Lets compare the feel good factor that surrounded the club just a few months ago in the Premier League when Arsenal couldn't stop winning and creating new records, to this almost unrecognisable team that have lost 3 out their last 4 matches.
It's been an alarming dip in form for the club at such a pivotal time in the campaign and for such a transformation it's also a huge concern for the supporters who just weeks ago were confident of securing the first league title in 22 years. There can be no mistaking that the team has taken a considerable wobble over the past month and the fans are genuinely concerned about the real danger of letting slip the biggest prize of all.
Furthermore, the defeat at home to Bournemouth seen Arsenal fail to capitalise on the opportunity to increase their lead at the top of the table to 12 points and with it, the psychological impact that would have had on rivals Manchester City. Mikel Arteta was clear in his post match interview, saying “We need to learn, we need to be very critical of ourselves, and then pick ourselves up, because on Wednesday we have another big one."
As it stands, the Gunners are now only six points ahead of City who defeated Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon and with a game in hand, face Mikel Arteta's team next Sunday in what many are calling the title decider. So, what has happened to the team in recent weeks?. We can of course look back to the defeat in the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City where Arteta elected to play Kepa in goal ahead of Raya, this had the pundits questioning maybe for the first time the Arsenal manager's tactics, and to compound the issue it was the following week when they exited the FA Cup in the quarter finals at Championship side Southampton that the murmurings grew louder.
There is also the issue of mental fatigue from playing so many games this season and although the club secured a valuable away win in the Champions league to Sporting last week, it was the shock home defeat in the league to Bournemouth four days later that generated headlines again.
💬 “We need to learn, we need to be very critical of ourselves, and then pick ourselves up, because on Wednesday we have another big one."
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 12, 2026
-Mikel Arteta pic.twitter.com/7yKK9SqZP8
Injuries
That leaves the omission of a few key players through injury as a factor in the dip in form and to be fair to the Arsenal boss, the side has had it's fair share of injuries of late, namely, Bukayo Saka, Team Captain, Martin Odegaard, Eberechi Eze, Mikel Merino, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie, these players are of huge importance to the squad and their absence is felt all over the pitch. Arsenal haven't looked their confident selves in recent matches without these players and surely the reshuffling of the squad has affected the team to some degree.
On a more positive note, with the return of some or all of these players, Arteta will have a strong settled team for the league run in and the latter stages of the Champions league. With Eze and Hincapie nearing full fitness again, Arsenal would welcome their return this week for the Champions League quarter final second leg against Sporting and the added attacking threat that they bring. A positive result in this match and the confidence will return but this weekend with the title very much in their own hands, they simply cannot afford any more slips in the title race. Wednesday and Sunday's upcoming games will answer a lot of questions.
