by Tony Attwood
So now we know that Arsenal will not be winning anything this season – the fifth year running this has happened. This of course is not the first time we have had a lean spell in terms of trophies – between 2005/6 and 2012/13 Arsenal went eight seasons without a trophy.
And from 1954/5 until 1970/71 Arsenal went 16 years without a trophy. Then they won the double. Which, when we note where Arsenal have been finishing in the league of late, should be a positive thought.
So lean spells, although unwelcome, are not unknown in the club and can lead to better times. But this lean spell has been a little different from others. Having come second two years running there were hopes that this time the club could just take that extra step. Unfortunately, the club’s excellent record in terms of not having many injuries over the two previous seasons suddenly came to an end, and that was a prime reason for hope not being fulfilled.
But we might recall that for three seasons running Arsenal came second between 1999 and 2001 and in the fourth season won the league – so it can be done. And what is interesting is that in those three runners-up years the club got 73, 73 and 70 points consecutively. At the moment with three games to play Arsenal are on 67.
However, in the last two seasons Arsenal got 84 and 89 points in coming second – points totals that were not enough in any year since 2016 except in 2020/21.
So to win the league next season Arsenal not only need to return to the heights of the two previous campaigns but also go better still – and this in an era when one or two clubs are tending to pull away at the top.
Thinking of such matters, and trying to distract myself after the sadness of last night I thought it might be interesting to go back to a set of predictions made. Of course many publications remove their pre-season predictions from their websites long before the season ends, but the BBC are rather good about this and leave their predictions standing. This is how their predictions looked on Thursday, 15 August, with more than two weeks to go until the transfer window shut. 30 people made their choices for the top four teams by the end of the season.
Nine teams featured in the forecasted top fours, but only Manchester City and Arsenal featured in all 30.
The predicted rankings using all 30 BBC predictions were as below, with the current position in the league added by us at the end in brackets.
- Manchester City (3rd)
- Arsenal (2nd)
- Liverpool (League winners)
- Tottenham (16th)
- Manchester United (15th)
- Newcastle (4th)
- Chelsea (5th)
- Aston Villa (7th)
- West Ham (17th)
What this shows is how far out from reality even people who (unlike me) are paid for writing about football can be when it comes to predictions. Tottenham and ManU were ranked as the fourth and fitth strongest teams ahead of the start of the season.
The trouble is of course a lot of predictions are based on emotions, as are the calls for a manager to be removed after a bad game or a bad result. And of course that is what can happen now having been beaten by PSG, Especially after the display of the first 25 minutes or so last night. It did look (to me at least) as if Arsenal could do it.
But one of the most encouraging aspects, beyond the fact that Arsenal actually got to the the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 16 years, was that Arsenal looked like they could go and win the game. OK “looking like” isn’t “winning” but it is still much better than looking hopeless, or not making it to the semi-final at all.
This was the way to play, and it suggested that what Arsenal need are a couple more good back-up players who can take over in the same way when the first-choice players are injured or lose form. Although as I have said before, players that good are not going to be happy sitting around as second-choice operatives. They will want to be playing, and they will know that if Arsenal don’t give them the chance someone else will. It’s a hard one to manage.
Can we do better next season? Yes of course – providing that the squad is not sliced to bits once again by injuries, or Arteta doesn’t leave because of the whinging and whining of the media and some supporters. But there is another worry, for the rest of the league will know how Arsenal were beaten, and the level of tackling will be more severe next season. This leaves Arsenal at the mercy of PGMOL, which as we have seen this season from the analysis of penalties Arsenal win and penalties Arsenal give away, is not a good place to be. Arsenal, in short, are not treated as other clubs, and they need to win despite this.
We got further than any other English teams in Champions League, are still second in league, all despite the number of extended injuries to key players and despite the proven bias of referees (which cost us 15 points, in my estimation). Showed that we were not outclassed by PSG and lost from a combination of bad luck, dubious refereeing and the performance of their world-class keeper.
Of course we should be proud of the squad, and the club’s development of academy players.
The media shite is very much the product of envy from supporters of other clubs, most notably Man Utd and Spurs.
Just keep on moving in the right direction as we have been doing the last 3 years. Surely we will never get the same amount of injuries again to our top players like this season. For the refs…. we know things will not change so we still will have to overcome them…
There’s been undeniable progress under Mikel Arteta—regardless of the noise from Johnny-come-lately plastic naysayers and the clickbait-chasing wannabe “commentators.” While some are quick to throw stones after a disappointing result, the bigger picture tells a different story: Arsenal are on the rise, and the work being done at London Colney is laying the foundation for sustainable, long-term success.
In his post-match interview, Arteta made a key observation—one that cut through the knee-jerk reactionism of social media hot-takes. He said Arsenal “made mistakes in the boxes,” which, decoded, is a clear signal: we need sharper, more clinical options up front. The build-up play, the control, the intensity—it’s all there. But in the critical moments, the Gunners still lack that ruthless edge in both penalty areas, especially in front of goal.
Let’s not forget, last night’s match turned on fine margins. Gianluigi Donnarumma was named Man of the Match for a reason—and by a country mile. He pulled off three world-class saves that kept PSG in the game. Had even one of those gone in, or if Bukayo Saka had buried that golden opportunity, the narrative today could be entirely different. Football is cruel like that—it doesn’t always reward the better side on the night.
Still, the takeaway isn’t despair—it’s clarity. Arsenal aren’t a million miles off. They’re in a position now where a couple of intelligent signings could genuinely take them to the next level. One rumour doing the rounds is that Berta and Arsenal are seriously considering Rory Delap as a backup to Viktor Gyökeres. While not a marquee name, Delap’s potential, physical presence, and versatility could make him a valuable squad addition—and the pursuit of Gyökeres shows Arsenal mean business.
The result last night should not cloud what Arteta has achieved to date. From a disjointed, underperforming squad, he’s built a cohesive, aggressive, and exciting team that competes at the highest level. But ambition demands evolution. The club must be bold and precise in the summer transfer window—because with the right reinforcements, there’s every reason to believe silverware is not just possible, but probable.
Ignore the noise. Arsenal are on the right path.
Trumpsa Tossa
Here here to a wonderful assesment.