Ex-Arsenal player Perry Groves is concerned the 'passiveness' that has crept into Mikel Arteta's side of late could prove very costly for them.
In the Gunners' 2-0 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City, Arsenal strayed from their strengths of aggression and physicality.
Kai Havertz of Arsenal and team mates look dejected during the Carabao Cup Final match between Arsenal and Manchester City
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The Gunners failed to make the most of their first final in nearly 6 yearsCredit: Getty
It allowed City to settle into a rhythm with the ball as they zipped it around the field and subsequently took control of the contest.
For Arsenal, the result extinguished their hopes of a remarkable quadruple, although they remain well in the mix for a league, FA Cup and Champions League treble.
Groves goes bang
However, Groves believes the Gunners' ambition for their first piece of silverware since 2020 may fall flat should they allow their new-found habit of taking the foot off the gas at inopportune moments to continue.
"There's been a trait of us going a bit passive for 15 to 20 minutes in games," Groves said on the latest episode of Inside Gooners.
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"We did it at Wolves away, where we had the game by the scruff of the neck and then dropped off.
"We did it against Liverpool in the second half at home. We did it against Manchester United for a period.
"But what we normally do is, apart from the Wolves game, we normally get through those periods where we don't concede. You don't think, 'Oh, it's gone a bit jittery.'"
Groves added: "It was just this passiveness where it doesn't suit us.
"We are a physical team, we are an aggressive team, that's what we do.
"Then we let Manchester City get into a rhythm of passing where there was no real intensity of us trying to stop them playing."
Mikel Arteta looks on
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Groves is worried Arteta's side are growing complacent for key periods during gamesCredit: Getty
How Arsenal turned six points gained to five lost
Of the three matches mentioned by Groves, Arsenal lost one and drew twice.
However, against Wolves and United, the Gunners had the lead but failed to take all three points.
Arteta's side were 2-0 up over last-placed Wolves with 30 minutes to go, but Tom Edozie's stoppage-time strike rescued a point for the lowly hosts at Molineux.
A similar story followed when the Red Devils came to the Emirates Stadium on January 26, as Arsenal scored first in the 29th minute.
However, Matheus Cunha netted three minutes from full-time to hand United a famous 3-2 win.
With the Premier League title Arsenal's to lose along with favourable match-ups in the FA Cup and Champions League quarter-finals against Southampton and Sporting respectively, the Gunners' destiny for a trophy is very much in their own hands.
The Premier League table
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Arsenal are on the brink of their first Premier League title in over two decades
Gunner need a system reboot
So, what is the approach Arteta must take to ensure his side ends the season with at least one addition to the trophy cabinet?
According to Groves, it's about taking the gloves off and doing what they do best.
"If we went toe-to-toe with Manchester City, our outfield against their outfield, we have better players than what they have," Groves said.
"So as an Arsenal fan - I know it's very easy because of jeopardy - if they go basketball, out of ten games, we're going to win seven to eight.
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"I think there has to be a reset where Mikel says, 'Right, we're going to press, we're going to impose ourselves.'
"You don't want to get through the season thinking, 'What if?' If we get beat and you've had a right go, you go, 'Okay, that's fair enough.'"
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