The Spaniard has been encouraged by the Gunners’ form towards the end of the campaign but admits as a whole it has been underwhelming
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes his side have improved this season, but fell short of their objectives.
The Gunners will finish the campaign without a trophy, and sit ninth in the Premier League heading into the final round of fixtures.
Arteta’s team are likely be absent from European competition next season too, having dropped out of the Europa League at the semi-final stage, with only a Europa Conference League place open to them by finishing seventh.
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What has been said?
The coach feels his side have made slight improvements compared to the 2019-20 season, but expected more.
“In the league we have two more points than last season, but it’s nowhere near where we want to be,” he told the club’s website. “The fact that we don’t have a title so close to grab because we’re not in the Europa League final makes it difficult to see more positives.
“We were knocked out in the last-16 of the Europa League last season and a lot of things have been done that were very necessary in this season that are not related to results, but at the end of the day we are here to win.”
Arteta hopes to build on strong end to the season
Arsenal are on a good run of form heading into the weekend’s clash against Brighton, having won four matches in a row, giving the Spaniard a reason for optimism.
“Yes, it is very good but the league is played over 38 games,” he added. “At least it shows that we are able to do it and when we have a little bit more of a normal context, more normal situations, I am very positive about what we can do, but at the end of the day we are judged on what we have done over the whole season and it is not, for sure, where we want to be.
“There’s a lot of things from September to December that are contributing to that [dip in form in November]. I don’t believe it was just one issue. There were a lot of things in that period.
“This is my job: to identify, to be very critical with myself first and then try to analyse and find out why things happened. Whether that’s negative or positive. If it’s positive, let’s keep doing a lot of the good things that we are doing.”
Further reading
- Arsenal to keep Newcastle loan star Willock, says Arteta
- Arsenal target Buendia keeping Dybala out of Argentina team
- Bergkamp sounds Ek takeover warning to Kroenke
