Mikel Arteta has affirmed that Arsenal will be ready to pounce if Liverpool begins to falter in their relentless pursuit of the Premier League title. The Gunners currently sit nine points behind the Reds, who have displayed extraordinary consistency this season, making them the overwhelming favourites for the crown. However, Arteta remains steadfast in his belief that Arsenal can capitalise on any potential missteps by Jurgen Klopp’s men.
Liverpool’s dominance this season has been nothing short of remarkable, and many now consider the title theirs to lose. Yet, Arteta is quick to remind his players and fans that maintaining such an impeccable run throughout the campaign is a monumental task. Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Brentford, the Spaniard urged his team to stay resilient and maintain pressure on the league leaders. As quoted by the Daily Mail, he said:
“I don’t know, and that doesn’t depend on us. We have to continue to be like a hammer – be there every day, every day, every day. If somebody wins all their matches, congratulate them and go to the next season. But if they don’t, which in the history it hasn’t happened, we will be there.”
Arsenal has been one of the league’s standout performers over the last three seasons, showcasing remarkable consistency and playing an attractive brand of football under Arteta. However, the Gunners are still searching for their first Premier League title since 2004. The team has come close in recent years, but the challenge of outpacing rivals like Liverpool and Manchester City has proven immensely difficult.
Arteta’s remarks underscore the difficulty of sustaining a winning run over an entire season. Even with Liverpool’s current lead and consistency, history suggests that no team is infallible, and opportunities for others could arise. Arsenal, bolstered by their own solid form and depth of talent, are determined to be ready should that moment come.
As the Gunners prepare for their game against Brentford, Arteta’s focus is clear: keep winning, apply pressure, and be ready to seize any chance that emerges. While dethroning Liverpool remains an uphill battle, Arsenal’s persistence and commitment may yet play a decisive role in this season’s title race.
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What like they were ready to pounce when Liverpool drew with Newcastle and we drew with both Fulham and Everton around the same time.
Exactly!!!!
Purely as a matter of interest Reggie, do you still consider Liverpool to be an average team?
HNY by the way
Yes Sue, I have always said and it still stands. I wouldn’t swap any of their players one for one for ours. Maybe the Goalkeeper or Diaz but thats it. I think its down to their manager, managing the team/squad, and getting out of them, more than the sum of the parts. Something I have said Arteta doesn’t do so well.
Liverpool are not an average team. They were a good team on decline under Klopp, with several key players appeared to be past their peak and Klopp seemingly out of ideas to rejuvenate the team, making a few disappointing signings.
Slot managed to somehow inject life and belief into the players he inherited, bringing back the form of those players many thought were past it and improving a couple of disappointing signings. That is a sign of a good manager.
If Arteta had managed to bring out more from the players he inherited from Emery and showed a marked improvement with the same players, there would not be doubts over his managerial qualities
Liverpool have had a very good team for more than a decade. They have at least three all time great PL players and a team that has regularly won titles in the past 5 years, including the PL and the CL. They have regularly challenged for the PL in recent years including last season.
The squad Slot inherited is very good with few weaknesses. This is widely acknowledged by anyone who really has any understanding of football. It is important to remember that in the summer of 2023 they revamped their squad and brought in some very good players. This is regularly overlooked when making assessments and judgements about their squad and performances. In criticising the team of last season it is important to remember that several of those players were new to the PL. Even then, they challenged for the PL and picked up a cup.
The only player who could really be considered as having declined in that squad is Robertson.
A fair assessment would be that Slot has done well with a great squad, they’ve been relatively free from key injuries and they have players in excellent form. If they maintain this they won’t be caught. However, we are just at the halfway point so there is much left to play for.
The people who keep repeating this nonsense about Liverpool being “average” are those who have never had respect for Arteta and continue to express disdain for any suggestion that there has been improvement whilst he has been manager.
I think it is more widely acknowledged by most pundits and football journalists who really have a better understanding of football than fans like you and I that Liverpool were in decline for a couple of years before this season.
There are lots of punditry and articles that attributed their decline down to the loss of key players like Mane, Fabinho and Firmino who were not adequately replaced, as well as van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold and Robertson underperforming in the previous two seasons relative to their glory days. New signings like Nunez and Gakpo also failed to live up to expectations. You seemed to overlooked a lot of that in your response.
It is no wonder Liverpool were further away from the limelight in the previous two season despite having a managerial genius like Klopp at the helm.
While I felt that Reggie may have downplayed the quality of the Liverpool team if he believes they are just average, I feel you certainly overplayed their quality by overemphasizing on their past glory with former key players whose departure adversely affected them significantly
Carragher last season was quoted as saying Liverpool was in decline.
My recollection of last season was that Liverpool were recovering from their previous poor season otherwise they would have stagnated in 5th or dropped lower. Instead, they improved and finished 3rd. Do you not think it’s possible that Klopp would have really challenged again? I seem to recall that pundits and journalists alike thought that a resurgent Liverpool was very likely this season (until Klopp announced his departure which skewed predictions and did leave them in no man’s land)
I’m not doubting for one second that Slot has been an inspired choice but he had the backbone of a very good team and a team that had been in Arsenal’s position of having to play second fiddle to City more often than not.
Where I do disagree with you top4, is on the subject of Arteta and Emery. Arsenal was a team in slow decline after AW’s last 2 seasons and Emery failed to stem the slide. He also lost his job because the atmosphere was utterly toxic. It was definitely deeper than a tweak here and there.
Liverpool dropped off after losing some key players and trying a rebuild. They finished in 5th and brought in some good new players.
Whilst they did not reach the levels of previous years they challenged for the PL last season. I don’t see how mentioning that they still have proven winners in that squad is overemphasising anything.
The levels that MC have maintained over the last few years and the rise of Arsenal had meant less focus on Liverpool at the beginning of the season. However, that should not mean the strength of Liverpool should be referenced as merely average, which does not make sense.
You and I are often on the same page
Your reply sounds like you are under the impression that I said Liverpool were a merely average team, which I never did. Does it make sense to you to reply to me like I said they were an average team? Look up mate. My response to Reggie was specifically because I disagree that they were an average team.
You mentioned that Liverpool have proven winners. Try losing a few key players in any winning side and see how that affects proven winners. Man City without Rodri is already nowhere near their serial winner standards. Past reputation certainly don’t mean much when it comes to current results
Oh David, you speak with fork tongue.
OMG!!!! Really!!!!! Liverpool is average 🤔🤔
So he doesn’t expect Liverpool to remain perfect, even said “in the history it hasn’t happened…”
Yet believes Arsenal will remain perfect in order to capitalize on their slips?
Admire his positivity, but sorry I don’t see it happening. Nothing in our play, style, or approach exudes consistency and what we need to go on a consistent winning run.
We have missed opportunities already, we need Liverpool to absolutely collapse and City continue to stall and drip points.
Liverpools system and tactics are very robust and don’t look like breaking down. The article is flawed.
The ball is round. Maybe Liverpool will bottle it like we did two seasons ago and we can do a Man City coming from behind to pip them. What else can Arteta do but hope for the best and work on his team?
Echoed must thoughts exactly.
He should pipe down and do the talking on the pitch, which the team has failed to do when we have the opportunity to capitalize.
😎