It was always unlikely that Arsenal would end up winning the Premier League this season, even when we appeared to be a long way clear.
Of course, we were never that far in front because of City having games in hand and a home match to play against Arsenal. In fact, one of the most annoying things for supporters of a certain other club, and the baiters on Talk Sport, is that apart from the odd armchair fan none of us ever gave it the bigg’un about how we were going to win the league.
I only ever heard it sung once, and that was at Fulham during an imperious first-half display that saw us sweep them aside. With hindsight, the second-half that day should have resonated with us all far more than it did at the time as the way we stopped playing and invited pressure would become an important feature.
There was only one point in the entire season when I started to think we were actually going to win it, that Arsenal would be Champions by the end of this coming Sunday afternoon.
It was when we went 2-0 up at Anfield and the players were tearing them to shreds, just like they’d done to Fulham.
Arsenal were so good and were destroying a side that had recently stuck 7 (seven) past Manchester United in the same ground. I genuinely allowed myself, for the first time in 19 years, to think my team were going to win the Premier League.
I fear that the players had exactly the same thought, at exactly the same time, and they froze at the prospect. Just when it mattered, our inexperienced, and unfancied, contenders seemed to know they’d became favourites and perhaps couldn’t handle it.
In the last minute of the game they might still have rescued the win but poor decision making and a poor pass saw us fail to capitalise on a 3 v 2 situation. That is the same thing should happen in an identical fashion 7 days later at West Ham, and throw in a missed penalty to the same failure to exploit a 3 v 2, and the evidence is probably there for us all.
It was further compounded with the failure to beat bottom of the table Southampton at home at the end of the week. That period of three games when it really mattered are allowed Manchester City to close the gap prior to their game against us.
None of this is to say that these players have anything to be ashamed of.
They were trying to stop a financial behemoth, which has not had to play the same “game” as everyone else and, yes, I’m being careful with my words.
Arsenal’s young team has gone toe-to-toe with possibly the strongest squad ever assembled in English football and pushed them almost all the way. Sadly our players have reserved their two worst performances of the season for our most recent fixtures against Brighton and Forest.
For most of the previous 35 games, they’ve done us proud and never once looked like they weren’t trying. Every single one of them has played their hearts out pretty much all the way through.
Injuries at the wrong time have really cost us, especially Saliba of course, but also perhaps unnoticed those to Tomiyasu and Elneny at a time when others needed resting or to shore things up.
My only real criticism of Arteta this season beyond a lot of the substitutions he makes is the fact Zinchenko stayed in the side until he was injured, with most of our problems coming from that side of the defence fairly consistently when we’ve struggled – the treatment of Tierney (and Smith Rowe) has been baffling to me.
The real shame for these boys is that they end the season without a trophy. Nobody remembers runners-up, however unlikely they might have been to contend back in August when literally nobody picked Arsenal as a challenger to Manchester City.
If ever 2nd place was an achievement then perhaps this season was it. And what a ride they’ve given us with so many memorable moments:
Beating Spurs comfortably home and away, winning at home to Liverpool, the 2nd half at home to West Ham on Boxing Day, the last minute win (while absolutely battering) Manchester United, a New Year spanking of Brighton away, the aforementioned stuffing of Fulham, two wins over Chelsea, a great win at St James’ Park to put Howe in his place, the emergence of William Saliba, Ben White being outstanding, Gabriel looking a great centre-half, Ramsdale making some of the most memorable saves in years, Granit Xhaka’s redemption, Martinelli and Saka coming of age, Odegaard looking like our best player since Alexis (possibly since Bergkamp), Eddie proving almost all his doubters wrong, the last minute win at Villa, and not forgetting Reiss Nelson.
How could you ever forget Reiss Nelson? That lad has proved himself this season and I hope to God we get him a new contract, an ideal understudy and challenger to Saka and Martinelli.
The sensational winning goal he scored against Bournemouth, whether he stays or goes, will never be forgotten by any of us privileged enough to have been there. What a moment. What an atmosphere. What a noise. What a celebration.
For that moment alone Arsenal deserved to win something this season, but alas it was not to be. If I take nothing else from this season, I’ll always have Reiss Nelson’s goal at home to Bournemouth and a moment in time that will live forever.
The challenge for Arteta and Edu now is to try and recruit players who make us stronger, while not upsetting the spirit of this squad. No mean task that. And it will cost us a lot of money, while shipping some dead wood that still belongs to us.
Next season will come around before we know it. But before that the players have one more game to play and I hope that everyone in the stadium on Sunday (I’ll be one of them) gives them the ovation they deserve for everything they’ve done for us this year. And we’ll never forget Reiss Nelson.
Dover Marksman
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She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 