Gary Neville feels Arsenal didn’t help themselves in the title race by losing composure and putting more mental pressure on themselves at times during the season.
The Gunners have had a much better campaign than most expected, launching a genuine challenge for the title that is still not mathematically over, but has realistically been lost to .
Mikel Arteta’s side were top of the table for the majority of the season and led by eight points at one stage, but they have fallen short after disappointing results over the last month, including draws with and Southampton and the one-sided loss to Man City.
Neville thinks there have been obvious downfalls, but also smaller issues even when Arsenal were winning that have ultimately cost them.
He believes experienced players like Oleksandr Zinchenko and Granit Xhaka have made poor decisions in riling up emotion rather than remaining calm in the run-in, not helping their teammates deal with the pressure.
‘I do think that there is an element of throwing the title away because of the nature of defeats that they’ve had,’ Neville told Sky Sports. ‘Being up in games, 2-0 up in two games, losing 3-1 against the bottom of the league [eventually drawing 3-3 with Southampton], yesterday what happened [a 3-0 loss to Brighton].
‘At elite level, at high performance levels you have to make sure you perform. Whether it’s coming up the last at Augusta, the World Snooker Championships, the Olympic Games, the biggest moments of most pressurised environments, you’ve got to deliver in those moments.
‘I always doubted this Arsenal team, looking at some of the things that were happening.
‘Over-celebrations against Aston Villa, I look at little things that might seem a bit harsh. Zinchenko after the game against Bournemouth, celebrating an hour after the game outside with the fans, screaming.
‘You want your leaders in the team who have been there before to spread composure round the dressing room and calm everybody down, you don’t want them to lift the anxiety and lift the emotion.
‘I’ve said about being cold in a title run-in and there’s been an element of emotion. Xhaka at Anfield, [Thomas] Partey losing his form, it’s become very tough for them mentally.’
, .
, and .
