A sixth fourth-place finish in nine years will be viewed as disappointment by some given they led the table for 128 days but retaining Champions League football and winning the FA Cup, should they do so this weekend, will constitute progress.
The Gunners were remarkably consistent against teams in the bottom half of the table and showed their resilience in certain games, Tottenham and Newcastle away stand out, but found themselves suffering from a shortfall in self-belief – and arguably quality – against their title rivals.
In away matches against Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Everton, Arsenal lost by an aggregate score of 20-4. The pattern in those matches was alarming – they conceded early and heavily, seemingly unable to comprehend and combat the challenge before them.
Arsenal took six points from a possible 24 overall in those games and it was this failure that cost them the title. But their response to those defeats revealed a determination not to capitulate, most notably in winning their final five matches following defeat at Goodison Park to avoid the final day scramble for fourth that has become the traditional denouement to an Arsenal campaign.
Arsenal Season Review
They qualified from the toughest Champions League group possible, recording notable wins at home to Napoli and away to Borussia Dortmund, before being outclassed by Bayern Munich at the last 16 stage. There is no disgrace in that but it was a reminder, surely, to Arsene Wenger that the club needs to strengthen in certain areas to challenge for the highest honours next season.
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