As the season draws to a close Arsenal face a defining couple of months that will dictate the short-term future of the club. It is vital that the Gunners qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Arsenal fans may point to the fact that they haven’t made it past the first knockout round for the better half of a decade, and so what would be the point of qualifying again if they can’t compete with the top teams anyway. However, there are so many reasons why a top four finish is a must for Arsenal this year.
Firstly, there is such competition in the Premier League these days. When you consider the top 6 teams, and the emerging Everton, next year will be harder than ever to finish in the top four, and hopefully mount a title challenge. Arsenal will need to make sure they are in as good a shape as possible going into the next campaign if they are to have a strong league season.
If the Gunners miss out on the top four they will likely have finished in a spot that ensures Europa League qualification, a real poisoned chalice. Qualifying for Europe’s second most prestigious club competition means a Thursday – Sunday schedule for a considerable amount of the season, making the league campaign extremely difficult to manage and find consistency.
Another important reason to qualify is the futures of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, both of their contracts are up at the end of next season, and both will need some convincing to extend their stay at the Emirates. Having no Champions League football on offer next term will make that task even harder. Europe’s big boys will be asking the question regardless this summer, and not being in the Champions League will make it more likely that the pair will push for a move elsewhere.
Not only will they find it harder to keep hold of their star men, they will also find it harder to attract the sort of players that can take them to the next level. Sanchez and Ozil are reportedly requesting major investment in the squad this summer to convince them to stay. Top players usually have a lot of options and so Arsenal will likely face competition from teams that are in the Champions League for their signatures.
With huge games against in form Leicester and Everton, as well as fierce rivals Tottenham and top four rivals United to come, Arsenal will need to show more than they have in recent weeks to make the top four, so that they don’t face the problems that have been touched on.
The Gunners last game against West Ham was a good start; they played with a swagger and flair that hasn’t been seen at the Emirates for many months. More of the same in the coming weeks should see them qualify for Europe’s premier club competition, ahead of a vital year for the club.