Dion Fanning: Arsenal are just patsies in the Premier League illusion

In this simple and oddly comforting world, it is just a bottle job that stands between Arsenal and the title. 

The Arsenal fans hold up a Vamos banner before the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Southampton FC. Picture: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

After Arsenal’s draw against Southampton at the Emirates last Friday night, Mikel Arteta answered 11 questions in his post-match press conference. Seven of them could be filed under one broad but damning category: Are Arsenal “bottle jobs”? 

Nobody came out and used the words themselves but the message was clear. Arteta was asked about the emotional state of his players. He was asked about the mental state of his players. He was asked if he was encouraging his players to “embrace the pressure” and if his players needed to be reminded that the title was still in their hands. “They want it so much”, Arteta said in response to that point which was revealing in itself.