It has been a great season for Arsenal so far in the Premier League as they are in the hunt to win their first title in almost two decades. But there are other competitions in which they are active and that poses an interesting question. Today we need to talk about the Europa League, a competition the club has a real chance of winning.
As things stand, they have just come off the first leg of their Round of 16 fixture against Sporting from Portugal. With all to play in the return leg, Mikel Arteta has to make some tough decisions about his squad.
A European Trophy
Despite their stature as one of the biggest clubs in the world, the Gunners have not been able to win a major European trophy. With a place in next season’s Champions League looking more and more likely, this year is a great chance to win this competition. There are a few factors that have to be considered for that to happen.
The first is the quality of clubs that are left in the competition. Despite it being Europe’s secondary competition, some of the biggest teams are still present. The likes of Manchester United, Juventus and Sevilla present the biggest threat. All of these teams have won the Europa League before. In the case of Juve, given their 15-point deduction in Serie A, this is perhaps the only chance they have to make it to the Champions League.
So, if you are to get the better of these teams, you need to have some serious thinking about the kind of team you choose. Now, in seasons gone by, the north Londoners would surely have picked their best players as this was the biggest competition in play. This season, things are different as the club have a chance of winning domestic silverware. And that brings us to the next question.
Who Should Play?
If you take a look at the current Arsenal squad there are many players out with injury. This is not ideal as we enter the crucial part of the season, and it could determine what you end up with. In the game against Sporting, both Martin Odegaard and Kieran Tierney were missing through illness. While you cannot plan for such events, you need to start thinking about rotation of players.
Ben White and Alex Zinchenko started the game on Thursday and in ideal circumstances, they would have been rested. Takehiro Tomiyasu came on in the second half and gave a good account of himself at left back. The same can be said about Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, both of whom had to start the match.
Most of the players that are out with injury should return soon and that will encourage Arteta. But the fact of the matter is that, games are coming fast and you need to decide which competition needs more focus. While everyone would like to win both competitions, the Premier League needs as many resources as possible.
Keeping The Squad Happy
This is one area where Arteta had many problems when he first arrived at the Emirates, but over the years, the Spaniard has sold personnel who were deemed problematic and made the squad his own. Now, the team is filled with players who are ready to do anything for their manager and that is a great place to be in.
Despite the good rapport between the players and Arteta, it is only natural that all of them would want to play. Take the case of Matt Turner, who was at fault for the first goal that Sporting scored yesterday. Now, it would be easy to blame the American and write off the signing. But you need to factor in that this is only the second club game he has played this season.
There is bound to be some rustiness and to be fair to the keeper, he did make up for that with some important saves. The easiest thing to do would be to blame the keeper but Arteta knows better. He understands that competition is healthy for a team and should reassure Turner that there could be a time where he overtakes Aaron Ramsdale. So, in order to make players happy, you need to sometimes play them even if you do not want to do so.
Reaching The Next Level
Many people including a lot of Arsenal fans, did not expect they would be challenging for the league title. But something seemed different during pre-season where it was visible that the quality of this group of players was something else. They play an exciting style of football that really treads the fine line between high risk and high reward. It is one of the reasons why the Emirates crowd are always willing to back their team.
If you want to be among the people spurring the team on, then make sure to check out https://www.seatsnet.com/index.php?dispatch=team.view&team_id=26 for the best tickets. This connection between fans and those on the pitch is important in taking the Gunners to the next level. What we mean by that is a club needs to challenge on all fronts to be considered among the best.
This is what the likes of Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid do on a regular basis. If you want to be a part of that list, you need to show that you can handle all the challenges that are thrown at you. So, Arteta needs to decide how seriously they are to take the Europa League and what impact that will have on the season. This is a team that has turned its fortunes around quite a bit. It is time to add the finishing touches to bring the club to where it belongs.
Conclusion
As fans, we want to see our beloved team win all possible trophies. Now, the north Londoners find themselves in a position where they can win two. Both would be huge boosts for the club and vindication for the trust they put in their manager. As for which competition to prioritise, it shouldn’t really be a question as both should be treated with equal focus.
You need to show that you have what it takes to compete with the best of the best. It does not matter whether you lose or win, the attempt is what matters. Thankfully, it appears that the players seem to have the right attitude and that is encouraging to say the least. There is a lot of time left in the season, and anything could happen.
Arsenal fans and the players are getting closer and closer to the dream that did not seem possible a few months ago. While there are other distractions around, it is important to not loose sight of the prizes. There is a chance that two trophies could arrive at the Emirates and so, the club needs to give their everything to ensure that it happens. Should that become the reality, Arteta and the Gunners would enter exalted territory.
