This was supposed to be Arsenal's moment under Mikel Arteta. The Gunners had the chance to secure their place in the Champions League final on May 31. After more than 180 minutes of gruelling action, they failed.
Arteta and his squad will instead watch PSG take on Inter Milan at the Allianz Arena from the comfort of their own homes. With just three Premier League games remaining, the 2024/25 season has all but ended already.
Over the two legs against PSG the Gunners did have plenty of chances to score, though, but Gianluigi Donnarumma made a number of world class saves. The likes of Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard were all denied by the Italian.
While Donnarumma rightfully earned praise for his performances, you could certainly argue Arsenal were nowhere near as clinical as they should have been. Bukayo Saka's goal in the second half of the second leg was the only goal the north Londoners scored throughout the tie. That's simply not good enough.
Aston Villa scored four goals against the French giants in the quarter-final. Attacking wise they are undoubtedly strong but defensively they can be got at.
It brings back the conversation of Arsenal needing to improve the attacking department over the summer. Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have hit Arteta hard this campaign, with Mikel Merino forced to play as a makeshift No.9 since January. The Spaniard has done well but it is not his natural position.
football.london understands Arsenal do want to sign a striker in the summer transfer window, with Benjamin Sesko, Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres all linked with a move to Emirates Stadium. A versatile winger could be looked at too, with Nico Williams heavily linked.
Arteta was asked about whether his side need extra firepower after the 2-1 defeat to PSG. "I'm very proud of the players that we have and within that we create chances and situations that normally in the other day are goals," the Gunners boss said.
"But again, sometimes you have to approach your position, what the keeper is doing, not in this tie, in both ties. They won the game for you and you need that. To win a competition, you need that. In one of the two boxes, somebody has to do something special to win it for you and make it happen and that was the difference."
Asked if he believes this squad is strong enough to win a trophy, Arteta said: "Well, it depends. This squad, two years ago, nobody believed that we could even probably qualify for the Champions League, not even think that we could finish second and compete in the league.
"Perhaps the amount of points that we had in any other year, you are a champion. Perhaps the run and the results and the performances that we have in the Champions League. But the reality at the end is you need something to lose and that trophy with all the work that we do and the disappointment is we don’t have them."
New sporting director Andrea Berta is expected to work alongside Arteta in the coming months to try and improve the Arsenal squad for the 2025/26 campaign. A new striker and, in general, improving the frontline should be the priority.
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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