Arsenal concluded the 2023/24 season without adding new trophies to their cabinet. Despite spending hugely in last summer’s transfer window and showing promise in various competitions, the North London club fell short of securing any trophy. This outcome will disappoint the club’s management, Mikel Arteta, and the players who strive to re-establish themselves as a dominant force in domestic and European football.
In the Premier League, Arsenal displayed brilliance but struggled with consistency against Pep Gladiola’s City, ultimately finishing outside the top spot but guaranteed Champions League qualification. Their campaign in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup also ended in frustration, with early exits that left fans yearning for the club’s past glories. On the European front, Arsenal’s journey in the Champions League was cut short as they failed to progress to the Semi-finals.
Carabao Cup Exit
West Ham welcomed Declan Rice back to the London Stadium on the first of November, 2023, and promptly sent him and Arsenal packing with a 3-1 defeat in the Carabao Cup fourth round.
Ben White’s own goal gave the Hammers the lead going into the second half. Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen scored in the space of ten minutes to put the Hammers three goals up at the hour mark. Captain Martin Odegaard scored a consolation goal for Arsenal at the stoppage time to end their 2023/24 EFL run.
FA Cup Defeat
A Round 3 defeat by Liverpool on the 7th of January, 2024 saw Arsenal exit the FA Cup early. Jakub Kiwior’s own goal and Luis Diaz’s stoppage-time finish were enough to eliminate the misfiring Gunners at the Emirates.
Champions League Quarter-Finals Exit
Arsenal gained entrance into the UEFA Champions League and topped Group B with 13 points from four wins and a draw, qualifying for the knockout stages for the first time in almost a decade. Mikel Arteta’s team were tested in the fierce battle against Porto in the round of 16. Porto won 1-0 in the first leg at Portugal, and the Gunners returned the favor at the Emirates. The match extended to extra time and a resulting penalty shootout which Arsenal won to book a spot in the quarter finals.
Arsenal went head to head with Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. The Gunners fought to claim a 2-2 draw at the Emirates but Joshua Kimmich’s only goal at the Allianz Arena was enough to kick out Arsenal from the competition.
Premier League Final Matchday Title Lose to Manchester City
Arsenal claimed a late win against Everton on the final Matchday of the Premier League, but it wasn’t enough to beat Manchester City to the League title. They suffered a similar heartbreak for a second successive season. The Gunners came from behind to secure a much-needed 2-1 victory against the Toffees in the Emirates Stadium, but a 3-1 win for Manchester City against West Ham at the Etihad Stadium meant Arsenal’s result wasn’t vital.
Arsenal trailed Pep Gladiola’s Manchester City by two points heading into Matchday 38. The Premier League title race like that of last season was to be determined on the very last game. In a quest to end their 20-year Premier League drought, Arsenal gave it everything till the end. It was an impressive season for Mikel Arteta and Gunners, but not good enough to bring silverware to North London.
The Gunners were welcomed by an energetic crowd in the Emirates, cheering Arteta and his team on while also hoping for a positive result in Manchester. Bukayo Saka was absent from the game due to a muscle strain. Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli started on the right and left wings respectively, while Kai Havertz assumed the false center forward role. Captain Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, and Declan Rice were likely faces at the midfield with Mikel Arteta’s spearheading 4-3-3 formation.
The chance of a final day steal for Arsenal was already in jeopardy when the 2023/24 Premier League player of the season Phil Foden scored twice within the first twenty minutes to give Manchester City the lead at the Etihad, flattening the crowd at the Emirates. Arsenal stuck to the task of trying to create an opener but Tomiyasu saw his headed effort go wide from close. Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli forced multiple saves from England’s Jordan Pickford, who also reacted quickly to prevent defender Seamus Coleman from putting the ball into his net.
Everton came into the game to win and wasn’t on the defense for long. Gueye led a deadly counterattack at the half-hour mark and found Dominic Calvert-Lewin who hit the post before putting his follow-up into the side netting. The booing Everton fans had their chance to celebrate when Idrissa Gueye’s free-kick deflected off Declan Rice and left David Raya with no chance in the 40th minute, giving the visitors the lead at the Emirates. This further frustrated Arsenal’s dream of a happy ending but the Gunners equalized three minutes later through Tekehiro Tomiyasu to keep their title hopes alive. Around the same time, Mohammed Kudus scored an impressive goal to reduce Man City’s lead to 2-1, and the crowd at the Emirates was buzzing again. Further cheers followed moments later as a section of Arsenal fans thought it was 2-2 at the Etihad.
The second half was more intense than the latter. Yellow cards were more frequent than both teams’ attempts on goal. It continued the same way while Rodri grabbed a third for Man City at the Etihad. Odegaard’s effort was denied by Jorden Pickford before substitute Emile Smith Rowe smashed a volley on the crossbar.
Kai Harvertz got the winner for Arsenal in the 89th minute, a courtesy of Ashley Young’s poor pass which substitute Gabriel Jesus snatched, passed to Martin Odegaard who teed up with the German for his 14th goal of the season. Arsenal fan’s cheers moments later from West Ham’s second goal against City were short-lived as VAR ruled out Tomas Soucek’s goal at the Ethihad for handball. This ended Arsenal’s title hopes as their 28th League win this season was ruled out by City’s 3-1 victory to West Ham. Although victorious – tears, disappointment, and frustrations filled the faces of the home fans and players at the signal of full-time at the Emirates Stadium.
Manchester City were crowned Champions of England for a fourth straight season and sixth time in seven years. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal trailed City by 5 points last season and 2 points this season and will be in the works this summer to go one better next season.
Manager Mikel Arteta now faces the task of reassessing the squad and addressing the shortcomings that plagued their season. The club’s supporters remain hopeful that strategic investments in new players and a renewed focus on tactical improvements will help Arsenal bounce back and contend for trophies in the 2024/25 season.
Overall, the 2023/24 season will be remembered as a period of near misses and unfulfilled potential for Arsenal, reinforcing the need for a comprehensive strategy to restore the club’s competitive edge next season.
Buy Arsenal Tickets for the Upcoming Season!
Arsenal’s impressive form these past seasons has continued to captivate fans worldwide. Each fixture displays the team’s passion for the beautiful game and an opportunity to reclaim their dominance in European football as a befitting powerhouse.
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