Arsenal recovered their competitive edge last season after years of simply honouring fixtures. Last season, Arteta was able to “crack” the Premier League, getting his club to dominate other teams. Unfortunately, his squad could not maintain momentum and finish the season in style, losing the league to Manchester City, who just found a way to steal the league title from the Gunners as they do in most seasons.
Last season’s Arsenal showed us they were on the verge of something unique; everything clicked for them, but Man City found a way to deter their fantastic season. By the end of last season, it was clear that if Arsenal were to rule the league comfortably, they needed to take care of Manchester City and outperform them.
The Gunners will have to outperform the Manchester Blues, especially following their treble win (lifting the FA, the League, and the Champions League). But they may find it hard if Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s revelations about Guardiola’s team have any truth.
The Man City head indirectly cautioned Arsenal or any other team that Man City are still eager to win more silverware, implying that even after ruling the English Premier League for six years, it is only the beginning of their supremacy. He said so on City’s Youtube channel, suggesting that with Haaland, they have all the leverage they need to maintain their dominance:
“The Treble has only been achieved once before, and it’s only been achieved once because this is really the most difficult thing to possibly achieve in the world of football.
“To win the most difficult league in the world, the Premier League, and to win the most difficult competition in the world of sport in my view, the Champions League, at the same time, combined with another cup competition, a great historic cup competition, the FA Cup, at the same time.
“It’s incredible, which is why it’s only been done once, 24 years ago. We did it with the highest level of football that I think I’ve ever seen. But you always can top it, because the future is the future and records are records. And, as we’ve done every year, we keep building this incredible legacy every year with new achievements, new records, and consistency.
“Look what we have this summer; we have the Charity Shield, we have the Super Cup, we have the Club World Cup. For the first time, this club is going to be competing in the Super Cup and the Club World Cup. And we want to win these. We want to add them to the history of this great club, to the legacy of this great club.”
About Haaland, he added, “What amazed me about Erling is the confidence. He’s got something special. Confidence, but with respect.
“And to be having that conversation, post-signing your contract with your chairman, and saying at the end of that conversation, “Mr. Chairman, I’m going to win the Champions League for you; I’m here to win the Champions League for Manchester City, and we’re going to win it’,” a year ago, is really a testament to the greatness of this player.
“Where Erling is going, this is the beginning. That’s the scary part; this is just the beginning for him.”
The Citizens must believe they are at the top and that nothing can dethrone them, but to be king; you must overthrow a king. Arteta and his teammates aspire to be Kings and conquer not only the PL but also Europe; accomplishing it will be challenging but not impossible, not with Arteta understanding what he is up against….
Sam P
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Who cares what this fellow says. We are Gunners and we do the impossibles