After a hellish Premier League season Arsenal finished just outside the top four for the first time in some fans’ lifetime.
While the goal is obviously always the Champions League, and there is nothing like playing at the highest level, it shouldn’t be all doom and gloom at the Emirates.
Here are a few reasons, for fans inclined to look at the bright side.
The usual suspects
One major pro is that Arsenal won’t get knocked out by Bayern and Barcelona!
But honestly, getting dusted by those two year in and year out has gotten exhausting and predictable. Arsenal are not on their level yet, and it shows.
Arsenal won their group and STILL drew Bayern for the last 16. The luck of the draw the Gunners get in the FA Cup does not translate to Europe.
Arsenal—at least the current crop of players and manager—are not among the elite group that can compete for the European crown.
What is the point of top four every year if Arsenal don’t even make a good run in the second half of the campaign?
Forget winning it, just a nice run into the later stages would at least give some hope of maybe getting there in the future.
Maybe missing out on the competition will be a shock to the system for Arsenal.
Maybe the higher ups at the club will finally realise that Arsenal are not where they need to be in terms of competing for titles at home and abroad, and spend the money (wisely) to get back on top.
Once this happens, Arsenal can go to Spain and Munich with confidence.
Knocking one of them out would be sweet, sweet poetic justice.
Unless…
Plot twist, Bayern finish 3rd in their Champions League group and knock Arsenal out in the last 16 of the Europa League.
— Kristian Sturt (@FootieWriter) May 21, 2017