Arsenal: 4 things Arteta’s side must avoid to secure top four

So much can change in such a short space of time. Arsenal were out for the count, beleaguered and broken, while Tottenham couldn’t stop scoring. Look at the situation now.

Having scored just twice with their previous 73 attempts at goal, including a heavily deflected strike from distance, Arsenal then went to Stamford Bridge and scored with all four of their shots on target before making it seven goals in two games just a few days later..

The mood has shifted dramatically. Even if it’s easy to get caught up in the emotions, having witnessed three successive defeats brought upon by three mediocre performances it was hard to see where this side would get a goal, let alone a win.

Yet, a ruthlessly efficient display at the home of the European champions was followed by a horrendously chaotic win over Manchester United, one that saw the Gunners ride their luck in order to claim a 3-1 win.

4 things Arsenal must avoid in the Premier League if they are to secure a top four place ahead of Tottenham

Certainly getting the rub of the green, they also had the rub of the woodwork to thank when Bruno Fernandes stroked his penalty wide.

All the while, Tottenham have now gone 180 minutes of Premier League football without having a shot on target. One of those games ended in a deserved home defeat, while the other they will be counting their lucky stars they managed to salvage a draw from after Brentford twice struck the frame of the goal.

Heading into the final five matches of the season, Mikel Arteta’s side boast two point lead over their north London rivals, which is quite the turnaround given the events of early April. Football is a weird sport sometimes, just as it can be cruel, and there are sure to be more twists and turns before the final day.

In order to help them secure the ultimate goal of a return to the Champions League they will quite simply need to keep winning games. To give them a helping hand, however, there are four things they must avoid.

1. Keep the Chaos to a Minimum

Chaotic doesn’t even come close to explaining the last 180 minutes of Premier League football the supporters have witnessed. Sometimes the carnage can favour you, just as it can be your downfall.

Against Chelsea the madcap nature of the game arguably favoured Arsenal. For a side struggling to find the back of the net they needed another team to open up and allow them to be played through, with this team being a side who can pick apart the very best in transition. How did Arteta quell the chaos? The cult-favourite Rob Holding low block.

When the game descended into insanity against United, it did not do so to Arsenal’s benefit. Defensive disasters where unforced errors were handing opportunities on a plate to the opposition, play this game out on another day, perhaps with another referee, and Arsenal do not win it 3-1.

How did Arteta quell the chaos on that occasion? The cult-favourite Rob Holding low block.

But the answer is not to start games with a back five. Ideally it doesn’t come into play at all. What Arsenal have to do is curb their nerves, as hard as that may be to do. Mental and physical fatigue will have played a part in the victory over the Red Devils, yet level-headedness needs to be unearthed if this side are to avoid letting the football gods decide their matches.

Fortunately two of the toughest games on paper are gone and short turnover times won’t return, so clawing back some control and calmness at the back may be easier with more resting time.

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