Europa League or bust for Arsenal
League Cup final loss ends chances of hoisting domestic silverware
It’s the Europa League or bust for Arsenal. The competition that Arsene Wenger has treated virtually as an afterthought this season could end up being his saviour. For the increasingly beleaguered Arsenal manager, things have got that desperate. A sobering 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the League Cup final on Sunday ended Arsenal’s chances of lifting domestic silverware. Eliminated from the FA Cup in humiliating fashion by second-tier Nottingham Forest in January, Arsenal is languishing in sixth place in the Premier League, 10 points adrift of the top four with 11 games left. Wenger has long compared qualifying for the Champions League through its league position to winning a trophy, laughably to some critics. But not even that is likely this season. So, Arsenal’s season now hangs on the oft-maligned Europa League, in which Wenger has been fielding reserve teams. Win it, and a back-door route to the Champions League opens up, like it did for Manchester United last season. Fail to win it, and even Wenger — English soccer’s great survivor — might struggle to talk his way out of this one. One of England’s great clubs has become the butt of many jokes, and the legacy of its manager of 21 years was in danger of being tarnished. The performance against City exposed all the frailties that Arsenal has long been accused of: no backbone, no leadership, a poor attitude. “There’s only one Arsene Wenger,” Arsenal fans chanted sarcastically as they left Wembley Stadium before the midway point of the second half. By then, some Arsenal players were strolling around in midfield, seemingly having given up and overwhelmed by City’s assault. “You can lose finals,” Arsenal great Thierry Henry said, “but it’s how you lose them.” A look at the issues facing Arsenal, on and off the field:
WENGER’S POSITION
The long-serving Wenger was awarded another two-year contract extension after Arsenal won the FA Cup last May, though the team’s failure to qualify for this season’s Champions League was viewed as a “catalyst for change,” according to chief executive Ivan Gazidis.
EUROPA LEAGUE
There are some big obstacles in Arsenal’s way in the Europa League. Firstly, the team was handed one of the toughest opponents in the draw for the last 16: AC Milan. The Italian side is a shadow of its former self, like Arsenal, and is only in seventh place in the Italian league, but it has enough talent and experience in the team to eliminate Wenger’s men.
NO CONFIDENCE
There was talk of a new era at Arsenal after a 5-1 win over Everton in the Premier League, during which Aubameyang, another new signing in Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Mesut Ozil linked up to great effect. That might have been a false dawn. Since then, Arsenal has lost the north London derby to Tottenham 1-0, been embarrassingly beaten 2-1 by Ostersund, and then brushed aside by City in the League Cup final. It would be no surprise, too, if City beats Arsenal at Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Thursday.
“SPINELESS, A DISGRACE”
Arsenal’s players were ripped into for their feeble performance against City in the League Cup final. Former United player Gary Neville, commenting on the game, was highly critical, calling midfielders Aaron Ramsey, Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil “spineless” and their work rate “an absolute disgrace.” Former striker Ian Wright also picked up on Arsenal’s players walking around and said they were “insipid.”