Arsenal have fallen wanting Liverpool within the Premier League title race however what’s the true narrative of their season?

Without end destined to fall brief? Killed by the misfortune of accidents and pink playing cards? Stung by a failure to strengthen their squad?

Arsenal’s Premier League struggles this season have prompted debate as to the causes however, forward of their Tremendous Sunday conflict with Chelsea, we ask: what’s the true narrative of their marketing campaign?

The Gunners are by means of to the Champions League final eight however they sit 15 factors behind champions-elect Liverpool as they put together to host Chelsea on Sunday, having completed as runners-up to Manchester Metropolis within the final two seasons.

Right here, we weigh up the hows and whys behind Arsenal’s Premier League marketing campaign and ask you to have your say on what has actually gone unsuitable for supervisor Mikel Arteta and his gamers.

Accidents: A proof or an excuse?

Accidents have bitten arduous for Arsenal within the second half of the season, notably in assault. Within the area of the few weeks, they misplaced Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, with the latter two dominated out for the rest of the marketing campaign, leaving the Gunners striker-less.

There have been spells out for others too. Mikel Merino’s shoulder fracture, suffered in his first coaching session in August, appeared to set the tone for an ill-fated marketing campaign for the membership on the harm entrance. It has actually been totally different to final time period, when their key gamers principally stayed match.

So simply how badly have they suffered, relative to different Premier League sides? Information from Premier Accidents places them fourth for days misplaced to harm within the division, behind solely Brighton, Tottenham and Ipswich, on 869. Leaders Liverpool, in contrast, have solely misplaced 594 days to harm.

Arsenal rank barely decrease for accidents which have brought on gamers to overlook a number of video games, their complete of 25 placing them sixth. However that quantity continues to be significantly larger than Liverpool’s and it is usually price contemplating the significance of the gamers who’ve been sidelined.

Along with Saka and Jesus, captain Martin Odegaard has performed a a lot decrease proportion of minutes than final season having suffered an ankle harm with Norway in September. Havertz’s proportion may even be considerably decrease come the tip of the marketing campaign, given his absence.

Some will say Liverpool could be equally worse off had they needed to cope with out their 4 fundamental attackers for a number of months.

Others will argue that Arsenal weren’t on the proper stage even when most of their attackers have been match earlier within the marketing campaign. Whichever manner you take a look at it, accidents have been a theme.

Did the January window kill the title problem?

In gentle of these accidents, Arsenal’s failure to strengthen their assault within the January switch window has been pinpointed by many as a key issue within the course their season has taken.

The membership have been desperate to recruit, much more so after Jesus joined Saka on the sidelines early within the window, however felt the correct gamers weren’t obtainable and determined to maintain their powder dry.

The choice brought on outcry amongst supporters and frustration turned to despair when Martinelli and Havertz succumbed to their accidents solely days after the closure of the window.

Ought to Arsenal have acted? Mathys Tel, a participant they have been linked with, is arguably a cautionary story having struggled at Spurs, who he joined for an costly mortgage charge from Bayern Munich.

However there’s a compelling counter-argument to be discovered at Aston Villa, the place Marcus Rashford and, particularly, Marcos Asensio, have made eye-catching impacts following their mid-season arrivals.

Arsenal already had floor to make up on Liverpool going into January. There’s a query as to whether or not they have been within the race in any respect. However a six-point hole quickly stretched into double figures and the statistics underline the extent of their attacking drop-off after a quiet winter window which left them effectively brief within the last third.

Pink playing cards and refereeing: Unwell-fortune or ill-discipline?

As Liverpool swiftly discovered their groove below Arne Slot within the early months of the season, Arsenal struggled to construct any momentum, their activity made tougher by a spate of pink playing cards.

The primary two, proven to Declan Rice in opposition to Brighton and Leandro Trossard in opposition to Manchester Metropolis, got here in uncommon circumstances, with second yellows proven for kicking the ball away.

The newly launched guidelines round delaying restarts have been duly softened, which means, six months on, Arsenal stay the one Premier League facet to have confronted most punishment for the supposed infraction. Arsenal have been main in each video games on the time of the pink playing cards however went on to attract them.

An extra pink card to William Saliba in opposition to Bournemouth, upgraded from a yellow following a VAR examine, and two extra to Myles Lewis-Skelly, one among which, in opposition to Wolves in January, was subsequently rescinded following an attraction, took their complete to 5 for the season.

No different Premier League facet has acquired greater than three. Arsenal’s reds have seen them play a cumulative 210 minutes with 10 gamers. Other than within the case of Lewis-Skelly in opposition to Wolves, when his ban was overturned, they’ve additionally needed to take care of the following suspensions.

There isn’t any doubt the sendings-off hampered Arsenal, however have been they right down to ill-fortune or ill-discipline? Arsenal have had 20 pink playing cards within the Premier League since Arteta’s appointment, probably the most by any facet, though solely two within the two seasons earlier than this one mixed.

Bottlers or battlers?

“The Gunners have fizzled out – again.” So stated one pundit within the wake of Arsenal’s 1-1 draw in opposition to Manchester United. After back-to-back second-placed finishes, this facet is creating an undesirable popularity, at the very least within the eyes of some, for falling wanting the prize.

Arsenal gained 16 of their last 18 Premier League video games final season. Some will marvel what extra they may have finished. Solely two Arsenal groups in historical past, one below Herbert Chapman within the Thirties and one below Arsene Wenger, have achieved three consecutive top-two finishes, a feat Arteta’s facet are heading in the right direction to duplicate. However the accusations will persist till they recover from the road.

Arsenal have needed to compete with relentless Manchester Metropolis facet within the earlier two seasons. Liverpool have set equally excessive requirements this time period. There may be additionally the context of their accidents, pink playing cards and recruitment missteps. However is there reality within the accusations? All the time the bridesmaid, by no means the bride?

Have squad-building points been uncovered?

It might be argued that Arsenal’s exercise, or lack of, in the summertime was extra expensive than what occurred in January. Did the membership tackle their squad priorities by signing solely Merino, Riccardo Calafiori and an on-loan Raheem Sterling? The reply needs to be no.

Arsenal’s accidents have uncovered an absence of attacking depth, with Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira all permitted to depart with out the signing of any replacements. Ethan Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly have in fact stepped up impressively however the squad is undeniably brief.

That stated, Arsenal got here into this season having stored all of their greatest gamers and damaged a membership report for targets scored within the Premier League within the earlier marketing campaign. Might they’ve replicated these numbers if not for the accidents? Or have been they set as much as fail?

It actually seems as if their incoming sporting director Andrea Berta has a prolonged to-do record this summer season.

Have Arsenal hit their ceiling below Arteta?

For all Arsenal’s progress below Arteta, there’s a college of thought that they’ve hit their ceiling below him. “I do feel, and I have been saying for a long time, that we have seen peak Arsenal under Arteta,” stated Sky Sports activities Jamie Carragher on Monday Night time Soccer this week.

A 3rd marketing campaign with no Premier League title, regardless of Manchester Metropolis’s drop-off, supplies ammunition for that argument. His solely trophy as Arsenal supervisor stays the 2020 FA Cup.

“Where is the evidence to think they can do it?” requested Sky Sports activities pundit Roy Keane when requested about their title prospects subsequent season following Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Previous Trafford. “Have they got the right mentality? Has the manager? I don’t think getting a striker in who’ll score 20 goals a season will necessarily be the difference.”

The opposite view is that they arrive again stronger.

There may be in fact work to do within the switch window however Arsenal nonetheless have one of many youthful groups within the Premier League, with most of their key gamers nonetheless approaching their peak years.

With the correct additions and higher luck when it comes to accidents and absences, might subsequent 12 months be their 12 months? Or is that this season proof that they’re destined to return up brief once more?

So… what’s the true narrative of their season?

Which of the choices beneath rings truest to you?