Arsenal to win the Champions League? Does Willian really believe that?

Are Some Gooners Being Arrogant? by Dan Smith

To find a solution, first you have to admit there is a problem. We are in a delicate period in our history where I don’t need a player telling us what he thinks we want to hear. That’s what William did with his first interview with the press since becoming a gunner.

He says the reason he signed a three-year contract was that it gives him enough time to win the Champions League, having won everything else in England. Now, say you like London; explain your best friend from the age of 8 is at the club, even lie and say you read a book when you were young, and Arsenal were your all favourite team. Just don’t insult our intelligence…

If winning the European Cup was your ambition you don’t move to the Emirates. You were more likely to win it at Chelsea based on them actually being in the competition.

The Brazilian has to take one year away, as first we need to qualify for the tournament. So, at best he’s got two chances to win something with a team who just finished 8th in the League?

I would like to think maybe he’s been told something we don’t know. Maybe Arteta has whispered to him that Stan Kroenke has plans to invest. Yet then you remember we offered contracts to David Luiz and Cedric, that 55 staff were made redundant to save 2 million.

If I said to you Leicester, Spurs or Wolves would win the CL in three years you would laugh. But they finished above us. Yet reading articles recently, some gooners believe it.

I have read why it’s not impossible we can win the Prem, that may be the dark days of Arsene Wenger are over and my fave, Maitland Niles is better than Kante?

I was mocked for not understanding how a player who can’t replace Xhaka in our midfield has proven he’s better than a World Cup winner. Apparently, his versatility is the only reason he doesn’t get a chance there. Which would make sense if he had been first our first-choice full back in the last 3 years. Apparently only now has a manager recognised his talent.

Or maybe we should stop making excuses? If we had a Kante under our noses, the cream would have risen to the top by now.

Another Gooner wrote that we can challenge for the title even if we brought in no one else? Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion and I’m not saying I’m right. Yet it’s music to our owners ears. Instead of demanding what he will do to correct our 8th place finish, I’m sure he’s happy fans are making such claims while purchasing the latest Adidas merchandise.

You see it’s not arrogance if you can back it up. Thierry was arrogant but backed it up. It’s insulting to legends from the past to say after our worst finish in 25 years we could be champions.

Even common sense would suggest how are we closing a 33-point gap on Liverpool? Because we got a 32-year-old on a free? Because we are getting Gabriel?

Chelsea have already brought in Werner and Ziyech, and as much as we listen to links for Gabriel, the Blues are taking about Chilwell and Havertz.

So, as much as Arteta has shown tactically he has ideas and good man management skills, the days of coaching a group to being champions are over.

History shows most of the time, the more you invest, the higher you finish. We can’t and won’t win an EPL under the current ownership.

Don’t think that I don’t rate our manager because I do, but just because we won the Cup, I can’t ignore that these players were not good enough over the whole campaign.

In many ways I’m protecting Arteta. Because if some really are expecting a title challenge and expecting Niles to be better than Kante, then we are putting unfair pressure on the Spaniard (all based on two games really?).

It means let’s say if we finished 6th, some would turn on him because they spent this period thinking the players are a lot better than he has made them so far.

If Arteta wins the Champions League in the next three years, it will be with Man City when he replaces Pep, realising the Kroenke family don’t match his ambition.

So, is it impossible for us to win Premier League next season? Taking the words literally, of course not, but then we may just as well say Sheffield United, Burnley and Southampton (all finished a few points below us) can win it as well then. The go to argument is of course …. ‘everyone said that about Leicester’.

We are Arsenal FC. We are a huge club. To be a big club, you have to think like one. We shouldn’t be finishing 8th and extending a contract to someone who conceded the most penalties and red cards.

We shouldn’t be telling players who can’t get in our team consistently that they are immune to being sold.

We shouldn’t be telling a squad who finished outside the top 6 for first time in over two decades they are so good they can challenge for titles.

We should be angry and demanding our owner do what our rivals are doing.

Here’s what happens. We will buy a couple of players (if we are honest), we had never heard of two months ago, while Chelsea, United and City sign quality. Then we will sell a few players in the last few days of window reducing the net spend.

It’s an insult to Arsene Wenger to say that a team who finished 8th are exorcising demons. Only when Arsenal fans admit we have problems (Stan Kroenke) will we find a solution.

Dan Smith