Arsenal vs Tottenham: Why is frustration growing at Mikel Arteta’s Gunners?

PJ Sport’s Arsenal correspondent, Alex Howell:

It isn’t in query that Mikel Arteta has reworked Arsenal since taking up as supervisor in 2019.

That progress had renewed optimism in north London and, after pushing Manchester Metropolis to the ultimate day of the Premier League season within the final marketing campaign, many thought this is able to be the 12 months that Arsenal lastly lifted silverware.

However on Sunday there was a novel environment of desperation created within the floor.

Some supporters left when the crew was trailing with an honest chunk of time left towards Newcastle, and that frustration additionally spilled into the Manchester United sport.

Two losses back-to-back at residence in cup competitions has began to create a sense that it could be one other marketing campaign the place Arsenal miss out on the highest prizes.

Laura Kirk-Francis,Latte Firm podcast:, external

The fanbase is now at odds over the place to put the blame. This crew doesn’t look markedly totally different from final 12 months, the place the identical personnel produced a record-breaking season.

Essentially, Arteta is not the one fluffing probabilities and lacking penalties – it is extra a narrative of people underdelivering. The gamers are the identical, the performances should not.

Critics of Arteta, although, will level to his failure to strengthen Arsenal’s attacking line in latest switch home windows. The vocal ‘Arteta out’ brigade are revising the earlier seasons’ successes as both luck, or a dramatic overachievement that really simply masked elementary points with Arsenal’s squad.

That misplaced religion in issues like Kai Havertz’s consistency, which I feel is a symptom of inexperience, not vanity or stubbornness, has left the crew ill-equipped to deal with fluctuations in kind.

Now, our consideration turns to Wednesday’s north London derby with a major stage of dread. Win, and Arsenal will a minimum of cease the rot. But when Spurs depart the Emirates with three factors, there can be completely no hiding place for Arteta.