The history of football is littered with examples of teams snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Borussia Dortmund threw away this year’s Bundesliga crown in spectacular fashion (more on page 62) while, in Premier League terms, Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United and Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool sides spring to mind. Now, according to some, they have a new rival for the title of biggest chokers: Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
Yet to dismiss the Gunners simply as that does not tell the full story. True, they did lack mental toughness during the run-in – how else can you explain the two-goal leads thrown away at Liverpool and West Ham, the 3-3 draw with bottom-placed Southampton or the meek1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest that handed Manchester City the title? But the fact that they came as close as they did
