Whether we finish 4th or 5th this season, I am more comfortable looking into our future than I have been for years.
We have the youngest team in the Premier League. With the youngest manager.
Even without investment, we will improve as those youngsters continue to grow and Mikel Arteta gains even more experience.
But we will improve, as the first time in a long time it feels like we actually have a plan in the transfer window under Edu.
When you look at the 4 clubs behind Manchester City and Liverpool, I think Arsenal are in pole position to be “best of the rest” next season.
Manchester United
Another new manager. Another new regime.
Manchester United are basically Arsenal of 2 years ago.
Too many over paid, ageing players. Too many egos.
Erik Ten Hag needs to do what Arteta and Edu have done over the last 2 years and ship out those that are not onboard.
As we have seen with Arsenal, this takes time.
Man U’s financial power might allow them to accelerate the process; but you feel that they need to turnover their entire squad to begin moving forward again. This will take them a few transfer windows
Chelsea
A 3rd place finish papers over the cracks of Chelsea Football Club.
Off the field the club is a mess following the Roman Abramovich saga.
Whilst they now have new owners (I think?), they no longer have their tanks of roubles pointed at other clubs.
It is well documented that they have lost on average £900k a week since Roman took over.
There will be huge changes at the club as the go from “sugar daddy” model to “US investor”.
They are also in crisis on the pitch with a whole host of senior pro’s set to leave.
Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger have already agreed deals that will take them to Spain. Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta are likely to join them.
Those departures will leave them with just a 38-year-old Thiago Silva in defence alongside Trevoh Chalobah and Malang Sarr. That is mid-table centre back options.
They basically need to buy an entire back 4. And without Roman’s money Chelsea will struggle to replace them.
Problems continue on midfield as N’Golo Kante is clearly a player on the decline and Jorginho hoping to move back to France.
And then you have the Romelu Lukaku problem.
There squad clearly needs huge investment. But do the new owners have the money (and will). Or will Chelsea join the ranks of “self sufficient” and as a result will spend a few years in the wilderness whilst they rebuild?
Tottenham
Tottenham need top 4 more than Arsenal.
This season, 5th was Arsenal’s target. We survive and move forward with our plans regardless of whether it is Champions League or Europa League football.
Tottenham are struggling financially and in desperate need for that Champions League football.
Covid and the new stadium will put massive pressure on a club who are already run on a shoestring in comparison to the other “top 6” clubs.
There best 3 players – Lloris, Son and Kane – are all coming towards the end of their peak and plans will soon have to be in place to replace them. But Spurs do not have the money to buy players of the same quality.
Tottenham have made two very good signings in the last 12 months – Romero and Kulusevki. But both are only on loan.
Spurs will have to spend around £80m to make both deals permanent. That is £80m in transfer fees just to keep their squad at the same level as it is this season.
Without any high profile departures, they will struggle to finance any big moves beyond securing the services of Romero and Kulusevski on a permanent basis.
This squad is basically as good as it gets for them.
Arsenal
Youngest team in the league
Youngest manager in the league
I expect us to spend upwards of £100m on incoming transfers again.
Aaron Hickey, Youri Tielemans and Gabriel Jesus will hopefully just be the start.
The futures bright. The futures Arsenal.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
like your post and your optimism but now with them winninng this is bigger at newcastle than thursday, europa ok not what we want obvouslly but we move on to monday great blog by the way
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I like that positive thinking, Keenos. Thank you for brightening up my day.
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