10 December 2021, 10:00
As much as Arsenal have shown promise heading toward the mid-point of this season, a couple of recent disappointing results serve as a reminder that to keep such form going requires hard work as much as talent.
Strong response needed after disappointing results
After a bruising defeat against Everton that leaves the Merseyside club only five points behind the Gunners despite the former's bad run of late, Mikel Arteta's side now face another home match they'll be expected to win with an unwelcome amount of pressure to perform from the start. Southampton have their own issues, currently 16th in the table, and winning by a couple of clear goals should be well within the home side's capabilities.
It seems the problem Arsenal will face going into the rest of the season is performing against sides ranked around them. Manchester United were arguably their main rival for a top four spot, while Everton are usually expected to challenge the top six. Consecutive defeats in these games will worry fans but performing against the lower ranked sides is a must if Arteta's team wish to remain in their good graces for the time being.
Could this be another transitional season?
Arsenal may be tired of hearing the word 'transition' since Arsene Wenger left the club, but it remains true that such a huge figure's departure after more than 20 years was always going to leave a gaping hole. For all their faults, though, Arteta's new young team still show signs that they could be capable of greater things in the next year or two.
Martin Odegaard scored again in the Everton defeat, while the likes of Bukayo Saka and Ben White continued to gain big match experience under pressure. Will occasional spurts of excellence and the promise of potential future trophies be enough to prevent fans becoming more frustrated with Arteta in the face of their team's patchy form this season? Only time will tell, though consistently winning these types of games would certainly help.