u/Hisense_Sports1

To this day, I still grateful to Arteta for giving me higher expectations every season, and I credit him for that.

But I have to say this: Arteta is a coach completely lacking in courage. The fact is, even though Arsenal are title contenders, even though we’re at the top of the table, no team ever feels intimidated when they play us.

Think back to peak Liverpool or peak City back in the day. When mid to bottom table sides played them, who dared to go all out and throw caution to the wind? But against Arsenal? Teams will go all in on you, because they know Arteta won’t go all in first. So they press high, they throw bodies forward, and suddenly we’re the ones stuck on the back foot.

That’s exactly what’s missing with Arteta and Arsenal right now: the guts to go for broke. The whole side has lost its edge, its willingness to take risks. We’ve been playing it safe for so long that when the moment calls for players to step up and make something happen, they don’t have the confidence to pull it off. So they just keep playing it safe instead.

Look at teams like Bayern, PSG, or that peak Liverpool and City side. When they’re backed into a corner, they suffocate you. They keep coming, wave after wave, until you can’t breathe. But when Arsenal are backed into a corner? Any team can still go toe-to-toe with us, 50-50. In those make-or-break moments, we’re just lumping it long and hoping for luck. That’s not the mentality of a title-winning side.

These last two or three months of football have left me completely deflated. I don’t have the same high hopes for the title anymore. I don’t see how a team in this frame of mind can win it. If we do lift the trophy, I’ll thank the heavens for the gift. If we finish second for the fourth year in a row? It wouldn’t even surprise me. It’s exactly what I’ve come to expect.

In the past, Barcelona had players like Carles Puyol, Andrés Iniesta and Lionel Messi. On the other side, Real Madrid boasted Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos, Cristiano Ronaldo and Iker Casillas.

Whether you dislike or respect them, you have to admit they knew how to take command and calm their teammates in high-pressure moments.

Their current squads are full of star quality but lack leadership, and the cost of this will only grow heavier. In crucial matches, both sides lose their way and react slowly once hit hard by opponents.

Leadership should never be confused with simple dressing-room dominance. They are two entirely different concepts.

Barcelona exposed this problem yesterday after conceding against Atlético Madrid. They struggled, grew anxious and rushed into mistakes. No one was there to steady the ship and organise play.

Today, after Real Madrid received an early needless red card, no player stepped up to organise, hold the line or take control of the match. Both teams have adopted an attitude of shifting responsibility rather than taking ownership.

Clubs must not only sign talented technical players. They must also seek out youngsters with tactical intelligence and identify future leaders to develop.