Arsenal endured a frustrating evening on Monday, falling to a 2-0 defeat against Newcastle United following Ben White's own goal and Bruno Guimaraes' close-range finish. The loss all but ended the north Londoners' hopes of qualifying for next season's UEFA Champions League, something that looked unlikely just a week ago when they were four points clear of local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who now sit two points clear in the race for fourth.
It has been a hugely disappointing end to the season for the Gunners but it would still be harsh to claim that Mikel Arteta and Co have underachieved. Rewind back nine months and many pundits predicted Arteta's side to finish outside the top six whilst FiveThirtyEight’s Premier League projection from August 29 claimed that the likes of Everton, Leicester City and Brighton were all more likely to finish in the top four.
Similarly, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville predicted that Arsenal would be the biggest underachievers this season, something that has clearly not come true. “I think they’ve got a good young coach but at the moment I worry about the make-up of the squad, it doesn’t feel right,” Neville told Sky Sports back in August of last year.
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“That’s not because they’ve lost their first two games. They’ve got a mixture of young players that you can imagine are committed, desperate to do well, have got talent.
“And then I think about the guidance I got as a young player at Manchester United, from unbelievable senior players in that dressing room. I don’t think they’ve got the right direction around them in that structure.”
Following back-to-back eighth-placed finishes, most Arsenal supporters would have been content if you told them they would end up fifth this term, something that is looking increasingly likely at this moment in time. A win against Everton on Sunday afternoon would mean the north London outfit finish the season on 69 points, eight more than they managed last season and 13 more than they managed in the 2019/20 campaign.
There is a clear improvement in Arteta's side and considering stars Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe are all 23-years-old or under, it appears highly likely that next season will be even better if technical director Edu can bring in three or four experienced pros to complement their young core. football.london understands that Manchester City frontman Gabriel Jesus is on the club's shortlist, as well as Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans - players that would help improve the spine of a team with a high ceiling.
However, much of the disappointment has been self-inflicted by Arteta and his team and they must learn quickly from their mistakes. The former Manchester City assistant coach has perhaps played the likes of Saka and Odegaard too frequently, something that has likely contributed to the young pair struggling over the last two matches, with both playmakers looking extremely tired against Eddie Howe's men on Monday night.
The Spanish coach must also solve the mentality issues in his team. Arsenal have gone behind on 16 occasions in the Premier League this season, equalling just three times, the lowest tally in the entire English top-flight.
The Gunners appear to crumble when one thing goes against them, whether that is an injury, a refereeing decision or simply just the opposition scoring. This isn't uncommon in a young team but it must improve for them to find their way back into the Champions League.
