If premier league titles were decided by days spent atop of the league, Arsenal’s silverware drought would finally be over.
Unfortunately for Arsene Wenger and the Londoners, it’s not.
As the EPL race has been run and won, Arsenal are left to rue another lost opportunity and will pin their success on having secured another Champions League entry.
City’s Aguero and Liverpool’s Suarez potted goals at will throughout the season, while the Gunners continued to shoot blanks up front. They needed a talisman to take charge.
As Olivier Giroud squandered countless opportunities on the field – while scoring off it – City and Liverpool continued to break goal-scoring records.
If Arsenal are serious about challenging for the title next season, coach Wenger needs to do away with playing ‘beautiful’ football.
While Arsenal’s crafty midfield is a delight to watch, the tactic is too often found out in the big games when winning ugly counts for everything.
Chelsea gave them a hiding 6-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool had scored four goals inside 16 minutes before rounding out a 5-1 thrashing at Anfield. City landed six against them at the Etihad.
These score lines may look to be saying more about the Arsenal back four than the men at the other end.
But that’s wrong.
City, Liverpool and Chelsea are ruthless in the final third. All three are destructive forces that know how to play gritty, while taking their chances as they come.
City have proved that the difference between winning titles and finishing fourth is the ability to capitalise on half-chances.
Having the desire to turn a decent pass into a crucial assist is one thing but having the ability to do so, is another. Arsenal need a clinical finisher.
Who do you think Arsene Wenger should target over the summer?
deccas
Guest
A big part of Giroud being ineffective (16 league goals 8 or so assists) this season were the injuries to walcott and ramsey. He really needs those runners coming past him. Walcott was a huge loss for arsenal
Adam
Guest
I personally feel arsenal should employ a 19th century 2-5-3 formation next season, with three genuine strikers played up front
Pom in Oz
Roar Guru
A little simplistic. Arsenal have had great players, including strikers. However, they always end up selling them and often to their great rivals, e.g. Robin van Persie. Wenger is a genius at turning players into world class acts. If only he was allowed to keep them all. Of course the irony is that many of those players want to leave, because they crave winning trophies that Arsenal sadly can't deliver them.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Wenger was on Loic Remy in recent weeks. Dunno if he is a better striker than Giroud but he's definitely quicker and can also play wing so he wouldn't be a bad acquisition.
Roary
Guest
As a huge Gunners fan, whilst I agree with the general tone of the article, it is overly simplistic to compare Man City with Arsenals final result in the table. Fact is now City have to cough up 50mil in a fine for their breach of the FFP rules. City and Liverpool certainly banged in huge numbers of goals and any team that scores goals like that deserves to be top, the differing financial quotients involved are clear to see. Do Arsenal need a top flight striker?, of course, however, working within budgets is also a consideration that seems to often ignored in these articles. - 6 days time and hopefully we have some silverware to show for the season.