Close but just not good enough as Arsenal’s trophy drought continues
The underachieving Gunners need to beef up their ranks with a world-class striker to challenge for honours again
ARSENAL’S season once again ended in bitter disappointment with their hopes for the English Premier League (EPL) title long gone, as well as their dreams of winning the Champions League.
The Gunners were knocked out of Europe’s premier club competition by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), losing both legs in the semi-finals for a 3-1 aggregate defeat. Their EPL challenge also fizzled away weeks ago, as Liverpool sauntered their way to the trophy without much of a fight from the chasing pack.
This marks yet another season without a major trophy for Arsenal and their manager Mikel Arteta, extending their drought to five years.
Their last piece of silverware remains the FA Cup in 2020, won in Arteta’s first season in charge. Since then, there have been two failed EPL title bids, no domestic cup success, and earlier this month, the frustration of a deep European run that ended in heartbreak at the semi-final stage.
When viewed in isolation, Arsenal cannot be viewed as a total failure. They have challenged for the EPL three seasons in a row – especially in the last two campaigns where they remained firmly in the hunt in the final weeks. This season, they even reached the final four in the Champions League, having ousted mighty Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.
Elite clubs, however, are judged by what they win, not what they nearly win.
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Is Arsenal considered a member of European football’s elite, though? One question that many fans are asking is, how can a team that is blessed with so many talented players come so close and still end up with nothing?
Trusting the process and Arteta
When Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City started, and continued, to stumble in the EPL this season, it felt like Arsenal’s time to shine had finally come.
The Gunners have gone 22 years without a top-flight title, and their supporters saw City’s downfall as a golden opportunity. However, it all came to naught as Liverpool wrapped up the title with fewer points than what Arsenal acquired in the last two seasons.
As their EPL quest fizzled out, Arteta naturally went all-in on the Champions League – he rotated his EPL line-ups and managed his players’ minutes with European glory firmly in mind.
As Arsenal went further in the elite competition, their league form began to dip as a result. By chasing continental glory, Arteta’s men ultimately fell short on both fronts.
Still, the Spanish manager remains defiant and insists Arsenal have been the best team in the Champions League this season.
“I’m very proud of the players; 100 per cent I don’t think there’s been a better team in the competition from what I have seen, but we are out,” he said after the loss to PSG in Paris.
His claim was met with scepticism, highlighting the growing frustration among fans and pundits alike.
While Arteta has been widely credited with reviving the club’s identity, a growing segment of the fan base is questioning the lack of end product.
It is certainly absurd to question Arteta’s future as he has restored the club to this level where they are treated as serious contenders. However, the reality is he might only have one more season to prove himself. Whether he can now deliver the club’s ambitions will define his tenure.
And that is the crux of it. This Arsenal team is talented, and undeniably so. But football does not hand out prizes for progress. And that has frustratingly become the story of the Arteta era so far.
A case for optimism
Despite the setbacks, there is definitely genuine reason for cautious optimism. The team is not in crisis, far from it.
Arsenal have one of the youngest and most talented squads in Europe. Bukayo Saka continues to grow into a world-class winger, while Declan Rice has emerged as a true midfield leader. William Saliba and Gabriel Jesus have formed a formidable partnership in defence. Furthermore, the club is also well-run off the pitch.
The focus now shifts to the summer, when Arsenal are expected to be active in the transfer market once again. They are expected to make another major signing, possibly a striker who can bring 20 or 25 goals a season, to finally add the clinical edge they have lacked in the big games.
The club’s next moves – both in the transfer market and in mentality – will be decisive.
The drought continues, but Arsenal are not stuck – they are still climbing. The Gunners are now known as regular contenders, not outsiders. Arsenal’s fans have done as instructed. They have trusted the process. And if the next step is the right one, the years of frustration may soon give away to celebration at long last.
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