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What are Arsenal’s chances to reach next season’s UEFA competitions?

By mac14 on March 4, 2022

Arsenal are going through one of their biggest transition periods in their history. While it often seems like there are too many issues within the team, it appears that Mikel Arteta is pleased with the overall results. Plus, the team is now almost in range of the Champions League spots while they had the worst season start in decades. Despite the less-than-stellar performance, fans can still wager on the Gunners using the STS code.

What chances does Arsenal have this season?

Arsenal started the 2021/22 campaign with three consecutive losses and a 0:9 goal difference. No one expected them to achieve something this season or even be in the race for the European championships.

But Mikel Arteta found a way. Arsenal went on an 8-game unbeaten run in the Premier League and overall, lost just three of the next sixteen matches. The team is currently 5th with 45 points, which is just one behind Manchester United at 4th place.

Moreover, Arsenal have played one or two games less than all other direct opponents for the Champions League qualifying spots. With two wins, the team will overtake Manchester United and have a lead.

On Thursday, Arsenal faced Wolverhampton, the team that was sitting right below them at 7th place. With the win, the team overtook West Ham for the Europa League qualifying place (5th).

Since the bad start, Arsenal have been one of the most impressive teams defensively although their attack is far from the highest-scoring in the league. And their chances to reach the Champions League definitely look higher than anticipated.

Arsenal have one of the easiest schedules until the end of the season. Besides the last match with Wolverhampton and one game against United, the team has to play against sides from the bottom half of the table.

With two additional games to play, there is one match that will decide who plays in the Champions League next season – the fixture between them and Manchester United on 23 April. West Ham had an incredible run but they have never qualified for the CL and the recent form suggests that the team is in no good shape right now.

Chelsea will keep 3rd place until the end of the season without a doubt, so the drama will be between Arsenal and Manchester United. While the Red Devils are in good form and have been improving, Ralf Ragnick has not yet found the right formula to make the team world-class.

Unless Arsenal lose points against some of the weaker teams, their chances to reach the Champions League are as high as United’s.

Will Arsenal be contenders next season?

Mikel Arteta has voiced his main objective – to develop young players and integrate them into the team. This task has been successful to this point and we can give an example.

Arsenal’s recent line-up against Brentford, for instance, had only four players that were over 24 years old. The average age of this team was 25 years.

The first goal of the match was scored by 21-year-old Smith-Rowe, who scored his 9th this season in the Premier League. He became the first graduate of the Arsenal academy since the 2009/2010 season to score 10+ goals in one season.

Arsenal’s second goal in this meeting was scored by 20-year-old Saka, his seventh goal this season in the Premier League . At the same time, Saka has already participated in seven Arsenal goals in the last eight matches of the Premier League (five goals and two assists).

In the winter transfer window, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left Arsenal, but Arteta did not buy anyone to replace him – only Lacazette and the young Nketiah remained of the nominal attackers. Technical director Edu Gaspar was quick to note that the coaching staff believed in Nketiah’s progress and looked forward to him for the remainder of the season.

Arsenal’s new strategy is to focus on young players from the academy instead of spending millions on foreign stars that might or might not succeed in the Premier League. And for now, it is working.

The way Arsenal turned their season with this young team suggests that the team will become a season-long contender for the Champions League (and maybe the title?) in the upcoming campaigns.