Arsenal’s victory at Sheffield United is a reminder that the future is bright for the Gunners
Arsenal cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory at Bramall Lane on Sunday, but although this victory in isolation is not something to shout about, it served as a reminder at the right time – at a time when the mood around the club is completely low time – that the future is bright.
Inconsistency has plagued the Gunners’ season, as well as injuries and questionable refereeing decisions – but even after working your way through the excuses, it is simply unacceptable to sit in ninth place in the Premier League at this stage of the season.
A significant proportion of supporters have lost confidence in the club’s rookie manager and are already demanding his dismissal, while others understand more about the seismic task of turning around Arsenal’s fortunes.
Throughout the season, Mikel Arteta has desperately tried to find the right balance between youth and seniority, but the results suggest that he failed. At Emirates Stadium, there are a few senior players who have blended well with the youth and who are said to be excellent mentors for the club’s stars of the future, but the development of those who represent the future must be a priority.
Even after a mass closing that was done earlier in the season, there are still too many who treat Arsenal like a nursing home, collect large salary checks and simply do not do business in the field.
Arteta’s obsession with creating the right culture in north London has sometimes cost him, but in the long run, it’s the right thing to do. His refusal to start Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last Thursday, a more perfect finisher than Alexandre Lacazette, could cost Arsenal their place in the Europa League semi-final. But the attitude and frequency of work of the French have been exemplary – he deserves his place.
The boss’s refusal to compromise on his principles, even if it means omitting his most talented players, can cause short-term pain, but is it worth the long-term gain?
Aubameyang was the replacement during a 1-1 draw with Slavia Prague | Julian Finney / Getty Images
For several years, the culture of Arsenal has broken down and most fans agree. So now that someone is actively trying to fix it and implement the difficult steps required to do so, there should be very few complaints. We can not have it both ways.
Bukayo Saka has had an impressive season and Emile Smith Rowe came on the sidelines at Christmas to add a creative spark that the team missed during the first months of the season. Although only one of the aforementioned players played a role this weekend, Gunners fans can be encouraged that the future looks bright with the two being among the excellent youth products.
Gabriel Martinelli showed off a good display at Sheffield United after getting off to a rare start – he contributed a goal and got 83 minutes under his belt. Despite all the declines that this season has brought, there are a number of young talents at the club that give fans something to be optimistic about.
❤️ Healthy content here? pic.twitter.com/QTdxucUeKK
– Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 12, 2021
It can be difficult to see that, especially through the cloud of negativity that currently seems to be hovering around the club. Very often when going through a major transition, things may look worse before they get better again, but everything is part of the “process”.
A silver-plated mid-table finish will represent a disappointing campaign in many ways, but at least a group of young players who can give better times to the north London outfit a new season of development, learned some tough lessons and took another big step in their football education .
