Are Arsenal serious contenders for the UCL?
Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal squad have had quite a decent start to The Champions League this season, finishing top of the group and earning automatic qualification into the Round of 16, with still one game to go against PSV. Arsenal hadn’t been in The UCL for six years and what’s been a long journey for Arsenal fans, we finally got back in the competition after our form in the Premier League last season.
What was an exciting time for the Arsenal squad, Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal fans, we finally go back to where we belong, on the biggest stage in Europe. When the group draws came out, in my opinion, we were handed an easier group than most and were favourites to top the group from the get-go. Winning our first match against PSV at home with a 4-0 dominant performance, we started off the competition in fine form and looked like we wanted to prove that we deserved to be there after so long.
The second clash was against RC Lens where we travelled away to France and ended up losing 2-1 in a eventful match that saw us lose our only points in the group stages. Lens came away winners and Arsenal and Arteta faced our first challenge in the UCL this season. Losing Saka early to injury didn’t help and, on the night, looked to throw us out of shape. But it was quickly forgotten as we came back and beat Manchester City in the League and got back to winning form.
We then faced off against Europa League Champions Sevilla away in Spain and walked away 2-1 winners after an intense game of football and again more injuries. Two weeks later we welcomed Sevilla to The Emirates and again walked away winners after a 2-0 win and another comfortable performance from the Gunners.
On Wednesday night we secured our automatic qualification into the round of 16 before the game had even started, taking the pressure off the shoulders of our squad and we walked out and performed like it was a training session. Walking away 6-0 winners, with 6 different goal scorers.
We have our last game against PSV and with qualification already secured, Arteta will be able to give some squad players a run and hopefully be able to rest some players too. But do you now think Arsenalare in with a chance at winning the UCL outright?
There will be some tough competition, with the likes of Bayern, Real Madrid and Manchester City, who all, like us, have already secured their position into the next round and with plenty more competition to join the ranks in the remaining deciding days of the UCL.
Can we win it? I think it’s possible. We will be up there with the teams to beat but we will have to be in perfect form for the knockout stages.
If we don’t end up with some unexpected injuries and such, personally, I think we’re in with a shot to take home our first UCL title.
What’s your thoughts Gooners? Can we win the UCL?
Daisy Mae
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Too soon. Our performance in the second stage would be an indicator of how far we can go. I hope the garffer has the needed experience to pull through.. Epl is no UCL. But considering how other teams have qualified, there is surely a chance for Arsenal and barring injuries to our important players.
i love the optimistic view of your article but i am a realist and think it is a step to far to win the UCL
i stick by my view of when and not if when we win the league, which we have a great chance this season
a great win and great display by the the boys in midweek but there’s an old saying
“one swallow doesn’t make a summer”
a quarter final place or a semi final place to me is a great campaign
hey, MA and the team have proved me wrong on many occasions over the past few season so hopefully they prove me wrong again.
The author has presented a balanced view of our chances. A realist does not have to be pessimistic.
The article’s perspective is largely in line with betting odds which give us realistic chances of winning; even though we are not the favourites.
We’ll need to see the draw for the knock-out stages to see our perceived route before making any predictions of how far we can go.
Just bare in mind Jax, that Arsenal will be without Takehiro Tomiyasu for the 1st Leg that’s played on the 13th of February. He’ll be on International duties for Japan playing in the Asian Cup held in Qatar. The tournament commences on the 10th of January, and finishes on the 12th of February. It’s a pain because the tournament was meant to be held last year in China. It cancelled because of that dreaded VIRUS
Fans (underaged) maybe do so, but Supporters (grown ups) don’t.
Of course we can go all the way and are serious contenders. Depending on many factors, as we know after our history of so so many years of knockout phase football, whether we go all the way may be another story. Many things (some beyond control) must go right for ANY club to become champions.
Anything is possible the transfer window incomings could make us more confident.
We’ll need to be lucky with the draw and we’ll need all our players fit and then we will be a team that other teams want to avoid. I think we can go far and we look to have more space in Europe compared to the prem and we still look solid
I recall many comments from a few months ago suggesting that we’d be lucky to get out of the group
I know our group wasn’t the most dreaded but even so, we have shown a thumping statement of intent
There are plenty of serial winners in the pot but nothing to suggest that we can’t give it a bloody good go at winning. Fail we probably will do but there’s no suggestion that we are making up the numbers