Well the season has ended and there is no doubt that the mystery surrounding the future of Arsene Wenger had a negative impact on Arsenal’s campaign. The Gunners finished with their now traditional late season winning streak which usually allows them to seal a top 4 place and often means an FA Cup win too (as it did this season) but due to their poor form in the early part of the year and the good form of their rivals meant that the gap was too great for them to overcome and secure Champions League qualification.
Arsenal won their last five Premier League games in a row and actually won eight of their last ten league matches but it was still not enough to get them into the top 4. Last season a similar run of late season form saw the Gunners ultimately pip Tottenham for second place with their last day win coupled with the loss Spurs suffered to Newcastle.
Now that Arsene Wenger has been confirmed as the boss at least for the next two years it should provide Arsenal with some stability and remove the constant questions which the manager and players had to endure through the last half of this season.
As shown by Chelsea missing out on the Champions League and indeed all European competition, it allowed Antonio Conte to focus entirely on domestic matters and hence the Italian led his new team to a comfortable win in the Premier League and almost to a League and FA Cup double – which only Arsenal denied them of with their fine win last Saturday. Arsenal actually had a good record against the Champions this season as they won 2 games and only lost once.
Arsenal also can learn something from Manchester United after Jose Mourinho guided United to winning the Europa League this season. Arsenal are clearly still very much a force in European football despite what some pundits and bloggers have written lately.
With the pressure of the constant questioning of Arsene Wenger’s future off now, Arsenal should be able to secure a top 4 finish next season and with it Champions League qualification but they have a great chance of winning the Europa League – a view which is also shared by the bookies. Browsing through the top bookmakers at www.bestbettingsites.uk you can see that Arsenal are clear favourites to win the Europa League next season which makes sense with the recent success of Premier League teams in the competition which has gone under the radar really.
Wins from United this campaign and by Chelsea back in 2013 plus Liverpool were beaten finalists in the 2016 edition indicates Arsenal are more than capable of winning the Europa League and getting into the Champions League for the 2018/19 season plus those three clubs have shown there is really no reason why the Gunners won’t be able to sign the transfer targets they want as long as they are prepared to pay the wages necessary to attract the player. The transfer fees for top players should not be an issue due to the club’s solid financial situation.
Most players are prepared to miss out on the Champions League for a season as long as they can see the club are in good shape and have all other things going for them which you would have to say is the case for Arsenal now that Arsene Wenger has signed on the dotted line and after their FA Cup win over Chelsea where they looked like the better side.
So Arsenal should be looking at next season as an opportunity rather than a tragedy as the lack of Champions League football could be a blessing allowing them to possibly lift the Europa League title and/or prioritize the Premier League title.