I have always maintained this Arsenal squad is not good enough to finish in the top 4. There’s been enough evidence to suggest that when the pressure is on, a young team lacks the experience to get them over the line.
I didn’t trust the Kroenke Family to have the ambition to bring in that leadership in January, and as I feared another Winter Transfer Window was spent slashing our wage bill.
Yet I will be the first to hold my hands up and say I’m wrong if the Gunners qualify for the Champions League.
I want to be proven not correct. The team I love doing well is more important than validation of what is simply an opinion.
Not just will I say well done to Mikel Arteta, I will call it an incredible achievement.
To give away your top earner, save money and yet still meet your targets would be genius management.
It would mean the Spaniard triumphed without a productive goal scorer, something most clubs have if they find themselves in UEFA’s premiere competition.
Forget even the question mark over if Lacazette or Eddie Nketiah are strikers who can score 20 plus goals in the League.
It seems fanciful to predict that Laca with 3 goals in the Prem this season and Eddie with 0, are suddenly going to find top form from now till May. If they were going to be motivated it would have happened by now.
It was clear from early December that Aubameyang had no future in North London.
That was both strikers chance to prove a point, show they could be the number one forward at the Emirates and earn a pay rise along the way.
At the City Ground and in the 2nd leg of the Carabao Cup we didn’t look like scoring.
We also drew a blank at Anfield and against Burnley.
Enough evidence to show they are not prolific enough for the level we want to get too.
Which makes it more the stranger, the decision to give Auba away without a replacement.
If our two strikers haven’t delivered yet, why would they suddenly when they both have a few months left till their contracts expire,
Both can sign agreements with foreign clubs right now.
So, where’s the motivation?
I’m not questioning eithers professionalism, but are you really going to be bothered about If Arsenal are in Europe or Not when you know you won’t be around this time next year?
It will take man management skills we are yet to see from their boss to have suddenly perform to a standard not apparent all campaign.
What’s the carrot?
What’s the reason for either not to go through the motions for a manager who undervalued them before, but now needs them because he has no one else?
Why wouldn’t they be thinking about their next place of employment?
Arsenal can’t expect any loyalty when they have been paying talent to sit at home, trying to make them so miserable they rip up contacts.
Laca is a friend of Aubameyang’s, so it would be strange to preach to him about being professional till the last day of your contract.
Arsenal have two strikers, one had 3 Prem goals and wouldn’t get into any of the traditional big 5-line ups. Eddie Nketiah has 0 goals and wouldn’t make the bench of any of the big 5.
Oh, and they are both running down their deals with no need it seems to negotiate.
These are the resources we have to get into the Champions League.
Man United have Ronaldo!
Spurs have Kane and Son!
If this were a boxing contest, your cornerman has thrown in the towel because the fight is an unfair one.
The more you think about it the more you realise how unrealistic it is.
Yet if we pull it off, I will say it’s an amazing achievement.
Be Kind in The Comments
Dan Smith