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Back-to-back defeats a cause for concern for Arsenal?
By Adam Schultz
Back-to-back defeats have many now questioning Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal squad and their ability to win the Premier League title. But is it time to start getting concerned with the current form of the team?
Arsenal’s 1-0 loss to Everton at Goodison Park marked the second consecutive game that the Gunners had failed to score.
It also marked the second consecutive loss for Mikel Arteta’s team. This is the first time it has happened all season.
So, is there a cause for concern?
Back-to-back defeats a cause for concern for Arsenal?
For the more anxious Arsenal fan that has seen this movie before, then yes, but looking from a broader sense, we can see that on paper, both defeats (Manchester City in the FA Cup and now Everton in the league) shouldn’t dent any confidence within the team nor the supporter base.
Why?
The performances in both were what we expected from Arteta’s Arsenal. They controlled part portions of the game but couldn’t break through and shipped in a solitary goal they couldn’t get back.
This is not a poor performance that leaves you wondering about the mentality of this squad or leaves a sour taste due to a poor output from a player. In fact, the opposite.
Despite the losses, the overall performances have been good enough to win both games, and that’s where we sit today.
Tough day. Obviously a bad time to get Everton, but Arsenal were way off. Everton packed the midfield and Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard just couldn't find space & dominate. Ended up being one of those games you just take a draw, but a set piece stopped that. Everton deserving winners.
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) February 4, 2023
Still having two losses on the record won’t look good, but this is where the scoreline can be misleading.
Against City, Arsenal was the better side on enemy territory, and it wasn’t until half-time that the substitutions swung the game City’s way for five minutes, and they scored.
With the Everton loss, Arsenal had a whopping 71% possession and registered 15 shots (only three on target) but just couldn’t find a way through. That’s football.
So, while some sections already have City winning the league, the truth is Arsenal, despite now being on a two-game losing streak in all competitions, have been the better side in both games.
Cause for concern? For the Arsenal fan still reeling over numerous failed attempts at glory, yes, but for fans looking through a wider lens, this isn’t more than a blip on the radar.
While it’s not panic stations yet, should the slide continue and the performances drop, then that’s a different conversation.
But for now, it’s as you were.