Arsenal's title defence could crumble if Arteta can't keep his squad healthy

Arsenal's pre-season kicks off against Girona on Saturday, and honestly, everything that happens between now and August matters way more than it usually does. They won the league last year. Now they've got to do it again. Which is basically impossible.

Sounds dramatic, but the numbers back it up. Manchester City's the only team that's managed back-to-back titles in recent memory. Manchester United did three straight from 2007 to 2009. Chelsea managed it once. Liverpool? Haven't done it since the early 1980s. Arsenal themselves? Try nearly a century ago.

So Mikel Arteta's job just got significantly harder. You don't add to a squad that's already peaked without breaking something. The club's probably not going to blow up the wage structure for someone like Vinícius Junior either, which means they're working with what they've got.

That's where the fitness issue becomes critical. A drained squad in March and April is a squad that loses titles. One injury to a key player, then another, then suddenly you're playing with half your starting XI made of kids and squad players. City can handle that. Arsenal? Historically, not so much.

Pre-season friendlies like the 3-0 win over MK Dons don't tell you much — you're basically just trying not to snap your ACL against a team that's not trying. But they're the only chance Arteta gets to assess who's ready and who's running on fumes from last season.

The real test comes when the actual matches start. Fatigue will set in. Players will get niggles. And unlike last season, when Arsenal could ride the wave of surprise and momentum, everyone's going to be targeting them now. Opponents will be sharper, more prepared, hungrier.

Keeping 11 fit players on the pitch might sound simple. It's not. It's the difference between another title and fourth place.