Could Arsenal really finish 3rd? by Jonbo
Arsenal to finish in the top four this season was a laughable idea. We had only managed an 8th place finish the previous season (although it was a huge transitional season), and went into this season with not only the youngest squad, but one of the least experienced squads in the Premier League.
There were still big question marks over Arteta as well. Could he improve himself enough to take the club forward? We then lost our opening 3 games, and that was it for a top four finish surely. We were written off even before those run of defeats by EVERYONE, and now it was pure fantasy.
Realists would say a top six finish is what should be expected, and I am fine with that, but with 4 games to go, we’re only 3pts off 3rd. Given Chelsea’s terrible form, and internal problems, finishing above them is a distinct possibility.
It looks as if the Chelsea players have already tapped out, especially those who are leaving in the summer. Our tails are up, we’re fighting much harder for results, and if we can pull Chelsea back into a fight for a top four finish, then it actually eases the pressure on ourselves. Suddenly it’s 3 teams going for two CL spots, instead of 2 teams going for one.
It’s going to be a nerve wracking end to the season, but this is what we want as Arsenal fans.
Jonbo
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The race for top4 will go down to the wire. Personally, I think we should just focus on the games in front of us and not worry about other teams. Win all the remaining games and top4 is secured, it’s in our hands now.
Chelsea are 3 points clear but with goal difference it’s realistically 4 points so it would be tough.
Let the brakes off and go for it.
Tough to see us getting 3rd, except Chelsea’s form drops off heavily and they lose two more games while we win our last 4 games.
Anyway IDGAF, beat Leeds at home this coming weekend, (Spurs are definitely losing away to pool who are chasing the league) then if we can win on Thursday against Spurs. We would’ve qualified for the UCL already with two games left.
It’s all to do now.
It’s just two more cup finals we need, we can end this race before the season ends. We just need to win against Leeds and Spurs.
If we can beat Chelsea at the Bridge, West Ham and Leicester City home and away, the Spurs can be added to that list also.
Hope the team pushes for this final ride.
@Eddie
Spurs are another kettle of fish, compared to MU, WH or Chelsea. When it comes to playing us, they manage to turn up most times…IJS
Chelsea need to slip 2 times in 4 games and we need to win our all remaining 4 matches the 3rd place is ours..
I really doubt Chelsea would slip 2 games..
But top 4 is ours to loose…
Tottenham Will loose against Liverpool and we expect to beat Leeds so by the time we would be playing NLD, we would be 5 points clear of Tottenham…
Then we would have 3 games and 5 points lead..
If we avoid loss at Tottenham then 2 games and 5 points clear…
Last 2 games are Newcastle away which I feel would be tough like Tottenham…
So if we managed to get draw there then 1 match and 3 points( Considering Tottenham would win on that match day) and that would be against Everton at Emirates which I believe we would win so Now top 4 is in our hands to lose…
At this stage you don’t aim for anything to do with league position, you just play each game as it comes, as if your life depends on it. Then see where you end up.
The difference between 4th and 3rd is a much easier qualifying route, which can make a big diference pre-season – and the number of games played starts to hurt at the end of the season. So even if 4th is secured with games to spare – keep going, because you can then effectively play some of next year’s games now.
And ofc, avoiding qualifiers is about more than minimising games played – you might not qualify at all as Celtic and Rangers find out all too often.
4th place goes straight into the Group Stage, and has done for a few years now.
It’s achievable. My fear is on our coach Who is often found wanting in the face of tactical and technical situations. If he understands his players and play the right ones, make prompt changes when needed and throw away emotional attachments to certain players then, we can push Chelsea aside if they continue to slide
No way that’s happening, we lost on that opportunity with our 3games run of bad losses.
I just hope we win the next game, that will make NLD interesting. I don’t believe spur could just roll us over
Whichever position we finish,it will be because that’s where we deserve to finish according to our points tally,I can’t believe there’s a discussion about whether we should qualify for the ucl or not,if westham finish 4th everyone would be saying well done,you deserve it,no one would be speculating as to whether they are ready to compete there or not,and that should also apply to arsenal
Correct in everything you wrote.
3 points on Sunday and we’re guaranteed 5th. Assuming Pool destroys Spurs, we are then 2 wins away from Champions League
“SHOULD WE AIM FOR THIRD”? OF COURSE !
“IS THIRD PLACE A PRACTICAL AIM”? OF COURSE NOT!
I will be more than happy if we get 4th place
I have a feeling that is where we are heading to
The ONLY aim for Arsenal at the moment is to get maximum points from our remaining games (except perhaps against Spurs, where a draw might be acceptable).
If we beat Leeds and Spurs lose to Liverpool, that may give us some breathing space, meaning a draw with Spurs might just clinch fourth spot for us.
I think third place is Chelsea’s to lose, rather than ours to win.
If we are to be in a position to go for the third spot, I expect that it will come on the last match of the season against Everton. That would make that game really exciting!!
But I expect third to belong to Chelsea.
The only aim for Arsenal should be getting the 3 points in the next game against Leeds.
Keep in mind that we will be playing two sides fighting relegation and will be tough to beat when they are fighting for survival. We are also playing Newcastle away and they are playing really well at home. We are playing Spuds away and that is not easy either. Can we stop counting our chickens and think one game at a time, otherwise we will be disappointed IMHO.
Third place would have been some achievement by the gaffer.
It would also strengthen the gaffer hand when negotiating the war chest with Koronke, so yes aim high
a
Am I right in thinking that Chelsea could finish below both The Arsenal and spuds?
Now wouldn’t that be a turn up for the PL?
However I do wish we would just wait for the results, because we could end up with egg on our faces in the europa league… can’t wait for the Leeds game and the atmosphere will be electric.
How I wish every Gooner could be there COYG’s
Good article👍
ladies and gentleman
we take it game by game but we need to take a max 12 points from the remain games , which is not beyond us to do.
we can then see what chelski does in its remaining games and fingers cross we might nick 3rd spot
i really see wolves getting something from the chelski game this weekend so it will be game on for 3rd spot.
the funny thing is, i hate the spuds but despise chelski due to there hypocrisy for the past 15 years on funding a team on fraudulent activities.
wouldn’t it be a laugh that they fall off a cliff and miss out on 3rd and 4th spot and we and the spuds claim the CL places.
ps
onwards and UPWARDS
It’s our nature to wish for more, that’s why I have very deep pockets 😉 4th is perfect this season COYG
Arsenal squard has winning mentality and if we continue with the same form we can overtake Chealsea to 3rd at the end of the season,
We should be aiming to win each game as it comes. Forget about Chelsea and Spurs just focus on winning each match as it comes.
Off topic, if we need a new winger and a new right back surely the 2 forest lads have to be considered Brennan and Spence. Their link up play is awesome.
Cmon Villarreal do it for Emery
Mehn!!!
What is Emery using?
Season after season, I find it harder to forgive him for our Europa League final loss. He has shown he is good. How did we capitulate in that final. Was it him or the guys?
Even if they do not get to this UCL final, the world would know he is a badass European coach.
He is a very good coach, still haven’t get a postmortem of the match.
Coquelin scored for Villarreal against Liverpool
“Arsenal to finish in the top four this season was a laughable idea”
No that was the target all season because of the money spent and not being in Europe ,any fan who says otherwise obviously has let their standards drop .
Let’s not forget the only reason that some fans are thinking this way is because Arteta took us to new depths that we haven’t experienced for a quarter of a century .
Top 4 was personally my minimum but that’s just me ,before Arteta strolled in the 2 seasons before we were still in the hunt for top4 but just missed out ,in he comes and gives us 8th and 8th so this season had to be better ,which league position it is but the football is the same boring Arteta ball we have come to expect .
Personally I long for the day when I can enjoy watching us play again but for now that is a long way away .
Sorry Dan
Do think you have become the minority on this now
Obviously I respect your opinion but you are million miles away right now
Whilst it was you desire for us to achieve top 4 I don’t believe you actually thought we had a shot at it.
4 to go and we still have a big shot at finishing top 4
Football has been off and on this season but more on then off and third in the table for wins isn’t bad going for a boring boring arsenal team
Let’s see if we can hit 24 wins in a season and then we can take stock of how bad we have been
Considering the investment and lack of fixtures it has always been the minimum. Funny how pro Arteta fans are the ones having less confidence in him hence the ridiculous excuses.
Quite right Dan and it’s TM so of course he is pumping up Arteta to look like he has done way more than he should have.
We are going to finish in the top 4 and at last we all will embrace Arteta because this time he has earned it. Late but better than never.
Sorry, Who has decided this ‘minimum’?
Arsenal were last in the top 4 in 2016. Just because a team have spent more in one transfer window does not mean they would a shoo-in for a top 4 spot. In previous years
Arsenal had spent fortunes on players like Aubameyang and Lacazette and yet had become gradually less of a force in the premier league.
A hard reset has taken place over the last couple of seasons. No one could have guaranteed or promised that such a change would yield immediate dividends especially given the strengths of Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool who were already amongst the strongest teams in world football.
Given that Man U who were second last year were seen to have become even stronger with their own acquisitions it is difficult to see how anyone could have insisted that a minimum of 4th was a realistic target.
The simple answer to your question David would be the fans who have a feeling of self entitlement.
David A REALISTIC AND SENSIBLE POST.
Though when you say “how anyone could have insisted that a minimum of 4th was a realistic target “, you omitted the word “sensible”, after “anyone” and before “could”!
We need to bear in mind that many of the extremely regular regulars on here are a long way from being moderate or sensible. Sigh!
Shut up, you were one of many who declared 8th would be lucky during the summer as to money spent our squad is current the 5th most expensive with the 5th largest wage budget, also the youngest 11 claiming 4th was expected on that is an outright lie on all fronts.
Emery that guy is something else
When last did we even score against Liverpool?🤔
Wasn’t Coquelin one of those “dross, mentally frail, lazy, not giid enough players” that AW kept signing?
I remember le coq coming back off loan and help me out here please but wasnt he at Charlton?
He had a great start and then became a heads gone “dross, mentally frail, lazy player.
Caught up Field on many occasions when he was supposed to be our last man.
Happy UE got a tune out off him but was glad to see the back of him
Coquelin/Cazorla axis was the closest we got to competing again under Wenger unfortunately Cazorla’s injury put an end to that. Often feel Wenger used all his luck up on the invincible season. The nearly moments with the squads he built after.
Am I really seing Villareal 2 Liverpool 0
It is this simple,if Arsenal can’t win the remaining 4 games,then they don’t deserve to be in the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!
Arsenal shouldn’t just aim to finish in the “top four” in order to make up numbers in the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!
Arsenal should and,indeed,MUST win the four remaining games to deserve their place among the BEST teams in the world-no two ways about it!
And when they land in the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE,we FULLY expect them to SERIOUSLY contend for the trophy!
So will Arsenal win the four remaining games-DEFINATELY
Arsenal is going for the 3rd.position-AND WILL GET IT!
Take it to your nearest bank!!!
It’s not impossible to finish 3rd. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Chelsea implode as long as we don’t?
In typical football speak it really is one game at a time. ManC were a long way ahead and now the gap is tiny. Keeping fully focused is vital and playing Everton on the last day could easily be a banana skin if we’re in any way complacent
Chelsea cannot be written off at this stage, they seem to do well when the odds are against them. That said, Arsenal has a wonderful opportunity to make it to the third spot but it will largely depend on Chelsea dropping points and Arsenal winning all their remaining games. Chelsea’s GD is much higher and the only way Arsenal can overtake them is by winning all the remaining 4 games. Also I believe Leeds and Everton cannot be taken lightly both are battling for survival. Newcastle anyway is a much improved team and they lost to Liverpool only by a solitary goal so its not going to be easy. As for the Spuds they are fighting for the CL spots like us so they wont go down with a whimper. So Arsenal will have to play their best football in the remaining 4 games and the CL spot is ours.
The dream is to go to spuds 5 points clear and beat them to claim the 4th place!! Please let it happen 🙏
We haven’t won a game away at Tottenham for donkey years!
Chelsea cannot be dismissed for third place although they are going through a very lean patch. I feel if Arsenal win all their remaining matches, we can surely target third because at some point Chelsea might drop points. The important thing for us is to focus on ourselves and try to win all the remaining matches. I feel Leeds and Everton will be tricky because both are fighting for PL survival, Newcastle have improved, they lost to Liverpool by only a solitary goal, and so wont be easy. The Spuds are competing with us for CL football and so will give it their all. The best thing for Arsenal is to focus on ourselves and try to win all the remaining matches to ensure CL football next season.
Let’s just focus on 4th. Beat Leeds, draw Spurs and beat either of Newcastle (preferably) or Everton and we are good! If we lose to Spurs then we are screwed coz no way are we getting 6 points from Newcastle/Everton..and this is even assuming Leeds is 3 points in the bag.
If we beat Leeds and pool beat Spurs .. three draws in our last 3 games would see us to 4th spot .. hardly a big ask then again we have gone 3 games on trot earning less!!!
Not necessarily so! That would give us 6 more points and Spurs 9 more, IF they won the other three, as they could do. (And their goal difference is several ahead of ours.)
We would finish 5th, one point behind Spurs if that scenario happened. But it won’t, IMO.
A lot of people on here are convinced Spurs will lose to Liverpool. Remember they beat City away, in some ways they can be like ourselves, lose the games they should win they win the games they shouldn’t. Having said that I suspect if we draw to them we will get top four, in a way whilst top four is the target I hate to look ahead and think if they lose this and we win that then we can lose to them and still get top four.
Beating Leeds is of utmost importance and significance. It means we play spurs with 5 games to spare , so even if we lose to them the 2 pts advantage is still there. They play Burnley after us ( a potential banana skin ) who are fighting relegation and I strongly believe a surprise will happen in this game.
If Arsenal gets 7 or even 6 points out of the potential 12 , we are in the UCL.
* 5pts ahead of them *
Not
*5 games to spare.
Silly me.
COYG!!
Let end the season before it ends officially by winning our next two games.
Leeds and Spurs.
I believe so much in the young lads.
Ya Gunner Ya
Am presuming that we’ll beat Leeds this wknd and spuds will lose to Liverpool. If and that’s a massive IF we beat them in the NLD next week, then we’re through to the CL. We can’t afford to leave it to the last two games – Newcastle will be very tough as will Everton who are fighting like crazy. Plus spuds have a better GD than us, so we need to go all out to win the next two games and then we can relax
Keep believing that the Arsenal can make it. Then after, we do in house discussion, as to what went well and what didn’t go well.
For now, let’s keep on believing. Mr. Fox and Ken, keep on believing.
Spuds are a 2 man team kane and son otherwise nothing special keep them 2 quiet then have a great chance at getting a result there provided we don’t bottle it and play to the team potential we can def get a result there!
In attack the Spuds are largely dependent on those two. However, they should not be under-estimated. They are usually quite tight at the back these days and if they go a goal ahead they are very dangerous on the counter.
A nervy finish to the season no doubt with something to play for. Hope we get 4th but I remember that we laughed at Wenger and his 4th place trophy considering the heights we had been elevated to and how we had slowly fallen down the pecking order.
4th place is no miracle with what has been invested both financially and in time and the project. Two successive 8th places followed by anything else but 4th is not just not good enough.
We need to aspire to more.
But with Stan at the helm will we ever?
I dont like the way fellow gooners talk about the three opening matches, only Brentford loss should be painful. Any team in the league could lose those 2 matches. Arteta has performed averagely in my own opinion considering the amount spent and the status of the club. Chelsea finished 10th in a season and went on to win the league the following season due to no European football. If our 2 past coaches got the money Arteta got and finish below 4th most fans will term that unsuccessful but because it is Arteta, our former captain and a fashionista 4th is a great achievement. It is truly an achievement though because this club standard has fallen bad. Even during Wenger days, we are always optimistic at the start of every season, that we will challenge for the title though both parties benefited from Wenger’s departure, he indeed stayed longer than he should. As a true fan, I hope we succeed and hope Arteta take us to a new feat especially in European football. I can’t see a very good coach going to a competition 22 times without winning it, that’s a bad record.