Former Inter Milan star and Russian national team alumnus Igor Shalimov offered his take on the current arc surrounding London’s Arsenal. He weighs in on a club that came within reach of clinching the Premier League title for the first time in nearly two decades during the 2022/23 campaign, only to surrender the initiative in the late stages and watch rivals surge ahead, most notably Manchester City.
Shalimov observed that even when Arsenal held a comfortable gap, there was a sense of fragility in their grip. When momentum swung in their favor, the team could press hard and finish strong, yet when adversity arrived, the squad sometimes lost its sharpness and slowed. He noted that when pressure mounts from behind, the team has tended to bob and rise, a pattern that has haunted them in past title chases. The veteran analyst suggested that the atmosphere in a high-stakes title race can reveal weaknesses that aren’t obvious in calmer moments, and that such pressure often tests a squad’s nerve in England’s demanding environment.
Turning to the mechanics of Arsenal’s play, Shalimov highlighted the performance of captain Martin Odegaard, describing him as a player capable of dazzling individual moments but perhaps not embodying the all-surface, all-match consistency that defines champions in the Premier League. He argued that the league rewards power, pace, and resilience as much as artistry, and that teams like Manchester City or Liverpool have built their success on physical and tactical depth as well as technical skill. He also warned that senior coaching experience may influence a team’s long-term readiness, pointing to the potential impact of Arteta’s inexperience on decision-making during late-season run-ins as noted by commentators in the cascade of coverage around the club.
After 36 matches in the Premier League, Arsenal sat on 81 points and occupied second place in the table, while City stood four points ahead with a game in hand still to play. This snapshot reflects a season where the balance of power shifted as the campaign moved forward, underscoring how even strong performances can be undone by a few decisive moments or strategic adjustments from opponents. The dynamic underscores the importance of depth, squad management, and the ability to weather fatigue when title races stretch beyond the halfway point and into the spring sprint that defines English football.
Separately, former Manchester United midfielder Gary Neville drew attention by criticizing Ukrainian international Oleksandr Zinchenko for the manner of Arsenal’s celebrations after securing victories. The comments added another layer to the season’s dialogue about emotion, perspective, and what it means to win in a league that prizes consistency over drama. The dissenting view from Neville sat alongside a broader debate about how players shoulder responsibility for the expectations that come with leading a title-chasing club and how celebrations can be interpreted by fans and critics alike, both at home and on the road in the league’s varied landscapes.