The curtains have drawn on another exhilarating English Premier League season. Many fans will remember this season with fondness. Jurgen Klopp’s final season, Aston Villa’s Champions League qualification, Ange Postecoglou’s exciting Spurs but the ending was, sadly, ominous. Another league title for Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola muscled his way to a fourth consecutive Premier League title, killing hopes of a first league title in 20 years down in North London. Mikel Arteta was unsuccessful in trying to usurp his master. It’s a case of what ifs for Arsenal. But yet again they couldn’t crack the code.
Make no mistake about it. It was a superb season for the gunners. And the stats back it up. Arsenal’s 89 points this season is only second to the Invincibles total of 90 points. The total goals scored (91) was their highest amount of goals scored since the 50s.
The gunners finished the campaign unbeaten against the top six as well as having the best defense in the league. A stark difference to last season. The wins (28) were the same with City but losses to West Ham, Fulham and Newcastle will haunt Mikel.
While last season was an unexpected title charge, this season was certainly a planned one. The expectations were high and the Gunners matched them. Despite a tepid start to the season, the Gunners clawed their way back to the title race. It certainly feels like this is now the standard at the Emirates.
In his close of the season address at the Emirates Mikel Arteta displayed a calm but focused demeanor. Arteta to the Emirates crowd: “All this is happening because you started believing… Don’t be satisfied. We want much more than this and we’re going to get it. ”
A message of hope to a crowd that many of whom haven’t seen Arsenal lift a Premier League title. His next words exuded confidence.” Nobody has to tell me what the level is. I’ve been there. I know what we have to do,” he said. A confidence that’s leaning dangerously to an arrogance that all greats have.
What Arsenal have to do is to go on another level. City’s average points tally under Pep Guardiola is 91.1 points. The aim is clear for Mikel. Break the 90 point barrier and you will be closer than ever to clinching the elusive title.
As the dust settles on the season, the finger pointing starts. Where did Arsenal lose the title? Was Mikel Arteta wrong not to rotate against Aston Villa? Was he wrong in his experiments earlier on in the season? Was he too rigid in his tactics?
For others, Arsenal bottled it. Whatever that means. Rodri the doctor volunteered his services to determine why Arsenal did not win the title. “Arsenal did an unbelievable season but the difference was the mentality”.When they came here… they didn’t want to beat us. They just wanted to draw”, he determined. Diagnosing our patient with a lack of mentality.
Everyone will claim they know how and where Arsenal lost the title. But the truth of the matter is that the mad genius over in Manchester was the difference, again.
