The 2023/24 Premier League season is over, and it is no longer news that Manchester City are not just champions but have set a record in the process – the first team in England to win four league titles in a row.
For all of Arsenal’s greatness this season: most wins (28) in the club’s history in the Premier League era (they won 29 in 1970/71 season; best defensive record (29 goals conceded); most clean sheets (18); not losing to the so called ‘Big 6’; it all came to nothing as no one ever reckons with second place.
Pep Guardiola and Manchester City have all but dominated the league since the Spaniard’s arrival – only Conte (in Pep’s first season) and former Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp have managed to wrestle the title off Pep.
An unprecedented 4th title in a row including six of the last seven titles have led many fans asking: is anyone ever going to win the league again if Pep remains at City?
Liverpool are in transition with Klopp leaving; Chelsea have just parted ways with their manager after going from 12th to 6th; Manchester United have had their worst Premier League season finishing 8th; the less said about Tottenham Hotspurs, who finished 3rd in a Two-Horse race years ago, the better.
Ultimately, many would agree that Arsenal might just be the closest challenger City and Pep will face next season.
So, is there any way the Gunners and their manager can wrestle the title off Pep seeing they’ve gone close twice and lost?
I had this conversation with two of my best buddies and colleagues, Khalela and Paterson and they both gave interesting remarks which is the basis of this piece.
My buddies Khalela & Paterson have just given me an idea for my next piece.
— Ufuoma Egbamuno (@Foskolo) May 20, 2024
Dear Arteta, it’s time to go to WAR with Pep; End the friendship and FIGHT
Watch out for it by end of today or tomorrow on https://t.co/QUgjYgG8Tr cc @NigeriainfoFM
Their verdict?
Arteta MUST end his friendship with Pep and FIGHT.
How, you may ask, right?
Well, it is time Arsenal and Arteta stop playing nice.
After Sunday’s win, City midfielder, Rodri said: "Arsenal, also they deserve [to win the league], they did an unbelievable season, but I think the difference was in here [pointing to his head again].
"When they came here, they faced us at the Etihad, I saw them and said: 'Ah, these guys, they don't want to beat us, they just want a draw.'
"And that mentality, I don't think we would do it the same way.
"And we caught them. At the end, if you give us one point, we will win the last seven, eight games even though it's so tough. So, I think it comes down to mentality."
When you win your 4th title in a row and six of the last seven, you can be forgiven for being brutal (or cocky, some might say?) like Rodri just did.
Maybe, Arteta, Arsenal and the players should take a cue.
Time to start talking!
Time to start calling out Manchester City and the 115 charges that is hanging over their heads!!
Anyway, short story much longer than intended: Man City have already been found guilty, TWICE, of irregular financial activity, and served two penalties, in 2014 and 2020. We already know why, in great detail. The 115 charges aren't a new thing. They're merely round 3.
— Nick Harris (@sportingintel) May 21, 2024
Time to start asking why City are using legal means to frustrate the conclusion of the charges!!!
Time to start calling out the professional fouls that City employ almost weekly in their games to stop opponents and asking questions of referees!!!!
Time for the Artetas, Sakas, Odegaards, Rices and co to start speaking forcefully in the press on a weekly basis and put pressure on not just City but the other 18 clubs in the league to also have a go every time they play the Cityzens!!!!!
Just talk about City as consistently as possible – time schedule; soft penalties; refereeing decisions for City; just talk.
Wear them down psychologically off the pitch now that Arsenal have the capacity to at least match them on the pitch.
You know who else did it and succeeded? Jose Mourinho!!!
After losing 5-0 at the Camp Nou in his first Classico, Mourinho knew that he had to employ the dark arts if he was ever going to get any success against arguably the best team the world had seen at that point.
Did it work? Well, here is what Barca’s former defender, Gerrard Pique said years after:
“I think that for Guardiola at some point it was too much.
“Madrid won the league that year and all of a sudden he (Pep) decided to leave for so many reasons, but I am sure part of it was because with Mourinho it got too much.”
After Sunday’s win, Pep told Skysports that he wants to stay next season.
“During the season, we will talk,” he said.
“But after eight, nine years... the reality is I'm closer to leaving than to staying."
Pep Guardiola IS a genius (as well as someone who failed drugs tests as a player). City's squad IS packed with astonishingly talented players. They ARE an amazing team. And today's side was built on foundations put in place in 2011-13 that demonstrably broke rules.
— Nick Harris (@sportingintel) May 21, 2024
Is he probably thinking of leaving now that the 115 charges are probably closer to being resolved with a possible demotion to the Championship or 80 points deduction as being rumoured in some quarters?
We may never know.
What I do know is that if Arsenal and Arteta are ever going to have a chance to win the league, then he must put aside his friendship with Pep and wage a WAR against his mentor.
Dear Arteta, put that call across to Jose if you need advice on how to FIGHT!!!
