Arsenal -Manager Mikel Arteta congratulated Noord -London Rivals Tottenham Hotspur on winning the Europa League on Wednesday, but insisted that either a team has won a trophy, should not determine whether a season has been successful.
The side of Arteta, currently second in the Premier League behind Champions Liverpool, ends this period without silverware, but Spurs, who have had a gloomy domestic campaign and have 17th, have ended the season on a high with a European trophy.
“They are (Europa League) champions and when you come, you have to do a lot of things. I think they are going through a season with many obstacles and difficulties. And they have at the end … a wonderful moment,” said Arteta.
But asked during a press conference on Thursday which of the two teams had a better season, Arteta avoided a direct comparison between Tottenham and his own side.
“I don't like to compare with other teams. I have to analyze my team, that is my job,” said the Spaniard, who led Arsenal to the semi-final of the Champions League where they were eliminated earlier this month by Paris Saint-Germain.
Arteta said that in a season a team should not only be assessed on their trophy count, where the example of his own side is mentioned, which has never won the Champions League and the Premier League trophy has not canceled since 2003/04.
“Where is the joy then? Because if I have to analyze ourselves … we have failed in the Premier League for the last 20 years and we have failed in all our history in the Champions League,” said Arteta.
“Who are we then? Where is our brand, where is our club … where is our value, our way of playing? Where are the moments that we have lived with our people?”
Arteta said that Arsenal, who has so far only admitted 33 league goals, this season, seven less than Liverpool, were motivated to end up with the best defensive record in the top flight while ending their campaign with degraded Southampton on Sunday.
“We want to have as many points as possible. We still want to achieve the best defensive record … finish the season on a high,” he added.