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2019 was definitely a year to forget for Arsenal. The Gunners messed up a supposedly ‘easy’ run in to miss out on the top 4 and then followed that up with a miserable 4-1 defeat in the Europa League final. Add to that, their worst ever Premier League start to the 2019/20 campaign and there’s no reason why any Arsenal fan would look back at 2019 for inspiration.
2020 has however started off in much different fashion for the Gunners. The appointment of Mikel Arteta spurred them on to win a massive game at home to Manchester United. That’s a starting point but for the year to be deemed as a success, there are certain things the Arsenal faithful want to see. Here are the 3 things that must happen for Arsenal to consider this calendar year 2020 a success.
#3 Winning Europa League
For a club in Arsenal’s current state, there’s no silverware they can currently turn a nose up at. Fans love silverware and the Gunners haven’t always been fruitful in that department, especially when it pertains to European trophies. Although the new manager seems to be already working his magic on this Arsenal squad, a top 4 finish is highly unlikely. Subsequently, Arsenal is not on course to return to the UCL next season. Unless the team channels all its efforts into winning the Europa League.
The year 2020 will automatically be a success if Arsenal wins silverware, especially the UEL as it offers a route back into the promised land. Last season, Arsenal fans initially downplayed the importance of winning the trophy until they saw they had messed up their top 4 spot in the league.
#2 Ending the year in the Top 4
It’s incredible to think that Arsenal is currently in their third season without Champions League football. A competition they once took for granted has now become their ultimate goal. Usually, Arsenal would finish in the top four and qualify for the UCL on a consistent basis. With that, there was a flow of constant extra TV revenue, an income flow that made the Kroenkes complacent. However, now the fight for top 4 has never been fiercer, with five teams fighting for the two spots after Manchester City and Liverpool.
Going into 2020, Arsenal were positioned 11th in the league, to finish the calendar year in the top 4 would be huge progress. Not only would it be progress, but it’d also be a success because, at the moment, they’re nowhere near to achieving such a feat.
#1 Mikel Arteta needs to be backed by the board
It’s pretty fair to say that Arsène Wenger was undoubtedly made a scapegoat for the failure of the board. The Frenchman had the intention and ambition to take the Gunners further but was not always backed by those higher up. If Arsenal is to make any progress this season, Arteta must be fully backed by the board. It’s all well and good hiring a technical director, but without the funds being invested where Arteta wants them, it’s in vain.
The new Arsenal manager has already made it clear that he’s seeking to bring in defensive reinforcements. Arsenal fans don’t just want reinforcements, they want a world-class CB that will go straight into the starting XI. All those at the club must be singing from the same hymn sheet. If not, the promising start made by the new manager will soon be a distant memory. The desire to win the league must be seen from top to bottom, not just through the manager.
