Mikel Arteta probably will never have a better chance to win the Premier League title. And if Arsenal cannot win the championship this season, people have every right to ask whether he has any other chance to bring the team to the top or not.
Arsenal closed the previous round with regret when they dropped 2 points against Nottingham Forest, despite creating a series of clear chances to win. However, in a volatile round, that stumble did not cost them too much.
When Arsenal stumbled, direct opponents also succumbed one after another. Manchester City lost heavily at Old Trafford, while Aston Villa unexpectedly lost at home to Everton. As a result, instead of narrowing the gap, Arsenal ended the weekend with one point more than at the beginning.
Everything, in a way, is still going in a direction that benefits Arteta's team.
After this round, The Gunners are 7 points ahead of Man City and Aston Villa in the context that there are only 16 matches left in the season. If they maintain the current pace, they only need 3 more victories to create a decisive gap.
The numbers remind of last season, when Liverpool also led Arsenal and Nottingham Forest 7 points after 22 rounds. At that time, Arne Slot's team finished the season with 84 points and won the championship convincingly, never really revealing the feeling of losing the advantage.
What makes Arsenal have the right to trust is that competitors find it difficult to maintain stability. Man City is still dangerous under Pep Guardiola, but the fluctuating performance shows that they are no longer an absolute winning machine. Aston Villa clearly shows signs of overload due to limited squad depth, while Liverpool seems to have been left too far behind.
In fact, the "Gunners" simply cannot miss this opportunity. They have every right to be proud when looking back on their journey. Arteta has done extraordinary work in 6 years at Emirates. He transformed an unstable team that often lost its identity into a true championship contender.
It is true that Arsenal has spent a lot of money. But in modern football, no team succeeds without investing. Pressure this season is inevitable, and Arteta understands that better than anyone else.
Until the cup is raised, people can argue whether Arsenal possesses the strongest squad or not. But no one denies they have the best-organized team in the Premier League.
Declan Rice maintains top form. Bukayo Saka is rarely stable. Martin Odegaard shows signs of returning to the image of creative leader. Gabriel and William Saliba create the top center-back duo of the tournament. David Raya also brings solidity in goal.
Even when new striker Viktor Gyokeres disappointed, Arsenal continued to win and score. This shows that their collective foundation is strong enough to overcome personal problems.
Even in times when Arsenal is not in top form, opponents are not stable enough to take advantage of. They are still competing in four arenas and leading the Champions League table - an incredible achievement.
This may be Arsenal's first national championship title after 22 years - the longest time they have not touched their cup since World War II. That is not commensurate with the stature of a big club.
Arteta's legacy will be shaped by what happens in the next few months. But no matter what the outcome, he has built an Arsenal strong enough to believe in the championship dream. The remaining problem is very simple when the only team that can stop Arsenal at this time is Arsenal.
This is the last chance for Arteta and Arsenal to win the championship at all costs.
