At the beginning of the season, most pundits had us down finishing 7th or 8th.
These so-called experts had the likes of Everton, Aston Villa, Leeds United, Wolves and West Ham finishing ahead of us.
The club’s target was always 5th.
After losing the first 3 games of the season, the press tried to write a narrative that Arsenal could be facing a relegation battle. Most fans at this point would have taken a 7th placed finish.
We battled back to enter the top 4 with Champions League football in our hands, only to lose 3 in a row against Crystal Palace, Brighton and Southampton.
With injuries to key players piling up, the doom mongers climbed out from under their rock with claims that we would be lucky to even make the conference league.
The predictions were that we would collapse, tumble down the table and out of European places.
Whilst finishing 5th might now seem disappointing, and underachievement, do not be too disheartened.
Do not buy into the narrative that we “bottled” 4th place.
After that start to the season and with the youngest team in the league we had no real right to be competing for it.
All those pundits and opposition fans who predicted an 8th placed finish will now be mocking Arsenal for only finishing 5th. Three higher than they predicted.
Looking at the bigger picture, we are in a good place. Our young team will only improve, and we will make the signings we need regardless of competition.
I am not sure the same can be said about Chelsea and Tottenham.
For a long time in a while, I have really enjoyed going over The Arsenal again.
The atmosphere home and away has been the best for decades and it feels like there is a real connection to the players again. Don’t let the media try and rip that apart.
So, we dust ourselves down, get the last game of the season out of the way, and go again.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
Pingback: Dissapointment at 5th shows how much Arsenal have grown this season - SportsRooter.com
Exactly what I have just written elsewhere. It’s only natural to be disappointed. But then perspective ought to kick in. We’re on an upward trajectory.
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This is absolute crap. The only reason that AFC so far have taken five (5) points more than the miserable season 2020-21 is the lack of international matches. Next season – back in second rate Eruropa League – it will be 8th position again. Unless we Kick kid-coach Arteta and get a
professional experienced manager who can win titles (that is “Must-win-matches”). The losses against Tottenham and Newcastle says all of the Arteta-amateurism, and that amateurism will still be there as long as this little Spanish guy is there. Conte is a pro, Arteta an amateur, and the way Spurs punished Arsenal last Thursday was embarrassing. We were spank on bare buttocks, like little boys, by bl**dy Tottenham. Win at any cost – and the pro won.
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It’s like the saying goes, “they thought they had buried us, but they did not know we are seeds”. Though painful (if eventually Arsenal looses that 4th, especially to Spurs whose football is not as good as Arsenal’s), the team and the coach have done well. Lean squad, young team, no January signings; they proved us all wrong. Let them keep their heads up; forget those pundits whose teams are nowhere! Proud of the boys. And as we say in Nigeria, We Move!
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I OBVIOUSLY COULD RECALL “USUAL PSYCHOLOGICAL” SHOCKS WHEN ARS IS ALWAYS AT DECISIVE MOMENT.
BUT LUCAS, MATHEO, WILLIAM, AND HECTOR WILL HAVE HANDED US MASSIVE WINS.
THEY ALL WENT TO WIN WHERE THEY WENT; SHOWING THEIR QUALITY.
THOUGH, NILES & AUBA PROVED POSITIVE.
SO, HAVE EDDY WON MIKEL THE TOP NOTCH?
EVERY CLUB HAVE THEIR TYPE PLAYER.
WE ARE NOT PLAYING CHAMPIONSHIP & CONTINENTAL BUT REGULAR FOOTBALL.
ARSENAL DONT NEED CEDRIC, EDDY BUT FOR PEPE&LACAZETTE, U CANT BUILD TEAM AROUND THEM LET ALONE GABRIEL JESUS.
THERE ARE ALWAYS X-FACTOR IN GAMES; ARTETA DONT NEED EXPERIMENTATION AT ARSENAL SO THAT WE WONT BE MEDIOCRE.
IMAGINE LACA&AUBA&PEPE FOR $54 NOW AVAILABLE AT LOSS OF ARSENAL; WE DONT DO BUS THAT WAY.
WILLIAN & LUIZ ARE NOT STRIKERS.
PLAYING WITH TOP TEAMS & TOP COACHES AT CRUCIAL TIME IS TO KNOW HOW TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE & GET DRAW OR ALL THREE POINTS.
DEFEATING CHAMPIONS MAKES A TEAM CHAMPION, CHEL, LEI, MAN’UTD, TOT GAMES HANDED ARSENAL EUROPA CUP.
WE WANT CONSISTENT, DISCIPLINE,WIN&STRENGT!
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