Arsenal are the new Neverkusen as thoughts turn to who replaces Arteta…

Arsenal might be blowing up – but you’d all swap places with them right now. If they do finish second again, though, the consensus is that Mikel Arteta must go…

Send your thoughts on the title race and anything else to theeditor@football365.com.

Arteta out, Cesc in
I don’t really have any confidence Arsenal will get over the line.

We’ve seen this story play out before and at the start of the season me and my Gooner mates agreed that this season Arteta really has to deliver or go.

He has no excuses. He’s been backed. He has the players. He’s even been benefited from an off form City and Liverpool this season.

So the question as to who succeeds Mikel really needs to start being asked.

Given the style of play is in the toilet and a good proportion of the fanbase grew up under Wenger, I’d suggest Arteta’s successor is the man he replaced as a player – come in Cesc Fabregas.
Graham Simons, Gooner, Norf London

The new Neverkusen
I wrote in last week saying City did not have to win all their games and could easily drop points in a few and still win the title. That prediction is now looking very accurate.

I also said this issue of getting across the line at the finish is not only an Arsenal thing and cited the fact that Liverpool only won their first Premier League when stadiums were empty. While this is technically correct, Liverpool did already have the same number of points as this Arsenal team by early January and had reached 82 points before stadiums started to empty.

A better parallel to this Arsenal team is the earlier incarnation of Liverpool in 2013/14. They needed just two wins and a draw in their last three games to win the title, but won only a single game.

Other obvious examples are the Newcastle team of 1996 or the Bayer Leverkusen team from 1997 to 2002, which had four second-place finishes. This included such slips as only needing a draw to win the league in the last game but losing in 2000, and the ‘treble horror’ of 2002, losing the Champions League final, the domestic cup final, and surrendering a five-point lead with three games to go in the league.

Looking back at the squads of all these teams, they had some real quality but equally many nearly men who never won anything.
I do wonder what happens to these Arsenal players if they fail to win the league this year. Some will probably, rightly, feel they need to leave to win big trophies, as did Suárez at Liverpool and Ballack at Leverkusen.
For now, let’s see, there are still a lot of games to be played. I’m not going to jump on the bandwagon and focus on the fact that we’ve failed to beat the current worst Premier League team, play-acting our way into a panic while taking delayed short corners instead of actually trying to score and kill off the game.

As I said last week, Arsenal needed to win our next four games. We have not done that. Now, by the next time we play the North London derby, City will probably be top of the league, and we then have a resurgent Chelsea. As I said last week, there is a real danger of City having a decent lead BEFORE we meet in the League Cup final, not many agreed when I made this statement last week.

For now, the title is in City’s hands. They just need to do what they normally do to make it seven league titles in nine years. Repeating myself once again, Pep will play down his side’s chances, talking up opponents; Arteta will talk up Arsenal’s chances even when it’s completely clear we have none…

The joys of life as a football fan.
Paul K, London

MORE: Arsenal the mirror image of their monochrome manager as Gooners turn on Arteta

Arsenal squad wasted on Arteta
As a Liverpool, but more importantly, a general football fan, watching Arsenal is just unbearable. As a recent singleton, I can and often do watch most football on TV. But when it’s Arsenal, I use it as background noise, doing other things. Like folding my pants, looking for missing socks. I can’t afford them ninety minutes of undivided attention, sorry.

Oh my, they are dull. So mechanical, so over-coached and so over-drilled. Any creativity sucked out. It’s telling that when they chase a game, he turns to his bench and just goes like-for-like with little tactical manoeuvrability. And don’t get me started on the shithousery — Martinelli, Trossard, there are very few likeable chaps in that squad. That must come from the coach.

And a penny for Eze’s thoughts?

Being the hub of that Palace side, everything good came through him, a guy who genuinely looked like he loved playing football — now? Rattles in a north-London hat-trick, his reward is to be dropped in and out of the side, likely losing his England squad place (what with the flood of no. 10s). I realise the natural order of things, players move to ‘bigger’ clubs, but creativity doesn’t have to be stifled, e.g. Florian Wirtz, I know he struggled, but he was always encouraged to harness his skillset, be himself and now looks absolute class. Why suffocate the one thing that made you want to sign someone?

The quality in that squad is wasted on Arteta.

And Arteta, again, don’t get me started. Same dull outfit, black jacket, grey chinos, Lego hair (same hairdresser as Merino, no?) and his stance on the touchline: elbow on forearm, scratching his chin. It’s just irritating. I realise this doesn’t physically affect football, but as the mailbox introduction said this morning, his monochrome style is a mirror image of his team.

If they win the title, they will set-piece their way to success. At the time, I thought Liverpool’s title win last year was relatively dull (mainly due to Slot following Klopp) but in comparison it showcased control and efficiency, still at times, playing very good football. This Arsenal side epitomes lifelessness, which I think is coated in desperation — a desperation to finally win something, essentially at any cost.

Never thought I would say it, but I would prefer Citeh to win the title, as it essentially means nothing to anyone… #115. Oh, on that, any update, like, at all?
Pedro – loving the wheels rolling down the hill.

Where Gunners have gone wrong
Arsenal have messed this up completely.

I never truly thought they’d do it this season (in my recent mails to yourselves I’ve said I don’t believe they’d win the league) but THAT was painful.

I always felt Arsenal needed a 10-15 point lead at this stage minimum, to provide enough of a buffer for moments like this when the team really F up.

We’ve had the chance to create they buffer but just weren’t good enough in key moments…

1. Stoppage time concession to Sunderland. 2 points dropped. This was the first game where I properly believed that we wouldn’t win it.

2. Failure to beat 10 man Chelsea. Conceding first after their red was poor. Another 2 points dropped.

3. Stoppage time concession to Villa. Another point dropped

4. Failure to beat a relatively weak version of Liverpool at home. Another 2 points dropped.

5. Failure to beat relegation threatened Forest at their ground. 0-0. Another 2 points dropped.

6. Man U at home. I was at this game. Poor to concede late on after bringing it back to 2-2. Another point dropped.

7. Wolves away. Losing a 2 goal lead to the worst team in the league (though to be fair, even though their points total is low , they’re not Sheffield United/Derby level bad, they concede a lot less goals than them), should NEVER happen if u want a title (dropping points at Brentford away was forgivable but not this). Another 2 points dropped.

That’s 14 silly points dropped and is on Arteta and the team.

If we go trophyless again he has to go.
Izzy, London

MORE: Anatomy of a Bottle Job: Eight factors to separate the true choke from a mere collapse

The bottle jobs
Odd of you to include the 2013/14 season in a list of bottle jobs inspired by Arsenal but not mention that in that season, Arsenal were top of the league from Aug to Jan and finished 4th. It’s probably the season most like their current campaign.

And as a Liverpool fan, while I think it’s a bit cruel to put that 13/14 team so high up in the list considering they only went top after gameweek 32, I suppose I can’t argue with the ‘slip’ narrative very much passing them into bottle job legend. Ah, Stevie.
Andy Lane, Dublin

Defending Arteta – for now
Some utter sh*te being sent into the mailbox today. People are just throwing out words. The ruthlessness isn’t there? What do you mean by that? He’s known for being ruthless. He’s got rid of big players like Ozil and Auba. He has dropped Eze for about 2 months now and doesn’t trust him. He was dropping and subbing Rice last season when he was playing shit. He has been ruthless in the transfer market. So what are you even on about because it’s pretty damn obvious he would’ve tore into those players after the game. We’ve literally seen it.

Why is he playing Jesus you ask? Well he’s our only other striker? He has contributed here and there. It’s fairly obvious he’s finished but you can’t just keep playing Gyokeres 90 mins 3 games a week. Do you even think before you say this sh*te? Also if the Martinez praise is a dig at Raya then you’re completely wrong. Raya is definitely the best GK we have had in a long time. He’s been one of our best players over the last 3 seasons. Absolutely no regrets in having him in nets. If you’re talking about the best GK Arsenal have had it is Cech. If its based on performances it’s Raya. Raya has been undoubtedly better than Martinez over the last 3 years. I don’t dislike Martinez like other Arsenal fans do. We should’ve kept him over Leno, but he’s really dropped off over the last few seasons.

This Arsenal team weren’t as good as everyone said 4 weeks ago. They’re also not as bad as people are saying now. They won every single CL game. Does that mean the standard of the PL is bad? They are quite clearly shitting it. The Liverpool game and the United game made me realize this. The football they’ve been playing for most of the season is boring and predictable. They’re awful at creating chances. When they score they sit back and become passive. The only positives from this season are Raya, Timber, Gabriel, Zubimendi and Rice. Everyone else has 3 months to sort their shit out.

If we don’t win the league Arteta will have to walk. He’s had the time and the backing at this point. They have fluffed all the chances they’ve had to build a lead and messed up nearly every game. I understand they’re competing on 4 fronts but the rotation has been there. The team just seem anything but calm. That second half against Liverpool they couldn’t keep the ball at all. They seemed worried and that’s not something you tend to see with champions. There is literally no point going into next season with the same manager and squad if they don’t win the league. Having said that, I don’t think someone else is going to just come in and win it. What if the new manager comes 4th? Would it have been worth getting rid of Arteta. There’s still 3 months left. Arsenal can obviously come back into form and we’ve seen that City aren’t the City of old. One thing is for certain, they need to win at City which is something they haven’t done in like 10 years afaik.
Dion, Arsenal.

You’d all swap places with Arsenal
I’m an Arsenal fan. That was disappointing. The narrative will be painful for the next few days, probably deservedly so after a poor result. I’m sure every non-Arsenal fan, pundit and journalist will relish the banter and come up with some really original, rounded, well-perspectived ways to say how bad the team/manager/players are. Then the dust will settle. City will probably win their next game and… Arsenal will still be top of the table. Apparently there are 92 professional football teams in England, and I’m pretty sure 91 of them would rather be where Arsenal are right now.
Diaby

Burnt out Pep won’t punish Arsenal
As a Liverpool fan, I’m hardly unbiased about Arsenal. In particular, the 2-0 win at Anfield in ‘89 still stings hard all these years later.

But c’mon lads. Certainly last nights capitulation to Wolves was all kinds of poor. One might almost say bottle-y. Yet every other side in the division would want to be where they are, City included.

Liverpool are absolutely f*****g nowhere ( thanks for the epic title defence guys, geeze.) Villa are having another terrific season but their win is finishing in the Champions League places. End of.

Then at a push we have Carrick outrageously playing the right players in a formation that’s not s**t at United. But he’s got too high a mountain to climb.

So there’s 2 contenders- Arsenal and City. The narrative is easy to see and understand. Arsenal lose their nerve and Pep’s experienced title winners saunter past and leave every Arsenal fan looking for the nearest cliff to lob themselves – or Arteta – off.

Except this isn’t going to happen, see? Pep is *burned out*. You can’t be as intense as he is for as long as he has without hitting the wall. Jurgen put the breaks on just before he hit his, Pep is more likely to be dragged from the front seat kicking and screaming. But he’s still mentally gone. And he’ll be actually gone after this season.

You can’t be like that and provide your team with what they need. The reality is that this is *not* a good City team and nothing like their successful vintages. They are absolutely 100% there for the taking.

3,4 years back and 2 points dropped really was the end. It’s not now though. It’s ok to make mistakes, they won’t kill you. Just take a step back, deep breath and go again.

Arsenal are the only major club at the peak of their teams cycle. City are way down the other side of theirs. As soon as Arteta unclenches enough to realise this, it’ll be their title. Apprentice finally defeats Master, that kind of thing.

All that being said – if Arsenal lose the League Cup final to City, they will be f****d in the League for certain. So best they give that a swerve.
James, Liverpool

Live for the moment
My memory takes me back to the 2018/19 season when Liverpool were top by 7, lost to City in January and then drew a few matches, eventually losing the title by a point. The points total 97. I recall plenty of “bottled it” comments, I’m gonna guess that a few of those were from Arsenal supporters but I’ve no idea.

We all know that Arsenal/City have to play each other in April and Arsenal have tricky derbies coming up in the next two matches.

Personally, I don’t think teams “bottle it” and I find the comments of Arsenal fans weird. They support a team top of the league who have the title very much in their own hands (City would have to win all their matches too!).

I will take a little joy if Arsenal don’t win the title because of the 2018/19 season (what goes around comes around after all) but in truth I don’t really care what happens, it’s just kinda exciting watching the unpredictable nature of it play out.

What I want to know is why do we have to predict anything? Why do we have to prepare ourselves for failure, rather than simply enjoy the moment and the excitement of something we actually don’t know. What fun is there in being proved right/wrong when the real fun comes in the unpredictable nature of this title race.

Why engage with disappointment rather than the reality which is “we’re top of the league with 11 games to go”?

My view: nobody loses a title during a season, it’s there to be won by a single team and there’s 38 games in which to do it.
Rob, Hove

Racism is everywhere
What I am genuinely surprised about is people are still surprised at Racism on the field when a current President is making videos likening a former President to a monkey and numerous Politicians blaming all social and economic problems on immigrants. Racism is prevalent everywhere particularly when skin color is involved. Heck, even in Thailand, many Thai people look down on people from the Issan region because their skin is darker.

I don’t begin to pretend I have even the slightest ideas on possible solutions, but in my mind, each time we devote media attention to this topic, it only seems to embolden them. I realize ignoring it does not mean the problem will go away but the one thing they crave is the oxygen. Why not starve them of the one one thing they crave? No more 15 minutes of fame.

As for Football, the governing bodies are unable or unwilling to do anything, and let’s be honest, taking a knee before a game is laughable. Why not let the players themselves deal with the matter on the field, a la Roy Keane / Haaland style. Were Sergio Ramos or Pepe still in the RM team, I’d bet that Benfica player would conveniently be injured before the return leg!
Adidasmufc (What I have never understood is that almost every team has players of color. What is going on in training?)