Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby in March 2021. (imago Images)
The 2023 Premier League season has been a thrilling ride for Arsenal fans, filled with hope and anticipation.
However, as the season reaches its climax and despite being the frontrunner across many of the top UK betting apps for a large chunk of the season, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Manchester City is on the verge of clinching the title, leaving Arsenal with a bitter taste of what could have been.
Let’s take a closer look at Arsenal’s journey and what that means for next season’s title race.
At the start of the 2022/23 Premier League season, Arsenal emerged as strong contenders with a renewed sense of optimism under their charismatic manager, Mikel Arteta. The odds for Arsenal’s title chances at a respectable 10/1 at the start of the season, as Arsenal had made significant strides in the transfer market, acquiring talented players and strengthening their squad depth, which gave fans a reason to dream of a long-awaited Premier League trophy.
As the season progressed, Arsenal showcased their potential with a series of impressive victories. Their attacking prowess, solid defence, and disciplined midfield propelled the team up the league table. The Gunners embarked on a remarkable winning streak, defeating top contenders and establishing themselves as genuine title contenders.
During this phase, Bet365 revised their odds for Arsenal’s title chances, lowering them to 5/1. The football world began to take notice of Arsenal’s resurgence, and fans dared to believe that their team might finally end their trophy drought and claim the Premier League crown.
However, as the Premier League season unfolded, unforeseen challenges arose. Injuries to key players, such as Saliba and Tomiyasu, disrupted Arsenal’s rhythm, testing the team’s depth and resilience. Despite the setbacks, Arsenal fought valiantly and remained in the title race until the final stages.
In contrast, Manchester City, with their deep squad and experienced manager, consistently delivered exceptional performances, grinding out victories and maintaining
their dominance. Their remarkable consistency, goal-scoring prowess, and resolute defence put them in an enviable position to clinch the Premier League trophy.
With just a few matches remaining in the season, Bet365 now places Arsenal’s odds to win the 2022/23 Premier League at 80/1. The gap between Arsenal and Manchester City has widened significantly, leaving little doubt that City will secure the title. While this is undeniably disappointing for Arsenal fans, it’s important to acknowledge the progress they have made and the excitement they have brought to the league.
This season has been an exhilarating journey for Arsenal fans, filled with hope and near misses. Although Arsenal came incredibly close to winning the title, it is Manchester City who now stands on the brink of furthering their Premier League glory.
It might be easy to blame injury for Arsenal’s late downfall this season, but there are a few things which Arteta can ensure going into next season if they intend to lift that trophy in May 2024.
Arteta could certainly work on improving squad depth. Seeing as Granit Xhaka could be headed for Bayer Leverkusen any day now and Thomas Partey, whose form has totally just dropped off during the battle for the title, Arsenal could certainly do with a starting
midfielder to shake things up. Not only that but if Arsenal intend to challenge for the title, there has to be quality players available when rotation from Mikel’s dream starting XI is required (Trossard is a perfect example of this type of player).
Conceding 23 goals at home is not a great way to go about winning the Premier League. Oddly enough Arsenal have been stronger on the road this season, but unless Arsenal tighten up defensively overall there may be more disappointment to come.
Finally, by tying down key players such as Saka and William Saliba, both of who will be free agents at the end of next season, Arteta can bring more of the stability we’ve seen in Arsenal this season by moving forward in the knowledge that their top guys are locked in.
Be sure to head to the Premier League site where you can get all upcoming news in the build-up to next season including injury updates and potential transfers.