Mikel Arteta says Arsenal can take a lot of positives from this season but he now wants the club to press the “reset button” knowing they face a vital summer getting ready for the challenges ahead.
While the pain of failing to win the title is still raw, the Spaniard accepts the progress made in the last 10 months has exceeded expectations, both on and off the pitch.
In an interview with Arsenal.com, he reflected: “We have achieved reaching the Champions League with five or six games to go and we’ve finished second. I think we have developed a lot of players and taken them to a very different stage of their careers and they have contributed to the team exceptionally well. We have created and developed a huge relationship with our fanbase and created something special around the team
“So if I look at it that way, there are a lot of positives to take from the season, probably more than was expected with the capacity, ability and resources the team had. But, as well we spent 248 days on top of the Premier League, and at the end, we didn’t have enough, or show enough, to win it.”
Champions League football coupled with increased expectations on the terraces are sure to add pressure to a young squad that up to now has been learning on the job.
There is a need to add depth in several areas and for the recruitment team to be decisive when the transfer window opens in June. While they’ve done well pivoting to secondary targets in recent transfer windows, they have also struggled at times to get deals over the line for first-choice candidates.
“I think we are in a moment of our journey where we have built a lot,” said Arteta.
“We have a great foundation and we have become really competitive, but now I think it is time to press the reset button, and go again.
“We have to be faster, more determined and ruthless [this summer] because the dimension that opens up now is bigger but the margins are really small so we have to be really smart.”
The Gunners have already been linked with a host of Premier League players including Declan Rice, Mason Mount, Ilkay Gundogan, Joao Cancelo and Moises Caicedo. There are also expected to be high-profile departures with Granit Xhaka leading the way. It’s going to be a hectic few months.
Hit whatever button you need Mikel.
I’d rather be looking for additional quality than a new manager and hoping for CL qualification again.
A fabulous season with a good old kick in the nuts at the finish.
Let’s go again! It could be worse, we could be anyone below us 💪🏻
Brilliant post, well said.
Injuries to a thread bare squad and our running out of steam has been a timely nudge in the ribs to Stan, Josh and Edu that the Process is far from done.
Time to splash the cash and get in the players that Arteta wants – double quick.
Arteta – *presses reset*
Mustafi – Did ya miss me?
*Deep voice, slowly
This Halloween…..
‘Our absence from the Champions League – The Mustafi Years.’
101 Great Goofs, Cockups, Defensive Blunders and Blames.
Out on Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS, Betamax and MI5 Cine Reel this October 31st.
Hide behind the sofa, peep out….and relive those moments when you shouted, screamed, smashed crockery, pissed off the wife, frightened the kids and scared the dog. Your Champions League dream has crumbled to shit yet again…thanks to one man….
Mustafi is gonna Mustafi….and your mates are all gonna have a fucking good laugh at your expense…..
THE MUSTAFI YEARS.
In all seriousness, he doesn’t seem to have had that great a time at Levante so far (he’s barely played). Not sure if he’s been injured, or what.
He might’ve been terrible, but it wasn’t his fault. He was never a dick towards the club, unlike other players who have left previously.
I hope it works out for him at Levante, or somewhere else.
”It wasn’t his fault”…?!
Who else’s fault was it that he couldn’t defend for toffee and constantly blamed the world and his wife for his blatant ineptitude…?
When he joined Arsenal, we dropped out of the Champions League and remained out for the whole duration of his time.
Only now, since his departure, have we returned.
Mustafi, Walcott, Almunia The Trinity of Tragedies.
How these 3 became footballers at this level should show that there is no limit for anyone to do anything.
Wengers 3 botchlings.
Disagree regarding Theo.
He was a fantastic player, just unlucky with injuries and playing in a team depleted of resources and investment whilst the stadium was being paid off.
Nasri, RvP and Cesc all fucking off elsewhere when we needed them, didn’t help him either.
Was really pleased he won some FA Cups with us, scoring the all important first goal in the 2015 final against Villa.
Should have won more, but the odds were stacked against him. Suffered a lot of ignorant abuse too.
He loves The Arsenal and I wish him well.
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts
* Siri play me God did by Dj Khalid*
You can say that again…
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts
As long as we compete for winning the league like Man City, Liverpool and even Chelsea are used to, I am fine. Every year, four teams that can win it with City having a lot more chance than others. It means, we can win once every five years if we play our role.
Basically, you’re right, we have to be there to pounce. The year Leicester won the league, it was because we weren’t ready. All the big clubs failed that year and instead of us lifting the EPL it was Leicester. We need to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
Anybody can explain to me why everybody stops talking about the accusation of financial wrongdoing against Man City? They are being presented as the best team in Europe. Pundits talking to Guardiola almost like: Can I get an autograph?
Why is that Juve gets points deduction and nothing is happening to City?
If they win CL, forget it. Nothing will ever happen to them. Sport world is so corrupt.
Give it time, mate.
115 charges. Just let that sink in.
That’s a lot of information.
It could take months, maybe years, but the truth will out, because if the Premier League are fools enough to brush this under the carpet, then a Government independent enquiry can be made, if enough fans – and let’s face it, there are a few of us – lobby Parliament to act.
It’s public knowledge now. The cat is out of the bag. There’s no escape.
Just give it time…..
Hopefully lessons have been digested.The defence collapsed dramatically from the saints game.I believe MA failed to rotate the players.
The danger of MC making the epl a mockery shd spur the FA to level the playing field.
I see Man City only managed a draw against Brighton tonight, leaving them 8 points ahead. Had we beaten Brighton and Forest we would now be only 2 points behind City going into the final game of the season. And who knows?
Pathetic capitulation by our “stars” over the last few weeks.
I don’t trust this group of players. They could win their first 15 PL games next season and I still wouldn’t feel confident about them winning the title.
Arteta can “reset” all he likes: his players are a bunch of chokers.
No. Because then they would have beaten Brighton. Had City lost to Everton, we would have probably beaten Brighton too. We lost the title at City and that was that. Maybe they choked, but isn’t it also expected that an inexperienced team will drop off because its their first title race on the account of them being young and inexperienced?
Partly agree, we lost it when failed to win against Southampton,
I think it started at West Ham to be fair. The draw at Liverpool isn’t a bad result. Saka missing that penalty at West Ham was the beginning of the end in my opinion. Not having a go at Saka at all.
This team have shown us they are able to learn from previous mistakes and come back stronger. If you have no faith in the team being better next season with a few key upgrades then I really don’t understand why you would be a fan.
Let me put it this way, there are people out there who support Spurs who are more optimistic about their awful little team than you are about our wonderful set of lads who are pushing for greatness. It must be exhausting always looking for the negatives in what has been an extremely positive season.
It’s not exhausting for Fats, he’s always negative. Comes by it naturally.
One more time, who would you get rid of? From your latest diatribe I assume everyone?
Makes me think of Blogs’ twitter character “everything is shiiiiiiiiit”.
Fats, the 1st part of your post is a bit of a stretch. City left their number 1 on the bench, taking de Bruyne and Foden off before the hour mark, Guardiola hugging opponent coaches and players at the end. There was no pressure on City to win, except pride. Having said that, I agree more with the sentiment of your second part. Not the bit at the end about chokers, but I also don’t quite trust these players. They didn’t play like they believed they still had the chance after those damaging draws and the loss at City. After… Read more »
Pep was yellow carded for moaning about Haaland’s tug when he ‘scored’ … wot a cardigan wearing twat he really is. Come on Inter but not Manure.
When City are docked 12 points for doping/cheating we win the league by one even if we lose to Wolves and I wont hate Lee ‘Ivan Toney’ Mason for not doing a second line. Onwards next season at least we have a team to be excited about
Fats mate.
City rested a number of players last night – that wasn’t their normal Premiership strength.
If you’re going to deal in What Ifs, then at least consider what would have happened IF Saliba, Tommi, Zinchenko and Martinelli hadn’t been crocked during the run in.
Based on what went prior to them being crocked, we’d have had the title sewn up by now.
And it’s a fair bet that you wouldn’t be labelling them all ‘bottlers’ ‘losers’ and, your latest offering of support, ‘chokers.’
We were in the position we were in because we got an almost unbelievable 50 points in the first half of the season. If we had continued that pace, we probably (only probably!) would have won the league. But failing to get 100 points is not choking. Compared to the past 30 or 50 years of English football, we were in a situation where we could drop a few points, as we did, and still easily win the league (I’m excluding the last few weeks, when the challenge was realistically over). But that’s not true anymore. Look at how well… Read more »
I doubt they’d have dropped points had they actually needed them.
I knew we were done when we were giving Liverpool and Klopp the ramming from behind for 30 minutes, and then Xhaka bent over, dropped his pants, “come on lads, you have a go.”
and boy did they! They gave our holes a punishing, and the title went up in smoke.
Pep as jolly as can be.
Actually, he didn’t. Alexander Arnold, however, was being a wind up and Xhaka reacted.
That, however, was not responsible for Gabriel being caught out by Salah for Liverpool’s first goal. Had Saliba been fit, we probably would have kept a clean sheet and scored the third and possibly the fourth.
Fine margins decide the trajectory of the title. Saliba and Tommi shouldn’t have played against Sporting. That’s where we lost the title.
Shoe seemed to be on the other foot this season regarding my spurs/chelsea workmates, the glee they got from our demise was they’re saving grace on their miserable season, anyone but us was their mantra, apart from wearing my Arsenal shirt in the tearoom every Monday morning i kept my inner joy low key (“yeh i thought we played well”) while munching on my toast not engaging about how they thought we were lucky.. Obviously it has been disappointing in not being able to see it through but this has been a fantastic season for us, over achieved ? you… Read more »
I even got crap from a mate who supports Leyton Orient.
I did warn him though, that his newly promoted team had now better go unbeaten in the league next season – or I will be in his ear reminding him of what a pile of shit he supports.
BTW, Tomas Rosicky who ended up career on the same day as Arteta, finally made it. After long nine years Sparta Prague won Czech league with him as sports director. Big satisfaction for him for what he had to hear through.Congrats.
Oh, that’s nice to hear (especially as Super Tom has always been my favourite player of the Emirates era).
I thought I’d heard the Sparta fans had it in for him not so long ago? Shows how fickle a lot of us are as football fans (kudos to anyone who isn’t).
Off Topic but….. Arne Slot has become the latest in an ever-growing line of managers to turn down the post of coaching those delusional cunts up the Seven Sisters road. STOP PRESS 🚨 Fred Mumford, manager of the Cock and Bull, Braughing, has also just turned down the chance of the Tottenham hot seat. When questioned by one of our scoops, Mr Mumford was in no mood to reciprocate, despite the unfounded rumours. “Nah mate, I am NOT interested in managing Tottenham Hotspur. I mean, let’s face it, who in his right mind would want that job? Working for Daniel… Read more »
Hit the Seagulls fighting spirit button, please!
Last season we lost out on CL – and the response this season was phenomenal
This season we lost out on PL – I believe the response will be just as good
“We have created and developed a huge relationship with our fanbase” … after that early Brighton exodus?? Are you sure Mik??
So the majority of the season, including Bournemouth at home, Villa away, Man Utd at home, Liverpool at home, Chelsea away and the Spuds gone and away, completely passed you by…..? 😂