The defeat to West Ham was so damaging and transformative to the mood surrounding the club that in the space of two days, conversations changed from what could happen to open up the opportunity for the Gunners to retake control of the title, to suggestions it is now all over. Can the pendulum swing as quickly in the other direction? Perhaps, but the likelihood of that in the current context of both sides makes it very small.
As a result, Arsenal’s next five games will, for me, determine how their season will finish. Three Premier League games, with two UEFA Champions League matches at the end surrounding the hosting of Chelsea.
In just two days’ time, Arsenal will take on a Nottingham Forest team who, despite losing at Newcastle, scored three goals at St James’ Park. This is one more than Arsenal have managed on their last five visits to the northeast club.
The City Ground itself has been another awful place too for the Gunners. Losing there in May of 2023, in the FA Cup the year before and in 2018 in the same competition – although they did secure a 2-1 victory on their last visit to the East Midlands club.
This season Nuno Espirito Santo has got his side performing extremely well and they will be a tougher opponent than the last time the Gunners travelled north. A win here though would be quite the statement and a real turn in mood for the side.
Then comes the trip to Eindhoven where Mikel Arteta faces a familiar opponent in PSV. The third season in a row the sides have met but on each of the last two occasions, Arteta failed to record a win in the Netherlands – losing 2-0 in 2022 and drawing 1-1 in 2023.
