Thank God it’s over by Ben Dungate
This has been one of the most disillusioning seasons in living memory as an Arsenal supporter. From 8 points clear with 10 games left to play, to Man City being crowned champions with 2 games to spare. Coming second to Man City is absolutely not a disgrace, and we should be able to celebrate what the team has achieved this season but we can’t even be granted that.
Arteta has demonstrated he is a gifted coach but equally has demonstrated he is severely limited as a manager. He has no plan B. The inverted Zinchenko tactic hasn’t worked for 10 games and it has made our fiery and emotional Ukrainian look bad. Arteta’s squad usage is so poor. He insists on playing Fabio Vieira who is not yet good enough to play at this level, whilst ESR and Tierney, 2 of our most influential players last season, sit on the bench game after game again.
Leandro Trossard is hugely overrated. He is just OK, no more. Gabriel Jesus is useless as a main striker, and has aptly shown why Pep used him as a winger, and preferred to not play with a main striker than use Jesus there because it amounts to the same thing; he is never in the box and rarely in a position to score. For all his effort and technical ability he falls woefully short as a central striker. We were playing better with Eddie Nketiah up front! Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, and our captain Martin Odegaard deserve better after the seasons they have had.
It’s not being able to celebrate finishing as runners-up I find the most infuriating aspect of this season. As fans we have been robbed due to the nature of this total capitulation. An entire season ruined by 5 games. That’s all it took. And I am not including the loss to City because we can never expect to win that head-to-head. However, in my opinion it wasn’t any league game that cost us this season, it was going out of the Europa League.
Not only did we go out of that competition and leave us with just the league to play for, which is a huge disadvantage, because it that did was increase the pressure on every game, but it was also the match in which William Saliba injured his back. We won the next 2 league games after going out of Europe but then came the back-to-back draws and it was downhill from there. Even then, a draw at Anfield is a good result, but we couldn’t celebrate that either, because we were hammered for most of the game and lucky to get out with a point.
I can’t find any excitement for next season, because I have grave concerns we will once again be in danger in falling out of the Top 4. Liverpool will be a force once more and probably be the closest challengers to City, Man Utd will recruit and be challenging again, and Newcastle will undoubtedly be in contention as well. Meanwhile Edu and Arteta have not given me any hope that they have the vision or conviction to sign the players we need. They can’t find a bargain and won’t pay top dollar for the best so we are left with scraps no one else wants.
I will never again go against my instincts and support Mikel Arteta. I hated him as a player and do not understand where his affiliation with Arsenal has come from. He was a mediocre stop-gap signing from Everton because we couldn’t hold on to our best players, and for some reason now he is an Arsenal man through and through.
Maybe he will prove me wrong in time, and I hope he does, but I doubt it.
Ben
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Just get to the summer and I got no doubt we will take perspective and say well done ?
I no doubt after the wolves game we will give those players a round of applause
A round of applause for what exactly, finishing above Newcastle and Man. United?
So you are not happy with 2nd? Wow. Call yourself a supporter?
No, finishing second behind city – that means above seventeen others in the hardest league in the world.
There will be celebrations next week at the Emirates and why anyone thinks that we will be the only team not strengthening during the summer is ridiculous.
I bet the two united’s, liverpool, chelsea and the spuds would love to be in our position come the end of the season and think what they have to do in order to catch up with us.
A great season under Arteta, (but he must improve from second to first) so let’s enjoy it.
Enjoy what Ken ?
Being 8 points clear and now the leagues over with city 4points clear with 2 games in hand ,absolutely nothing to enjoy their matey .
You think this clown will improve us next season 😂 he’s copying everything he’s learnt from his pal (even the cashmere jumpers )unfortunately for us pep as moved his skills to a a other lvl while his buddy as come unstuck .
The blokes a fraud given a job and 500 million to try and copy his mate ,we’ve come unstuck just line last season and no I won’t be enjoying it at all ,but good for you if you are .
Just my Opinion OFC
Haha, he has improved us every season.
10th 5th 2nd. Or are you deliberately ignoring this.
Nick, with total support from the Board and how much in transfer funds expended?
Dan Kit I am disappointing in your comment. What a little forgetful memory football fans have.
Dan
Are you joking or you are crazy????
No @Dan!248 days being top of the league, that’s something to celebrate if you ask me!i like many fans wanted to see some progress and we did.had it not been for us,there would have been no title race.and as Ken1945 wrote,i hope our players/staff get applauses even standing ovation!! COYG!!
This is dumb, we finished second and we didn’t go out and spend a ridiculous amount of money on a striker who break every record this season. If it were not for Haaland, they would not have won the league, it’s pure buying power that saw City go on and win it. The fact that you can’t enjoy the season for what it was (progress) shows that you are simply a fair weather supporter.
@ken1945
I think you should put a pause on trying to stay positive for a moment and talk reality. Yes we’re better off than 18 teams but the fact is that it’s disheartening. Have you seen our record for the last ten games and what it has caused? Take a look sir
Moreover, enough of this hardest league to win theory. The most competitive league in the world now is the Italian Serie A. Four teams have won it in the last five years. Haaland and City have officially made EPL a farmers league
Dan and dgr8xt – I’m going to celebrate finishing 2nd, having CL football again, being top dog in London, leading the PL for most of the season, being the only team to challenge city, watching some really entertaining football and loving the way the Emirates has become our home at long last.
Take a look at what we were achieving before the ten games as you see it and judge our progress over the whole season.
What I won’t be celebrating is our performances in the last, what, seven games, our lack of depth, our manager’s treatment of certain players and the way we bottled winning the PL.
As for the Italian league being stronger because four different teams have won it in the last five years?
What that proves, is that there is not one DOMINANT team so far ahead of everyone else…. that is Manchester City and we will be able to judge city and inter in the CL final.
Bravo Ken,
The other 2 guys are just crazy.
Well said Ken
Coming second to a team (might be the greatest English team-Man City about to win the treble) is no slouch. But the way in which we capitulated in the last 10 games, i think no true fan would be happy. We should have won against Liverpool after being 2-0 up,had we started Tierney we would have won yesterday and this list of iffs goes on. Yes,we couldn’t win against Man City tactically,but had we had our tactics against lower teams we could have won the league.
They deserve a well done for their efforts
Trust me , we beat Wolves I bet the majority stay and applause
We will because we are true fans, we have seen how improved we are this season, and we can see the players that will get better and better. The simple truth is the team ran out of steam, we didn’t bottle it, we didn’t have the squad depth Man City has and who have built that over time with an endless supply of money. When Mahrez scored a hat trick in the FA Cup semi-final, he was on the bench the next game. City have been able to rest players because of the wealth of experience player they have. Arteta will learn, we had players who played virtually in every game and the problem is the body and mind can only take so much. Klopp di the same to Liverpool players when he first arrived. Your post is an insult to real fans, the players, the manager, the training staff, and everyone who has helped change Arsenal, and put the work in. We are a work in progress, we bring the right signings in. This young team will be a year older and wiser, and the fact they have come so close will I believe spur them on. I have followed Arsenal since 1973, been to countless finals, followed them abroad, being through the worse times, but I still keep the faith. The half-empty fans we have, have no idea and behave like little spoiled children throwing their toys around. We made mistakes that cost us games, but that is human nature. We now dust ourselves down and move forward, and I for one am looking forward to next season. If you can’t support the team, take a back seat as it isn’t doing you any good, find something else to follow and enjoy.
Ran out of steam !what playing one game a week for the last 2 months .
I forgot you are on par with the team in your sporting prowess and are a medical expert, care to enlighten us on the ins and outs of being a professional footballer in the PL
Oh right so that means you are a medical expert ,seeing you told us they ran out of steam ,right thanks for clearing that up 👍
STEADY LADS, STEADY !
You are no Arsenal fan, constantly bitching and moaning, if following Arsenal gives you so much grief, go and do something else, leave Arsenal to the fans who follow and support the club, you are simply a joke of a supporter, I have come across one person as negative as you. Save your breath, save your time, following Arsenal is not for you
Couldn’t agree more mate, I have followed Arsenal since 1959 and have been through the ups and downs. Our target this season was the top four, everyone should remember that. So we have done that and more. True fans support their team no mater what.
I would say “Well done guys. Congratulations for for handing the title to City. You played great for 90% of the season. But when the %10 really mattered you bottled it again”.
The fact is. Everyone in sport will be saying the same thing. We buckled and failed!
Coming 4th in the last game of the season feels much better than the way we came second this season which is most painful of all. Next season will be much difficult though. We can’t expect lpool, Chelsea Newcastle or even manu to be the same team again. Brighton will not be far behind. So here we comes battle for top 4 begins, again!
I think you need to calm down a little. Sure it’s a disappointment after looking so possible for so long, but Arteta has got so much from a small squad and we have to trust we’ll recruit well and be even stronger next season. City have broken financial fair play to be where they are. Being second is no shame. Come on you gunners.
You guys are hilarious, yeah we threw it away at the end, a lot of pressure for a lot of young heads, but we have massively improved and for that I’m proud and happy with second! Show your love not your disappointment!
Improved in what way?😏
We lost to Man City Home and Away.
Still Couldn’t Beat Liverpool @Anfield.
Lost 3 0 to Brighton.
Led the EPL Table from August 5th,2022 to April 2023 and Bottled it.
Just like we Bottle Top 4 last season.😕
I am tired of hearing this. Rome was not built in a day and we are heading in the right direction. We had better becare what we wish for. Spurs had it all, a good manager in Poch, got them to 2nd and the CL final but they forced him out. Got a couple of ‘high profile coaches’ and where are they now? fighting for the Confrence league!
I am not disappointed in the lads, for once I enjoyed our season.
Kobin
It’s all about perspective
Didn’t lose one London Derby, beat Spurs home and away, beat Liverpool and Man Utd, and produce some lovely football this season, if you can’t see the improvement, then you never will. This team is young, we have players who will only get better and better. The term bottle is an insult, we didn’t have the experience for a title chase, and the squad wasn’t strong enough, lost two good defenders, and didn’t have enough in our tank to finish and win the title. That is sport, only one team or person can win, does that mean the rest bottled it.
👍
Another negative record, 248 days in 1st and bottle yet another opportunity. Arteta has to shake things up and stop playing favorites and play best in form.
Absolute embarrassment leaving Tierney on bench and starting Xhaka at LB, almost insulting to Tierney.
Stupid to play flop limp fish Vieira and ignore ESR, did you see ESR’S expression by the way?
Tierney and ESR should both be off this Summer as the coach doesn’t value them.
Still shocked how anyone thinks Vieria can even lace ESR’s boot straps. Miles of difference between the two.
It’s not just players now, Arteta has to show growth as well Same tactics, same favorites, same excuses, will not win the league or even a trophy.
We finished 2nd because we bottled 1st, not because we had an end run of gaining points and position.
I’d honestly feel better and more confident if we played our way up from 4th to 2nd last couple weeks instead of crumbling from 1st to possibly double digit trailing in 2nd place.
@ Durand and @ Ben
With this kind of favouritism, I cannot see the likes of ESR, Nelson or even Balogan wanting to stay on.
Nelson has always shown desire when he comes on.
I have to agree that we looked better with Nketiah than Jesus who is competition for the wingers.
We cannot keep saying Man City cheated when our spending has been so high because we have not managed our assets or overpaid for bang average taelnt.
talent (not taelnt).
Also why would Tierney want to stay??
Top 4 next year is going to hard next season.
Blimey guys let’s get some perspective!!!
After blowing Champions League last year to the Spuds who would believe this season we would be the only challengers to the FFP dodgers. The improvement is massive from last season 80+ points beat Wolves next week we equal the same wins as our Invincibles season.
Yes MA has made mistakes with team selections & tactics he’s the same as our young team learning on the job.
Let’s reserve judgement after the next transfer window if MA & EDU have not equipped the squad with what we require then we can complain on Champions League nights the tactics & squad are not good enough.
COYG
Durand and IGL, what has Kieran Tierney done to Mikel Arteta?
When is Mikel Arteta going to address defense of corner and dead ball situations and scoring from same. Arsenal’s conversion of goals scored from corners must be the worst in the league. As for players putting the ball on target and working the keeper, Arsenal’s shooting is extremely weak. Don’t they practice, obviously not?
Not sure of Arteta’s thinking regarding Tierney. A solid defender at LB capable of doing a job for the club.
Unfortunately Arteta seems married to this inverted nonsense for every opponent in spite of teams figuring it out.
A shame how Arteta has favorites who play despite poor form while others can’t buy their way into starts.
I think we will regret losing Tierney if he leaves as Zinchenko can’t defend against top sides as we have seen repeatedly.
@Durand,have you not watched Sky recently?if not,the consensus among pundits is that times have changed and that the term”bottle”should no longer be used.
Arteta’s FAVOURITISM is what killed our Title hopes.😒
The likes of Saka, Xhaka, Zinchenko and even Martinelli were trash since March, he Still gave them 90mins in games.
And left Nketiah, Nelson, Jorgihno, Tierney on the Bench.
He even started Fabio Vieria ahead of Jorgihno against Southampton when his Beloved Xhaka was injured.
The Same Xhaka that made him Refuse buying Youri Tielemanns or Yves Bissouma to Partner Thomas Partey
As a coach, Arteta is Clueless most times,full of Bias/Sentiments and a huge DISSAPPOINTMENT!😕😏
A very disappointing anti-climax!
But there is a silver lining in all this I think. It leaves us in no illusions that we have a winning, or even competitive team. Maybe, if we went on to win the PL, or even chase City close to the very end, we could relax and gloat. But now the reality check is on; the hierarchy must improve the team significantly in order to build on whatever progress has been recorded this season
There is nothing to celebrate this season. It has been trophyless again. The only thing we can take from it is the smug look on our faces when they draw the CL. Let’s hope that isn’t the pinnacle.
@ Reggie
I am not trying to be funny, but I would rather drop to the Europa league after the group stage as we have a chance of winning it. Of course we had a chance of winning it this year but we threw it away with a bizarre team selection.
We are never going to win the CL, so that may be more realistic. I hope Arteta has learned from our failure in that.
IGL, just like Arsenal set the Europa League alight this srason!
@ OG
Europa league was our best chance of silverware and you are of course right we blew that.
I think we are still 2 years away from the title.
In two years time, we will probably be 2 years away.
👍
👍👍👍👍
Didn’t rotate enough this year and players have clearly faded at the end. Adding more won’t matter if Arteta continuously picks his favorites
Why did we bring in Jesus exactly? Leadership? Goals? How often does he play as a striker? He’s out of the box more than in and is in the backfield too much to be an effective striker.
I’d sell for 40 million if Real Madrid offered, don’t think he’s a striker at all, I get why Pep wasn’t convinced either.
I think it’s time for us to invest on a much more experienced manager. Arteta is not going to change the way we play and we have been found out from most of the teams apparently. The way we were set up against Forest today is beyond me. Seeing how awful we were playing and not changing a single thing was really frustrating to watch. Partey, Xhaka were pretty much useless today. We can’t expect every game Saka, Odergard or Martinelli will bail us out, hiding our profound weaknesses.
It’s time to move on from Arteta. Maybe we can swap him with Ancelotti, who knows…
Arsenal had one and player power and lack of support from the Board had him sacked.
Ozziegunner
You are not counting Emery culpable at all?
SueP, please explain to me where head coach Emery failed and how much players and lack of Board support contributed.
We will get a fair conformation of how culpable Unai Emery was judging his performance since taking over a plummeting Aston Villa this season and where Aston Villa finish next season, if/when he is supported in the transfer market.
Is Mikel Arteta culpable for not being able to match at Arsenal, Emery’s total points at Aston Villa since he took over?
Just disband this useless team and relocate the funds to the orphanage. Am So tired of having collapse in the of season.😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡👇😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡
After a great season the team capitulated like a bunch of wimps. No plan B. Against Forest the same old, same old. So sad. Yes we came second, but the season went out like a puff of smoke. Of course I fully support the club, but I can’t bury my head in the sand, and pretend it’s all OK. Our eyes tell us we have played like rubbish for many games. Is it the players or the manager?
Just a thought….
Towards the end of the season, other teams change their manager to try and avoid relegation!!
Maybe we should have changed our manager to try and win the League!!!
As I say, just a thought people
Jorginho he looking good mama, another win for the dynamic duo
This was Arsenal’s best chance to win the epl.Many reasons.
Tactically it’s easy to play the gunners.Let them have 99%possession and hit on the break
MA doesn’t seem to learn.Admitedlly MC have cover in almost every position.He didn’t trus t the fringe players to rotate.
His intricate passing cannot work all the time.He needs a big physical presence i the box something the current strikers don’t have.
Hopefully a big guy will be bought.
A leopard can’t change it spots,arsenal will always remain the same,the mentality of our prof Sir arsene Wenger is still in the team setup,maybe Arteta inherited it from his last manager,we need a strong mentality if arsenal must win any trophy next season,our transfer policy is still a mess, still the same as in the days of prof arsene,we can’t eat our cake and still have it,we have to spend to compete with the big boys.Gunner till I go to Abraham Bossom.
We’ve finished second. We’ll done lads it was a season of hope if not exactly glory. Now let’s move on. I can’t wait for the new season with lessons learnt and a much stronger squad. Or is that too much to expect.
Great expectations and live in hope, Joe.S.
That’s about the extent of my optimism Ozziegunner Knowing our club, though we will probably miss out on the certain targets and then try to convince ourselves that the second choices we settle on are part of a genius transfer strategy. Or, Edu’ cunning plan, as Baldrick would have said.
What I don’t get is how we put in such a good performance against Newcastle, then decided to capitulate. I know it is a typically Arsenal thing to do, but can’t help feeling there are other factors behind it …
The Chocolate Labrador gets a reward for being obedient. Shame the dog didn’t chase the ball around. Would have been way better entertaining than watching drab Arsenal play. Shame the dog didn’t bite Arteta’s hand of when he was given a bone 🍖
Great season, and a huge overachievement. When some of our deadwood players leave in the summer, let’s hope that some of our ungrateful, and delusional fans go as well!
How many years is the deadwood excuse going to be used?
Arteta should be investigated.I think he is on some pay cheque from some former employer to aid them win a historic treble.
As mediocre as he is in his football management skills, there more than meets the eye in how he has overseen the Arsenal collapse in this run in.He reminds me of some certain Petr Cech doing us in at the our of need. Judas…..
I can’t comment on the game as I only heard the second half, but I’ve got the drift from reading JA.
A disappointing penultimate game – one with nothing to play for – only pride unfortunately, against a team who wanted to preserve their premier league status. So often the case that the ‘easy’ games become banana skins.
Nothing positive to say about the fragility on display a few weeks back which sealed City’s comeback- except that there is still a good team in there having watched their Newcastle victory
It was in our hands and we fell short against a team that on the evidence of what they did to Real Madrid are in a league of their own
So much aggression from so many posts but not so long ago it was wall to wall praise or no posts at all because there was nothing to complain about
Finishing second has only been possible because Liverpool and Chelsea were so bad. Honestly?
have you been up all night ?
Didn’t catch your drift
That was a very early post. 5.58.
Ahh!
On our caravan in north Norfolk for a long weekend
The sun was streaming through gaps in the blind/curtains sooooo early
I was in Sheringham last week, love Norfolk.
👍
Particularly the North Norfolk Railway. Stayed in Cromer and Cromer Crab was small and overrated.
We has a phenomenal first half of a season, that’s about it to be honest.
Performances have been dropping since January already, why is no-one willing to admit it?
People are saying we are stills improving??? If we carry on like this we’ll probably be around 5th-6th place again.
MA is a limited manager that basically just copies Peps formations and tactics, which to his credit he did really well. I certainly don’t hate MA but he only does well with huge budgets and when plan A is working.
The moment flexibility is required he has no idea what to do because it can’t be copied…we’ve all seen it.
You got to wonder SueP. Like not so long ago we were languishing in 8th hoping for the Confrence league. And now we are making CL first time in 7 seasons and these people are counting their losses. Okay. Bye for now.
As said
I don’t really like Arsenal that much – it’s like they don’t want to win titles. They play and sell players – that’s it.
I want to go somewhere where they win prizes.
At Real Madrid they don’t have time for tiki-taka there, they just grab titles.”
Moh, if you “don’t really like Arsenal that much”, why on earth are you on this site ???
Why not be a top correspondent in the Real’s
campsite ?
I don’t get it, but very best wishes to you anyway.
Probably doesn’t understand Espania😜
Not sure he understands English either.
@Moh alaba. Bye then!
Go enjoy Madrid, who are 14 points behind Barcelona in La Liga and Man City murdered them in the Champs League. “grab titles” indeed!
There was a Hammers fan on here the other day. As bold as brass he/she was. Said that Rice shouldn’t sign for Arsenal but should go abroad and eventually come back to the
London Stadium later in his career.
I called him out as being a spy and suggested that he was a poor one who shouldn’t ever expect to be employed by MI5.
Seriously though, I do believe there are infiltraters who really are not Gunners at all.
EG, while agreeing with your take on that particular fan, I AM BOUND to point out that we all have a perfect right to free expression. EVEN the far less bright fans, such as Moh.
I have OFTEN been on other clubs fans sites and get a more rounded view of how fans ,in general, think and react to their own clubs concerns , than IF I were ONLY on JA.
And what I SEE EVERYWHERE, is dismal fan bias, accusing refs of being anti their own tean and stuipidly labelling refs as biased or a cheats. When ,instead, it is MOST fabns , not all , but most, who are truly BIASED!
That is monstrous and is exactly what SO MANY Gooners are also.
How they square the circle of referees being appartently “biased” against ALL teams and yet who are are prepared to put up with such nonensical abuse, week in week out, year in year out, is mysteriously never mentioned..
QUELLE SURPRISE!!
To mention it takes a level of ACTUAL THOUGHT, that seems to frighten the pathetically biased fan hordes everywhere. SIGH!
Jon, to be honest with you I don’t know whether Moh is an Einstein or not, it just seemed a strange post for the “writer” to commit to.
As you know social media has never been something I’ve ventured into until now, so I’ve never felt any urge to get involved on-line with fans of any other club. Only my strong interest in our team has changed the habits of a lifetime. Well my latter lifetime that is.
You’ve reminded me of the long post I sent you regarding the subject of referees. You may remember I had difficulty getting it through to you. In fact I don’t think you ever saw it. Maybe, later I will send you some words about that topic. The preview I can give you in advance is that I never argued with refs and they normally respected me for that when team mates were whooping and hollering in vain. I just wanted to get on with the game. I’ll tell you more some other time if you are interested.
Do you ever argue with umpires when playing bowls ? And have you ever played in Grange Park (near to Beulah Hill) ?
EG, Great to hear you are not are not a ref baiter, even when you played.
Me neither, as I respect authority when it is honest as refs are, and when they do their level best, as they do.
In bowls, we only ever have actual umpires in top competitive matches and they are match umpires, not for individual rinks(4 players a side or triples( 3 per side)
Triples is NOW the more commonly played game in bowls.Traditionally, it WAS rinks though. We do have MARKERS though ,rather than umpires , who mark competitive games , what we call competitions and most often used in singles or pairs- one against one/ two against two- where the marker stands at the head end.
We bowl from the mat end toward the head. The lead player bowls the jack towards the head end, from the mat. Then we bowl to be as near the jack as possible.
And I have NOT played at Grange Park, though I have at Grangewood and may be playing tomorrow at South Norwood Lakes,which is not far from Beulah Hill.
One of many reasons why I was attracted to bowls when I started, was that though competitive, it is sporting and it is common to say “good wood” or “well done” when your opponent sends a good shot( a good wood). UNLIKE IN FOOTBALL obviously .
AND we shake hands before AND straight after and then offer our immediate opponent a drink.
It is for civilised folk and all the better for being so too.
Jon, you’ve got me thinking now. Although I’ve described the venue as Grange Park, when we were kids we called it Grange Woods. I wonder if it is the same place. We would go there to lark about and sometimes play tennis. Oh dear I’m getting a bit nostalgic again. Don’t know what’s the matter with me these days..
Jon I’m finishing for the day. At this rate we’ll be banned by the lady in red, so maybe we’ll have to tone it down, hahahahee. You see no imoji !
This is a site for Just Arsenal not a sight for sore eyes.
Yes. Please talk about Arsenal or swap emails
True! I am cool to let you have my email , but via Ad Pat of course. I’l email him to that effect. Good night now!
Agree, the clickbait mob
Then jog on, as you are no fan, no-one will miss you and take some of the idiots with you
Please, everyone. Ignore this message. This isn’t even his/her original quote, it’s what some teenage ‘wonderkid’ was quoted as saying a few days ago.
I’m so pleased that I didn’t take the pre-season odds of 60-1 and put the planned £100 on Arsenal to win the PL this season, but apart from that I’m satisfied enough with finishing second, even though it was a classic snatching defeat from the jaws of victory scenario.
I’ll leave it up to the more informed JustArsenal commenters to resolve issues of why we collapsed in the way that we did and what the required solution is to prevent this from re-occurring and to then actually go on and win the damned thing.
After a lifetime of Arsenal support, I’m still quite happy😎
That’s about the extent of my optimism Ozziegunner Knowing our club, though we will probably miss out on the certain targets and then try to convince ourselves that the second choices we settle on are part of a genius transfer strategy. Or, Edu’ cunning plan, as Baldrick would have said.
👍
I’m struggling to understand the logic. If Arsenal didn’t have the depth to maintain their level for the entire season how would playing even more games in the Europa have done anything but make the situation worse ? Its going to be an issue next season in the champions league, how do you prioritise if you don’t have the depth to play on full gas twice week ?
It’s nothing to do with depth; it’s to do with focus. If they had continued in Europe it actually takes pressure off the league games because they would’ve been fighting on several fronts and not placed so much importance on the league games. It’s all conjecture now anyway.
I did not see the match yesterday nor the highlights,due to attending the 18th birthday of one of my four grandsons.I thoroughly enjoyed myself unlike fellow Arsenal fans who witnessed yet another dire performance which delivered the League Championship to Man City, who are, without doubt, deserving of their success.Before the start of the season, I suppose if we were offered second place we would gladly have accepted it.However, after leading the pack for so long I can fully understand the frustrations voiced by fans onJA.The writer of the article has made some valid points with which I concur,but without going into too much detail so soon after such a disappointment, I share the views expressed by my fellow Oldie, Ken..As for our Manager, he has displayed an intransigence which worries me for the future, and the way he has treated some players in his squad, most notably ESR and Tierney , is in my view totally unprofessional and shows a complete lack of judgement.Our collapse was not due to a lack of depth, as the two I have mentioned together with Nkethia and Nelson were never given the opportunities to prove themselves .Quite frankly, Jesus has been a huge disappointment since his return from injury whilst Jorjinho and Trossard are not going to move us up a level imo.Defensively we have been woeful and tactically Arteta has a lot to learn.Whether he has the decency to admit the errors of judgement he has made along the way, I very much doubt as he strikes me as a stubborn individual who is reluctant to change course even when others with more experience may be urging him to do so.I hope he proves me wrong and can recruit well to ensure we are up there in contention for honours next season.As an aside, one Manager who has really impressed me during the past two seasons is Thomas Frank of Brentford.
Well said, Grandad. Thomas Frank has performed wonders at Brentford and watching them completely outclass the Spuds was a delight, particularly as I expected us to lose to Forest. They had everything to play and we are feeling sorry for ourselves.
Grandad
I follow your posts, always with interest and respect for your football knowledge which I certainly can’t compete with.
I agree that the ending of this season has been so disappointing but what I can’t comprehend is the level of ire from so many
You talk of Thomas Frank glowingly but thought similarly of Potter and Rodgers as possible candidates as replacements to Emery or Arteta. Being a truly elite manager is unlikely to happen overnight and Arteta still has much to learn. Do you think that Frank would be a better fit for us?
Rage on grandad, It’s the most heated I’ve seen from you since I started looking at this site two years ago. Finishing second is something we will learn to live with but as you pointed out Arteta’s intransigence regarding Tierney and ESR amongst others is deeply concerning, as well as frustrating the daylights out of me. One would like to think that he has learnt but looking at the team he chose to play Forest, it looks highly unlikely. Off subject, but also worrying is the possibility that Rice might join but only if some complex player trade deal is carried out which could possibly see ESR, Patino and Balogan going to the Hammers. Only speculation of course. As much as I would like to see Rice at Arsenal, it may not be worth the long term cost of losing three of our more promising players.
Thanks Joe.I sometimes feel I must be losing my marbles but I consider ESR to be on a par with Martinelli and Saka and yet our Manager refused to play him.Some have said he is only being protective due to his injury record but I simply cannot understand why ESR has been ignored.The same could be said of Nelson to a lessor extent as in his cameo appearances he has looked sharp?
You may believe that ESR is on a par with Martinelli but this is not a credible view this season given what we have seen of ESR. Nelson has put in some good performances as an impact player but his all round play is not at the same level as either Saka or Martinelli.
Tierney is a good, generally solid player but he is not as effective as Zinchenko in Arteta’s system.
From my point of view. You dont celebrate something you have thrown away yourself because of your own inability. There was a point that we could have lost ar City and not worry about what they did because they couldn’t do anything about it. From that point we crumbled like old digestives biscuits. Our manager made some awful decisions and non decisions under pressure again and our players showed they lacked b0//@cks!!!!!!!
Konstantin in disguise?🥷🏻
This article is nonsence , saying “we connot celebrate coming second.”
Well, I ALREADY HAVE DONE SO. So please stop writing untrue tosh Ben and speak only for yourself.
Practically NOTHING you write represents MY views at all.!
Jon, you not agreeing with my article only serves to further instill my belief that what I wrote is entirely accurate. However, I will point out that I stated finishing 2nd is a fantastic achievement, I merely served to suggest that the manner in which it occurred leaves a very bad taste in the mouth.
If you’re happy with consistently falling short and throwing away great situations then that says more about you than me. I have read with amusement your persistent calling for us to spend everything to get Declan Rice, and this shows your level of expectation. He isn’t the answer to any of the questions we should be asking. No doubt you view Arteta as some sort of Messiah for overseeing the most monumental collapse in Premier League history.
Sorry pal, a reality check is needed here, we had a great season ask Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool or any other set of fans that finished below us. We fell short because of lack of depth compared to Man city that have 2 full squads of star players. They can afford to rest De bruyne and play like they don’t miss him when he’s resting, says it all.
The author is not interested in any kind of reality check or rational perspective. He has clearly indicated his dislike for Arteta and is going all out to demean and discredit what has been achieved this season.
It’s been years since we’ve been in the CL. It’s been years since we were ahead of Spurs or Chelsea. Only last season the likes of Liverpool were considered miles ahead of us.
This article is a a longwinded, childish petulant rant
David, I make no secret of my dislike for Arteta but I do respect what he has done this season. Indeed, the team has over-achieved. To come 2nd is an amazing accomplishment, which I said in my article. But not one Arsenal fan can honestly say they are satisfied with how the season ended, and dare I say it, even that surprised.
Ben, Now that we have exchange personal insults, in my case, one that I feel honour bound to have said about your article, I SAY YOU ARE LYING OR MAKING A GROSS MISTAKE about what I have constantly written on the Rice transfer situation and I QUOTE MY PAST POSTS*( as accurately as I can).
Quote” While I have little doubt our club wants Rice and that he wants to come here, I see the likelihood being almost non existent, as his fee will be far more than we will agree to pay. Some other club no doubt will pay it, but not us Nor should we, despite the fact he is a top player, as we need to spend whatever Kroenke allows us shrewdly, and make the money cover many holes in our squad”!
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TO YOUR LIE,OR GROSS MISTAKE, YOU WILL NOTI CE!
Will you now issue an apology post, as you are plainly confusing me with someone else?!! Or are you not man enough !
Neither do I SEE ARTETA AS SOME MESSIAH. I remind you that was YOUR phrase, not mine, which you attempt to attach,albeit falsely, to me.
Not looking good old son, is it! I PREFER TRUTH, MYSELF.
Jon, I apologise if I misquoted you, but I must point out that I don’t memorise everything you, or anyone else, writes. I simply remember you stating on numerous occasions your admiration for him and desire to see him at Arsenal. Hardly a capital offense, so I’m not sure where you’re going with your “not looking good” statement.
Ben You need to understnd that I am a deeply homest person and have, in countless posts onJA, stood up for truth and honesty.
ONE RECENT EXAMPLE of this is today on this same thread(further up). I posted that unlike most fans, who ARE biased, refs are NOT BIASED, and I say it is grossly unfair and hypocrisy for most, though not all fans, to falsely accuse refs of being biased or being cheats, when it is these same unfair fans , many of them, who are in fact THEMSELVES biased.
To conclude Ben, I have been a well known regular on JA FOR MANY YEARS AND AM WELL KNOWN FOR STANDING UP FOR TRUTH. I suggest you might like to scroll up to read my earlier post on refs.
Hence my angry reply to your post, though I THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE GUTS TO APOLOGISE. Hopefully, now, we can be more civil to each other.
On RICE I DO ineed rate him highly and would love him to come. But that is entirely different from saying we should spend whatever it takes.
I prize FULL ACCURACY in comments.
Further to the above, I issue this challenge to you, as proof of my above post being correct. IF you can find even ONE post of mine where I said what you wrongly attempted to attach to me (and I QUOTE YOUR FALSE WORDS ABOUT ME,” Your persistent calling for us to spend everything to get Declan Rice”, a thing I NEVER SAID, NOR EVER THOUGHT EITHER) then I will pay you, or any charity you care to nominate, the sum of “£100”!!.
CARE TO RETRACT NOW?
Sure, I will happily retract that statement. I do think Declan Rice is a very good player, but I was interested to see in the lead-up to their game with Leeds today that Lucas Pacqueta is 2nd only to Palhinha at Fulham in tackles made since the WC restart. I wonder what difference he might have made had he joined us as I believe we were linked with him before the start of the season?
I share your belief that Rice will go elsewhere and I actually think that might be best for all concerned. We need a number of additions during the off-season and can’t afford the collosal fee it would require to bring Rice in. I suspect he will go to Chelsea, and suspect he will do very well there.
To weigh-in on your other comments regarding people’s accusations against some of the refereeing we have received this season. I once again share your view that to suggest we are unfairly treated is perhaps taking things a bit too far. Saka does get fouled a lot but then he holds onto the ball a lot, too, and those things usually go hand-in-hand. I don’t really blame people for looking for reasons or people to blame but I don’t think blaming the refs is very fair.
Ben So glad we have made up now. i AM VERY GRATEFUL AND HUMBLED BY YOUR POST We all need to give other peoples opinuions more respect, even when we massively disagree This applies to me MORE than many on here.
I really feel bad with folk having to feel scared of my way with words and I have NO intention to ever scare folk.
We are all humans, and as such valuable. And almost ALL of us , everywhere, fundamentally decent folk too and I MYSELF WOULD DO WELL TO REMEMBER MY OWN ADVICE AT TIMES .
It is often said with much truth there is no fool like an old fool. The thing is Ben, in my head I AM STILL YOUNG..
I am almost 72, INCREDIBLY, but extremely fit, slim and supple and still do things I could do fifty years ago But I MUST be nicer !
BTW, I often run the line in local league Sunday football and see first hand, even at park level, the dogs abuse most refs get almost every game.
Its just not right and so I STICK UP FOR REFS, who, while many at Prem level are awful, THEY ARE NOT BIASED AND THEY ARE NOT CHEATS EITHER.
SO I FEEL IT MY DUTY TO SAY SO.
Completely agree, nonsense article and not representative of what true fans really think. There’s too many spurs fans in disguise commenting above. I effing applaud what we achieved this season, 2nd place to a cheating oil rich club that has bought success (soon to be proved spending unfairly) over the last few years because of their back door sponsorship deals. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 Well done lads, now it’s time to regroup, play our last game of the season and get ready to go again next season with a few signings, contract extensions (Saliba/Saka especially) and a solid pre-season. Hopefully Balogun comes back from loan and commits to us, ESR and Nelson stays, as well as Tierney as all will be needed next year. I won’t be disappointed if we sell Lokonga/Tavares/Viera or even Partey who seems on his last legs. As for the Spud fans I heard cheering the Man city goals against us from my window, pitiful and just shows they have ziltch else going for them- I hope they get relegated next season 🤫
You have the right to disagree with my post, but do not accuse me of being a Spurs fan in disguise or question my support of club. It’s insisting we praise the club regardless of what transpires that has left us where we are. Think what you want but don’t judge me by your pathetic unwavering support where no criticism is permitted.
I don’t like Mikel Arteta and I think most of the players he has bought. I think him and Edu were rank average players and aren’t any better now they’re retired. Frankly I’d rather the team battle away all season, playing the likes of Tierney, ESR, Nketiah, than but in fake heroes like Zinchenko and Jesus who shout and scream but do nothing.
Oh, and you and others keep lamenting the money spent by City, Chelsea, etc., and act like we haven’t spent €50M on Ben White, €52M on Jesus, €35M on Fabio Vieira. We don’t lack squad depth because we don’t spend money, it’s because Arteta keeps spending it on shit players and doesn’t use the players he does have properly. Because he is a poor manager.
Ben i may agree or disagree with what you are saying but to call you out and slag off your opinion just shows the gutter snipes that cant respect opinion. They are dicks in my book. They dont know what respect is and live up their own back sides.
And might i add, SPOIL THIS SITE. That is about opinions.
So let me get this straight, Ben is entitled his opinion and if anyone disagrees with it they are gutter snipes that that don’t respect opinion. Yet what are you doing by calling people dicks for sharing differing opinions to Ben? Is that respecting other people’s opinions? Which in your words spoil this site, as it is about opinions. Excuse me if I’m confused but have you not contradicted yourself? Are you not calling out and slagging off someone else’s opinion yourself? From your comments it seems you only respect other people’s opinion if you agree with them.
How very easily thinkers can tie non thinkers up in knots ! Bliss to read !
Ben, Not sure Andy actually called YOU a Spurs fan, though he was making a general point – and one I much agree with in general, that far too many Gooners , some of whom come over as distinctly fairweather types, who only “love” us when we are winning , which is not what TRUE fanhood entails – and that point NEEDS saying loud and clear.
Hence my antipathy to your article, which I see as the thinking of “a non through thick and thin type fan”.
NO true fan who cannot stand disappointment and who makes themselves ill with stress, should follow ANY football team all.
Its bad for their health!
Just think of how many loyal fans City had twenty years or so ago when they were in the old Third Division or League One.
Many thousands stayed loyal. But countless others have only come on board attracted by success and trophies,
Glory hunters, they are called and they do not endear themselves to me, nor I SUGGEST TO MANY OTHER OLD SCHOOL FANS EITHER.
Please have another read of my comment, I didn’t accuse you of being a spurs fan. My support for Arsenal is unwavering and not “pathetic”. What is pathetic is you saying you “hated” Arteta as a player. His sideways/backward passing may have been annoying but to go as far as hate, our then club captain is OTT and in my opinion, doesn’t sit well with me. You calling Zinchenko and Jesus fake heroes that have done nothing is your opinion, which you are entitled to but you have changed your tune on Zinchenko haven’t you? (Reference another article you wrote for another site earlier this season praising Zinchenko and how much we missed him when he was out). As you are entitled to your opinion, so am I. Yes I do lament about Man city’s spending and if you care to research it, you will see the £2billion in transfers since their takeover and their current wage bil which is double ours. I also lament about other things that the Man city owners have done in their recent history, notably the camel racing using children as young as 3 years old as jockeys, trafficked into the country for the sole purpose of strapping them to a camel in dangerous races where injuries and deaths of child jockeys occured in nearly every race.
Well said! And HOW VERY MUCH it needed saying!
If I falsely accused you or something I will happily retract it and I readily apologise for doing so. I do consider myself a true fan of this great club. I have done so since I was a child. Indeed it was Michael Thomas’s winning goal against Liverpool when I was a boy of 10 years old that cemented my love for the club. It wasn’t the winning that did it for me as I have never coveted glory, it was the way it was done and the atmosphere.
You are right to point out my mixed feelings towards Zinchenko. I do believe that like Jesus, he is a terrific footballer and that perhaps too much was simply being asked of him. He isn’t a great defender but he is an excellent midfielder. I think Jesus would be best used on the wing as well but suspect he will remain as our mains striker.
I will not let my general dislike for Arteta affect my support of our great team, but neither will I pretend to enjoy his tactics and decision making. I do not like the way he has treated some of our young players and believe him to be somewhat egotistical, inflexible in his approach, and intolerant of any player who doesn’t absolutely tow the line. But he is our manager and I will support the team regardless of where we find ourselves and what we win or don’t win.
Damn some crybabies on here spewing their venom. Can’t cope with the disappointment for being on the losing end of a title challenge which is a parcel of being a sports fan.
We haven’t been in that situation for 15 years(07/08 season so i can understand if it was the young fans lashing out but shocking it’s the “mature” fans throwing a childish temper tantrum. Calling arteta a fraud and telling fans to stop being positive cause they are eternal pessimist LMAO
Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realise that being disappointed was only for younger fans. I will adjust my feelings in future. Thank you for correcting my faltering ways.
Btw I have acknowledged the team’s fantastic achievement over and over again I simply pointed out that capitulating in the manner we did is a bit of a let down.
Ben, I support you in your disappointment. Some of us unfortjnately have followed the Arsenal for a long time and have seen great teams and great players wearing the Arsenal shirt.
I see where the players bottling up is coming from. The fans are happy with second and champions league football even if they don’t win anything. Such a shame.