the season comes after the international break when the Gunners take on the Cityzens in a rematch from the cup final. That final saw Guardiola toss out a new pressing dynamic that left the Arsenal back line struggling to build up successfully. By refusing to jump on the CB’s and a dropping Declan Rice, the front line were able to cut off most passing lanes into the midfield and attack.
That fixture promises to be a big six-pointer in the title race with momentum and mentality at risk. The key for Arteta will be figuring out how to combat this new pressing system that left his team unable to set up in their usual ways in the cup final. Not just to pick up the win and stretch their lead to 12 points, but because this idea could be used by other teams in the league and cause his side to drop points as the run-in comes down to the wire.
Rotation Across All Competitions
The Gunners aren’t just favourites to claim the domestic league title but they’re also in with a chance to win the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League (a competition that has so far eluded them). One of the key things for them as the season winds down will be keeping their players fresh and fit as they have highly physical matches every few days for the remaining month or so of the campaign.
This shouldn’t be a massive difficulty as Arteta has a strong squad to contend with, having hard working and tactically astute players in every position. Keeping the weight off of Gabriel, Eberechi Eze, etc. by utilising rotation will allow them to play better down the stretch. He’ll be moving players like they’re roulette games.
Sit Back and Protect or Go For the Throat
One of the key tenets of the squad all season long has been their ability to hold out for wins, either with defensive solidity or by keeping calm and getting a goal from a set piece or on the counter to kill off games. As we approach the end of the term, there’s a big decision at play. Keeping their composure and holding off pressure in matches will get harder as the anticipation cranks up, which could lead to mistakes creeping in and sloppy goals being given away, that would put the Gunners behind the ball in every way.
On the flip side, there is some worry that if they push on and try to kill off games or put matches to bed too quickly, they’ll leave themselves prone to transition goals and counter-attacking opportunities while also tiring out their players. The manager has to decide which path to take by weighing the pros and cons and deciding which one is most likely to result in a first league title for the team in over two decades.
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