A lot has changed within Arsenal – as questions rise about ‘bottle’

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The Independent

·20 February 2026

A lot has changed within Arsenal – as questions rise about ‘bottle’

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At the Arsenal training ground right now, the energy is naturally very different from what it was in November. It’s not just a consequence of the Wolves result, but a cause of it. There’s a chronic angst, a constant yearning to get back to what they were, to set the last performances right.

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That’s despite the reality that what this squad most needs is a break, a mental refresh. Some of the talk is that Arteta’s “intensity” is starting to bring mental fatigue, that it’s all becoming too oppressive.

For the manager’s part, this isn’t entirely his fault – some of it is simply the price of success. Arsenal are feeling the “monotony” of the schedule. Going for everything has started to sap them of something extra. They haven’t had a free midweek in two months, and they arguably haven’t played properly well – at least for a full game – for even longer.

Another discussion around the training ground has been about trying to recapture the levels of the week in November when both Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich were convincingly dismembered. Since then, there’s arguably only been a strong second half in the 4-1 win over Aston Villa and a few Champions League games.

The contrast feels all the sharper ahead of another crunch north London derby, as many in football feel that Arsenal are becoming the picture of a team feeling the pressure

The phrase, of course, is “bottling it.”

That’s also where questions arise over whether there is enough trophy-winning experience in the squad, whether they have strong-willed individuals, or too many players who are too submissive to systems.

Arteta has already attempted one intervention to ward off that kind of thinking.