Can we topple Spurs? And a massive summer is coming up. by Konstantin Mitov
One round of the premier league is left and it will determine our final league position. The best we can finish is 7th, if results go our way. Spurs go to Leicester and Everton go to City. Being an Arsenal fan I always want to finish above Tottenham.
Even if it comes at the price of the “Conference league”. A competition less exciting even than the “Super League” we tried to join. I believe missing out entirely on Europe could actually benefit us, because too often we neglected the league games, because of the backdoor ticket to CL that the EL offers.
If we look at the two games against Burnley, those are 5 points we threw away, that could have moved us up 3 places. We took nothing from games against Villa and Everton, not amazing teams with all my respect. Without using a cup competition as an excuse, we might actually try to cut the gap in the league table, which doesn’t lie. Our season has been entirely poor and there are no excuses for that.
Trying to look on some positives, we’ve won 4 games in a row in the league, for the first time under Arteta. We won at a difficult place like Palace, even with fans returning and ruined Roy’s final home game in charge. We’ve been something like 2nd or 3rd in the league since Christmas (last 23 games).
I’ve been extremely critical of Arteta and I believe fairly so, but I do have some sympathy with him in terms of the limitations of this squad. We wanted to keep Luiz, because he’s a player that can move the ball from the back and pick out a 50 yard pass as well to release us quickly.
Now that we know he’s going, the question is whether Saliba will be given a chance, or we’ll go shopping? Where Arteta really disappoints me is the amount of support he’s given the likes of Luiz, when it’s obvious they are at best stop-gap players that won’t take us much forward. Even if it works for one season, at 33 and 34, you’ll be looking to buy next summer again, to try and scrap a top 4 spot again.
Why is Mikel lauding the “talent” of Willian? We have a talent called Martinelli, who saved his blushes again on Wednesday, yet he’s been struggling for minutes. We tried the shortcut to success with “experienced” players and it hasn’t worked. It’s time to change the old guard with the new.
A lot of “big name” players will depart following Luiz. Bellerin is likely leaving, Willian will hopefully leave and rumours are Xhaka wants out. It will be incredible if we move them on. Our midfield needs massive reinforcements. I’m no longer sure 1 CM will be enough, or we need to look at 2, as hopefully Ceballos will return to Spain and stay there.
A cover for Tierney in LB, a new RB and a ball playing CB and 2 CMs is already a big ask, but up front I expect a new striker as well. I think we have a problem of ‘square pegs, round holes’ as Aubameyang just doesn’t really work at number 9, and that contract we gave him will come back to haunt us.
Lacazette showed more chemistry with the youngsters behind him, but he’s often in the shadows, because Auba is captain and we again gave him that contract, that we are desperately trying to prove it was worth it.
Honestly I’m still guessing what kind of football Arteta wants us to play, but if I take a guess that we want a 4-2-3-1, we should sell Auba if we can and find a young and more dynamic striker that can link up the play, make runs in the box and be a clinical finisher. It’s a difficult and expensive task.
That’s why I don’t trust Arteta and Edu, even though they say they have a clear plan for the summer. They signed Willian, they gave Auba a ridiculous deal, they sold Martinez and they signed Cedric. We are trying to play around an idea to be like City, which we cannot be, unless we spend money like them for multiple windows in a row.
We should instead try to build a squad around players like Saka, ESR and Martinelli, that have carried the squad, and we have the potential to be a squad that can carry us on for 5 years and more. They also have potential to be 80 million players that can bring revenue in the future which can be used to be self-sustainable and help improve the squad.
We have no choice but to wait and see. Hopefully on Sunday, Leicester will do us a favour and it will be a sign of a great summer to come, because we need to be brave and we need a massive, massive summer. Another season of mid-table strolling, won’t cut it and hopefully the pressure will force the board and Arteta to make some better decisions.
Konstantin
It’ll be nice to have St Totteringham’s Day, but let’s don’t hope too much. Because Leicester as Spurs’ last opposition will be less motivated than Spurs, knowing that Liverpool just need to defeat Burnley to finish above them
Leicester could still finish in Top Four!
I think Leicester’s chance is slim, Admin
Only one point difference between them and Chelsea on 3rd. If Chelsea draw or lose they are going be in the top 4.
But Liverpool’s last opposition is Burnley and Chelsea’s is Villa. Both Burnley and Villa have nothing to play for
Gai, Pool beat Burnley last night. Their last game is at Anfield against Palace
Oh I think I need to check my eyes 😁
Palace also have nothing to play for
Sue Can somebody tell me please WHY? does EDU keep going after Brazilian players the guy needs sacking there are other great players in this world that are not Brazilian For God’s sake EDU open your eyes or leave us
Gai, is that why we beat palace?
I wonder how many of his compatriots we’ll end up with this season, Sir Michael! 😆
How strange that have ppl who want to celebrate St Totreringham’s day and others think finishing 7th is an excuse. Get this, we are where we are and do the best possible. And that is winning last match end of.
We are Arsenal ffs, why do you think we are criticised in every newspaper? Ever heard the criticising Spuds , West Ham or Fulham? No its us they hate and why you wonder.
Arsenal has won the league 14 times and did this coming from behind because unlike Liverpool or Man utd, Chelsea and now Citeh we never dominated the league winning back to back etc. No we come from midtable a season before and win it a year later. Northern media think this soft southerner must be cheating to keep doing that.
So let them talk and we go back to being comeback kids. That’s what I love about my club.
The article above is wonderfully written but missed a few bits. I was surprised that Konstantin didn’t mention a word about our academy products especially those.not yet utilised like Balogun and company. Didn’t say enough about Saliba either otherwise the article writer is topnotch.
I also like Arsenal because they’re usually the underdogs. About criticisms from the media, Spurs got it as well, especially after firing Mourinho six days before the Carabao Cup final
What nonsense ! Leicester will be busting a gut against the Spuds.
I’m interested in top 4 and nothing else, this consolation prize of ending above Spuds and/or Uefa Conference league qualification is a sign of how low we’ve sunk.
Mediocrity has become acceptable by many fans and the owner and is a big part of where we find ourselves now.
PJ-SA
So true! Usually St. Totteringhams Day is an afterthought by this point, and we’re puckering about finishing in the 4th spot.
Complacency set in years ago, and has slowly devolved into the mediocrity that infests the club now.
It has seeped down from ownership not interested in titles to qualifying for CL is enough, then it was “European Football” was the goal.
Now we question if merely finishing higher than last year or above the spuds is improvement.
Meanwhile excuses abound attempting to absolve our AVOIDABLE fall from grace.
Players need to be culled from the herd; we saw Ozil, Mustafi, Sokratis, Kola, and Guendouzi out. However this should not have stopped with the players and scouts, it should have extended to the higer ups.
Vinai and Edu should be on notice quite frankly, it’s time to deliver and earn their checks.
Even ownership needs to either step it up and act like a top English club or sell to someone who will respect the club; it’s traditions, achievements, fans, and history in English football.
You are asking for a young dynamic striker who can link up play, make runs and score goals, but it would be expensive.
Well no it wouldn’t, you have described Balogun to a tee.
Whilst Europa conference sounds bad, the fact is that it has come about by cutting the amount of teams from the Europa League, it is pretty much like restoring the cup winners cup that we all enjoyed very much. The English place in the competition was to go to the League cup winners, but seeing as Man City will be in the Champions League it has reverted to the 7th place team in the league.
What the club needs to do is treat it like a reserve competition in the early rounds.
The model we should follow for the next few years should be the Leicester model of transfer business….I still cannot believe how they got Soyuncu for 18 million pounds when we were quoted 35 million pounds…
Youri Tielemans (flopped at Monaco), Wesley Fofana, James Madison etc are all transfer success stories whose value has doubled or even tripled… They sold Harry Maguire for a record fee and went ahead and invested the money wisely…
This is the strategy that Arsenal should follow…buy for small fees and sell for huge fees..
Sack Edu and hire the recruitment team of Leicester
Giving auba that new contract was what everyone wanted even you konstatin mitov. So why you saying dat like it a bad thing. Our best player for two season running . Yes he has been poor all season. Not everything that happens to us is arteta fault, am thinking you are also blaming arteta for the var decisions. And enough of we sold martinez .
Still scored 15 goals in all competitions..
Willock was very very poor for us and now he is setting records at Newcastle. That is just one example.
You know he didn’t take his chances when he played for Arsenal. He had the opportunity to play his way into the side, like ESR and Saka did, but he wasn’t able at the time.
You are actively choosing to interpret events in the most unfavorable light towards Arteta but it’s not as straightforward as you seem to think. (Look what Gnabry can do with a better coach?)
Anyways, hopefully now JW can carry that confidence into next season and start scoring regularly for us.
“(Look what Gnabry can do with a better coach?).” – Look what Willock can do with a better coach.
“You are actively choosing to interpret events in the most unfavorable light towards Arteta”- I am not the only only one. The league table is also choosing to interpret events. Out of all competitions is choosing to interpret events. No European football is choosing to interpret events.
I will not have any positive things to say about Arteta until the end of the next season if he is in the top 4.
And what is your point about Gnarby and Willock can you explain further? What I understood is Gnarby not playing good was Wenger’s fault and Willock was his own fault. Not the manager.
It’s an issue of arbitrary double standards imo. I meant that you could interpret Gnabry’s “failure” at arsenal on Wenger not coaching him properly (as an example), whereas he thrived under other coaches – I don’t think that’s why it didn’t work out at Arsenal (I thought he played well for us, but needed more game time to develop), but I just mean you could be more charitable to Arteta on this particular point. You (I think, apologies if I’m wrong) often seem to bring up JW’s recent success as a stick to beat Arteta with, when actually the fact he allowed(/pushed?) him to go on loan could be a positive thing that helps him to succeed at arsenal, whether Arteta stays or not.
Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of arguments against many of Arteta’s decisions, I just feel this one is just taking the most negative interpretation because of not liking the guy.
Wenger rated Iwobi as a better prospect than Gnabry if you remember.
That why he sold him.
got that wrong
Jonny – i think the reason he left was that he just got fed up of waiting, Wenger didn’t want him to go but didn’t stand in his way. In any case, it’s just an example.
“when actually the fact he allowed(/pushed?) him to go on loan could be a positive thing that helps him to succeed at Arsenal.”
I get your point now Davi and I agree. I didn’t think of it that way.
Outside the europa league, which he scored regularly and played well, Arteta never gave him a chance!
I seem to remember a lot of people saying that selling Martinez was the right call as it helped us to sign other players that were more needed (ended up being Partey). It seemed like the majority but who can say.
A lot of people (myself included on this one) thought Willian would at least be a decent signing, even if the contract was a bit ridiculous.
People choose to forget as it’s another stick with which to beat Arteta.
Look at all those wannabe experts who lay it hard on our team for renewing auba contract now in hindsight when they were all crying out for the club to keep auba. His contract was never an error for the club as he showed no sign of decline at the time and this season could simply be a bad one. After 6 season with at least 25 goals i think one bad season is not a tragedy
come on sue 15 goals by auba own standard is really poor. I miss the player of last season. The only striker i want is haaland . Am in lala land i know.
I know his numbers are low compared to previous seasons, it’s not as if he hasn’t done anything though, like some people are suggesting! Laca 17, Auba 15, Pepe 14, Willian 13 hahahaha I wish!!
The only time we’ll see Haaland at the Emirates is when he rocks up with City for a league encounter!!
sue i tell people pepe is not a flop it just the 72 million fee that feels way too much. Am not looking forward to another striker in the summer, but AM is needed .
Finishing above spuds is nothing to shout about, Finishing below them is. Spuds should not be the benchmark, we are/were a bigger team. The benchmark should be getting into the CL positions, winning cups, giving ourselves a real chance to challenge for the title. Spuds do not come into it!
If you live where I live it’s called bragging rights.
Some will then say it’s like winning a trophy!
Really! I dont think either have anything to brag about and for 20 years, the bragging was pretty much only Arsenal, so not really that important. I think bragging rights are futile nowadays but whatever floats your boat. LOL.
I slumped out of White Hart Lane to chants of “we f#%!ed your season up” after Danny Rose scored that screamer of a goal.
I remember bitterly thinking how sad it was that Spurs fans cared more about beating Arsenal then they did about having a good season.
Saint Totteringham’s Day is a bit of fun but the only time I’ll really care about it is when we can still celebrate it after the Spurs finish in second place – that’s the mentality of a big club.
If Arsenal finish on 7th this season and qualify to play in the Uefa Conference League next season is a sign of how low Arsenal have sunk. But how low would the club have sunk if they were to finish on 8th or 9th and not qualify for the Conference League?
I think us Gooners should be praying for our dear Arsenal FC to make the 7th place finish this season. And if they did, us should give glory to God to thank Him for the goodness He Has done for us. So that He may do more goodness for us next season.
And I beg to differ to say Arsenal season isn’t entirely poor as been alluded to by Konstatin. But will be above average if the club finish on 7th or even on 8th this season. But average if they finish on 9th or 10th.
Just want 3 points to finish the season. We finish wherever we finish. Hopefully the squad is assessed and improved with quality and energy from younger players. Had enough of the slow and aging guys. Right sided defender, left back, midfielder from the academy plus a new one and restore the loanees. We need defender s who can stop the crosses!
Hope arsenal takeover happens soon daniel ek + middle east consortium are interested
All I’m hoping for at the moment is that we can find our way again in becoming a much better footballing side than we have been in recent seasons. We have have been woefully below par for a long time now albeit for a few unexpected performances and wins at times.
For me just hankering after a fourth place spot and gaining it wouldn’t be a mark of success. It would be what it really is, the fourth placed losers spot! If we play a whole campaign and could only finish fourth. That doesn’t put us in good stead to be taking on Europe’s finest! All it would be is a nice bit of revenue to line the coffers of the owners. I’m under no illusion that the money earned from Europe will be ploughed back into the recruitment of decent players that would build the team further.
I think before we even think about major European competition, we should strive to master domestic football on a sustained basis.
Our success can’t just be measured on the fact we have the ability to finish fourth every year and that’s it! It can’t be down to the misfortune of others around us and the many permutations of fate. We gotta make our own fortune by being better than we have been.
We definitely need an overhaul of our squad as I still think we’ve got too many weak players. Although, their weaknesses are probably exacerbated by the coaching they’re given. Not just individually, but collectively. What’s more important is to have a better footballing methodology that you can fit players into as opposed to tinkering and doing things on a trial and error basis.
I’m glad this season is over and only hope that we can learn from the last three seasons and better ourselves. We gotta stop being just content enough to being the “fourth” winner
cant say i can bring myself to care honestly. I just want Arsenal to get back to acting like a big club again. Spurs aren’t on my mind.