Arsenal still leads the English Premier League, but like in the past, they could crumble just as a title win for the first time since 2003-04 seems to be within reach.
Early April saw Arsenal firmly in control of the title, nine points clear of their nearest rivals Manchester City. It’s now just three points (and City played one fewer game)
It’s not the first time in recent years that Arsenal have stumbled at the end of a season. Last year, they were second to Liverpool. They finished second behind Manchester City in 2023-4. The previous year, they were again second.
Arsenal fans will no doubt be expecting another late-season dose of heartbreak. It’s also likely that players and staff at the club are experiencing similar jitters. There are some psychological strategies to help players fight until the end.
No, please!
Mikel Arteta’s team recently won 1-0 against Newcastle United, but had previously suffered two successive defeats.
First against Bournemouth in their own stadium and then against Manchester City.
These two matches had similar dynamics: Arsenal conceded its first goal during the first period, equalised a few moments later and lost in the second.
It looks like an ailment. You need to exert extra effort if you have conceded a goal early in the match. The players need to reset at halftime but the cost in emotional energy of trying to score an equaliser can hinder their transition into winning mentality.
When the fear of failure is greater than your desire to succeed, you are choking.
Arsenal players are supported by a team that includes sport psychologists, mental coaches and other experts.
These four psychological techniques will help them improve their consistency during the final weeks of the season.
1.
Plan your daily routine
Predictability allows athletes to be consistent.
This concept works on the assumption that if we keep doing what we have always done, then the results will remain the same. Pre-performance rituals tend to stabilize sport performances regardless of how much pressure is placed on them.
This routine can be in many different forms. Some athletes may prefer to shower or visualize or meditate, while others might pray or visualise before the match.
Many players prefer to breathe deeply before taking a penalty shot (such as Cristiano), while others may fixate their eyes on one spot on the football before firing.
Sport psychologists can help athletes improve their performance by helping them to customize pre-game routines or shots.
2. Practise mindfulness
Athletes can be crushed by mental distress.
The body increases its cortisol levels (the stress hormone) when an athlete experiences emotional stress.
This leads to rigidity of the muscles. It can affect performance.
Jon Kabat Zinn, a leading expert in stress education, developed mindfulness-based-stress-reduction – a series of techniques which include breathing meditation, focussed attention on the moment and body-like movements similar to yoga for improving emotional regulation.
In tests conducted on athletes, the mindfulness technique showed significant improvement in attentional control.
Applying either mindfulness alone or together with other techniques can help Arsenal reach the consistency they need in this final round.
3. Positive self-talk is important
In high-stakes situations, athletes can be frozen by their lack of confidence and the fear of making mistakes. It slows execution and impacts on decision-making.
A full-back, for example, receives the ball and looks around to see what options are available.
The full-back can play either a penetration pass or a pass in reverse to the centre-back to disrupt his opponent’s defence.
If he hesitates the pass could be intercepted, and the pass backward could come under pressure. This can lead to an expensive mistake.
Sport psychologists help athletes overcome self-doubt by teaching them to create inner dialogues that are more task-oriented and reframe the way they think.
Researchers have found that athletes can improve their performance by using self-talk.
In the above example, the fullback should not think about possible consequences, but instead tell him to pass the ball.
When done correctly, self-instructional talk can assist Arsenal players in choosing the right options to execute.
4.
Get used to pressure
Training sessions are usually focused on developing technical and tactical abilities under less pressure.
Research shows that athletes who are exposed to mild anxiety during training can cope with pressure better.
When athletes train under stress, they often do better than others.
Arsenal coaches must therefore increase the pressure during training while also ensuring that players have access to sport psychologists or mindset coaches.
Two races in one
Arteta spoke about the win over Newcastle.
After 22 years of not being able to win, I do not expect it to be all roses with beautiful music surrounding it. We are prepared for this.
It remains to be determined if they’re ready.
If the Gunners want to win the Premier League this year, these tips could help them deal with pressure and avoid choke.
Manchester City will, of course.
