Mikel Arteta has admitted that there is talk amongst the players of Arsenal potentially finishing in the top-four this season, as posted by Football London.
Many months ago, and perhaps even now, Arsenal finishing in the top four would have been seen as an unthinkable task. And still should be, in truth!
Arteta’s job was on the line, there was talk about the club ‘fighting relegation’ and even recently they were sitting in the bottom half.
But after Arsenal’s 3-1 win at Leicester over the weekend, the Gunners are eight points behind fourth-placed West Ham.
And whilst finishing in the Champions League places may feel like an impossible task from the outside, Arteta was asked whether there was talk about the top four between players.
“Of course there is because that’s the aim and that is where we want to take the club back to,” said Arteta. “We’ve been out of it for the last few seasons.
“Our aim is always there. It’s true that it doesn’t depend on us and when that happens we have to rely on other people and that’s never good.
“So we’ve got enough relying on ourselves and what we have to do first, then, I’m sure if we do what we have to do, we’ll be in a much better position to see where we are with the last four or five games.”
It would be some story if Arsenal ends the season in fourth place, but that’s highly unlikely to happen even if that’s still the aim of the players.
Arsenal’s concentration should on the Europa League and then trying to secure a top-seven finish because even the latter might not even happen.
It will be interesting to see the reaction from the supporters if Arsenal don’t finish in the top seven and end the season trophyless.
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