It is never a positive that Arsenal are not playing in Europe… | OneFootball

Last season I commended Rob Holding for stepping up as a leader, and maintain he’s at an age where he will get better.

Yet I wonder if Vieira would have looked at the ‘positives’ of having zero European Football?

What about a Tony Adams? He would be having honest conversations in training, insisting that 8th is simply not good enough for The Arsenal.

Thierry Henry would be embarrassed to represent the worst Gunners squad in a quarter of a century.

These were men with a winning DNA who, while accepting you can lose at sport; you don’t let standards drop.

Hence, I just named three captains who never finished outside the top 4 under Arsene Wenger.

There’s been comparisons with us and Chelsea in 2017.

The year before the Blues had finished 10th. So in 12 months, they had transformed from mid table to Champions.

This is the narrative that many (including Holding) are using to suggest that our form will improve without the distraction of The Champions League or Europa. It allows our manager more time on the training pitch where he has more days to focus solely on one opponent.

Context though is key,

Antonio Conte was joining a group of winners. They imploded under Mourinho, but the season before had won the Premiership comfortably.

That’s a big difference in comparison to a squad who simply haven’t been near the top 4 in years.

On top of changing managers, Abramovich responded by adversity by re investing.

Big money was spent on Ake, Luiz, Alonso, Kante and Curado.

They were joining a Terry, Courtois, Willian, Costa and Hazard.

We are not buying a Kante and don’t have a Hazard waiting for him.

In comparison, with two weeks of ao off-season to go, it doesn’t seem we will be investing enough to dramatically improve our league position.

I maintain our net spend will be between 50/80 million which isn’t enough considering how many points we were behind Man City (where’s that loan we took out?)

Man United for example are buying a Sancho and Varane so common sense says that gap will grow.

If you’re not going to make that signing that can make a difference (shock – Sterling and Grealish didn’t join us) then it needs to come from coaching.

One thing we do have is great youngsters. They though need to be taught the correct ethos and principles.

Under no circumstances can they be told that 8th Is okay for a club our size.

There can be no justification for that.

Even me as a Gooner, when I get accused of being negative, I simply agree because we should be negative about our worst team in 25 years.

We should demand more.

Being positive for the sake of it won’t change that

If you accept mediocrity, that’s what you get back.

I just hope Holding, as one of our few leaders, isn’t doing that.

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Dan