Season verdict:
Relief.
Arsenal qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the sixteenth season in a row at the last minute when Laurent Koscielny scored the crucial winning goal against Newcastle United – the second time in successive campaigns that his strike on the final day has helped the Gunners into European football’s premier club competition.
Despite Arsene Wenger buoyantly proclaiming that his team would challenge for the Premier League title this season, given that his team once again sold their best player, Robin Van Persie, and to a team in the same division, that was always going to be a big ask.
An improvement on the previous season’s performance would therefore be a good sign of progress, with Wenger’s hands still somewhat tied in the transfer market due to stadium debt and non-lucrative but expiring partnerships.
Although the club ended the campaign a place lower than 2011-12’s third place finish, they claimed more points overall, and crucially maintained their presence in the lucrative top four.
The season has to be viewed as a landmark one for Arsene Wenger too, and not only did he develop a rare ruthless streak in dropping Szczesny and Vermaelen, but he also changed Arsenal’s playing style after March to make them hard to beat rather than the standard free-flowing attacking side.
Wenger recognised that catching Tottenham required football that would get results first and foremost, and that should be applauded.
The team’s form after March was that of title contenders, and if they can keep it up next season they will make a real mark on the Premier League.
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