It is time for Mikel Arteta to get busy in the transfer window as Arsenal will finally have a chance to play in the Uefa Champions League again after missing out this major tournament for such a long time. I think Mikel Arteta might need to get in better centre-back defenders as their defense does look kind of shaky whenever their opponent launch a fast counter attack resulting in Arsenal conceding goals.
I think Arsenal have more than just defensive problems... I can't explain why they so stupidly lost the lead at the end of the season... I thought they could take the top spot this season, but in the last matches against the outsiders they failed to score the very important points... With a game like that they can't do well in the Champions League...
It's no wonder that at the end of the season, Arsenal always make ridiculous silliness. How can you not lead the standings with confidence since the beginning of the season and even then the difference is quite far from Manchester City, but when they slip a little, then they have lost everything. There are several factors that need attention, not only in terms of their defense, but in terms of the strategy that Arteta has implemented has not changed much, as if he is already comfortable with one strategy and Arteta has forgotten that his opponent has learned. So it's no wonder they finally collapsed due to their own mistakes.
Especially against Manchester City, where Pep Guardiola knows the characteristics of Arteta game so that Pep can easily find gaps in Arsenal's open defense. Meanwhile, Arteta in the second half did not make any changes so that from the first half to the second half the distance was still the same.
Personally I will attribute poor Arsenal performances towards the end of the season to lack quality players in their defence and midfield in the absence of Saliba due injury greatly affected the team, Holding who replaced him was very poor defensively and Kiwior too was an average defender, at their left back Zinchenko is attack minded player but poor defensively, while in their midfield Thomas Partey was very prone to injury and errors and wouldn't make any impact and exert his authority at their midfield in most games same with Xhaka and from all indications the duo are leaving the club to give space for Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo major target of Arteta.