Don't cry for Arsenal

The home team at Emirates Stadium is not complete and losing to Man City in the championship race will help them be stronger next season.

Martin Odegaard is disappointed that Arsenal only finished second in the Premier League.

It is not difficult for people to see that on the closing day of the 2023/24 Premier League, how disappointed Arsenal players were despite winning 2-1 at home against Everton. The “Gunners” experienced an excellent season, even having many statistical indicators that surpassed the club’s own undefeated squad in the past (2003/04).

But, the title is the most important thing in football.

After the applause to show gratitude to the home crowd at the Emirates, head coach Mikel Arteta and captain Martin Odegaard did not smile. They know that this season is a great opportunity for Arsenal to quench their Premier League thirst. However, facing an excellent Man City, the “Gunners” still lacked something.

Impressive season

When Arsenal won the 2003/04 Premier League with an unbeaten record, the team led by Arsene Wenger only won 26 rounds and drew 12 times. Meanwhile, Arsenal in the 2023/24 season won 28 matches with an extremely good goal difference (+62), equal to champion Man City.

No other club in the foggy country is so close to Man City in the championship race this season. No club is undefeated against Pep Guardiola and his team in the Premier League this season, except Arsenal.

The “Gunners” won 1-0 against Man City in the first leg at the Emirates, then held their opponents to a scoreless draw at Etihad in the second leg. Arsenal clearly improved a lot compared to last season.

At the end of the 2022/23 Premier League, the “Gunners” ranked 2nd with 5 points worse than the championship team. This season, the gap between Arsenal and Man City when the tournament ends is only 2 points. Arsenal’s goals, goals lost, and number of wins this season have all improved compared to last year.

Arsenal experienced its best season in the past 20 years.

That’s why Arsenal fans on Sunday still praised and gave praise to Arteta and his students. Fans understand that with a young team like Arsenal right now, everything is still ahead.

The players including Rice, Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes have been together for at least three seasons. That is the necessary cohesion for a strong team.

Over time, Arsenal players will gain more experience to face Man City. Sports Director Edu himself and Arsenal’s leadership will have more lessons to perfect the squad, facing a very wise and selective Man City.

New standard

Over the past two years, Sports Director Edu has proven that with reasonable investment and spending from the Kroenke family, Arsenal is capable of competing with top teams in the transfer market.

Arsenal’s squad this season is not complete, evidenced by the fact that they still lack an excellent striker, or a winger good at scoring goals to share the fire with Saka. By the summer, things will be different if Arsenal adds personnel.

After his first season with Arsenal, Havertz is showing promise and integrating well. There are many grounds for “Gunners” fans to believe that next season, the German spearhead will play even better.

Havertz just spent his first season at Arsenal.

Of course, the most important issue if Arsenal wants to win the championship is that Arteta and his students need to raise their own standards. The home team at Emirates Stadium is facing one of the greatest teams in English football history.

No team in history has won the English championship four times in a row like Pep’s Man City. The blue half of Manchester also holds the Premier League record of 100 points in a season.

If Arsenal wants to win the English championship, they must improve themselves and cannot be satisfied with what is. It is no coincidence that during Klopp’s farewell speech, Pep was in tears with emotion.

Pep said that he was very grateful to Klopp because the competition between the two teams helped the Man City coach reach new heights. Good opponents always make you better.

If Arsenal can use the defeat against Man City as motivation, the young stars of the “Gunners” can reach new heights. So don’t cry for Arsenal. The London team has reason to be optimistic.