The difference between winning and losing is so small and this season was no exception with Arsenal winning the title by less than 3 points which is only 1 match. 38 games in the Premier League season and it comes down to one result that went for or against you.
When you are at the top in business or sport you have to continue to strive to always do better and be better. At the top you have set the marker or benchmark for others to achieve and you can never be complacent. The saying that it is harder to stay at the top is so true as others are always trying to replace you. The wheel turns and remaining at h the top means you have to work twice as hard as those trying to catch you.
Today Arsenal Football club will be handed the English Premier League trophy whilst at the same time Manchester City will be bidding farewell to Pep Guardiola who is leaving the club after 10 years in charge. Guardiola managed the club to four league titles in a row which had never been done before and for good reason.
Doing it once is a great achievement, but doing it for the next three years is seriously difficult. Arsenal with the average age of the squad being so young they have the chance to win the title for the next few years. The only difference is the added pressure and expectations having won it once and next season teams will target Arsenal seeing them in a different light. Next season will be that much harder and why teams struggle to win the title two or three times in a row.
With the squad Arsenal have they will be favorites for next season which is the added pressure for next season and who knows how they will handle this. More players will need to be added to the squad and depending on how that is handled will be the next step whether they can continue this winning run or not.
Formula One is no different from the demands of football and it is not just the driver or stars, but the entire team/squad package that has been assembled.
Over the last 15 years in Formula One we have seen red Bull dominate with 4 constructors titles followed by Mercedes 7 times and then Red Bull again winning another 4 in a row. McLaren won the constructors title last year and they could win it again this year, but the chances are they wont as everything is against you. In some ways the pressure is off because you have achieved the winning of the title but the pressure should be ramped up even more as last years result should kick the team on to improve even more.
The wheel keeps turning and if you do not improve and make changes then the following season will not necessarily be as successful. Look at Liverpool Football Club and how they have struggled this season after dominating last season. Liverpool may have gone backwards this season or the other clubs have improved which I would guess is a bit of both and is the 5% swing that makes the difference.
Whether it is football or formula one the difference between winning and coming second are so small that consistency and luck play a role. In Formula One we saw rule and regulation changes impact the likes of Mercedes benefitting Red Bull and this will continue to change the landscape in the future benefiting one team over another. The margins are that tight between winning and losing.
