A late surge by Arsenal, winning their last 4 games, has finally seen the Gunners rising up the Premier League table, but it is much too late for us to even reach the Europa League place, never mind the Champions League.
But now we may have to face a new challenge, as tomorrow (if results go as expected) we could pip Tottenham and Everton to a place in the inaugral European Conference League. We have seen over the last few years that playing in distance places every Thursday can affect your League form (although it doesn’t seem to have done Man United any harm this season) but with our highest possible position being 7th, we can only qualify for the 3rd tier European League.
But as far as Arteta is concerned, he just wants Arsenal to play in Europe. “It’s a new competition so I don’t really know what will happen.” he told Arsenal.com. “First of all, let’s try to finish as high as possible and then after we will determine, once we are involved, what the best way is to do it.
“We have experienced in the last few years how tough being in the Europa League is with the amount of games you play and the short turnaround that you have all the time in the Premier League. I think there is a lot of history there with teams that have been involved in the Europa League, and the negative consequences that has in the Premier League positions. But we’ve tried to give it the best possible go, we came a little bit short, but this club has to be in Europe.”
But even before we can think about the new format, and try and come to terms with some of the weird and wonderful clubs and countries Arsenal could be visiting, there is the small matter of getting three points against Brighton tomorrow, and hoping that Everton and Spurs lose.
I suppose, when all is said and done, if we are in it, we should certainly be one of the favourites to win it, so it could make next season even more interesting…
If playing those shit clubs is what Europa is all about I rather playing teams like shelfied United
I don’t care about this competition
It’s even a shame that if we make it
This competition was built for the smaller clubs to text European football not a club like us
Honestly I don’t follow Europa league until last 16 stage. The only thing I can see in this competition is if we make it to the final
No arrogance please, we are what we are, a club of s*** players(majority) brought down on our knees. If we were that good as what we think we are we would be fighting the Manc clubs not Leeds and Villa.We scrapped through Europa and could not score a single extra goal to go through for the past 2 seasons. We are in or around this conference cup is because that is our level this year. If we cannot win home games, then fans need to wake up and shed their arrogance. We have a bloated overpayed roster, let then earn their wage moving to the corners of Europe and prove their worth to the club. If they cannot or will not, then seek a transfer. Period.
Its so painful that Arteta cost us the Europa final in the same manner in which Emery cost us the UEL final. Both made bad tactical decisions. With Arteta he opted to use a false 9 thus killing Arsenal’s attacking threat and in the first leg Villarreal knew they had to have a go to stand a chance of qualifying. With Emery he decided to use 3-4-1-2 against Chelsea’s 4-3-3 which was later overwhelmed in the 2nd half by Chelsea. It was too late when he realized he changed it and went to a four back and many have downplayed the tactical effect by saying Arsenal didn’t show when we were the better team in the 1st half. This is an underachiever’s cup but I guess its better than nothing.
Emery lost because the Arsenal players didn’t turn up for a final.
Here you go again. In the 2 scenario you can only defend Emery and push blame on players.
As for me the players are to be blame in both cases, when a tournament reaches semi tactics and formations may not have much impact as players determination to win it, it’s just like derby matches.
Adajim, don’t disagree that the players didn’t turn up for both matches; one coach lost his job, the other is being supported yo the hilt.
Apart from the revenue stream created by European football. I don’t see why everyone has a wire up their arse nal about being in Europe right now.
“Ooh, we finished seventh and got into a minor European league. We’re so much better than Burnley because of it”. All it will yield is a bit more cash to line the coffers of our owners and not ploughed into the grass roots of the club’s needs ie players.
Let’s face it. On the last occasions that we’ve been in Europe we’ve not fared so well. At times we look like we struggle to qualify against even scant opposition. And we don’t do any better in the more senior European competitions.
Before we can even think about competing in Europe, we’ve gotta get to grips with our own domestic league as that has been a shambles for the longest time. If we can’t handle the likes of Wolves, Everton, Fulham, West Ham, Burnley et al here at home how do we expect to gain credibility in Europe. We’ve got to get things right at home and start to show we can compete for major honours at home before we extend ourselves elsewhere.
We have to put this team and club back together and start vieing for the EPL title on a more sustained basis, not just a fourth place, losers spot.
Let’s sort one thing out at a time. Home front first, then Europe later !
👍 Lt Dan. The only advantage will be to play the Academy players to give them “European” experience and see whether they can step up.
Farteta is a small time guy, he makes Arsenal a small time club. That’s pure logic.
It’s only two titles that really counts: Premier League & Champions League. The two titles that The Six Pack tried to set offside with their participation in ESL. “The Best Clubs. The Best Players. The Most Greedy and Stupid People. Every Day of the Year.
your argument has legs Lt.Dan, as it’s clear the last thing this club needs right now is to be embroiled in a two-bit afterthought UEFA gravy train where the monetary gains don’t justify our involvement and the winner simply gains qualification into Europe’s secondary club football tournament…we need to remain focused squarely on our domestic affairs next season, so that we can hopefully get our house in order sooner rather than later…maybe this will actually allow us to properly develop a Best 11, although I can’t see that happening considering our present manager’s fixation with tinkering and shoehorning players into positions where they don’t belong
The only use of the Conference is to play all the kids. It has a benefit only to the youngsters. Otherwise it’s a pointless competition.
👍
So agree
Since the winner qualifies for the EL It’s only a pointless competition if you assume that next season we will qualify for Europe either through our league position or by winning the FA cup!
The Kroenkes want the Euro Conference spot because to them all that matters is the balance sheet and their ‘yes’ man, Arteta, has to mouth the right words just as he did after the ESL fiasco. We need the ECL like we need a hole in the head – a pointless and time consuming tournament which we probably wouldn’t win anyway with our poor European history. We’ve only won two minor European cups in our entire history and none this century. Let’s just concentrate on getting back to the top 4 of the EPL (if Arteta is capable) and automatic qualification to the CL. With the current lot, and the lack of big investment, that aspiration is a mirage. So just get used to mid table mediocrity if the owners don’t invest in their fully owned club. Personally I have never been so disheartened as I am now in supporting this club for coming on to 64 years!!
👍👍
The only Cups I love are:
PL
FA Cup
CL
If we get in the ECL, I hope we win it like the EL Cup. I don’t want to be in it but if we are I want to win it
Top 7 finish is all that matters now. An extra competition is just a bonus
Arsenal is good for the competition
Having a name like arsenal makes the competition look more attractive
This competition is just plain useless for our status
I understand why some people(Arteta lovers) would want this competition because it’s an added point for argument a place better than last season and In Europe they will certainly come out strong as they would be flying that we improved from last season
I just want to finish above spuds.
With all respect, this cup is not our target as Arsenal fans MA. I would rather play in England and win all the cups, fight for PL and play in CL the season after!
Hi. My thoughts on todays game.
Scenario 1.
Lose or draw to Brighton, game over we finish 8th 9th or 10th move on.
Scenario 2
Beat Brighton, spuds lose, happy St totteringhams day, Everton win we finish 8th.
Scenario 3
Beat Brighton, Spuds and Everton lose finish 7th,
happy St totteringhams day and we’re in the economy class cup.
My preference is Scenario 3. We should be aiming to win everything. We may not be good enough yet, but I can accept us losing as long as we compete and give it 100%.
Football is about winning games yourself and not praying for some team to lose for us to qualify..Arteta needs to step up his tactics, he is not consistent with performances.. Let us play the league alone, bcoz when we were knocked out of all cups,, he has won all the 5 league games.. so , it’s either the club is too big for this coach or we have so many players that are planks (deadwood) that cant stretch further when there is need or they will break..
Arsenal need to buy good calibre players or still get a stronger character coach like Diego Simeone who can get best results from average players..