Arsenal fears a repeat of their 2023 struggles as a recurring problem continues to cause setbacks.
Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal squad remain unfazed by their current struggles to score from open play in the Premier League, but fans are growing concerned that the team is falling into familiar patterns.
Arteta dismissed the idea of a problem, highlighting their ability to score without set-piece routines in the 3-0 Champions League win over Monaco last week. However, parallels to last season’s December slump are evident. Arsenal had thrashed Lens 6-0 in November 2023, only to drop 11 points in their next five league games. During that stretch, their only open-play goals came late on in a 2-0 win over Brighton and a Bukayo Saka tap-in during a 2-1 loss to Fulham.
This season, Arsenal has gone three league matches without scoring from open play, dropping four points and leaving them six points behind leaders Liverpool, despite having played a game more. The team continues to dominate possession but struggles to break down defensive setups, relying heavily on Martin Ødegaard, Bukayo Saka, and set pieces for creativity. Other players, like Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Leandro Trossard, have failed to step up, with inconsistent performances further frustrating fans.
Goalkeeper David Raya defended the team, attributing the issue to the challenges of breaking down deep-lying defenses like Everton’s rather than a lack of confidence. He noted that Arsenal created opportunities but couldn’t convert, partly due to Everton’s solid defending and Jordan Pickford’s exceptional goalkeeping. Pickford made crucial saves, including a point-blank denial of Ødegaard and a diving stop to thwart Saka early in the second half.
Adding to the tension, Arsenal missed the chance to match Liverpool’s record of scoring from corners in four consecutive games, while fans grew restless upon hearing that Liverpool had dropped points against Fulham. Arteta suggested the pressure affected his players, leading to rushed decisions and errors on the pitch.
