The Positive Aspect of No European Football
The loss at Spurs has all but confirmed no European football next season at Arsenal for the first time since the 92/93 season. Barring an absolute miracle of us winning our final three games (including beating Liverpool), and other teams dropping points as well, those die-hard away supporters can save a little money next season. Mid-table obscurity has finally arrived! Something that was actually predicted as far back as 2010 by some of us who dared to question the powers to be at Arsenal. Clearly waiting until almost the end of the decade to make major changes worked out really well! Anyway, let’s not open that can worms too much, as I want to focus on the positives of no European football.
No European football next season would hardly be a surprise given our form since game week 3, and our overall regressive state over the last 12 years or so, but I wonder if it could be actually be the perfect tonic to our problems? Missing out on the Champions League (CL) is a huge blow, but I wouldn’t say there’s a huge difference between the Europa League (EL) and no European football, for a club like Arsenal. I mean no disrespect. I am not one of these fans, where it’s the CL or nothing. I love the EL as well, and would love to see us win it, especially given our poor record in European competition throughout our history. However, we haven’t coped well at juggling the league and Europe for many, many years. Maybe a year out could do the club some good?
Certainly, it will help Arteta. A reduced fixture list, will allow him more time to work with his squad on the training ground. Our players will be fresher, and fitter for the league, allowing us to really go full tilt at each game. Hopefully less games, and travelling less will help with the amount of injuries we consistently sustain. I really feel that without the distraction of Europe, especially Thursday night football, we have a much greater opportunity to achieve something in the league. One should remember that a lot of our youngsters are already heavily involved in the first team, and will be next season in the league, which leaves less room for rotation in those early European fixtures when the youngsters are usually blooded. It’ll be Arteta’s first full season as a manager, so the less he has to worry about the better in my opinion.
The obvious negatives of no EL football will be a drop in revenue, and probably no more Aubameyang. He would be a big loss, but I can even see the positives of his departure. The club won’t have to dish out another monstrous contract, that will also have an affect on the rest of the squad, and future star signings (although Auba is deserving of such a contract). The money from his sale can be reinvested into the squad. Most importantly, we don’t even use Auba in his best position anyway, so his departure would give the team a better balance. Our transfer business may have to alter slightly with no European football, but again, I get the feeling the board were planning on no CL football next season anyway, so the drop from EL to nothing shouldn’t affect our transfer planning a great deal.
Will no European football next season be a good thing for Arsenal, what do you think?
ThirdManJW