The 2020-21 season could conceivably have been worse for Arsenal, but only just. With three Premier League games remaining, they are in ninth place, six points short of a Europa League spot, with very little left to play for after their timid exit from this year's Europa tournament.
Thrown in the club's involvement with the fiasco that was the short-lived European Super League, which further alienated fans and a beleaguered manager whose reputation as a rising talent of the European coaching ranks has been seriously damaged, and this campaign will be one that everyone at the Emirates Stadium will be hoping to forget.
Mikel Arteta has reportedly been backed by the club hierarchy, which at least offers a degree of stability, but fans will be expecting a major improvement next time round, and although Arteta has apparently been plotting an overhaul of the squad, much of that is likely to be forced on him as it seems the playing staff will be hit by some big departures with a number of stars set to leave.
Calum Chambers, David Luiz, Eddie Nketiah, Hector Bellerin and Alexandre Lacazette are all reported to be on the way out of the Emirates, leaving Arteta with some immediate holes to fill. Genk forward Paul Onuachu has been lined up as a possible attacking reinforcement, while the loss of both main right back Bellerin and Chambers would leave the club looking at alternative options in that position, such as Achraf Hakimi and Tariq Lamptey.
Arsenal fans will, however, remain sceptical about the club's ability to make successful transfer market forays. It is well known that the team had issues selling players in past years and their overall record during the past five seasons does not look encouraging. The Gunners have a net transfer spend of £308.6 million during that time, considerably more than Liverpool and Chelsea, with a much poorer return. So can Arteta and the club prove the doubters wrong this season?
Not according to the bookmakers. Anyone betting on the Premier League in a renowned place like the Grosvenor betting app will find Arsenal the seventh or eighth favourite to win the title in 2021/22. Expectations could not be lower, which may, perversely, count in Arteta's favour, assuming he can avoid a slow start to the new season.
The Gunners will not be expected to challenge for the Premier League next season, and at this point, most Arsenal fans would suggest a top four spot represents a major leap forward. If that is going to be achieved, however, there are two obvious issues to address.
The first is the squad. Arsene Wenger left a group of players who possessed high technical abilities, but whose resolve and mental strength was frequently questioned. Despite spending a lot of money since Wenger's departure, neither Unai Emery nor Mikel Arteta have been able to shake off that reputation. Occasionally brilliant going forward, lightweight at the back and prone to let their fans down in the biggest games, this Arsenal squad seems remarkably similar to Wenger's group.
Then there is the manager himself. Arteta arrived at the Emirates Stadium with an excellent reputation, but his stock among Arsenal fans has steadily diminished, not least because he has failed to reshape the squad. Just as significantly, he has earned a reputation for inexplicable team selections and an inflexible approach to tactics.
A squad packed with fast, pacy forward players, but little of substance in midfield, might be well suited to a counter-attacking style, but Arteta has too often had them playing keep-ball in front of opposing defences, before inevitably losing the ball and being stretched at the back.
If there is to be a revival, it might be built on some home grown talent. Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, along with the on-loan Joe Willock, offer a glimpse of one potential future. Younger players might also be more amenable to the Arteta tactical framework, while bringing a dose of energy and enthusiasm to the squad. Given time, it is possible that he could build an interesting blend that could see the Gunners return to the top four. Time though, may not be on his side.
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