Kevin Whitcher
So Arsenal’s season continues to collapse in instalments. A Premier League title looking, on current form, a mountain too high to climb, the FA Cup no longer a salvation for a disappointing campaign on other fronts, and last night, confirmation of another exit at the last 16 stage of the Champions League.
In fairness, there was no disgrace in Arsenal’s performance at the Camp Nou last night. They created as many chances as their hosts, and on another day, the result might have been 3-1 in their favour, which would have seen them go through instead of the Catalan side. However, 2-0 up from the first leg, there is an argument that Luis Enrique’s side played with a bit less intensity than they might have, were it needed.
Certainly Barcelona’s defence did not look particularly strong. There were some interesting selections in Alex Iwobi and Mathieu Flamini ahead of Joel Campbell and Francis Coquelin, and certainly the former performed well. Ultimately though, this was a case of Arsenal being unable to convert their chances, a familiar tale of late. The simple fact of the matter is that Barcelona’s forward line of Messi, Suarez and Neymar were more clinical than Arsenal’s would be scorers, and that can’t really be a surprise to anyone. Arsenal’s decision not to test Liverpool’s resolve with a more substantial bid than £40,000,001 back in the summer of 2013 is one that has haunted the club more than once in the times since, both with a lack of finishing touch in key matches, and last night, in direct opposition to the Uruguayan. The club’s bank balance certainly benefitted, but that was of little consolation to the rain soaked travelling fans last night.
It was a very open game, certainly entertaining to the neutral. Just under 40 attempts on goal between the two sides and some excellent goalkeeping when the two sides did get their finishing sorted. However, Arsenal were ultimately punished harder for their defensive errors, and in a sense this was nothing like a textbook European away performance. Naturally, the Gunners had to go for it, had to take chances. They gambled and paid the price, but there was nothing to lose.
In the bigger picture, this was not significant. The elimination was expected as soon as the draw was made back in December. There was a thought then that this could actually help Arsenal’s season by allowing them to focus on domestic concerns, at a time when they looked very much like title contenders. The form since the Boxing Day defeat at Southampton though has been very, very patchy. And there is a justified belief that defeat on Saturday at Goodison Park will mean that all the side have left to focus on is to ensure their habitual top four finish.
For a club of Arsenal’s resources, status and history, the level of achievement since the stadium move is well below what might have reasonably been expected, especially in a season where the sides that have carved up the title between them since the Gunners’ last have fallen away so spectacularly. I am not really certain what the manager can take away from this tie. Does he himself still believe he can win the Champions League? His failure to do so, with some of the excellent teams he has built in the past, must make the prospect of his doing so with the current options he has a real pipe dream.
If Arsenal are to compete with Europe’s top teams on the pitch as well as in the Deloitte’s Money League, change is needed. However, the fact that they are doing just nicely when it comes to book value probably means it won’t. Majority owner Stan Kroenke: “For me, being an individual owner, I have to have some sort of reality involved. If you want to win championships then you would never get involved.” See you all back here for a piece on the next inevitable Euro exit, same time next year…
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