Gary Neville has warned Arsenal that they risk being forgotten if they fail to win trophies.
The Gunners have shown significant improvement over the past three Premier League seasons, but they have fallen short of winning the title.
While Mikel Arteta’s side has been playing well, setting records and building unbeaten streaks, they have yet to claim the Premier League crown.
This is largely due to their inability to surpass Manchester City. This weekend offers Arsenal a chance to temporarily overtake the defending champions at the top of the table.
If Arsenal wins the upcoming clash, they will become league leaders, but a loss could allow City to extend their lead to five points over Arteta’s men.
Though the outcome of this fixture may not determine the season’s final standings, Neville believes that despite Arsenal’s impressive performances, they will be forgotten if they don’t win silverware.
He said, as quoted by the Daily Mail:
‘If this superb Arsenal team doesn’t win the Premier League or the Champions League then they can forget about going down in history.
‘That’s harsh but the reality of elite sport. No one will fondly recall the magnificence of William Saliba and Gabriel at the back, the brilliance of Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, David Raya’s extraordinary saves or the incision of Bukayo Saka up front. There will be no Netflix documentaries. They will never be feted or admired. They will be dismissed as nearly men.’
Just Arsenal Opinion
We will only truly be remembered if we win trophies, and we need to start winning them this season.
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He is right.
Yes, he’s right and it’s a point that some of us have been making on JA for a while.
Neville makes the point about the risk to players being dismissed “as nearly men”. Rather than let that happen, it will surely occur to some at least that if they can’t get trophies at Arsenal, they’ll get them elsewhere.
Jude Bellingham picked up his latest playing award recently. The report listed the trophies he’s won in only his first season at Real Madrid: La Liga, UEFA Champions League, Spanish Super Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup.
Do you think that success will be lost on the likes of Saliba, Saka and others, given they’re all around the same age? No, I don’t either. I doubt they’ll march out of The Emirates door next May if Arsenal fails to win the EPL, but lack of silverware makes it far more likely if the trophy drought goes on.
We have the most promising young manager fact.
We have him on a new long term contract, fact.
We have some of the most promising young talents in world of football fact.
We are one of the most consistent teams fact.
Its all about creating that Arsenal era, the Big jugs will come
But much as we all want them to, all the factors you mention don’t guarantee your final point that “Big jugs will come”. You actually have to win trophies at some time, and sometime soon, which is what Neville is saying.
Gunsmoke,
We have the most promising young manager fact.
Promising what.
We have him on a long term contract.
Long term contracts mean nothing these days.
We have some of the most promising young talents in world football fact.
If you’re referring to the academy, don’t make me laugh. While Arteta’s in charge you’ll be lucky to see one of them breakthrough, maybe two at a stretch. (Unlikely though).
We are one of the most consistent teams fact.
Consistent failures when it really matters.
Its all about creating that Arsenal era, the big jugs will come.
The only chance that Arsenal have of the big jugs coming, is if they go to a pottery class and make them.
Facts.
Thats a fact.