Let’s face it, this has been a pretty tough season for Arsenal fans. After finishing outside the Champions League places in May, the signing of Alexandre Lacazette last summer offered some hope of improvement, but it proved a false dawn. A scrappy opening-day victory over Leicester provided a few scares, and successive defeats to Stoke and Liverpool immediately put the Gunners six points behind in the Premier League title race.
That inconsistency has been a feature all season long, but a particularly poor run between January 14 and March 4, in which Arsène Wenger’s men lost five games out of seven in the league, along with a 3-0 defeat in the Carabao Cup Final, seemed to have ended the campaign completely with two months still to go.
Yet after months of disappointing results, something appears to be stirring at The Emirates. A surprise victory at the San Siro was backed up with a convincing victory over AC Milan in London to take the Gunners through to the Europa League quarter-finals in style. That was followed by a healthy 3-0 victory over Watford – opponents that have often given us problems in the past – to steady the ship in the Premier League.
A top four spot still seems unlikely as a 13-point gap is surely too wide to close in the space of eight matches, but a strong finish to the season might at least give the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham something to think about – and, as Manchester United showed last season, the Europa League can be a handy back door to the Champions League.
Certainly, in their current mood, few teams will relish taking on Arsenal. Football punters often like to concentrate on teams that are in form, so fans who check out the live odds at Stakers.com may well find it tempting to back the Gunners during their remaining games.
The fixture list has also panned out nicely. Though they face a trip to Old Trafford at the end of April and potentially tough ties against Leicester and Burnley, the matches against Newcastle, Huddersfield, Southampton, Stoke, and West Ham are likely to be far less challenging. Finishing the season strongly, with the prospect of more new signings in the summer, would send Gunners fans off on their holidays in a mood of optimism.
However, the defining matches in the closing weeks of this season will be in the Europa League. That unexpected win over AC Milan has set up a tough but winnable quarter-final against CSKA Moscow. If they can get through that tie, they would be favorites to beat any of the other six remaining sides – with the possible exception of Atlético Madrid. After the season we have endured, this late burst of progess in Europe is an unexpected but extremely welcome bonus, and if the 2017/18 season delivers us our first European trophy under Wenger, it could end up being one of our most memorable ever campaigns.
And there endeth the lesson for glass 3/4 full party.
For the rest of us more realistic people however things are not so rosy.,.
Chelsea and Tottenham will not be particularly worried about next season. Kane will be looking to extend his goalscoring record against a static defence with out of date zonal marking , and Chelsea will know that if their midfield is fit , Willian , Pedro , Bakayoko , Ampadu not to mention Hazard will have the freedom to run past a midfield more than likely 20 yards out of position for the best part of 90 minutes.
We are currently nearer to the bottom of the table than top with 7 games to go and that sums up our present situation , we are a better than average mid table team.
To improve unfortunately we are going to have to spend really big in our defence and completely rethink our defensive strategy. Arsenal has been stultified by Wenger’s tactical inability to find a system to suit his players as opposed to making players conform to his vision.
We have had many players bought in for their abilities shown for other clubs . Recently we have lost Walcott and the Ox , before it was Arshavin , Baptista , Gervinho even Bendtner. now we are watching Kolasinac , Wilshere, Holding , Welbeck finding their development either stalling or going backwards.
The system is wrong , off the pitch and on it. I heard a pundit query this morning asking why the likes of Ian Wright , Henry , Dixon , Keown are on the outside and not helping the present squad. I just thought “” Ask the man that doesn’t want them too “”
He won’t lessen his grip so :- He’s got to go
Spot on Potter, spot on.
Seems to me that Wenger only wants the ‘Do as you’re told’ Arsenal ex players around him. He’s got to go, on that I think most of us agree…
By the way, today’s post is sponsored. Certainly doesn’t reflect my views…
Great post Rico, one of your best…
Seems that Mkhitaryan has done his medial ligament in his knee, that could be anything between 3 weeks to a season ending 8 weeks, so just as he’s hitting his straps we lose him ffs.
Great post Rico, one of your best…
Tongue in cheek ….Kev ?
You had me going with that post for a minute Rico.
Thought i had landed in the Twilight Zone..
Matt Macey in goal tomorrow?
Deyan Iliev on the bench?
Not sure it’s worth risking Cech in a dead rubber.
Credit where credit is due Potter…
BT, I always thought that Eastbourne was a bit like entering the Twilight Zone…
Cheeky Kev, but funny.. lol
Has to be done every now and again Bt.. lol
Really frustrating re Mikki, just a knock of knees wasn’t it? We’ll miss him..
Evening guys, City champs tonight then.. How easy it’s been for them eh..
Not at all a Sachez inspired 20 minutes and United win and Sanchez gets subbed off.
I watched it, a bit feisty wasn’t it. Sanchez wasn’t happy trudging off…
TTFN…..
Evening Rico and All
Do any of us really care any more,
our once loved Arsenal are a shadow
of The Club we all attached to.
When the camera go’s round the stadium
on match day’s..most of our fan’s look
like day trippers.
I have deep respect for our fans where ever
they come from..But Passion is an every day
tribal thing.
Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner,that I love
London town,
Please do not be offended,if you are not.
The cameras pan round the ground looking for people enjoying their ” Matchday Experience “. In my time I have seen supporters wearing long coats and homburg hats , The raincoats and flat caps , then the flat cap brigade and bobble hats. When I first went the only thing available was a rossette and a rattle your mum knitted a red and white scarf . Look at it now , It’s a complete marketing exercise designed not to get you interested in football but to drag every last penny from your pocket.
Yes it’s a long way from the days we knew Fred and the club have created the whole thing to maximise the potential of the day tripper and their family .
The Arsenal , the way we were brought up has gone . I remember the feeling when I first saw the pitch . I stood at Highbury for ten minutes after the crowd had gone against Wigan. Somehow I knew it would never be the same . Highbury was my home maybe the bowl will be theirs in the future.
.I will still always want to see them winning but the thrill going to matches almost became a chore that I had to do
My illness and the break from going for this year has been relieving , now that I am fitter , I am not sure that I want to go back again.
Hi Fred.
I wonder if fans of other clubs who have moved stadium feel the same?
New post up.