Arsenal will head into a busy round of fixtures in March with their sights firmly set on keeping their hopes of winning the quadruple alive.
Online bookmakers rate them as 40/1 shots to secure a clean sweep of trophies, yet history shows that achieving the feat is easier said than done.
Winning the jackpot on the iconic Book of Dead slots game has proved to be easier than an English club claiming the four main trophies in a season.
With that in mind, read on as we assess the Gunners’ chances of winning the quadruple following their disappointing 2-2 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek.
Draw at Molineux sets alarm bells ringing
Arsenal blew a two-goal lead at Molineux to hand their Premier League title rivals renewed hope in a race that looks set to go down to the wire.
Mikel Arteta’s side are five points ahead of Manchester City with 11 matches to play. However, City have a game in hand and the two sides still have to meet at the Etihad Stadium.
Arsenal had a penchant for throwing points away in recent seasons, but appeared to have put their wastefulness behind them this term.
However, allowing a team which will be playing in the Championship next season to snatch a draw sets alarm bells ringing. Arteta was understandably frustrated after the game.
“Extremely disappointed, obviously, with the result, with the way the game ended, but we have to blame ourselves,” Arteta said.
“I think the performance in the second half didn’t show anything close to the standards that are required in this league to win, with the margin that I think should have existed today, especially in the manner that we played the first half. It’s a moment of disappointment.
“Even though we scored the second goal, we never got the grip and dominance of the game. That’s the reality.
“That’s credit, obviously, to Wolves. I don’t want to underestimate that, but I think we played a big part in that.
“As I said, it’s very basic things, very simple things, that today we did really wrong. That’s why we had the feeling, without really conceding much, but the moment is always the game open to anything that can happen.”
Arsenal cannot afford any further slip-ups
Arteta highlighted Sunday’s derby game against Tottenham Hotspur as the ideal opportunity for his team to demonstrate their title credentials.
However, the Gunners have rarely failed to raise their levels against their local rivals in recent seasons, so it would be no surprise if they collected three points.
Arsenal’s trio of league fixtures in March present a different challenge, albeit one which they are capable of overcoming if they produce their best form.
The Gunners kick off the month at home to Chelsea, who they have already faced three times in the league and cup this season.
They drew the reverse fixture 1-1 and knocked the Blues out of the League Cup semi-finals 4-2 on aggregate. With home advantage, their next meeting is a winnable game.
Having said that, it would be foolish to underestimate Chelsea’s chances of upsetting the odds, particularly as they are pushing to secure Champions League qualification.
Arsenal visit Brighton & Hove Albion in their next league outing. They are unbeaten in their last six fixtures against the Seagulls and will fancy their chances this time around.
Everton are next on the agenda at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners defeated the Merseyside outfit 1-0 earlier in the season and are a good bet to complete the double.
If Arteta’s side can safely navigate their way through their upcoming league fixtures, memories of the disappointing draw at Wolves would fade.
Cup competitions add to Arsenal’s workload
As mentioned at the outset, winning the quadruple is not easy. The pile-up of fixtures is undoubtedly the biggest hurdle standing in the Gunners’ way this season.
After facing Chelsea and Brighton in the first week of March, Arsenal will switch their attention to the fifth-round FA Cup tie at Mansfield Town.
This is a one-sided mismatch on paper, but delving deeper highlights why the Premier League giants cannot afford to take Nigel Clough’s side lightly.
Mansfield have overcome tough draws at Sheffield United and Burnley in the last two rounds, and will relish their chances of upsetting the odds on their own patch against Arsenal.
The Gunners also face two Champions League round of fixtures in March, most likely against either Bayer Leverkusen or Borussia Dortmund.
The Bundesliga sides established two-goal leads in their respective knockout round play-off ties against Olympiacos and Atalanta, and are the favourites to progress.
Arsenal would expect to emerge victorious regardless of which team they face, but the bus schedule undoubtedly makes life more difficult.
The Gunners round off next month against Man City in the League Cup final at Wembley Stadium. Winning that game could keep their quadruple hopes alive.
Arteta’s side will also need to safely navigate their way through their other domestic and European commitments for that to happen.
The final word
While the draw against Wolves was hugely frustrating, the timing of it may not actually be a bad thing in the context of the quadruple chase.
It may potentially serve as a wake-up call for a group of players who have not given fans too many reasons to complain this season.
The next few weeks will determine whether talk of winning four trophies is fanciful or if Arsenal can head into April with their hopes still intact.
