Under Arteta, Arsenal has been growing from strength to strength. Last season, the Gunners raised their game and regained their competitive edge in the PL.
Not winning the league was disappointing, but there’s hope for that desire to be fulfilled next season. Arsenal was at a high-level last season, but next season they will go even higher, as Reiss Nelson hinted after penning his new deal at the Emirates. The Hale End Graduate insinuated that the Emirates is the place to be, hinting that once one has tasted the project at Arsenal, he wouldn’t want to leave. Nelson told the Arsenal Website:
“It’s just the way we played last season. I’ve been here for many years; I’ve been here for the good years and bad years, and last year especially, I’ve seen the rise that Arsenal have taken. Taking them to new heights, and I feel like I want to be part of the journey.
“I want to be part of us going to the next level, which I think the boss, Edu, the backroom staff and the new players, and the current players are making. So it was a train I really didn’t want to miss, and I want to be here for it, so I’m glad that I made the right decision.”
Thursday was an auspicious day for Arsenal; Reiss-Nelson and Saliba signed new deals. With Rice and Timber’s deals also being finalized, this was an important week for Arsenal going to the next level!
Darren N
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
Now he has to deliver. Push City to the end and also win us any cup..
I want to see a better to the end push for the title next season. No more capitulation with minimal pressure. We bottled it with 5 games to go and City did not even have to try.
I want a much more sustained push at the business end if we manage to get there again.
Those are very reasonable expectations, similar to what I expect from the team next season. No more early exits from cups due to lack of quality depth and running out of steam at the business end of the season in the league, like we saw in the last two seasons.
I have no doubt we would start the season strongly, something I anticipated last season after watching our preseason games where we thrashed Chelsea and Sevilla. I expect the same intensity from our upcoming preseason games starting from next Thursday. The problem had always been our inability to see off the season strongly due to fatigue and injuries, due the inability of the manager’s to rotate the squad properly early on in the season as he lacked quality options from the bench. You can’t blame him either as we would lose ‘winnable’ games and momentum if he tweaked the team drastically earlier in the season to keep the players fit for the end of the season. With the improving quality in depth, capitulating at the business end of the season should be a thing of the past.
However, do not be surprised how the divisive elements in our fanbase would expect us to do the treble right away starting from next season. They would bring up the 8-8-5-2 league position mantra after every loss and underwhelming performances. Infact, they would blame the owners for “backing” Arteta and not Emery, ignoring the fact that Arteta earned the trust and financial backing through his outstanding coaching methods which is matched with result on the field, talent recruitment policy and excellent communication ability.
Those folks are still stuck with the old Arsenal, forgetting we are now in a new era where top sides must spend big to be competitive and win big trophies. When realist like myself try to make them see the bigger picture after losses and low moments, they claim we lack ambition and cite City as the blueprint. Perspective is what such fans lack in my opinion!