Arsenal’s very last game of the season was another must-win and they went straight into full scale attack after the whistle.
Within 5 minutes we had come close to putting pressure on City by taking the lead, but then the dreaded news came in that Phil Foden had scored at the Etihad.
But we didnt let up, with another couple of great chances foiled by Pickford and it wasn’t until the 15th minute till we saw the Toffees anywhere near Raya’s box.
The wind was taken off our sails again when Foden doubled city’s lead and then we knew we had no chance of the title.
On the half hour we got a scare ourselves when Calvert Lewin broke into our box and deftly got his shot past Raya but hit the post. He was first to the rebound as well and somehow hit the post again!
We went straight back the other end and Martinelli had a half chance but fell badly and took a while to stand up to limp to the sidelines.
Luckily he was okay…
5 minutes later Everton burst into our half and Partey was forced into a professional foul. That turned out badly with the resulting free kick getting deflected by Declan Rice and suddenly we were losing 1-0.
Àrsenal bounced back quickly with a screamer from Tomiyasu putting us level and calming the nerves. Straight away we hear that West Ham have pulled one back and we can still have a little hope again. What more motivation do Arsenal need going in to the break?
The second half started lively with Havertz getting his head to a Martinelli cross but couldn’t place it well.
Arsenal continued the press but always with the danger of another Everton breakaway but we began to make some sloppy paases and the Blues looking stronger.
Just before the hour mark Gabriel went down and he may have been crockled in a tussle with Doucore which resulted in the Everton man getting a yellow card.
Zinchenko was quickly brought on as his replacement and we then heard of City’s third goal.
Everton then broke away again and Raya had to make a flying save from Calvert Lewin and then Arsenal were back down the other end desperately looking for the winner.
Martinelli floated in another and Havertz caught it right but agonisingly heading at the bar. With 20 minutes to go Timber and Smith Rowe were introduced to go all out. And then we got Jesus on the pitch to try and break through in the last 12 minutes.
We had a little scare when somehow a threatening free kick from Arsenal ended up scambling at the back with Raya all at sea.
I must say Everton have been great defensively and are dealing well with set pieces.
Havertz got anothr cross from Martinelli but ended up kicking the post in Frustration at his wayward header.
We heard West Ham had a goal disallowed but then Havertz finally scored but it looked like Jesus handled it in the buildup but the referee said no.
2-1 at last with just 5 mins added on to go.
Oh well. At least we finished with our most points and goals in a season since the Invincibles but sadly no trophy to go with it….
I’m proud of the boys
Great to end the season with a win
2nd with just 2 points behind is tough to deal with mentally but we did very well this season
Congratulations to City
COYG!!!
Long season, we only lost ONCE in the PL from January to May. That is amazing run. Our bane was the double defeat at the end of December.
Let’s hope for a striker, midfielder and possibly a versatile defender in the summer and we’re good to go !
Great season, was too big a task to hope for a drop in points after the Villa loss. Getting closer and closer to being a team that can win the league though. Only today’s game, it shows we still need to be active in the transfer market. Saka out and we have no real alternative to him yet. Still waiting on Martinelli to progress as a player, and as great as Leo is at scoring goals he can disappear in certain occasions. Odegaard still the man that stitches this whole team together. lets hope next season we can go all the way.
I thought Martinelli had a good game, especilly so in the 2nd half,
…especially so
best of the front line today and showed some form, but was talking about his season overall, well below the standards he’s set for himself.
👍
Jax, what did Martinelli do? He has no end product. You dont win leagues with wasteful players. The lad has all the talent and no finesse.
,Martinelli had an excellent second half, though not so much earlier on.
Cleary he has enough talent and wont be sold or demoted, despite your odd comment. He laid on many chances in thr secondhalf.
If doing that is not “finesse”, then I think you are being far too unfairly critical, not for the first time either.
Agree Jon
I thought he was direct and went at the defenders and had a couple nice crosses; Havertz missed a header and no one ran to the back post on another.
Don’t see a problem with Martinelli, had a better game than Trossard today.
However, Trossard is our best finisher, no one else comes close.
Hoping Martinelli finds his shooting boots. I can see him becoming our Christiano Ronaldo. Next season will be his season, we just need to switch him up front, where he plays for Brazil ♥️🤍
That Aston Villa game at the emirates. We have won it.
Arteta’s rotation is that match cost us 3 points. He needs to learn from this.
Two signings are needed.
Osimhen
Bruno Guimeras
I mean we should have won that Aston Villa game. But the rotation by Arteta cost us the 3 points.
Couldn’t disagree more about the Villa game in regards to rotation.
Firstly, we still had a really strong starting XI, and secondly, we absolutely battered them in that first half. How was it Arteta’s fault that no one could just put one chance away?
Game should have been over at half-time. However, Arteta does deserve criticism for not being able to change things up in what was a dreadful second half.
Because he had Jesus a striker who is pathetic at scoring, and moved an in form Havertz back to midfield where he was average.
Why tinker with a successful lineup? Needless change that cost us.
Why not complete the stupidity and play Partey at RB, and bench Gabriel in favor of White at CB.
Needless tinkering that resulted in underperforming at a crucial time. Blame on players for stumbling, and blame on Arteta by needlessly tinkering again.
no way Edu is going for Osimhen, forget that
Agree 100%
When it was in our hands against Villa we fluffed it. City were perfect. It’s what was required. Disappointed, but I expected it so I’m not too sad. Looking at it unbiased our squad needs a lot of improvement.
We just don’t have the quality they do, we lack match winners who can nick a goal from nowhere. We hardly use the bench. Honestly a lot of the bench will be lucky to be here at all next year. Hopefully we invest again, and try and cut the quality gap. We need proven winners. Players for the now. Sadly it’s hoping on next season again.
Agree with your points and I hope lesson has been learnt.
We also have to acknowledge the fact that the margin between us and City has reduced significantly.
The only thing we can do is to keep improving.
I’m happy about fact Pep will be around for next season. I want us to win it while he’s still here and with a game or two to spare.
Not too much to dream of.
I dont suppose you have considered the possibility- I say the LIKELIHOOD- that City wil start next season with a large points deduction , due to their 115 CHARGES.
I have considered that and think us FIRM FAVOURITES ALREADY for next seasons title.
It is also far from impossible that this and last seasons title wins will be nullified when they are found guilty. It happened to Juventus, so there is a precedent!
Epl is a disgrace for not taking action earlier on so many charges against city. Either they are acquitted or found guilty. EPL is no longer the best league in the world.
Timber today was like a new signing.
Fabulous player.
League tables do not lie
I point off Fulham
Zero off Villa
Very small margins.
Still very proud of our famous classy club
Arteta couldn’t handle matured players when he had them. He had problems with them all. They won him FA Cup he did not work for.
When Le Professor was using young players, it was for a different reason, and no matter how much they put in, it was faced with all forms of hefty sentimental battles brought to the field, to wrestle the artistic panache of those talented young players then.
Even Gourdiola never do away with experienced player that he had no replacement for, he endured them until a convenient time.
So near yet so far
Last run of games after the villa loss looked really tough, but we won them all. Shows the villa loss was a “blip” and the mentality is right imo. We were beaten by the better side, but not by much and the players should be proud to have taken them to the last game.
Overall an excellent EPL season and we’re well set up to go again next year.
89 points and nothing to show for it. Such a cruel game!!! I’m going to watch the golf to wind down.
Very heartbroken but we have to accept it and move on. We go again next season. COYG!
Gutted to miss out once again, after coming so close. But at least we didn’t buckle this time around. We fought it out till the end. Well done to Mikel and the lads. Take a bow…
We come back next season stronger.
“Onwards and upwards”…
I don’t understand you.. we would have been champions if we didn’t buckle
A ludicrous way to look at our massive improvement that all WISE fans can easily see!!
We took the challenge to the last day. Finished two points behind with equal goal difference. Same position yes but an improvement compared to last season. How many times do we see the title won on the last day?
It can’t be said that we bottled this compared to the last.
@NY Gunner you were right when you said City were going to eat our goal difference in the last games.
We have finished second and without a trophy same to last season. Is that progress? More points, same position, does it make a difference? Probably, probably not🤷🏼
Difference was we never collapsed and were strong in the final few games.
For some people ‘The Invincibles’ have totally obscured what should be considered a good season. Be realistic, there’s a few results that could have been better, but it still went to the last day and had we not lost to Villa we would have won.
No team, or player, has a right to win anything, the most you can ask for is to be competitive and hope things go your way. Had Spurs maintained their run of results at home to City we would be champions. So wind you neck in, stop moaning, and get some sense of reason. Someone has to come second.
We didn’t lose the league today, we lost it after xmas. Another year and no trophy. We dont look to have any real weakness but we dont look like winning anything either. It will be an interesting summer. We need a goalkeeper, we need to out the players who are not getting regular opportunities in the first team. ESR, Nketiah, Zinchenko, Ramsdale, Vierra, Kivior and Jesus need shipping. If Partey isn’t being kept, that position is probably THE most significant position. Partey is a massive player and he will need a massive player, to replace him. Haverz is an interesting one because he has done well as a false 9 but he isn’t a n09. We need a top top finisher, as shown today, our finishing is not clinical. Yes we have scored a lot of goals this season but we are not clinical. Big summer needed. Our first 11 isnt bad but it hasn’t won anything yet and our cup form is dismal. Well done on runners up again, but that can’t be good enough, however we look at it.
Well said
So Reggie, that would mean having to sign 7 new players, of which 3 would have to be homegrown. In all honesty, I can’t see the club selling all of those players.
HD, its not my problem but we have to have better players than them in the wings, to get better out of what we have. We all know, they are not good enough.
The problem there is apart from the header that hit the bar he didn’t exactly have anything to feed off and was still in the right place at the right time for the goal. Havertz could and can be improved on with a better cf but Havertz is closer to a top cf than Martinelli/Trossard are to top wingers. Getting a top quality left sided player that can change the dynamic of a game out of nothing Improves is more than a top cf and still having the same wingers on the left. Now is the perfect time to go all out and bring in Leao from Milan. The guy has an everything and doesn’t take away what’s already working for us already. We are a top top team and only signing the very best will improve us.
Reggie, I just can’t agree. Yes, points were dropped between Christmas and New Year against teams we really should have beaten but the team then went on to drop 5 points since the turn of the year. Our record in 2024 is incredible!
I thought when he was signed and believe it even more firmly now that Arteta should stick with Havertz up front. He might score half the goals Haaland does but he is more than twice the player. Nketiah is a more natural finisher than Havertz but can’t score in this team. Be careful what you wish for.
It’s a shame we never won the PL this season, but we’ve pushed the 115 charged lot all the way. Shame about the 2 draws at home earlier in the season against Fulham and that lot from N17, as those 4 points dropped proved vital.
🤞crossed next season we can end up one place higher.
Onwards and upwards with The Arsenal, through thick and thin.
Well said HD. It wasn’t the result I was hoping for but Ibiza was fabulous with my sons
Next year will be interesting
Hi SueP. Glad to hear you had a nice time in Ibiza with your sons.
Agree with you about next season, a couple of new signings, whoever Arteta thinks will bolster the squad, and we’re ready to go again.
Long live Football Association and the FFP rules that prevent cheating in the ball game! Crook teams like Everton och Forest should be behind bars, so decent players can play and decent people can watch decent players play.
And if the babyblues win the FA cup final too maybe Arsenal will be invited to Community Shield again – and get another little “throphy”.
Then we can live happily ever after.
A great season everyone!!!!!,
but sadly no cigar.
We were not quite consistent enough his year, but hopefully with the right summer signings, next season we can get over the line.
There was an interesting picture at the end of the game,
Zinc, Jesus and Viera were standing together and talking with sad expressions.
I wonder if they were discussing where each one might be next season.
Again, a great season y’all, and hopefully I can catch an Arsenal game over here in the states this summer
Love this team, and so proud of back-to-back title challenges. Amazing when you think of how far our club was behind City when Arteta took over.
The whole league has been tainted because of City. Watching the very organization that has charged them 115 times, hand over their crown jewels to City yet again, just feels wrong on every level.
Of course due process is needed, and I do believe in innocent until proven guilty, but I am well aware of how corrupt the judiciary system is, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that something dodgy was going on with spending when you consider that City did not have a global appeal, and were not a big club.
Agree, it’s really annoying that a club has blatantly cheated but the league is so full of itself and corrupt they will try to give them the lightest possible punishment because they know relegating City would hurt EPL brand (even if its just temporarily). Liverpool and Arsenal have been robbed titles by a corrupt organization. And many of their 115 charges are because they REFUSED to cooperate with the league! Obviously due process is needed, but you don’t refuse to cooperate with the league multiple times if you have nothing to hide. Let’s hope we ACTUALLY see them get punished as SOON AS POSSIBLE! If they dont’ why should anyone take English football rule seriously? Why would anyone follow the rules going forward?
Nothing to complain about, just very happy and thankful. We have become a massive team and we are going to get better 🔴⚪️🫶
Thank you Arsenal FC you have me proud and optimistic. We are going to be successful no doubt, we have become a massive team. Love it. Keep up the good work according to rules, and win titles with no need of layers 🔴⚪️
We love you Arsenal, we do,
We love you Arsenal, we do,
We love you Arsenal, we do,
Oh Arsenal we love you…
So the Big German came to our rescue again, that £65 mil paid for his service, seems like distance memories now.
If one is to believe his best years are still ahead of him, then phase five is really taking shape.
We fell short in the end but can’t fault the players for a great season pushed City to the limit so Arsenal fans just continue to trust the process Arteta will win Arsenal the prem league!
No such thing as a “PHASE” in FOOTBALL. Never has been,,, never will be. It’s all Arsenal MEDIA PR TEAM with the nonsense of,” TRUST THE PROCESS “. And Arsenal supporters and fans are so gullible to take the bait and be BRAINWASHED. What it all allows,,, is for CERTAIN PEOPLE to move the GOALPOSTS at the end of each season when there are NO TROPHIES in the CABINET. When you win TROPHIES it allows you to have BRAGGING RIGHTS. Reaching 2nd place and 2nd place consecutively isn’t a TROPHY,,, not unless CERTAIN PEOPLE have moved the GOALPOSTS as they usually do to suit their AGENDA. Basically coming 2nd usually means you are the first to LOSE. People never remember who came second. Yet certain Arsenal SUPPORTERS/FANS will make you believe Arsenal are SUCCESSFUL coming SECOND and SECOND. Maybe add a CARABAO CUP, and an FA CUP trophy to those two SECOND PLACES,,and YES, it is a SUCCESSFUL season. No TROPHIES = UNSUCCESSFUL season. That is what ELITE football is all about. It’s all about WINNING. THERE ARE NO PRISES FOR COMING SECOND. I know alot of elderly ARSENAL SEASON TICKET HOLDERS who have been going to ARSENAL MATCHES for Decades. They are not exactly happy little Vegemites. Can’t really blame them
Hi pjennings
I agree and disagree in certain aspects of your post. Nobody remembers who finished second, only the team that did remember the pain of it.
Where I disagree with you is that from the position we were in, there was nil likelihood of finishing first particularly as we hadn’t finished first in two decades. During that time we had – for the most part – one manager – and secondly other clubs were more successful due to huge investment and canny ownership. The fact that just Leicester were a curve ball moment in history, are only one in a handful of others to have lifted the trophy
The process that you scoff at, or in fact think I have been brainwashed is something that has had to happen. You may think that Arteta, and before him, the experienced Emery should have brought glory without any sort of process. My view was that the behaviour exhibited by some senior players was distinctly counterproductive to the future of the club and made any chance of the winning less and less likely.
Arteta promised the big time within 3 years, and I bet he wished he had been more circumspect before blurting that out. There are shades of success. We came close and showed that the best manager and one of the best funded teams over many years did have the quality and the history of winning. It didn’t happen overnight at City either
I hope you enjoy the summer and look forward to reading your opinions next season.
Hi Sue. Spring is here in Japan, so slowly starting to thaw out. Agree with some of your points. My biggest argument with alot of Arsenal supporters/fans, is this so called PHASE NONSENSE. There is no such thing. Alot of POLITICIANS started this nonsense,,, and they came up the idiotic TRUST THE PROCESS. That sucks in so many of the blinded. I’ve been on the football scene professionally for 38 years. European club scene for 22 years, and at International level for 16 years. Football can be rewarding, but then, football can be down right cruel. For a football club like Arsenal not to have won SILVERWARE in 4 years, is nothing short than disgusting. The Fanbase’s attitude is, WE HAVE BIGGER FISH TO FRY “, than to take the Carabao Cup and FA CUP seriously. Winning those minor trophies is the start of a winning mentality. Even throwing away a EUROPA tittle in the BIN was foolish,,,, because, ” WE HAVE BIGGER FISH TO FRY “. What fish did Arsenal FRY. They basically bottled an 8 point lead. Have lessons been learnt???Doesn’t look like it. Anyway, good to hear from you Sue, and Best of British to you
Well in that case, Wagner winning three FA cups in four years greatly overshadows Arteta’s so called process. When this silly phrase was first introduced, it meant something different. Arteta and Edu wanted to buy time to develop a young team through integrating young home grown players with up and coming mid price imported prospects. For the most part that didn’t work and they have had to wake up to the realities of the market place. This season seems like an all or nothing effort to win the title or bust. Unfortunately it didn’t pay off because some of the imports simply fell short of the mark. Meaning of course that the money was not always wisely spent. As some have pointed out “a process” can imply that incremental improvement is an achievement in its own right. Every fan can make if this season what they will. Taking the positives aside next season will bring a lot of pressure to those in charge. Unless you win the EPL or Champions League everything else should be defined as a failure.
Well said Joe s. To gain football mentality in winning major trophies, is to win minor trophies. That is how it starts. That’s what a very young Jose did at CHELSEA with a squad with an average age of 23.7 years of age. He did that while Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson were winning everything. It’s ridiculous with all of the excuses people make for Arteta. December will be 5 years. Certain people on this site didn’t want him from day one. Now they tell you every reason to keep him. Those so called certain people seem to move the GOALPOSTS every time for their own agenda. The most embarrassing thing about it all is what you read on social media. Arsenal fans are the worst in the world at running their mouths off. That’s why Arsenal are bantered left right and centre worldwide
Very good season, though gutted we fail short. I am still very proud of my team. Thank you boys for making us proud. Next season will be better.
Pretty much, well prepared mentality for the final outcome but hoping we could end the season in style. Deep down, I was thinking about the new season already.I mean what were we expecting from, Fulham, Spurs and West Ham? So glad we got the win against an improving team. Yesterday’s, Arsenal display however pretty much summed up why we couldn’t win the league this time around. How many of you were happy with the performances of Tomiyasu, White , Partey and Trossard? Tomi got the goal but for the rest of the game he was a shambles and it was a relief for him that he was eventually given the opportunity to play in his proper position. Another fan favorite, Partey when not passing the ball to the opposition slowed down the play to the extent that Odegaard and Martinelli couldn’t find their rythme until he was taken off. Trossard was equally ineffective on the left. His one idea is to continually beat his marker but is ineffective when they are doing their job. Harvetz had another good game. It’s hard to be critical now because he really gives his all. But question mark remains in that we need a more potent striker in his position. Is he the best we can do? Will Arsenal be able to splash big on at least two players, get rid of the driftwood such as Viera and Co.? The fun of a summer window to speculate and hope.Small encouragement for next season was the return of Timber and the decent effort from Smith Rowe, I still think he has so much to offer Arsenal but am not expecting him to remain such is the pecking order and Arteta’s mind set.
Great season!
Next year is AFC’s to WIN!
A common saying among Arsenal fans since 2005
A season is defined by being on top at the very end. Yes we had 89 points but that was not good enough. We lost unnecessary games and we always struggle during key games like yesterday we were not at our usual pace. Odegaard was having too many unnecessary touches allowing the opponent’s to get organized and close gaps.
Arteta needs to trust all his players. It’s very discouraging to work in a system where you know there is no equal opportunity. ESR, Vieira, Nelson and Nketiah can be very useful for the team but they haven’t been utilized even when it’s evident that the team needs a different player.
Hope Arteta wins soon otherwise this will be a wasted period having been granted so much support by the club owners. We can’t keep on saying next season as we know unless City has been punished for the 115 they will keep on improving their team. We have no guarantee that next season we will be better as we might lose players and other players can lose their form also. Other teams can also improve so we should always take our chances and the previous two seasons were two BIG opportunities missed. At the end history will remember winners not how far you pushed the winners. Arteta has managed the club for 5 seasons which has seen great improvements in results but we still need the big trophies. It’s all about trophies considering the level of investments.
What nonsense? Kai is the reason why we lost the league. Integrating Kai cost AFC points. He should wait for a tap in and must not work and make defences feel him? come on we are not champions get us someone better and forget about this season.
You are the definition of a Havertz-hater.
He has scored 9 goals in our last 13 games, and in 3 of those he was played in midfield. The reason he took so long to settle in is because of idiots like you.
English football must clean itself like the Italian football. Let me say the whole game. Its agents ,managers and the crooks behind the scenes.VAR was a shambles,managers favour certain players. Sancho proved that.FA allows City to get away with murder and punish forest and everton ,a shame indeed.
The Premier League is dealing with City. The inquiry by the Independent Commission will eventually start this autumn, unless City can delay it further, and the results published next summer, 2025.
Everything now is history. If Arteta and co are serious, they should learn from their mistakes. First, let Timber and Tomiyasu take over RWB. White should go back to central defense position while Kiwior and Zinny goes to LWB.
The issue of a goal scoring striker can not be overemphasized. Physically built but technically gifted central midfielder and a right winger to assist Saka then we are good to go.
Arteta should please sell or loan out squad players he doesn’t have confidence in. It makes no sense keeping players you won’t give opportunity to play.
Going by your post HG, Arteta should change the formation of the team to include White as a CB in a 5 man defence so we can use Wingbacks ?
I would want to know whether pictures of Son being congratulated by City coach and players were Photoshop. Otherwise, can’t FA look into what really transpired or better still, our legal team take it up against both Spurs and City for match fixing? The celebrations from both sides of players were so evident.
Entertaining mix of comments as always. . I’ve followed the Arsenal for more decades than I like to admit to, and although I agree that trophies are very welcome I have been able to see some of the most exciting football for years in the last couple of seasons, and I can’t complain.
ps. did anyone notice what a great season Xhaka has had in Germany?
Pep…”you had me worried a bit there Sonny boy, you were one one-on-one and couldn’t miss, but somehow managed to put it just wide enough for our keeper to get his foot to it”
Son…”sorry ’bout that Pep, I got my angles wrong, but your boy was terrific”
Pep…”good job too, as JustArsenal would have crucified us if you’d scored”
Son & Pep “JustArsenal, ha!ha!ha!ha!