Arsenal are in fantastic form, having won five consecutive games since the winter break. They have been firing on all cylinders. Their most recent win was a 5-0 victory over Burnley.
Looking at Arsenal at the moment, you can’t help but be optimistic about what they can accomplish this season. They aim to achieve great things and Martin Odegaard has explained what they need to do.
Odegaard believes Arsenal can win both the Premier League and the Champions League. The Norwegian hints the goal now is to win both the big trophies, as the Gunners are doing their best to compete. To accomplish this, he believes they must first focus on themselves as a team. He thinks they need to keep the momentum going, build on it, and eventually emerge triumphant.
“We just want to focus on ourselves each game, keep improving every game and we will see how it goes. We are in a good moment now. We have to use that momentum, keep building on it and we will see,” said Odegaard as per Football London.
With Arsenal’s current form, no one can claim that they are incapable of competing for the league title and the Champions League.
This week, they face FC Porto in the Champions League round of 26. The Gunners are the favourites for that match, but they must bring their A-game to win and advance to the quarterfinals. The Gunners have demonstrated that they can turn up for a game and win it when it matters, and ideally that mentality will carry over to the remaining Champions League fixtures.
As for the League, they simply need to win one game at a time and focus on themselves, as Odegaard suggests, and hopefully they will emerge victors.
I have so much hope for this Arsenal team, and I hope you do too.
This really COULD be our year!
Well, we can dream can’t we?
James III
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I’ve never understood how many of our fans can be so optimistic about winning the CL, given Arsenal’s entire history in European competition?
We’re terrible in Europe, and dreadful in the CL!
Compared to other British club’s respective records in Europe, I don’t think Arsenal even rank in the top 10, and we’re miles down the list in comparison to other European clubs. And historical performances do actually play a part.
I would classify us as a European minnow if anything. Hope for the best, but in reality, a QF finish would be outstanding for a club of our statu on the European stage.
Much better chance of winning league as we have a one in three chance. Obviously we’re third favourites, but with no domestic cup fixtures for us, and the likely hood City and Liverpool go deeper in Europe, our chances of league success will increase.
I hope we beat Porto, but we are the underdogs, so we shouldn’t be annoyed if we lose, and defeat does boost our league chances.
Jen, It seems to my deeply thinking mind that comparing todays team with one of many years ago , meaning in CL, is of complete irrelevance. You might just as well compare your own face and body to that of many years ago.And just as uselessly.
What we did many years ago has PRECISELY NO bearing on what happens NOW.
That is a silly ,unthinking,illogical mistakle that so many fans make and to a logical mind such as mine ,it makes no sense whatsoever.
Comparing two entirely different eras and two entirely differentArsenal teams and squads is fools gold and effectively speaking,is a USELESS AND POINTLESS CONCEPT!
I don’t understand why we are considered the underdogs after reading the article.
Judging by the bookies, neither do they over the two legs.
If we lose this tie, then MA’s record in all cup competitions will come under intense scrutiny again… and we all know that some fans consider being knocked out in the last sixteen of the CL is an humiliating experience!!
Arsenal are in great form, but often choke in Europe.
Just think how good we were domestically under Wenger, yet he couldn’t translate that form into Europe. Even Emery, who’s a genius in the EL couldn’t get us over the final hurdle.
I honestly think that part of our consistent failure in Europe is that poor history always weighing on everyone’s back.
Getting knocked out in the last 16 isn’t necessarily a humiliating experience. It’s when you’re getting knocked out at that stage year after year, with a humiliating performance after humiliating performance, and you never learn from your mistakes. In fact, you’re so bad tactically that you seemingly don’t even realise there’s a second leg, so you go all out attack in the first leg and throw the tie away nice and early. Even worse if you’re an experienced manager, who’s one the highest paid in the world at the time.
Now that’s humiliating! And no Arsenal manager will ever match that pathetic record!
Perhaps because no other Arsenal manager has, to date, appeared in the CL that many times to be judged on?
In fact, since 1996/97 season, there’s only been one manager who failed to qualify for any European competition and let’s hope no future manager will have to live with that pathetic record.
Even then, the same manager got knocked out of the secondary competition and did the same thing the season after that!!
Still, we’re now back in Europe and the CL, where we belong after finishing in the top four following three years outside it under the same manager (8th 8th 5th)
Being underdogs was never a reason given before when appraising the two legs in the knock out stages and it shouldn’t be a reason now, especially when facing Porto, who seem to be struggling in their league according to the article anyway.
I’m looking forward to a positive result both home and away and, as Jon Fox so wisely stated, our previous CL results are history, as were the humiliating years of not being in it.
But one can’t mention one without the other to balance out the discussion.
My OPINION is that we’ll win away by two clear goals and the same at home.
Let’s see if the FACTS back my OPINION up.
COYG we’re ALL behind you, as we’re all Arsenal supporters.
Well if the current manager, and Emery weren’t left with a completely broken club, I am sure they would have performed better. I think it’s tough trying to be successful whilst at the same time, dealing so many long-term problems.
And like I said, anything can happen, but even with our great form, we’re still huge underdogs to win the CL, also because MA hasn’t impressed me in Europe thus far.
You spoke well Jen, Arteta’s record in Europe is quiet appalling and usually doesn’t go beyond this stage, I actually thought in Dec that the season was over and qualifying for Europe next would be tough, but I have been surprised by their recent uptick in form until now the champions league is around the corner, if Arteta’s is eliminated at this stage, even with fewer games HE WILL/ CANNOT WIN THE PREMIER LEAGUE THIS SEASON. I don’t see the possibility because he’s always shooting himself on the foot by the manner of sqad management which is very average and he is just 2 or 3 key injuries away from the season collapsing as it happened last season, well that’s my take. As a supporter I sincerely hope I’m wrong and they go on to win something but with Arteta’s style it looks unlikely, He’s a great manager who just likes favoritism over effective or efficient squad management
Jen
Regarding winning a European trophy, Arsenal haven’t done that for a long time , I agree. We came close both with Emery and Arteta who is, let’s face it, at the beginning of his career and will be learning as he goes along.
It’s a big IF, but if we do maintain our current form then I see no reason to think we will choke. We may not win the competition but I don’t think we will choke. Lose to a better team – yes but choke? No. Arteta is a seriously competitive man, in the same manner as Guardiola. Lessons will have been learned by our EL exit and our failure to nail down the league last season – from both Arteta and the players.
It was bad timing for Arsenal and Emery.
I’m not sure there is anything to be gained by being defeatist. Arteta, after a slow start is building up a head of steam as a manager. Jen, you have been vocal about injuries affecting our chances but here we are now, without Jesus, Zinchenko and Partey and Trossard and Havertz have done really well together instead. Positive thinking is required!
I am not saying we’ll choke under MA in Europe. I meant that in general terms regards to Arsenal’s history, especially in the CL. If we do get knocked out, I think it’ll be a close game.
I love MA, but he hasn’t impressed in the EL thus far, so that’s why I am hedging my bets on us beating Porto. Our form suggests we can win the whole thing, but we’ve been down that road so many times now.
Ken I say we are not the underdogs.
The bookies agree with you and I, as you rightly say.
That comment in the article was INCORRECT!
And ,interstingly your commet that “you dont understand why….”etc. shows a different attitudefrom my own towards comments and esp interviews and public statements issued by football folk.
I have very many times advised sometimes gullible folk who seem to accept ALL are speaking total truth AND in CONTEXT!.
Life is not like that and many public statements are calculated to hide ,or to deceive, or to throw people off the scent of the real intent of the person issuing that statement.
But NOT ALWAYS of course.
So we all need to think for ourselves, whether or not such a statement IS honest, OR calculated to deceive.
That is a mature view on how life is and on how many people simply ARE, I suggest. I have been called very many things in my life, both good and not good, by people who know me inside out.
But being GULLIBLE is not among them, Ken old chum!
@Jon… you said: “Ken I say we are not the underdogs.
The bookies agree with you and I, as you rightly say.
That comment in the article was INCORRECT!”
Obviously you didn’t read the article, which quite CLEARLY says we are the favourites!
The “underdogs” line came from Jen….
I couldn’t disagree more Jon.
There’s certain competitions that have historical relevance for certain clubs. So even though the players, coaches, and owners will change over time, that historical connection between a specific competition and the club does play a psychological role in the way those currently working within the club approach and perform.
I’ll give you some examples of teams flopping in some competitions yet always turning it on in others because of their history with said competition.
Seville rarely do anything domestically, especially in La Liga, yet absolutely dominate the EL, winning it more times than any other club.
For almost 2 decades, Arsenal have done pretty much nothing, apart from a ton of FA Cups. Doesn’t matter how bad we are, we turn up for that comp.
Liverpool didn’t win a league title for 30 years, yet in that time, would still do the business in Europe. If they didn’t win, they’d still be very competitive.
Of course anything can happen in the future, and there’s a first time for everything, but history breads expectations which in turn feeds into performance from a psychological perspective.
Jen I can see it is pointless debating further with you on a subject we see in polar opposite ways.
So I willl leave the discussion there, but WILL REMEMBER your posts if and when this topic arises again. As it undoubtedly will.
I will add just one caveat though, as a life long studenty of human behaviour and human nature.
Humans DO repeat mistakes and that is why wars and dreadful things caused by mankind keep re-occurring.
But that is a very different matter from trying to suggest that different generations of footballers are influenced in any sensible and truthful way by generations from many decades earlier
You might just as well, and just as falsely, argue that TED DRAKE,our legendary 1930s centre forward, had any influence on such as Jesus, Nketiah etc!!
It is total nonsense but you have your opinion and I have mine.
Which general principle will at least help Ad Pat make more money from his JA site, as he loves and CRAVES more and more posts, however foolish or wise they may be to others .on here.
Clearly you don’t believe in psychology, and how that influences perception, expectation etc, and that’s your right to not believe in that, but it does exist, and its complete nonsense to suggest it doesn’t.
We won’t see eye to eye on it despite me providing evidence, and that’s cool.
You are profoundly mistaken JEN in your very first line. And though at times it does indeed “influenceperception and expectation” it is only ever an influencre and not the MOST determinenrt factor, not by a long chalk.
You are IMO taking a theory with a grain of truth in it and using it to make your theory fit the facts.
But your reliance on that theory is overblown and, I repeat, can only ever be one among other and more
important determinent factors in any outcome .
I massively believe in human psychology and, as you dont know me at all, you are making a huge and mistaken assumption based entirely and only on your own wrong interpretation of what I wrote above. Sigh!
Finally, your claim to have”provided evidence” is laughably untrue. You have simply cherry picked certain outcomes that were, entirely coincidentally, favourable to your false theory.
There are many, many, many times more examples of where the precise opposite has happened and that happens every year and and in every league throughout world football.
But your false theory chooses, or perhaps, simply does not NOTICE those FACTS!
There is always a first time. Because Arsenal has never won a European trophy before doesn’t mean they will never win it. Porto won it, Chelsea won it. Why not Arsenal?
Soccer Boy
We’ve actually won two European trophies previously, just not recently.
Jen
Man City fans were also optimistic about winning the UCL before last season
And then, please don’t compare this current Arsenal team to the previous ones. I see a lot of success being achieved by this team.
Do you think Arteta can be beaten 10-2 by Bayern Munich? I don’t think so
Wow…guess we shouldn’t even bother to turn up then,should we? It’s such a good thing the players focus on themselves and not their ‘fans’
History,pedigree,track record…has nothing to do with putting the ball in the net…and that’s all we need to do better than our ‘elite opponents
Its frustrating when people comment before actually reading what has been written.
I never said we should just give up, in fact, I said the exact opposite – “Of course anything can happen in the future, and there’s a first time for everything”.
With Arsenal it’s a very faint hope of CL success, with clubs like Real and Liverpool etc, there’s an expectation, and that comes from historical performances, which does play a role in how current players perform.
There’s a huge pressure when a Real Madrid player steps on the pitch in the CL, knowing that anything other than a SF place, is abject failure.
@Jen
I dont think we are that bad in Europe as you suggest specially based on our current form. We have to be optimistic and confident and based on recent performances there is certainly cause for optimism. I think we are going to do well in CL this season.
I think we are very bad in Europe.
We haven’t won a European Trophy since winning a third tier European competition way back in 94. 30 years since we last won in Europe.
Only ever made one final in the CL, never winning it.
Only one European final appearance in the last 18 years.
Those are some pretty big and shocking numbers!
I think we are playing well enough to win it, all I am saying, is don’t expect a lot. Because if we do lose to Porto, we know the typical reaction from some of our fanbase we’ll see – Arteta out!
Let’s just temper expectation.
8 CL campaigns ago was the last time we even made the QF.
Jen, the CWC was the 2nd ranked European trophy. The UEFA Cup was 3rd.
Jen once again you use English incorrectly.
You state “I think we ARE very bad in Europe!”
The truth , even if I ACCEPT YOUR OPINION , FOR THE SAKE OF DEBATE, is that “we WERE, not ARE, very bad in Europe”.
People who try to equate long ago with now are not thinking properly. Or even at all.
Times always change, in so many ways, in ALL forms of life, football very much included, which renders your attempted argument as ludicrously wrong!
@jen watch out for the delivery…
Had the title of this article been ‘Can Arsenal win the league and ECL’ then the answer would have been, well, technically yes. But it wasn’t, so it isn’t. Do I believe we can? Probably, one day, but not both at the same time and neither this year.
We have MU and Spurs in the final four games and Liverpool and City both have an easier run-in than we do. I think 2nd again would be a fantastic result and actually an improvement on last season when everybody sucked, but 3rd is more realistic.
As for the Champion’s League I was actually surprised to realise we are still in it! I think we will beat Porto but go out in the next round but I would love to be wrong.
That is a realistic view.
PL will probably go to LP or MC but if Arsenal beat Porto and get in the last 8 of CL that is a good achievement now and they have nothing to prove for the rest of the season (unless they collapse in the PL).
The rebuild project is not finished. There’s still players warming the bench like Cedric and others out on loan. There’s players with bad injury record to sort out.
Get to a squad with no dead weight, no primadonnas and then see what happens. That might not even be complete in the next transfer window.
Clubs with pedigree in the CL tend to find a way to win. Arsenal haven’t even done that in the lesser Euro comps so take it one step at a time. Expect no trophy this season. Any win should be seen as ahead of schedule no mater what entitled fans say. Articles like this don’t help manage expectations tbh.
Excellently contextualised post and in particular, your final paragraph.
I also find non thinking articles irritating, but even non thinkers and less than wise fans have a right to send in an article, I SUPPOSE, even though I often wish they wouldnt .
Yes James III.
If Arsenal continue to play in their current superb reins of form to season’s end.
In that light, I can’t see any reason why the Gunners will not lift both the Epl and Ucl title trophies as double Champions at the end of the season but lift them.
And of course with us Arsenal celebrating their remarkable wins success by staging parades across the streets of Noth London. In an unrivalled jubilation scene not ever seen in London. Wow!
But before this can happen. The Gunners SHOULD work hard than ever in their training sessions and mathues playing. And continue to work harder in them to win all their remaining 13 Epl matches of the season. And also win all their potential 7 Ucl matches to win the competition and win it.
Unrelenting in their resolves to win. And win their last 20 matches of the season in all competitions.. Starting with their away Ucl match to FC Proto next Wednesday night to thus have a 25 match unbeaten run at this season’s end.
Anyone that critise arsenal that they wont win any of the two. Those teams that remains are not better than us. I see arsenal playing final of UCL
No. I don’t believe Arsenal will win the PL. Not because of the Shitty reason that the Pundits are saying like No recognized striker , lack of depths or lack of know how etc. No . My reason is the fixture list .
Last 10 marches includes Chelsea Home , Mancity Away, Brighton Away , Villa home , Tottenhum away, Bourstmouth home, we are ending with Man United Away and Everton home (who may need something to servive)
If I had to swap the fixture list with Liverpool, then I would say we will be favorite to win the league.
As of Champions League , i think we can go quite deep but may not win it as Real and City are ahead of us.
I am not saying that we can not but its very very difficult
sunny
Good comment. But I would say that the run in does not matter. What matters is the ability to record wins. You posted some fixtures in your comment, but they are all winnable bar the City game which we will need to avoid losing.
Most people thought City would slaughter Chelsea at the Etihad, didn’t they? Yet City were fortunate to get a draw. Anything can happen, keep faith.
As for the Champions league, like you used, City and Madrid are favourites. But let’s play each game at a time and respect every opponent starting with Porto tomorrow
**As for the Champions league, like you SAID
Personally I think the champions league could be easier for us than the premiership. It’s nice to win these things but as a fan I’m happy to see us competing.
We have no Devine right to win anything and there are so many teams and players capable of winning nowadays. It’s highly disrespectful to so many amazing players to say we ARE going to win.
I just wanna compete I think top 3 and semis of champions league would be a good season but I know it’s realistic we could walk away with them both.
As a 35 yr Arsenal fan (I’m 39) I would love to see us put Barcelona behind us and pick up the champions league whilst Wenger is around to see it. Whatever we all think of him he is this teams grandfather, he made the sacrifices to put us in the position we are in today.
Yes Arteta and the team have put in the hard work but could we have afforded to release the players we have in recent history AND then go blow 100m on Declan rice? No.
Either way I’m just enjoying watching us play and enjoying knowing we can beat ANYONE and seeing such a great team develop.
Great Post Nigel Hill.
I agree Ken, great post, except we will never win the Premiership as we don’t play in it 😉………yes I know I’m being pedantic!
👍😂GB!!
I think this is season is particularly competitive, with Liverpool keen to bringing one final PL title as a farewell gift to Klopp and City is looking stronger now than at the start of the season (KDB return has been that impactful). I do believe we will still be challenging for the title til the end of the season at the very least.
As for UCL, actually since we are not fighting against low block teams (which is kind of what we are struggling with during the first half of the season), Arsenal might be able to do well in UCL, since these big clubs from their respective League must not be practicing low block as one of their main strategies. Finger crossed we might win something this season.
NO, we won’t win either!!!
We are not quite at that level just yet.
I believe we are short four “top class” players.
A DM to play along side Rice and free up Odegaard from any of his defensive duties. (Zuubimendi)
A CF who is very quick but can play in our quick passing system. (Lautaro Martinez)
A Top class CH who can spell both Saliba and Gabriel
(Thoughts anyone)
and finally
A “very quick” tough tackling young left back. (is that Timber
?)
I would keep Jorghino for another year, to help spell one of the DM’s in the easier games.
I fear those 4 players would cost a combined $200m, so we would have to sell much of the current bench, and then rely on some of our youngsters to fill the holes.
We can certainly win both the PL and the CL but we must be consistent in our performances and have the least to no injuries. The form of players like Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli, Trossard, Rice and Saliba will be crucial going forward. Also I believe both Havertz and Kiwier will have important roles to play. We have to have confidence in our own abilities and the rest will take care of itself. We have to approach every game like it is a final and go for it.
For some reason I have a feeling we are going to win the CL. I don’t know why as our squad is missing the usual last piece of the puzzle. Maybe I am getting to near the exit and it could be wishful thinking seeing them lift the Cup in my lifetime.
Whenever AFC play a game i believe they can win. It only happen to me that they have lost at the end of the match.
This is our year. COYG!!
I’m going to miss Arteta’s tactics when he eventually moves on Football has evolved in my eyes witnessing Arteta’s dominating tactics defensively and offensively and using setpieces and throw-ins as a weapon He looks to gain every small advantage he can I love his off-the-ball philosophy everyone working in unison I love Arteta’s tactics and I think it would be a real shame if they were to go unrewarded before finishing with us
They can win bothI said it earlier in the season, hope some took note! We are we into both competitions and with some luck, favourable draws plus team selections or enforced selections from other sides we have a really good chance and the team itself is playing with belief. I think the players believe they have the squad to do it!
do i think can we win both PL and CL = yes
do i think we will in both PL and CL = no
do i think we will win either PL or CL = no
do i think we stand a better chance of winning the CL = yes
CL is a knock-out cup competition, Porto is a kind draw, who knows we may get more kind draws, remember the Milan teams in the semi’s last season and one in the CL Final – rightly or wrongly I fancy our chances against either Milan side, even more so this year
secondly, we are actually stronger against elite opponents than park-the-bus XI behind the ball low block, as demonstrated against Liverpool and Man C in the PL this year
so with a kind draw, some luck here and there, we can make it to the final, and our ‘A’ game can beat anyone on our day
does that mean Arsenal are the best team in Europe (and thus the world), umm no it doesn’t, but that is a flaw in the CL format that delivers too many winners who are not even champions of their own League, and it is that word ‘League’ where in lies the problem
Well argued and correctly too. The CL is by any true definition of the words “cup ” or “league”, a CUP KNOCKOUT COMPETITION.
A so called “massive”-IRONY- type four team league is NOT a league at all but an early stage cup knockout competition where two of those four exit the cup! REALITY!
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE is therefore an ENTIRELY FALSE description of what is really still THE EUROPEAN CUP!
I have to agree with Jen on this – we have always been useless in European competitions. Even with arguably the best team in the early 2000’s we disappointed. If we concentrate on winning both the UCL and the EPL we might miss out on both, that is my one fear. The strength in depth of our squad is my only worry all it takes is one bad tackle on say Saliba or Rice and our chances deminish. Personally I believe we should concentrate more on our domestic league. Just my opinion!
For many years we qualified for the CL but for a proportion of that time we were effectively also-fans. We came up against some of the great European teams in the latter part of Wenger’s era and were sometimes completely wiped out. During this period we were simply not a relevant team when it came to the business end of the CL. The last time we were serious competitors was in 2005-2006.
Prior to that we often struggled against the top European sides under Wenger and there was always some doubt about his ability to cope with the tactical nuances of European competition.
In more recent years, as we fell out of the CL, we have had a relatively poor squad. We were ill-equipped to cope with the demands of both the PL and European competition. This is the first season in years that we have had a reasonably strong team with good backups.
To go from where we to winning both the PL and CL would be extraordinary and remains unlikely. Winning either one would be fantastic.
‘diminish’
James 111 (what happened to 1&2?) is tempting the football gods by asking the question, but I don’t see that we’re incapable of completing this double. Our past history has no reflection on the current campaign which is going rather well right now.
I’m quite upbeat about our chances, and as long as key players stay fit the squad’s good enough to see us through.
Jax, with the greatest of respect, I dont believe you would describe yourself as one of lifes intellectuals or as an especially bright fan, even though I personally DO think you are bright.
. But my point is that you, along with most others on here, are easily bright enough, as demonstrated in your post, to KNOW that our PAST history has NO REFLECTION on the CURRENT campaign, (which is going rather well).
”
PLAINLY, you speak obvious truth.
I find it alarming that the person, Jen, who wrote this article has not the wit nor the common sense to see the OBVIOUS truth in what you , myself and most others have written.
More fool her!
I enjoyed reading the debate between Jen and Jon.
But I have a problem with the 2 points:-
a) timing of the article (don’t you think you are getting ahead of yourself).
b) writer’s assessment in relation to the quote:-
“We just want to focus on ourselves each game, keep improving every game and we will see how it goes. We are in a good moment now. We have to use that momentum, keep building on it and we will see,”
Now how does that imply:-
Odegaard believes Arsenal can win both the Premier League and the Champions League.
I need a lesson on the correlation.
IGL, Some wll thought through comments you make. What I thought was the most revealing linein James ‘s article was his last line” well , we can dream can’t we?”.
As a total ralist where AFC is concerned I find that self admitted dreamers articles, as James’s is, VERY irritating.
And, not being a shrinking voilet, to put it very mildly indeed, I am prone to saying so, loud and clear.
I agree totally with all you say and thought it interesting AND thoughtfully realistic, thankfully.
But I SUPPOSE that even dreamers have a right to post their dreams on here, irritating and unrealistic though that IS to WE LIFELONG REALISTS.