After years and years of fantasising about winning the Premier League, Arsenal came closer than ever this season.
Some say the league title is gone (City is winning it) and that Arteta and his team will have to wait until next season to win it. They are probably right, given that Arsenal is trailing Man City, who have played fewer games, but do you think the league title race is over?
All in all, Arteta still feels his side can win this Premier League title, as he argues, “The best time is when you have something and try to take it, especially in elite sports, because you don’t know when you are going to have another opportunity.
“That is what we are trying to do..
“We have to compete with those teams for sure because we are Arsenal Football Club.
“The demands are to be the best in everything that we do, so we have to find a way to do that.”
After losing at least nine valuable points in recent weeks, the only way Arsenal will win the league is if they don’t drop points, including getting three against Newcastle today, and Manchester City drop six in their final fixtures. In the “space” the “Citizens” are in, it is unlikely they’ll drop any points, but who knows? They’re still playing in the Champions League and the FA Cup, which may hopefully affect their efficiency and give Arsenal a chance to take advantage if they slip up to be crowned league champions on May 28th for the first time in nearly 20 years.
As Arteta said in his press conference on Friday, “(Man City) They have won a lot of games in the last few months, and if they continue to do so they will deserve to win the league. If they don’t then we have to be ready, winning our games, to be there.”
The fact is that we are Arsenal, we must try and win every game well no matter what any other teams are doing. Simply put, we don’t give up and drop our heads, so let’s see some spirit and determination and come away with a win at St. James Park.
COYG!!!!!
Sam P
Video – Mikel Arteta discusses the Newcastle threat and gives an update on Arsenal injury problems
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Forget about the title. It’s gone to mancity already. Let’s focus on improving for next season
U never know arsenal can even get it finished it’s all about pushing the thing
Hope they start with Tossard as a false number 9. Play Jesus on the left and keep Martinelli with his pace and energy as a super sub. Then we might score more than them.
*Has Arteta Faltered of late? Possibly…*
By Tai Emeka Obasi
It will be almost, if not outrightly, criminal for any football follower to label Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta as an underachiever this season, even if he loses the remaining four matches. And this is not just based on the fact that he made the targeted top four with as many as five matches to spare.
Rather, the manner at which he garnered those 78 points after 34 matches, was mostly impressive. The Gunners played quite impressively with a near impregnable defence and a devasting attack scoring from all angles. Not forgetting a midfield trio that delighted almost all season. At a point they were tagged the best-playing side in Europe. And it was no flattery.
In an English Premiership pool of Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man Utd, emerging Newcastle and a giant-slaughtering Brighton, Arteta de-bearded a lion barehanded. Add to the fact he is about the youngest and least experienced first team manager with the youngest squad and you won’t argue that he deserves to win manager-of-the-season.
One can only say a big KUDOS to the Spanish gaffer. It was about time Arsenal joined the elite of the elites class of Europe’s Champions League football. From every part of the globe, Gonners can’t wait.
However, only God is perfect. And Arteta is not even near.
Despite his very impressive tactical nous, Arteta has this glaring weakness of poor decisions, mostly off the pitch and sometimes on it. Either way he has always paid dearly with dismal results.
Needless to go on the whole voyage of recounting but his non replacement of the players he sent out from the squad last two winter windows cost Arsenal a top four finish last season.
Admirably, the Spaniard has shown a welcome ability of learning from mistakes. So, his summer and winter transfers this season have been spot on … well, almost. Going for EPL tested and trusted duo of Gabriel Jesus and Zinchenko was no doubt the catalyst of our incredible display this season while going for experienced and equally EPL-flowered Jorginho and Trossard was a masterstroke.
However, Arteta managed injuries and squad excellently until against Liverpool. Losing a 2 – 0 lead never happened to the Gunners all season until that unfortunate Sunday evening at Anfield. Okay, a point from that dreaded ground was not really bad. It didn’t really hurt the title chase until…
Yes, West Ham! After Anfield, the pressure could be felt moving in to suffocate the young squad. Arteta had a very experienced Jorginho and Trossard fully fit. At the point, the most important players in the team to withstand such pressure were Jorginho, Partey, Xhaka, Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus. And to some extent, Trossard. In Arteta’s shoes, I would have found ways to be starting all six or at least five of them to stem the very noticeable pressure as we navigate the run-in.
But Arteta didn’t make the experience he bought in January count as we lost all the hard work of a complete season in just four outings. We didn’t lose the title at Anfield. We rather did at West Ham. Then sealed it with that bizarre performance against Southampton. Arteta lost that match by not only starting Vieira but also bringing him back for second half. Through the Portuguese, we saw clearly the amount of pressure cooking the team.
The rest, including the Etihad meltdown, is now history but one has to hold onto Arteta’s ability to learn from his mistakes to hope for a better 2023/24 season.
For now, let’s forgive the gaffer for his shortcomings and give him hugely deserved applause. If I knew Arsenal well enough, we’ll finally concede the title today by losing to Newcastle. To me, it doesn’t matter anymore. Going back to UCL is enough for me to celebrate this season.
Winning the title would have been icing on the cake but anyone losing the title to Pep Guardiola-propelled Man City should not live in regrets. There are great managers and there are great players. Guardiola is the greatest and he is working with some of the greatest players in the business. The real honour is coming second to this incredible machine and even doing that with the youngest outfit in the 20-team ring.
COYGs.
Tony, Your article is exactly how I see things too. It would be foolish to deny MA ‘s selection mistakes this season and neglect of such as ESR, while making such a huge and long lasting error of judgement in playing Viera.
I think Viera is another Pepe. He has talent but cannot prove it in our PREM, to which he is totally unsuited and weedy.
Buying him was a big mistake that has cost us points for sure. Whether those points are enough, by themselves, to have lost the title – as I THINK WE WILL DEFINITELY LOSE IT AT NEWCASTLE- even if not yet mathematically- we may never know.
But speaking personally, I pray that Viera, Holding and those who will sadly stay, like Elneny, never play for us again and leave us ASAP.
But overall MA has worked wonders, given the shallowness of our squad in REAL TOP QUALITY, compared to City.
I like optimism but I like REALISM even more. So to talk of us still winning the ttitle , given that City need, counting goal difference, to drop five points from four games, even if we win all of ours, is NOT REALISTIC.
I will be content if we keep the gap to four points, as it is right now. That is the best we can now REALISTICALLY expect, IMO!
IF WE KEEP IT TO FOUR POINTS, THEN WE CAN HONESTLY CLAIM that but for Sakas missed West Ham penalty and Ramsdales pass to the Southampton forward, plus the VAR mistake against Brentford, those errors DID cost us the title. That would mean it WAS at least really close.
But If we lose by, lets say seven points, all those become academic, so that is where I am right now.
IT WOULD OF COURSE BE MORE SICKENING TO COME SO CLOSE BUT STILL LOSE IT, BUT IT WOULD ALSO BE MORE LAUDABLE.