Today we take a look at the latest developments from English football club Arsenal. Recently, under Mikel Arteta's guidance, the team, who had topped the table before Christmas, faced a series of frustrating challenges. Imagine that in just a few weeks, their Premier League table has plummeted to fourth place, which has undoubtedly created a huge psychological gap for fans.
Let's start with Arsenal's recent performances. They have won just one of their last seven matches, without a win at all in four, and to make matters worse, they have suffered three defeats in a row. This performance is also reflected in the stats: Arsenal have an expected goal total of 6.02 goals, but only one goal has actually been scored. Meanwhile, they have conceded nine goals in those seven games and scored just five. Their opponents, such as Fulham, West Ham and Liverpool, have actually scored six goals despite a total of just 3.3 expected goals.
But it's not just the data. Arteta's management of the forward line has also been controversial. In particular, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have been inconsistent and have been the focus of heated discussions among fans and commentators alike. Arsenal's attacking players, such as Bukayo Saka and Martinelli, are still in their growth stages and are not consistent enough, despite their potential. These all point to the fact that Arteta needs to make changes in managing the squad, particularly in addressing the use of Kai Havertz and his overall tactics.
Against this backdrop, Arsenal's game against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium was arguably the epitome of their recent predicament. They lost 2-0 and missed out on the FA Cup. In addition, Bukayo Saka has scored just one goal in his last six appearances, further highlighting the team's attacking problems.
Finally, we have to mention that these problems may not be entirely attributable to mismanagement. Sometimes, luck is also part of competitive sports. Perhaps, Arsenal's current predicament is partly due to bad luck.
But these are just my opinions, and I wonder what you think. Do you think Arsenal's recent form has been a bit of bad luck or a tactical issue?
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