Arsenal earned a point from their match against in-form Manchester United, but Jamie Carragher isn’t convinced that they will make the top four.
The Gunners were missing Bukayo Saka, Kieran Tierney and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, yet they didn’t lose to the Red Devils.
The draw moves them above Chelsea temporarily to 8th on the league table and just six points off the top four.
But Carragher thinks aiming for the top four is simply too much for this Arsenal team.
He admits that they would expect to play European football next season, but their best chance of playing in the Champions League is winning the Europa League.
He added that the Gunners struggled in the first half against United, but they did well overall.
However, if they finish this season with a Europa League qualification, they would have done well.
Asked what Arteta’s target should be, the pundit said as quoted by Metro Sport: “To be playing European football next season. They are still in the Europa League so that’s an avenue for them for Champions League, there’s no way they’re going to get top four.
“But can they sneak into the Europa League if it goes down to seventh position? I think for Arsenal where they were at the start of this season they wouldn’t be any hope of the title.
“But I think they would’ve wanted to challenge for top four after winning a lot of big games, winning the FA Cup, I think that would’ve been the expectancy to challenge.
“They had such a horrific time the first half of the season. The result (against United) and the performance they’ll be pleased not having their best three players.
“There’s still a long way to go, they’ll be having an eye on next season as well. If they’re in the Europa League next season they’ll have done OK, considering where they were.”
When Aubameyang, Saka and Tierney returns, the Gunners will become better, and perhaps win more games to prove Carragher wrong.
Jamie is correct
How this fool is on tv amazes me after his spitting incident.
Makes me seethe every time I see his scouse mug.
Yes Jamie is correct.
Best we can finish is 7th.
I did say at the start of the season, top 5 or 6 is easily achievable with this squad and winning EL to be the best way into the much needed CL place. I see no reason why non of that is achievable still.
This is the season for clearing the loft of worthless assets.Next season is where we acquire 2/3 quality replacements.The season after is when we become serious challengers.
At Grandad
Honest question
Under Arteta do you see us signing three quality players this summer and where will he put them or who will be replaced.
Quote in headline, CARRAGHER “theres no way they are going to make top four”. Seems definite enough to me and also sound sense . Then the ARTICLE says” Carragher isn’t convince they will make top four”. Obviously he is not as he IS convinved they will NOT. Sigh!
Does anyone think the headlines and the articles have any relatonship with each other? . I have never thought they are even written by the same person and I offer this joke double statement as firm evidence of that view!
It is assumed that all on here care nothing about accurate language and though many never care nor don’t even notice the many discrepancies, I do and don’t appreciate slapdash double talk.
The headline should mean what the article says , not something completely different.
WHO DISAGREES AND IF SO , THEN WHY?
where club toping epl is just 6 point, my boys can do it . whitch them do it
Not a fan of the messenger, but the message is spot on…I believe that we’ve already made too many short-term decisions under the guise that there’s an outside, outside chance of reaching the top 4, instead of focusing squarely on the long-term “vision” of the organization…if by happenchance we achieve such lofty heights, that would be f’ing fantastic, but we can’t pursue it in such a dogged way that we lose sight of our ultimate objective, which is to build an team that can compete for the biggest trophies for many years to come…I’m starting to wonder if just such a plan really exists