Arsenal will not play in Europe in the upcoming campaign, a first in over 20 years.
They reached this new low following their poor performance in the Premier League last season.
They have added a few new players to their squad in this transfer window, most notably, Ben White.
The next campaign is important to the future of Mikel Arteta as he now has the chance to prove critics of his appointment wrong, once and for all.
The Spaniard showed promise when he won the FA Cup and Community Shield for the Gunners within his first six months at the helm.
But his team has regressed since then and they have to make significant progress in the 2021/2022 campaign.
The Daily Mail points out that Arsenal’s finances are a mess and they need the money from European football to remain competitive like their rivals.
They write: “Was last season’s eighth-placed finish just a blip or are Arsenal facing long-term decline to mid-table mediocrity and more mockery of their ‘big six’ status?
“We’re about to find out with the burden now heavily on Mikel Arteta to show he is making tangible progress after several years of drift at the Emirates Stadium.
“Arteta has been striking an optimistic tone, underpinned by surprisingly efficient transfer business, and he will hope the absence of European competition in midweek will allow more breathing space in the fixture schedule to properly impart his philosophy.
“Pressure to deliver a return to the top six comes not only from the point of prestige for Arsenal but financial necessity.
“The club’s net debt more than doubled to £108.2million as a result of Covid, they took out and repaid a £120m loan from the Bank of England, and their figures revealed £154m owed to other clubs in transfer fees. They can’t be without European cash for too long.
“Little wonder fans raged at the club’s owners, the Kroenke family, amid the European Super League fiasco but all that hasn’t stopped them spending this summer.
“£50m was spent on Brighton’s Ben White to fix a notoriously leaky and error-prone defence, while the signings of defender Nuno Tavares and midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga, both 21, confirmed Arteta wants a squad with a youthful complexion.
“Arguably their best summer business, however, has been securing Kieran Tierney and Emile Smith Rowe to new long-term contracts.”
Well we’re about to splash 30mill on Ramsdale and then magically say we have no money for Maddison. So the signs are not looking good. We haven’t improved our midfield at all and it’s getting to mid August. After Ramsdale that’ll be almost 100mill spent and I cant say the team has even improved. incredible.
The Honey moon period is over for Arteta. He has got to show massive improvement this coming season.
No more leeway for him, he has got to deliver or should be sacked after the first 10 games..
What is your realistic target for the team after 10 games, remember we are playing the 2 best teams in Europe amongs the top 10games
i dont think it makes a difference that we’re playing big teams in the first 10. Aren’t we meant to be a big team? Aren’t we doing all this spending to compete with them? Agree with Goonster, he’s 100% out of excuses and has to deliver.
It doesn’t matter who we play, I hate this kind of poor mindset.
10 games is more that a quarter of the season!
So, if we are 6th after the first ten games, he stays?
Even if the football is rubbish etc etc?
Or, of course, visa versa – we play stunning football, have bad decsions against us, suffer injuries too important players (Partey??) and lie below 6th…should he be sacked?
Is it REALLY as simple as that??? I don’t think so, just my opinioon though.
Spot on Ken – our fans like it simple though. Awful or great, love or hate, we are becoming polarised with only yes or no answers allowed, only first place means success, and always today not tomorrow. No grey, no tolerance, no time, no considering of all the issues.
That’s us
The fact they are two excellent teams makes no difference. We are meant to be a big team. It is excuse after excuse, we should at least be giving these teams a really hard game. This is Arsenal, a club I have followed for fifty years. No more excuses please.
I hope the board has a back up plan/manager if he can’t deliver European football Ala Conte, Ten Haag even Joachim Lowe
£30m for Ramsdale?
Arteta sacked by Christmas.
If he will deliver at least 6th place, he will need a big decision on Auba. Auba should lose his place in the 11 until he get his mojo back and Laccazet, I don’t know what to make of his situation ( is he going or stayin? We don’t know)
I really want to see the team excell and with or without another CAM our 3frontmen have to step up big time, that’s why I feel we should start using proper wingers henceforth
The potential signing of ramsdale tells how badly arsenal is being run. I’m not gonna join the #Arteta out bridge yet but unless I’m proven wrong, whoever is making this ramsdale decision needs to be thrown out of the club.
#Arteta out brigade **
We need backup gk that can push Leno and really bench him. I don’t know much about Ramsdel but this is the prove we only let Martinez leave because we had no choice
No doubt about the fact that we need a back up GK. But to spend 30M on a backup when we have pressing need for the midfield and attacking positions baffles me. Unless we still have enough money to cover, this signing makes no sense whatsoever to me. Watching until the market ends
We don’t just need a back up gk Leno needs serious competition and now that we are going for homegrown, seems there is a rule against other internationals due to brexit.
There was a proposal to increase the home-grown quota from the current 8 to 12 way back in 2015. So, it’s not something that is caused by recent happenings.
There’s a twist in that proposal, too. At least two among those 8 players who qualify for the “home-grown” tag must be brought up in the team’s youth system.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/mar/23/greg-dyke-fa-overseas-player-quotas
Consistency is the key here. I don’t believe arteta is the right man for this job as a coach. He is still learning the trade. Arsenal is a big team and needs an experienced coach. With the present players , there is a lot of talent and they just need a coach who can improve them and get the best out of them, something arteta can’t and he is not doing.
Certainly looking like Ramsdale is close.
Thought finance is the most important thing in modern club football, from a fans’ perspective, qualifying for Europe next season is important for another reason.
If we need to hold on to players like Saka, ESR, Tierney and Martinelli, playing European football, preferably UCL, every season is the only way. I don’t believe that these players can be persuaded to stay with us just for financial gains.
But they have just signed new contracts, so they were persuaded to stay with us….by Mikel Arteta….perhaps there is more to it than just money after all?
I do agree, ken1945. There’s more to it than just money.
A certain trust in the club’s promises. But, it won’t be enough, hollow promises, to keep them here for the duration of the contract they just signed. Unless our club fulfill their side of the bargain, those players needn’t fulfill their’s and none can fault them if they choose to move elsewhere to fulfill their sporting ambitions, like many players have did that in the past.
But, playing in Europe, every season, will give hope to those players. Even if they can’t win it one season, if they qualify to play next season, the hope of winning it that season will persuade the player to stay and fight one more season.
If these players contracts were extended with the promise of qualifying for Europe next season and if we don’t, the trust is broken. But, trust once broker, can never be mended.
How do we know if they are hollow promises until the end of the season?
One minute fans are complaining we don’t spend money like the big clubs do – then we complain when we, reportedly, are about to spend money on a keeper – then we complain said player is not good enough because he was in a team that was relegated (all his fault then, one must assume?) – then we complain that we need players in other positions, before we know what will happen before the window closes!!!
So, what is it EXACTLY that the fans want the club to do, because I’m confused as to what will pacify their needs…. except of course for those who want MA out before a ball has been kicked in the PL – then they will complain about the timing!!!!
Dear ken1945,
I’ll just set the record straight.
Am I one of those fans who complain when we don’t spend money like the other big clubs do? NO.
Am I one of those fans who complain about signing players from teams relegated? NO.
Am I one of those fans who wants MA out? NO.
Am I one of those fans who complain about lack of signings in other position that we may need? YES. I believe in completing the signings well in advance of the season opener, just to ensure the new signings get enough time in pre-season to integrate with the squad and get accustomed to the tactics better.
Why do I consider our management’s words as “hollow promises”?
Unless a miracle on a huge scale happen, I don’t believe that our management can deliver the UCL within the next two seasons, as promised by them last summer when they signed Willian. We didn’t even play in the UCL last season. I don’t understand on what basis our management made that promise.
I don’t like to believe that Partey joined us just for a huge bump in his salary. I believe that he must have been assured of UCL within a season after his arrival. And a season has passed already and the promise isn’t honoured.
When the management fail to keep up with their promises regularly, their words lose credibility. And, for me, they’ve lost it already. So any promise they make are just “hollow promises”.
p.s: If you see them as men who always deliver on all their promises, we just happen to have a different views on things and that’s very much acceptable and I respect your views.
Ramsdale
> 23 years old
> 2 PL seasons
> zero caps for England
> 3 relegations
> £30 millions
Get these jokers out FFS
Then give Arteta the right tools. He needs the right players. Over a dozen players are useless and no club on this planet seems interested in their services, wages and fees except for Willock.Just one Ben White with ESR , Saka and a fit Tierney cannot change the fortunes of the club. Arteta deserves better treatment and we as fans deserve better football.
Succint
He’s about to hit 100mill in spending this summer. He was promoted to having a bigger role in transfers so he’s the one signing off on these deals as well. Deals that are not convincing and are very questionable. Xhaka contract, Ramsdale potentially, spending tons of time trying to get Odegaard… Him and Edu are not doing a good job so far this summer, and I think many gooners feel the same. We’re still waiting for real improvements to this team.
Furthermore RSH, he has been given a bigger transfer kitty than any previous manager in our history, like for like.
Two of his newly contracted players, Aubemayang and Willian, are impossible to move on AND they are the biggest earners at the club I do believe!!!!
@Loose Cannon
You forgot Pepe, Martinelli and Partey.ESR has yet to show anything, so I’m not expecting much from him…
I don’t know why we are no going for Rb. We have 4 players that can play Rb but none are good enough. Gk and Rb should be our top priority IMO, the kind of tactics MA wants to play needs creativity from wings not from Middle that’s why I feel though we need cam but without getting any we can still do well if we have someone like KT at RB, Willian could deputise ESR
I don’t understand why you’ve left out the six players MA signed himself permanently last summer.
The right tools? How many players has he signed now and how many has he talked into staying? And please include Mustafi in that, even though HE turned us down 🙂
This is becoming tiresome. MA has been
in the job long enough now and correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t it his job to get the best out of the players?
That was always the way when AW was Boss…
Loose Cannon making rubbish excuses for his beloved Arteta.
Do you support Arsenal over MA? It doesn’t seem like it!
Surely your not accusing Loose Cannon of becoming a Arteta fanboy are you??? LOL
Loose Cannon, one always ends up biting oneself in the bum my friend!!!!
He inherited that team and it was in top 6, it had reached Europa League final… aubayameng was top goalscorer, Willian had won the Europa League, if you mention tiney,saka and esr, you forget that ceballos,willian,magalies,white,lokonga, Cedric,backup goalkeeper are all his signings
Arteta is not managing, arsenal needs a proper mature manager…
Havnt had the tools for some years now, at the back , in the middle we have been a joke. We have so much dead wood we could burn Yellowstone park down. Zero real service for Aubamayang…he stinks on the wing, his confidence is shot, he has missed so many sitters over the last year. Our engine room needs creativity to get opportunities for our goal scorers. Leno,Xhaka, are a mistake waiting to happen, bellerin a joke for two years, kola not good enough, love Rob but he is a squad guy not a starter. Torreira, Willock,Amn,Reiss, Nketiah kola all out the door,Xhaka as well and Lacazette even though he does more of the things we need than Aubamayang. Personally I think you send Lacazette out, and you start Aubamayang centrally enough with the damn wing and I either go get Martinez or Tammy…and I go get Trippier and Maddison or odegaard. THIS WHOLE FIASCO OF DESTRUCTION IS CAUSED BY OWNERSHIP WHO COULD CARE LESS, AND MANAGEMENT WHO COUDNT SELL CHRISTMAS TO SANTA…feel bad for Arteta because they still don’t have what they need, sell the dead wood and buy the talent and quality to get back in the top 4. The first six games with the three against the top 6 teams will tell you all you need to know.
Thank you Sir, you have spoken the facts which some wearing rose tinted glasses fail to see.
I repeat – Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Chambers, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Elneny, Nelson, Laca, Eddie, Pepe will get us relegated before Feb. Partey and Tierney, good but injury prone.
Ben, ESR, Saka the real deal
Martenelli – not convinced about the hype.
Marri, Soares, Lokonga, Tawares, Willian are bench / squad players
Auba will bounce back for sure.
4 players cannot win you the title!
Mikel needs help.
Sorry Loose Cannon, but didn’t we have those players last season AND hasn’t MA strengthened that team with three new players to date?
As the above is all factual, why weren’t we relegated last season?
24m for Ramsdale.. I’m speechless
Ain’t that surprising, Sue. After all, we all know the reason for that inflated price.
Who cares about the price! He is better than our backup keepers and who knows maybe a upgrade on Leno.
British tax
❌ Nope!!!
Only Sue knows the REAL reason.
What i fail to understand is the obsession on this site about transfer fees and player salaries. Kronke owns the club. He employs the board who are tasked with running the business,. Edu is responsible for transfers and MA is the coach. I think it would be safe to assume that MA and Edu discuss the players they collectively want to bring in! Personally I couldn’t give a Rats arse who gets bought for what and how much they get per week, that’s Kronkies money not mine. I always have supported Arsenal and I always will. Please God we can come out of this down period soon and enjoy supporting Arsenal more.Because at the end of the day that is what we are.ARSENAL SUPPORTERS
Edward, exactly my friend – just ask Chelsea and City fans if they worry about what is being spent.
If a bad buy is made, they go out and try again.
When the fans need to pay through their noses to watch their beloved club play this drab football season after season, watching long serving faithful servants of the club being made redundant for lack of funds, hearing the club needing to borrow money to cover their day to day operations and having grown up with the club’s principle of spending within the limit of what is earned through footballing operations alone, the discussion in public forum regarding the cost of transfers and fees will remain among fans.
Me too Sue!!!
If the title of this article is to be believed, based on his maneuvering or lack thereof and our piss-poor tactics, he’s in deep sh** and deservedly so…you know what would really help though, investing heavily in a 3-time loser backup Keeper instead of properly addressing our most pressing needs
Where’s the rumour about Ramsdale ,I’ve been looking but can’t find it .
If true then like sue said I’m speechless.also
Reported by Chris wheatly
All rumour at present on LG, Bootroom and Football London with no decent source mentioned. But as they say, there’s no smoke without fire.
Wheatly has been shown to be reliable. have to look at the journalist more than the publication sometimes. Unless it’s Daily Mail of course 😂
Reported by AFCBell too. So it’s not just a smoke but real fire.
Successful transfers are one critical aspect of an improving team. But it gets 100% of the attention during the off-season.
But what about other components- such as incremental improvement in existing personnel. How are doing on this front?
I’d say the following key players will improve measurably – Saka, Pepe, Martinelli, ESR, Partey and Gabriel.
My guess is that these key ones will stay the same – Leno, Holding, Chambers, Mari, Tierney, Elneny, Xhaka and Lacazette.
Leaving ones on the decline as Aubamayang, Willian (if that is possible) and Bellerin.
Did I leave anyone out?
Of course another variable is coaching and whether Arteta has learnt from some of his mistakes in his first season and a half.
improved but what will the result be? It has to be wins and more goals. I dont think many of us are convinced that is what we are going so see. We’ve seen tons of Xhaka to know he cannot deliver. Auba magically getting his scoring boots back on is unlikely. And the less we talk about RB position the better. Arteta will need a fast start to the season and im not sure thats what we are going to see.
Consistency is the key here. I don’t believe arteta is the right man for this job as a coach. He is still learning the trade. Arsenal is a big team and needs an experienced coach. With the present players , there is a lot of talent and they just need a coach who can improve them and get the best out of them, something arteta can’t and he is not doing.
I dont see anything that i have seen in the past 2 seasons to give me any hope of European football, let alone CL football. We are way off that, we dont look like challenging for top 6 and we look more capable of staying the same or even dropping more. I have not been so worried about a season as i am now for a long while. It will be a case of how the board view our season and how quickly (if they have too) they react. For me after 8 games if we are not in top 6 and looking good, action needs to be taken swiftly. The board amazingly stuck with Arteta but they must be worried about that decision and the clubs future.
Me too Sue!!!
We will probably never play in Europe again if we don’t get our house in order.
3rd best defensive record in the league and yet we were tricked into splashing 70M on another defender. But I was just responding to press speculations and rumors about my “notoriously leaky and error-prone defense,” says Arteta.
Right before our very eyes, the real source of the many problems we face as a club – extremely poor management decisions – (GIGO) Garbage in, Garbage out.
It’s a shame that Arsenal fans have turned into such Negative Nellies. Buck up, lads. Over the last 2/3 of last season, Arsenal had the second-best record in the league, behind only Man City. If they can keep going in that style, this will be a season to enjoy.
Well that’s MA being told then!
Thank you Sir, you have spoken the facts which some wearing rose tinted glasses fail to see.
I repeat – Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Chambers, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Elneny, Nelson, Laca, Eddie, Pepe will get us relegated before Feb. Partey and Tierney, good but injury prone.
Ben, ESR, Saka the real deal
Martenelli – not convinced about the hype.
Marri, Soares, Lokonga, Tawares, Willian are bench / squad players
Auba will bounce back for sure.
4 players cannot win you the title!
Mikel needs help.
Thank you Sir James , you have spoken the facts which some wearing rose tinted glasses fail to see.
I repeat – Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Chambers, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Elneny, Nelson, Laca, Eddie, Pepe will get us relegated before Feb. Partey and Tierney, good but injury prone.
Ben, ESR, Saka the real deal
Martenelli – not convinced about the hype.
Marri, Soares, Lokonga, Tawares, Willian are bench / squad players
Auba will bounce back for sure.
4 players cannot win you the title!
Mikel needs help.
So according to MARTIN, THE DAILY MAIL HAS THE POWER TO SACK ARTETA.
Nowhere in that so called “report” does it mention Kroenke or anything he said!
I ask my fellow Gooners is this trash of a so called rumour,which was simply invented out of fresh air, being fair to us fans or are we fair game to be fooled by Ad MARTIN AND HIS “ACCOMPLICES AT THE DAILY MAIL”!
A good manager utilizes the resources at his disposal and develops a system of play and tactics to maximise the performances of the players.
Arteta has brought in 10 players (almost a full starting 11) so far, to suit the “style” of play and implement the “tactics” he wants to employ. What is Arsenal’s “style of play” and what are the “tactics” employed?
All I see is 11 round pegs in 11 square holes. Last season 55 goals scored, with a forward line of Aubameyang, Lacazette, Pepe, Martinelli, Nheketia and Nelson at your disposal and Balogun and Moller in the wings. Maybe the defensive set-up, lack of quick ball progression, lack of balls into the lanes to service the forward line and goals from midfield are the issues. It’s the midfield, stupid!