Misryoum writes that Arsenal’s late-season grind exposes a Declan Rice problem as Mikel Arteta faces fitness, midfield control and Kai Havertz uncertainty ahead of Man City.
Arsenal’s title push is still alive, but Misryoum is seeing worrying signs that the team feel more like runners fighting for survival than champions shaping a sprint.
The tension around the Emirates after Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday night was impossible to miss.. A ninth-minute Eberechi Eze moment still delivered the result. yet the rest of the match felt more like damage control than dominance.. The images that followed—players collapsing. substitutes and starters alike looking drained—summed up a season turning into a test of endurance rather than execution.
Misryoum notes that Arteta’s schedule is tightening fast. with only a handful of league games left but major pressure stacking in parallel.. Before anyone talks about points and tables. there’s the physical and emotional load of preparing for a Champions League semi-final trip to Atletico Madrid.. Simeone’s teams are built for friction and discomfort. and Arsenal’s players already looked like they were running out of certain resources against Newcastle—energy. legs. and a bit of conviction in the moments that decide matches.
This is where Declan Rice becomes central to Misryoum’s concern.. Against Newcastle, Rice and the midfield around him did not take control.. The game happened around him rather than through him. which is exactly the opposite of what a title-chasing side needs when the finish line is close and every late-week performance gets scrutinized.. Rice. for all his value. looked tired—less conductor than passenger—and that matters because the biggest opponents in this final stretch are the ones who punish even small drops in midfield authority.
There is also the simple reality of timing.. Rice is set to face additional workload linked to international duty. and the weeks ahead will not just be about recovery.. It’s about whether the mind can stay sharp while the body pays the bill.. Arsenal may talk about squad depth and tactical flexibility. but when Rice is running short. Arteta can’t fully solve the problem with plans or substitutions.
Eze’s role adds another layer to Misryoum’s storyline.. He still provided the decisive quality early, but he was also forced off with a knock.. That type of injury scare is never just about one match—it shifts how the rest of the squad is managed. how intensively certain players can be asked to press or carry the ball. and how much risk the manager can afford in late-season rotations.
Misryoum also sees a broader issue in how Arsenal’s attacking structure is coping with absences.. Kai Havertz is injured again, and that loss changes the math of the final month.. Arsenal were expecting a stable supporting cast role from him, not a recurring interruption.. With Havertz missing. it pushes the team toward an alternative plan that depends heavily on who can best fill the space Havertz usually occupies.
The other named forward option in this debate—Viktor Gyokeres—carries its own consequences.. He has been used by the manager as a solution. but Misryoum’s concern is about whether Arsenal are still getting the cleanest value from their selection at the highest level.. If the team’s forward line is repeatedly asking others to cover gaps created by injuries. then matches against top rivals become more chaotic. more reactive. and more vulnerable in the final third.
Even the way Arsenal won on Saturday tells Misryoum something uncomfortable: Newcastle looked better in the deeper match indicators. with the away side bettering Arsenal for shots. possession and XG.. The gap between “better chances” and “found a way to win” is often the difference between champions and contenders. and Arsenal are currently leaning more on moments of brilliance and survival instincts than complete control.
All of this leads to the biggest practical question Misryoum would ask: when Manchester City finally become the direct opponent that defines the title. can Arsenal produce the kind of midfield dominance and tactical confidence that doesn’t rely on pushing the game through sheer will?. Arteta can’t afford a title run that feels like it’s being carried on tired legs. and the Rice issue—whether it’s fitness. influence. or the role he’s being asked to play—looks like the clearest signal of that risk.