Three things we learned from Arsenal’s 2023-24 season – by Alan Alger

With the last of the season’s club honours decided this weekend and ahead of Euro 2024, Alan Alger dissects the main things we found out about the Gunners in the 2023-24 campaign - which ended up in another second-place finish in the Premier League.

We’re getting better all the time…

Just over a week has passed and frankly I’m now over the fact that we came second in the Premier League, again. The sparse turnout for Manchester City’s victory parade highlights the sheer pointlessness of what we’ve been up against the last two years.

Trophies do ultimately make the difference but, as we saw at Wembley on Saturday, they can mask a reality of underachievement. Some Manchester United fans might declare they had a better season than us because they have something to show for it.

Gooners who enjoyed any of our record cup successes may not argue too much, but one thing is for sure, it does not completely reflect the quality of a team overall. It’s here where we have the upper hand of continued improvement and a manager that tends not to repeat mistakes – whilst getting the best out of the squad.

The fans are mostly united, the atmosphere and all-round good feeling is back. The trophies will start to flow soon.

Forward contribution lacking again…

The way the season eventually panned out and considering their form since the turn of the year, I don’t think any Arsenal fans would shed many tears if one or indeed both of Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus departed the club.

A harsh reflection of our progress is leaving behind both of the players who should be topping our scoring charts but can’t even get minutes in Mikel Arteta’s fluid attacking line-ups.

The duo are responsible for just 24 of our 169 Premier League goals over the last two seasons. The kind of figure we’d demand from just one lead striker over just one season in any reasonable campaign.

So what can we do? Approach next season without clearcut forwards in those positions (it’s worked just fine in many games). Or go all out to change our style and attract that missing piece – while maybe allowing one of the other two to remain as back-up?

It’s one of a few important tasks left on the bosses in-tray ahead of kicking it all off again in August!

Find us ‘keepers…

Another item in the in-tray is at the other end of the pitch. We have a really interesting situation developing behind David Raya when we look at the back up at our disposal in the goalkeeper position.

We’re finally at the stage where even the most ardent of Aaron Ramsdale backers have accepted Raya as our number 1, just as his move from Brentford is made permanent.

This will lead to the eventual departure of Ramsdale who will hold a special place in the hearts of many fans as he marked that transition in Mikel Arteta’s squad from also-rans to challengers.

So what’s going to be behind Raya next season if injury or suspension occurs, or even if he is chosen to have a rest for a cup game or two? The answer is rather confusing.

Karl Hein at 22 years of age might look the ideal profile for a back-up keeper, yet he has been in the unique position of playing more internationals than club matches in the last few years. Turning out for Estonia far more than us and Reading (loan spell). He looked very shaky in the match v Brighton in the League Cup when he got his chance at the Emirates in November 2022.

Ovie Ejeheri is a similar age to Hein, but the level of his loan moves (National League South and Finland’s top-flight) hardly suggest he’s being readied for the big time. Albeit keeping a decent percentage of clean sheets during those periods.

Hubert Graczyk, the Polish keeper, has also seen his loans pitched at National League South level. At this point it’s maybe worth saying that Raya himself played in the equivalent North division while shaping his career.

James Hillson has stalled a little after making the first team bench a handful of times. While Arthur Okonkwo has experienced loans at a higher level and already has silverware to show for spells at Sturm Graz and Wrexham. Brother Brian at 18 is a little way behind and also enjoying spells in the non-league.

One name that stands out is that of Owen Asemota who has made huge strides to represent the under-18s and the England equivalent despite being only 16. Scouting reports suggest he is set for brighter things and we have to hope the club can hold onto him with the player and his team yet to commit to us and with interest from top clubs in Germany including Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund.

It will be incredibly interesting to see who bridges the gap between talented youth and the first-choice Raya and it would not surprise me to see an older head come in to take up the second-choice position.