Arsenal Fans: not time to groan too much…let’s prepare for the next season! by Aziz
For any Arsenal fan, it was a disappointing end of the season after so much hope to end nearly 20 years without the EPL trophy.
Majority of fans had thought after being at the top of the EPL table, for nearly the whole season, and to be precisely for 248 days, this was our time to lift it. Our time to hold on and outsmart the best team in the Europe, if not in the world, in Manchester City FC.
But listen…, there is no shame to finish second to such a great Manchester City team, many would agree.
We’re finishing second in the EPL standing and back to champions’ league football, and I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank everyone at the club: players, coaches and all fans for their support in achieving this milestone. It was close but no cigar…
And of course, thanks to Just Arsenal News for allowing others and I to air out our thoughts (sometimes not too “pleasant”) during the course of the season, just to push our mighty team to reach that crossing line, exultingly. Nothing else!
I have been one of the optimistic fans out there, thinking this was our time…. and my articles here can underpin that. However, this is not time to shed tears a like little baby, instead we should be looking forward to better things come next season. As long as we do the right signings come summer, we stand a chance to be one-step better than this season. There is always, a next time, guys!
No doubt, this Arsenal team has grown and shown maturity from last season, and it’ll grow again come next season as it’s the youngest team in the league. Let’s don’t underestimate this learning curve this season, just like the one before this season when we missed on the top 4, again in the last weeks of the last season. Some argue that failure last season had propelled them to do like they did this time around and finish second! We hope that this failure (again!) will instil in them a more winning mentality the next season.
Yes, Gary Neville was temporarily appeared a genius by saying we wouldn’t win the EPL, but again he was blatantly wrong by predicting that we wouldn’t finish top 4, let alone challenging Manchester City that close in second.
In the last game today against Wolves, the team needs to show the Arsenal faithful at the Emirates and around the world what this team is capable of, despite the glitches that led to capitulation of recently. They need to win convincingly and set a momentum running for the next season. They need to show the passion to play for that crest. No wonder, some players will be playing for their chances next season, otherwise, they will be sold or loaned out.
No matter what happened, we need to finish this season on a high and avoid doom and gloom.
The future of “ones of our own”, the likes of Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson, just like others is unknown: I’m not sure whereabouts Rob Holding and Fabio Viera are going to play next season. It’s an open secret that Granit Xhaka won’t be at Arsenal next season. Also, so many coming back on-loan players; Folarin Balogun, Marcus Vinicius Oliveira Alencar aka “Marquinhos”, just to name a few, their futures are in the open air…
Further, a plethora of players have been linked to join Arsenal in the summer. High profile ones being Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice, both or one of them. In my opinion, these players can improve Arsenal team if we get them next season. However, there is a bitter fact to take: they are players from rival EPL teams, so they come with hefty price tags and tough negotiations. So, being linked and getting them, are two different things.
All the best for Edu and co in this coming transfer window, choose wisely and buy wisely!
COYG!
Aziz Senzia
A Gooner, from Tanzania
Video – Alfie and Rob are back for the summer transfer window
Here is their first analysis of the summer, where Alfie and Rob discuss and predict every single possible Arsenal incoming and outgoing this summer, including fees and potential destinations for outgoings.
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