A question to Arsenal fans: If Arsenal finish 2nd in the league and having got to the champion league semi final, would you consider this season a failure because the club has not won a trophy? ......
To a certain degree, yes, I would consider it something of a failure, but, the way the post - and question - are both expressed is too blunt, too lacking in nuance, too lacking in subtlety.
However, I large agree with the sentiments expressed by
@Alphazoid, whose post I have taken the liberty of quoting in full.
Do you therefore agree with the article that this season is a failure
There is a difference between "failure", and "relative failure", "absolute failure" "utter failure", and "comparative failure".
On the one hand - by the crude metric of success as measured in securing or winning trophies, titles, silverware, - yes, the season is a failure.
However, as a trajectory, that of a team that is gradually being built, being constructed, or crafted, finally coming together - and playing as a visible unit to a coherent vision, or plan, something which is never the result of a single season, or even, of two or three seasons - then, no, the season is not a failure.
Arsenal are improving, but, so, too, are their opponents.
Rather than a lack of silverware, or titles, what concerns me more is Mikel Arteta's defensiveness, and delusions, - unfortunately, and notwithstanding anything stated by Arteta during his post match press conference - Arsenal were not the better team over the two legs of the Champion's League semi-final.
Even more than that, what concerns me is his clear inability to learn from his mistakes.
Over this season, Arsenal have drawn 13 games: At an elite level, this is utterly unacceptable, especially as an embarrassing number of those draws came from leads that they had allowed to let slip.
Worse still, while Arsenal are good - or, rather, have been good - at scoring from set pieces, when their set-piece maestro (Gabriel Magalhaes) is absent through injury, their capacity to score from set pieces will clearly be compromised.
Worst of all, of course, is the fact that the dogs in the street know - and have known for at least three seasons - that Arsenal have difficulty scoring goals from open play; gifted midfielders - playmakers, midfield generals - cannot be expected to compensate for this deficiency, and creating good chances - while praiseworthy - means little if these good chances cannot be converted into goals.
The fact that Arsenal have not seen fit to address this matter - not seriously - has cost them, not just the title, but their ability to mount any sort of a serious challenge.
Last season they chased the title to the wire, and the previous season, they led the table for much of the season.
However, this season, at no stage have they seriously challenged for the title.
No.
It is a failure.
I may come across as arrogant or entitled here. But qualifying for the champions league is not a bonus, its an expectation (yes we only recently got back in blah blah)
City are also in the UCL places and a semi-final, yet when Pep was asked the question if they can be considered to have had a successful season he categorically said No.
History doesn't remember who got to semi-finals or finished second unless its a comment in passing. The record books remember those who won trophies. You can argue about context but thats the game. And everyone knows it.
ETH spent what...£100m less? assembled a poorer squad, yet still won 2 trophies in back to back seasons. Yes there's added context. Yes they are currently a terrible team. But history will remember Utd winning the EFL cup in 2023 and FA Cup in 2024. And thats that.
I remember the 2005 FA Cup. We were dominated and played off the park by Utd, but we won on penalties. If you ask Google/Bing/Fan/Pundit who won the 2005 FA Cup? the answer is Arsenal with Viera holding the trophy. Thats it.
I've been listening to the chatter and reactions, and he (Arteta) is now officially under pressure. And i think that pressure will ramp up further if Spurs win the Europa League. ALL our so-called rivals have or have had something to play for.
I think even he knows, based on what he's been coming out with recently. I feel for him because he's worked really hard and he genuinely loves the club. And i wish him all the success still. But he needs to read the room.
Its a results business and objectively he simply hasn't delivered. The board haven't helped him at times either. And they seem tone deaf...releasing new merch on the back of a European semi-final loss.
It's starting to feel like Southgate/England at Arsenal...always close but never the cigar.
Well said.
A thoughtful, well-argued post, with which I am broadly in agreement.
