Seems inevitable now. Still plenty of games left to go and time to turn it around, but the reality is we'll be heading into the 20/21 season irrelevant to Tues/Weds/Thursday nights on BT sport.
Looking back at recent history though, could it actually be a good thing?
Take away the "nobody wants to sign for clubs outside of the Champions League" argument, which has been proven wrong time and time again anyway, then a season outside of Europe I feel could seriously help Arteta implent his footprint into the squad.
Take a look at 2 recent Premier League winners, Chelsea in 2017 & Leicester in 2016, we've seen two drastic turnarounds in a calendar year. Both managed to win the league on the back of bringing in a new manager and not having the distraction of European football due to poor finishes the previous season. I don't think it's even about the fatigue from travel or extra games that makes the difference here - playing weekend/mid-week dramitically breaks up the amount of time a manager can spend at the training ground with his players. This is so vital with a new manager who is trying a implement a new identity on his players.
There is no chance we're going to win the league next season, that's not what I'm suggesting. However the aim is to close the gap and get back to being a top 4 side where we can push on again. You look at Liverpool in 2014 when they finished 2nd, again this was a season where they missed out on any European football and it set them on the path to where they are now.
Manchester United too benefited in 2015 from having a season out of Europe, after sacking a manager the previous season and ended up back in the Champions League.
Seen a lot of people say that this current season is a write off for Arteta and I agree. In fact, for the reasons above part of me believes it could be a good thing. Try our look in the Europa League while we're in it; but aside from that I'm just looking for performances to improve, an identity to form and some good recruitment off the field.
A season out of Europe
posted on 29/12/19
comment by Striketeam7 (U18109)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by RonAlvinho - Victoria Concordia Pathetic (U6117)
posted 50 minutes ago
This side is a lot better than it is currently showing. People go on as if we need 11 new players ffs.
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You don’t have a single defender I would want at Spurs and our defence is absolutely atrocious.
You don’t have a central midfielder that would start in our centre of midfield and our central midfielders are atrocious.
I could go on but you get the picture. You are a shoddy woeful rag tag team very light on talent. The worst Arsenal squad since Bruce Riochs brief tenure and to be honest that team was probably better also - so worst Arsenal squad since the early to mid 80s
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Will have to agree with this.
The defence and MF is the worst I have seen in my lifetime
posted on 29/12/19
comment by Striketeam7 (U18109)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by RonAlvinho - Victoria Concordia Pathetic (U6117)
posted 50 minutes ago
This side is a lot better than it is currently showing. People go on as if we need 11 new players ffs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You don’t have a single defender I would want at Spurs and our defence is absolutely atrocious.
You don’t have a central midfielder that would start in our centre of midfield and our central midfielders are atrocious.
I could go on but you get the picture. You are a shoddy woeful rag tag team very light on talent. The worst Arsenal squad since Bruce Riochs brief tenure and to be honest that team was probably better also - so worst Arsenal squad since the early to mid 80s
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Who wants to go to chitty Spurs anyway, our ragtags will still probably win something before your lot.
posted on 29/12/19
comment by Pride of the North (U6803)
posted 2 hours, 7 minutes ago
We arent great, I won’t argue that
One thing we do have in common though is that even whilst not being one of the better teams we’ve still managed to win things.
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So have Arsenal so what?
posted on 29/12/19
comment by Striketeam7 (U18109)
posted 11 minutes ago
comment by RonAlvinho - Victoria Concordia Pathetic (U6117)
posted 50 minutes ago
This side is a lot better than it is currently showing. People go on as if we need 11 new players ffs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You don’t have a single defender I would want at Spurs and our defence is absolutely atrocious.
You don’t have a central midfielder that would start in our centre of midfield and our central midfielders are atrocious.
I could go on but you get the picture. You are a shoddy woeful rag tag team very light on talent. The worst Arsenal squad since Bruce Riochs brief tenure and to be honest that team was probably better also - so worst Arsenal squad since the early to mid 80s
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You regressed massively are shiiiiit with lots of cheats and divers. That is what helped you.
posted on 29/12/19
comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Striketeam7 (U18109)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by RonAlvinho - Victoria Concordia Pathetic (U6117)
posted 50 minutes ago
This side is a lot better than it is currently showing. People go on as if we need 11 new players ffs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You don’t have a single defender I would want at Spurs and our defence is absolutely atrocious.
You don’t have a central midfielder that would start in our centre of midfield and our central midfielders are atrocious.
I could go on but you get the picture. You are a shoddy woeful rag tag team very light on talent. The worst Arsenal squad since Bruce Riochs brief tenure and to be honest that team was probably better also - so worst Arsenal squad since the early to mid 80s
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Who wants to go to chitty Spurs anyway, our ragtags will still probably win something before your lot.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Nah not with your owners, they are doing everything on the cheap. Cheap purchases like Luiz, cheap loan deals for Ceballos, cheap managerial appointments.
Come the summer with no European football they will do things even cheaper - except ticket prices.
I don’t want to turn this into a Spurs vs Arsenal thing as we are playing nearly as bad as you at the moment. It’s more the level of shock at seeing how bad this Arsenal side are and how passive Arsenal fans are to it. Remember what the Liverpool fans were like when Hicks and Gillette forced Hodgson and Konchesky on them.
posted on 29/12/19
Its been obvious for months that any European competition next season is unlikely.
I stand by what Ive been saying for at least a couple of years, our biggest need is a decent CM who can control midfield. Since last season I have added to that, they also need to be able to guide and help the young players.
posted on 29/12/19
Its been obvious for months that any European competition next season is unlikely.
I stand by what Ive been saying for at least a couple of years, our biggest need is a decent CM who can control midfield. Since last season I have added to that, they also need to be able to guide and help the young players.
posted on 29/12/19
comment by Striketeam7 (U18109)
posted 46 minutes ago
comment by RonAlvinho - Victoria Concordia Pathetic (U6117)
posted 50 minutes ago
This side is a lot better than it is currently showing. People go on as if we need 11 new players ffs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You don’t have a single defender I would want at Spurs and our defence is absolutely atrocious.
You don’t have a central midfielder that would start in our centre of midfield and our central midfielders are atrocious.
I could go on but you get the picture. You are a shoddy woeful rag tag team very light on talent. The worst Arsenal squad since Bruce Riochs brief tenure and to be honest that team was probably better also - so worst Arsenal squad since the early to mid 80s
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I disagree with that. Luiz played a blinder today. In the modern game you defend with a system rather than with your 3 or 4 defenders, and we did that very efficiently in the first half. Our strikers were part of the defence, esp Auba. But in he second half most of the team had run out of gas and our defence system collapsed, yet Luiz still performed brilliantly but one defender cam only do so much. Bear I mind it's the same Chelsea that beat Spurs at WHL recently.
posted on 29/12/19
comment by Grand Cannon (U18697)
posted 1 hour, 47 minutes ago
comment by Striketeam7 (U18109)
posted 46 minutes ago
comment by RonAlvinho - Victoria Concordia Pathetic (U6117)
posted 50 minutes ago
This side is a lot better than it is currently showing. People go on as if we need 11 new players ffs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You don’t have a single defender I would want at Spurs and our defence is absolutely atrocious.
You don’t have a central midfielder that would start in our centre of midfield and our central midfielders are atrocious.
I could go on but you get the picture. You are a shoddy woeful rag tag team very light on talent. The worst Arsenal squad since Bruce Riochs brief tenure and to be honest that team was probably better also - so worst Arsenal squad since the early to mid 80s
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I disagree with that. Luiz played a blinder today. In the modern game you defend with a system rather than with your 3 or 4 defenders, and we did that very efficiently in the first half. Our strikers were part of the defence, esp Auba. But in he second half most of the team had run out of gas and our defence system collapsed, yet Luiz still performed brilliantly but one defender cam only do so much. Bear I mind it's the same Chelsea that beat Spurs at WHL recently.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It’s an Arsenal side with 3 clean sheets all season from 20 games
posted on 30/12/19
Forget Europe
The priority is PL survival