Given that Arsenal are currently trailing Liverpool in the Premier League title race, it may be easy to agree with Gary Neville’s assessment that the Gunners have regressed this season. Having been the second-best team in England for the past two campaigns, a continuation of recent results could see them secure that same position for a third consecutive year—despite aspirations of going one better.
Each time Arsenal drops points, Liverpool edges closer to clinching the title, and this has led Neville to argue that Mikel Arteta’s side has not maintained the same high standards displayed in previous seasons. The implication is that Arsenal are showing signs of stagnation rather than progression at a crucial point in the campaign.
However, fellow pundit Robbie Mustoe offered a different perspective as the two discussed Arsenal’s form following the 1-1 draw against Brentford. He pointed to key contextual factors, such as injuries and recruitment priorities, that complicate any claims of regression. Mustoe said, as quoted by NBC Sports: “I still think they are going to be the second-placed team again for the third season on the trot. I think the injuries to key players at different parts of the season have to be considered. I know, in terms of recruitment, it’s accepted that the front line is the last bit and the most important bit to strengthen.
“I find it harder to criticise the team and the way they have played based on the disappointment [the injuries]. Liverpool are the only team to have had very few injuries. Injuries make a difference. When you’ve got a few injuries, it’s hard to keep up the pace. They do need another striker, but I wouldn’t agree that they’ve regressed.”
It is true that Arsenal have not quite reached the levels seen in previous seasons, as reflected in certain recent results. Nevertheless, the campaign is not yet over, and significant silverware remains within reach. The focus must now shift towards ensuring the strongest possible finish, particularly in the Champions League, where winning the trophy would be a historic achievement and a powerful response to doubts about the team’s progress.
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It is too soon to say Arsenal have gone backwards. A third second place finish in a row is not failure by any measure. At the same time, the team has spent a lot of money in the last three windows but has not identified the ‘keystone’ players that took them to the top. When Liverpool were rebuilding, they improved a bit at a time, then added Van Dijk and Alisson; and became contenders and champions.
Last summer, Arsenal needed a scoring midfielder and a center forward and got neither. The team, especially at fullback and defensive midfield, weighed down; while in the creative spaces, the Gunners have not been able to identify players they feel comfortable rotating into the squad.
As talented as Ethan Nwaneri is, he is not a like-for-like rotational player for Bukayo Saka.
At left back, Kieran Tierney, Oleksander Zinchenko, Ricardo Calafiori, Jakob Kiwior, and the on loan Nuno Tavares seem unable convince Arteta that they can do as well as an out of position rookie midfielder.
At right back, Ben White’s injury after Takehiro Tomiyasu’s earlier injury has Jurrien Timber, brought in to play left back, playing on the right.
At holding midifield, Rice, Jorginho, and Thomas Partey are a formidable trio, but Rice, who is a rock at the position, as is Partey, is playing as a central midfielder; but he is not someone who, historically scores a lot; despite his recent free kick heroics against Real Madrid.
Arsenal are, at the same time, overloaded for quality in some areas, while utterly lacking in others.
This will be an interesting summer transfer window. Will Arsenal finally address their gaping holes and fulfill their potential as champions, or will they continue to ignore obvious problems and go with the jack-of-all-trades; master-of-none approach to recruitment?
For years Arsenal supporters have looked on in envy as Chelsea, Man City, Manu U, and Liverpool spent their way to titles. Now the Gunners are among the top spending teams, but have not managed to reach the pinnacle.
With the title all but gone and having been eliminated from the domestic cup competitions, Arsenal’s remaining hope for glory is the Champions League. A convincing win over Real Madrid allows Gunner fans to dream, but if they are able to withstand a Real comeback, two hard games await. Asrsenal would hardly be favored against either PSG or Barcelona. Which begs the question, if Arsenal come away from the season empty handed, is second place in the league proof of ‘progress,’ it is a sign of stagnation, or the first sign of regression?
Can’t be progress
Last two seasons we challenged for title and played better football
This season we have not challenged Liverpool and football at times has been hard to watch
That’s not progress
It may not be progress but it doesn’t mean the team has regressed either. I think no one can really tell if we’ve progressed or regressed because key players were missing for extended periods. It would be much clearer to judge progress or otherwise if we had players fit like in the previous seasons.
Liverpool,for instance, were inconsistent last season and many people thought they had regressed. But in reality their injuries last season affected their performances. It’s not a surprise that they are back to their best with a fit squad. Arsenal are in the situation Liverpool were in last season.
The mistake we made last summer was selling bireth.
As for our transfer activity – we had to pay for raya – a midfielder was needed as was an option at lb due zinchenko and his loss of form and growing number of injuries each season.
We also had to pay the second half of the installment for rice.
With all the injury issues we are still second and we always had a small sqaud
This whole narrative if city don’t win then arsenal had to makes zero sense. Liverpool were wrong written off by these so called experts. Liverpool spent a large part of last season first and had a midfield rebuild last season to which we have seen the benefits this season. They didn’t lose any key players.
Mustoe’s response was that someone who isn’t biased and understands what is happening to a team, neville rolled his eyes back when mustoe replied to him, which again shows that when neville or carragher are given the actual facts they can’t handle it. Neville bricks it from Keane, when Keane doesn’t agree with neville.
As for edu leaving – why would that effect us so much ? He has taken an amazing role which so many sporting directors would love and he helped us massively. As for vinai – he announced he would be leaving last year, the club has known – how does this effect the players considering the replacement has been at the club also
It’s just garbage from neville . His aim at odegaard is purely a response to how much flack fernandes recieves . United need fernandes , fernandes has to be given the freedom to do as he pleases , where as odegaard as captain knows his role, when nit playing well still presses etc and still with him not in best form we are second. United with bruno in good form are where ?
Good points. Unfortunately, the same type of stuff suggested by Neville keeps getting accepted and repeated by various fans on this and other forums. I have never agreed with these narratives that do not take into account all the prevailing issues in a given season.
Was have stagnated in performances due to injuries to key players all season not just now, plus if you look at last season Liverpool did the exact same thing and dropped off when they led alot of the league last season. The season before we bottled it due to inexperience after leading the whole season against a super treble winning city team.
The last 3 seasons have been improvement overall from whatvwe have neen given for a long time at The Emirates but our recruitment also hasn’t been perfect but has led us now to this summer on the cusp of a 3rd 2nd place finish to go and invest in Top Striker, Winger & CDM while also trimming the squad with Jorginho, Sterling, Zinchenko, Nelson, Taveres, Lokonga, Neto. This also takes alot off the wage bill with some money coming in for a few named above to add to the pot.
Rice is doing so well in the no8 Role Thomas has to be offered a 2year deal to stay on as he has been super again & fit this season. Also to help the new CDM come in to be back up along side Merino.
I’d take a gamble on Jonathan David from Lille on a free who can play across the front line, score goals, Quick & can cover LW with Martinelli also. Nelson & Jesus leave, Raheem goes back to Chelsea & David ticks alot of boxes to cover their departures.
CF is a tricky one, who do you go for? Osimhen or Gyokeres as Isak is too expensive. The 2 above in this Arsenal team are guaranteed 20+ goals a season.
CDM can be a selection of a few if Thomas signs a new deal. Need a mould and player in the way Partey plays in this team and I have no idea who tbh can do as good a job as the big man can.
That’s the summer, hopefully we can do Madrid in this 2nd leg and go on to the semis of the UCL. Again being in this position is progress, in Europe anyway
I would love to see Gyokeres at Arsenal scoring the way he is at Sporting. However, a friend made a good point the other day, he’s not a very tactical striker, and has a more of a loose game. Hence why people are suggesting a player like
Sesko is a better fit.
Kia, having watched Sesko quite a bit, I would say Havertz is a better all round player. So if we are going for a CF that’s better than Havertz, Sesko isn’t the one.
I don’t think we’ve regressed, but at the same time we haven’t really improved.
And everyone always says it’s an excuse, but injuries is definitely the reason why we are where we are. If we didn’t have the injuries we had, I think we would definitely been in a better position that we were in last season.
The striker situation though, that is where I can definitely say we failed. That’s on us.
Luck with injuries can make or break a season, it cannot be disregarded. That said, we have not been hiding behind injuries, we have toiled at times without excuses. I am hoping for better luck next season and some good signings that improve the team and the squad depth. Gary who?
Am not sure I would say Arsenal has gone backwards, what if were to go on and win the champions league.
It could then be argue three consecutive third place finishes shows consistent knocking on the door.
It could also mean we are in the phase of the calm before the storm.
But we didn’t knock on the door this season in the League
I wonder what excuse we can come up with next year?