Arsenal will go into the next round of Premier League fixtures nine points clear at the top, though title rivals Manchester City do have a game in hand still to play, while the Gunners’ visit to the Etihad Stadium next weekend presents an interesting wrinkle too.
For a couple of months, Arteta’s men have crawled their way to points, and that’s only partly by design. The stodgy, set-piece heavy way of playing isn’t meant to result in games which are more or less on a knife-edge and decided by one or two key moments, rather make them an imperious juggernaut at both ends of the pitch.
It’s a plan that has had flaws. In their 24 games since the turn of the year, Arsenal have both played well and won in about 10 of them, at a stretch. Does this matter so long as they are actually ending these matches as the victors? Well, yes and no.
Arteta’s philosophy is simultaneously keeping Arsenal pushing forward and holding them back. Their willingness to play within the margins means they won’t always win, but due to superior player quality they usually do. It’s a dangerous game, the biggest reason why they are both so far clear in the Premier League and why there is a sense of dread with each remaining fixture. The product has to improve to give the players and fans more reasons to believe in what they are doing.
