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A Leaky Defence Could Be Costing Arsenal This Season – Here’s Why Mikel Arteta Has Reason To Worry About His Gunners Defence
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Get to know Paul Kelly betterPublished4 hours ago on November 01, 2024
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal head to Newcastle in the early kick-off on Saturday afternoon, hoping to return to form after a two game winless run in the Premier League. Join us as we assess whether a leaky defence could be costing the Gunners this season.
Is A Leaky Defence Costing Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal This Season?
Mikel Arteta could have cause for concern this weekend if his side don’t beat Eddie Howe’s Newcastle on Saturday afternoon. Arsenal haven’t won in their last two Premier League games, and simply must claim all three points at St James’ Park to remain in the title picture.
The Gunners travel to Newcastle in the early kick-off on Saturday afternoon (12.30pm kick-off), with Mikel’s side looking to bounce back after a two game winless run in the Premier League.
It may sound ridiculous labelling Arsenal’s 10th Premier League game a ‘must win’ at this stage of the season, but they simply cannot afford to drop any more points.
Many football fans feel that petulance and a lack of discipline has cost Arsenal at certain stages already this season, with the Declan Rice and William Saliba red card’s prime examples of this theory.
However, there could be more too it than that, with Arsenal having conceded nine goals in their previous five Premier League games. This is more than they had conceded in their previous 19 Premier League games combined (8), which could be great cause for concern for Mikel Arteta.
Not only that, but the Gunners have shipped two or more goals in four of these five games. This is as many times as they had in their previous 27 combined. A leaky defence really could be costing Arsenal so far this season. Of that there is no doubt.
🗞 Lessons from previous matches
🗞 November's fixtures
🗞 Facing NewcastleRead every word from Mikel's pre-Newcastle press conference 👇
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 1, 2024
Does Arteta Have Cause For Concern With Recent Gunners Form?
It is obviously still very early days in the Premier League, with this weekend only the 10th round of fixtures. League’s aren’t won at this stage of the season, but they can most definitely be lost.
Arsenal legend Tony Adams has backed the Gunners to win the Premier League and Champions League double, but that looks somewhat unlikely right now given the Gunners’ form and league position.
Arsenal sit third in the Premier League table, five points behind leaders Manchester City already. At this stage last season, the Gunners sat on 21 points from nine games – three points better off than they are right now. Not only that, but Manchester City were two points worse off on 21 points too.
Pep Guardiola’s side of course went on to win their fourth successive Premier League title, with Arsenal finishing second once again. With City two points better off this season and the Gunners three points worse off, it looks like it could be a huge uphill battle for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
The best football betting sites in the UK have priced the Gunners as favourites to beat Eddie Howe’s side this weekend, but it certainly won’t be an easy task. Lose this and Arsenal could well be waving goodbye to their Premier League title hopes already.
That would be a real cause for concern for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who are desperate to stop City and win their first Premier League title since their invincible season in 2003/04.
Time will tell if a leaky defence is costing Arsenal, and whether Mikel Arteta has real cause for concern or not. Be sure to claim the various football betting offers and free bet deals available on the SportsCasting site ahead of the Premier League fixtures this weekend.