I have written about how exciting and wonderful the English Premier League title race can be. As I watch more about soccer in Europe, I am learning more about the fans and terminology. This past weekend I became familiar with the terms “bottling” and “bottle jobs.” The term “bottle jobs” is a slang expression often used in sports, particularly in the context of football (soccer), to describe a team or player that consistently fails to perform under pressure, especially in crucial or high-stakes moments. Unfortunately, in the case of Arsenal FC, the nickname “bottle jobs” has been attributed to the team based on their perceived tendency to falter or “bottle” important matches, particularly those with significant implications such as title races, cup finals, or key Champions League fixtures. Last year, Arsenal has served up a masterclass in bottling a season. This season, Arsenal is on the brink of doing it again.
Arsenal Are the Masters... At Bottling
The most notable example of Arsenal bottling a season came in the 2022/2023 Premier League season. Arsenal spent 248 days (that is 93% of the season) in the first-place position only to stumble just before the end of the season. It was the most time a team spent in first place without winning the Premier League. Arsenal’s 2022/2023 season has set the standard for bottling comparisons.
To the dismay of Arsenal fans, it appears the team is on the brink of bottling another season. Having a dominating 2023/2024 season and being in the top spot, Arsenal lost a game on April 14, 2024 to Aston Villa – a game Arsenal should have won. This loss dropped Arsenal , who was tied in first with Liverpool, out of the top spot, with only five more matches to go. While it was a tough loss for Arsenal, twitter was a gold mine filled with memes about Arsenal bottling the season and crumbling.
See What Happens
With five more match weeks to go in the Premier League season, anything can happen. But, it is not looking good for Arsenal. Manchester City is on a roll and it is hard to imagine Man City dropping any games in their upcoming schedule. However, the Premier League is very unpredictable. With the title race between Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool so close, we just have to wait and see what actually happens. If you are an Arsenal fan and things don’t work out this season, just remember, it’s not your fault.
This post is dedicated to Alejandro Roberts.