Arsenal has been patient with their pursuit of the Premier League title for about two decades now. They came close to winning one last season, but injuries to key players at the important games cost them dearly. Now, with renewed energy and some shrewd signings this season, they are again in the title contention, along with two other teams. This term, though, there will be no excuses, as the board and fans backed the team and Mikel Arteta for so long, that the team must deliver a title in May 2024 – which shall be their primary objective this season.
While the team is still unbeaten in the league, they stand 3rd in the points table, two points behind their North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. There must be quick improvements to the situation as we have already past 1/4th of the season. Not to forget that Champions League, Premier League, and EFL matches are coming thick in the next few days. So, to work towards the final aim, we have identified three things that Arsenal must change to win silverware.
Three things Arsenal must change to win a title this season
Being more clinical in attack.
Arsenal won six of their nine games and drew three games. All three games drawn are against their London rivals. While the team made a comeback against Chelsea, they gave away their lead against Tottenham (ouch, that hurts) and Fulham. Arsenal’s finishing against Tottenham was poor as they couldn’t capitalize on the opponent’s defensive mistakes. They dropped two important points, which would affect the final standing – as it is now.
Rotate more to keep players fresh for important games.
Arsenal’s last season was nothing but astonishing till mid-April. They lost many of their key players to injuries, sadly in the closing stages of the season. They lost to Manchester City and dropped important points against weaker opponents in that period. Despite leading by 8 points, the Gunners surrendered the title with a dramatic 13-point turnaround. To avoid similar situations, Arsenal must work on their rotations. Arteta fielded a fairly similar team in the League matches while making small changes in other games, making their game a bit predictable and taking a toll on the star players like Saliba, Odegaard, White, and Saka.
Focus more on the dead-ball gameplay, both offensively and defensively.
Arsenal has been strong in offence and won most corners (76) this season in just nine games till now. But they have managed to convert just two corners into goals and scored just 1 goal off the free kick. Defensively also, the Gunners look a bit vulnerable dealing with the corners and set plays. Working on this will lead them to a better position and have the upper hand in the games.
All the above-mentioned skills are not difficult to hone as the team has required talent and depth this season. The team would welcome bottom-placed Sheffield United next on Saturday, and we would love to see some of the above-mentioned points incorporated against the Blades.