Arsenal’s season has not collapsed, but over the past fortnight, the illusion of control has.
Defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, followed by a shock FA Cup exit at Southampton, has exposed fragilities that had been quietly building beneath the surface of Mikel Arteta’s project.
On paper, this remains a strong campaign. Arsenal still lead the Premier League and are alive in Europe. But cup football has a way of revealing uncomfortable truths—and right now, the Gunners look a side running on the edge.
The most immediate issue is defensive vulnerability. Arteta himself admitted his side conceded “avoidable” goals in the 2-1 defeat to Southampton, a match in which Arsenal dominated possession but lacked control where it mattered most.
Arsenal’s season is in danger of unravelling after their quadruple dreams went up in smoke
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This is becoming a pattern. Against Manchester City at Wembley, Arsenal were similarly undone by moments rather than sustained pressure.
Elite teams win cups by managing moments. Arsenal, increasingly, are losing them.
There is also the question of squad depth – and how Arteta is using it. Rotation at St Mary’s saw only a handful of players retained from the previous match, a decision that disrupted rhythm and cohesion.
While understandable given a packed schedule, it hinted at a lack of trust in the wider squad or, at the very least, a drop-off in quality beyond the starting XI.
Injuries have compounded the problem. Key players have been in and out, and Arteta has acknowledged the team is in a “difficult period.”
When margins are fine, as they are in knockout football, those absences become decisive.
Southampton’s late winner was symbolic of Arsenal’s recent decline
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But perhaps the most concerning issue is psychological.
This Arsenal side had been chasing multiple trophies, with talk of a treble or even more. That ambition has now been cut down abruptly.
The Carabao Cup final defeat ended hopes of a domestic clean sweep, and the loss to a Championship side has punctured the aura that had been building around this team.
Great sides respond to setbacks. But they rarely suffer two in such quick succession -especially not against inferior opposition.
There is a sense that Arsenal have struggled to handle expectation. When chasing, they have looked dynamic and fearless.
But when presented with the pressure of delivering silverware, they have tightened up. The clinical edge disappears, defensive concentration slips, and games drift away.
Southampton’s winner, late, decisive, and avoidable, felt symbolic. Arsenal had control, but not command.
Mikel Arteta’s side are still looking good in the Premier League and Champions League but he must arrest this recent slide quickly
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None of this means the season is doomed. Far from it. Arsenal remain favourites for the league and are well-positioned in Europe. But the past two results have shifted the narrative.
What once looked like a historic campaign now risks becoming one of missed opportunity.
Arteta said his players must “look in the mirror.” He is right.
Because the warning signs are clear: defensive lapses, squad imbalance, and a mentality still short of champions when it matters most. Until those are addressed, Arsenal may continue to flatter in the long run – but fall short when the stakes are highest.
