The buzzwords of Arsenal‘s season? Strikers, injuries, and referees — familiar obstacles in a campaign that once again promised much, but ended with the wait for silverware stretching into a sixth year.
There was that famous Emirates night against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals which will live long in the memory of Gunners supporters.
But, ultimately, another trophyless season now frames what could be a defining summer for Mikel Arteta and his project.
But have no fear – here, Mail Sport gives a behind the scenes look on another Arsenal campaign filled with highs and lows as they finished Premier League runners-up for a third straight season.
From the outset, there was already trepidation after the summer transfer window of 2024.
Arsenal banked £89million in the sales of Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah and Aaron Ramsdale, with the hierarchy particularly delighted with Crystal Palace‘s £30m deal for Nketiah. The likes of Reiss Nelson, Fabio Vieira and Sambi Lokonga were also loaned out.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has seen another season pass by without any silverware
The campaign had promised a lot, but they came second in the Premier League and were knocked out in the Champions League semi-finals
They had sold well in the summer – Aaron Ramsdale on of the names that left – yet no striker arrived through the doors
Yet glaringly, no striker arrived. It was seen as contentious at the time — and has proven to be a significant matter by season’s end.
David Raya’s loan move from Brentford was made permanent, with Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori also signing for the club.
Merino finished the campaign as a makeshift striker and did well, though Calafiori’s move has yet to fully succeed having been usurped by Myles Lewis-Skelly at left back due to his persistent injuries.
Raheem Sterling’s last-minute loan from Chelsea on transfer deadline day in some ways summed up Arsenal’s strategy. Insiders were adamant that the move was a coup because Chelsea would be paying the lion share of his wages, but they knew all too well that that they needed an attacker and this was a desperate final swipe at bring in something, if anything, to plug an attacking gap.
That theme of transfers is an underlying one across the campaign. By January, after Gabriel Jesus sustained a season-ending injury against Manchester United in the FA Cup third round, calls for a striker had reached fever pitch.
You could sense Arteta’s growing frustration at the mounting questions about a new striker with the transfer window open.
His exits from the press conferences had a stony feeling about them, his face masking an annoyance at the constant bombardment, but an occasional acknowledgment that he too was not in denial over the situation.
On one occasion, he had a bristly encounter with a reporter off camera over his line of questioning. The pressure was clear and it was not to relent.
Riccardo Calafiori (second left) has been second-choice left back behind Myles Lewis Skelly (centre)
When Gabriel Jesus suffered a season-ending injury, the need for a striker became clearer
Arteta cut a frustrated figure in January as frustration grew over the club’s failure to sign a forward player
Arteta both in public and private would bemoan the impact injuries and refereeing decisions have had on his team’s fortunes. They are topics to be addressed, but of the factors within his control there were two which proved crucial: the run between December and January, and draws.
In December, the Gunners dropped points to Everton and Fulham. And then in January they were knocked out by Newcastle and Manchester United in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup respectively.
It was this period that almost set the writing on the wall for their season. Then there was the matter of draws. Arsenal finished the campaign on 14 — only Everton, in 13th position, had more (15).
Champions Liverpool had just four draws. It’s a damming statistic and a reflection of much ball possession yet a lack of finishers in their side. It makes this summer transfer window monumental for the club’s fortunes.
There was also the odd curveball such as the departure of sporting director Edu in November, as reported by Mail Sport.
The shock news took Arsenal by surprise, particularly with it coming just two months before the January window.
The club quickly underwent its search for a new sporting director, its executives flying to Los Angeles just weeks later to plot their next moves for the rest of the season.
Seven candidates were interviewed, with Atletico Madrid’s Andrea Berta the preferred choice. His extensive contacts and track record were all factors that helped in the decision making.
Arsenal finished the campaign with 14 draws — only Everton, in 13th position, had more (15)
Gunners sporting director Edu departed the club in November, as reported by Mail Sport
He was officially appointed on Sunday, March 30 and was introduced to reporters the next day at a London Colney press conference ahead of Arsenal’s match versus Fulham.
Berta decided on a whim to come upstairs and greet journalists, which took staff by surprise. He has a knack for this sort of charm.
For example, in the days after his appointment, he had come bearing gifts. Bespoke red ties were given to the executives ahead of the north London club’s crunch Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid.
The Gunners won 3-0, thanks to two superlative Declan Rice free-kicks, with staff in attendance wearing Berta’s red ties. They saw it as their ‘lucky’ red tie, so superstitiously wore it for the second leg at the Bernabeu which saw Arsenal seal a semi-final spot.
It was the Madrid result which delighted club staff and fans alike, a arguable high point in a campaign which, at times, rapidly meandered.
Their semi-final exit hit the club hard, but it was a major improvement from the previous campaign in Europe in terms of mental fortitude.
They had reached the quarter-finals against Bayern Munich last year after a six-year absence from the competition. Yet, a concerning theme was their struggles on the road.
The 2-1 defeat by Lens on October 3, 2023 in the group stage particularly stuck out. The French side had finished seventh in the Ligue 1 that season and were hammered 6-0 by the Gunners in the Emirates return leg.
Andrea Berta (left) was appointed, with his extensive contacts and track record were all factors that helped in the decision making
The Champions League win over Real Madrid was the highlight of the season, but the semi-final exit hit the club hard
There was a gulf in class between the two sides, yet that was cut aside. The Stade Bollaert-Delelis had created a cauldron atmosphere in a town relishing the return of premier European football after 20 years.
A riot-like feeling could be felt and it rattled the Arsenal players. That sense of unease on hostile European turf occasionally reared its head.
The other moment was the 1-0 defeat by Porto in the round of 16 first leg. Again, the atmosphere threw the Gunners off.
This time around, Arsenal were strong on away turf. They registered important away wins over PSV Eindhoven and Sporting Lisbon — 7-1 and 5-1 respectively — and put in a valiant display in the 2-1 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes.
When asked by Mail Sport about the different approach to tackling opposition away from home in Europe compared to last season, Arteta said: ‘Probably the daily work that the players put in and the belief that we generated.
‘Sometimes when we think, “Well we go to Europe, are we able to do it in Europe?” And I keep telling them (the players), “You’ve done it three days ago against one of the best teams in Europe away, so they have to be thinking, can they do it against the team in the Premier League?”
‘And playing with that belief that you are exposed, highly exposed every single week here in this league. So we have the tools, we have the experience and the resources to help play and overcome any situation.’
It is this development in Europe which they will take with them into the next campaign. It’s one of the more promising signs.
The Gunners were better away from home this season, getting used to European atmospheres
Arteta pointed to injuries as a reason for struggle – Bukayo Saka (second right) and Kai Havertz (second left) missing large chunks of the campaign
In terms of the league, Arteta is adamant refereeing decisions and injuries have caused the Gunners to fall short in the league once again.
Declan Rice’s sending off for kicking the ball away against Brighton, William Saliba’s head collision with Joao Pedro resulting in a Brighton penalty and Lewis-Skelly’s dismissal for a challenge on Wolves’s Matt Doherty (this was later rescinded by the FA) were all very harsh decisions.
There were others, too, which were contentious, such as the Leandro Trossard red card against Manchester City in an incident similar to the Rice one.
You can understand why Arteta feels aggrieved by refereeing decisions as they did cost Arsenal crucial points.
Long-term injuries to the likes of Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Jesus have also, undoubtedly, played a part.
To Arteta’s credit, he has been creative and found ways out of tricky predicaments. Take the striker problem in February after Havertz’s hamstring injury, adding to Jesus being side-lined.
The Spaniard turned to playing Merino up top. He struck nine goals, including a crucial one against Real Madrid, and in many ways helped somewhat keep their campaign on track.
The other aspect was the emergence of youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly. For long, Arteta has been accused of not taking a chance with youth.
Mikel Merino scored nine goals as a makeshift striker on the back of injuries in forward areas
The emergence of Lewis-Skelly was a bright spark the north London club’s campaign
This season his hand has been turned because of injuries yet, with Lewis-Skelly in particular, he has trusted and aided the development of his young players.
It feels a long time ago since Arteta deployed Lewis-Skelly as a full back against Bournemouth in Los Angeles last July on pre-season.
That was the teenager’s first introduction to first-team football in a position different to the midfield role he played in at academy level.
His strength and positioning stood out immediately and despite having initially started the season with the Under-21s, Lewis-Skelly was regularly on the first-team bench.
Injuries in December presented him with his opportunity and he has not looked back, starting 15 games since then. But it was Arteta who saw left back as the position for him and risked him in big matches, such as in crunch Champions League matches facing Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
Nwaneri is another example. He has mustered 11 league starts and has showcased glimpses of what a future star he could well become, such as that stunning finish against Preston in the Carabao Cup in October.
Silverware has again passed Arteta by and the disappointment is fresh, but across this season there are enough promising moments to give Arsenal hope for the next campaign.
But it all starts with a defining summer transfer window ahead.