The fashion words of the Arsenal season? Strikers, injuries and referees – well -known obstacles in a campaign that again promised a lot, but ended with waiting for silverware that extended to a sixth year.
There was that famous Emirates Night against Real Madrid in the quarterfinals of the Champions League that will live for a long time in the memory of Gunners supporters.
But in the end a trophy -free season is now what could be a determining summer for Mikel Arteta and his project.
But I have no fear – here Mail Sport gives a look behind the scenes on another Arsenalcampagne filled with highlights and lows while they were done with Premier League two for a third consecutive season.
From the start there was fear after the summer transfer window of 2024.
Arsenal brought £ 89 million to the sale of Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah and Aaron Ramsdale, with the hierarchy mainly pleased with the £ 30 million deal of Crystal Palace for Nketiah. The will of Reiss Nelson, Fabio Vieira and Sambi Lokonga were also lent.
Yet no striker arrived. At the time it was seen as controversial – and an important issue turned out to be an important issue towards the end of the season.
The loan from David Raya from Brentford was made permanent, with Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori also drawing for the club.
Merino ended the campaign as an improvised striker and did well, although the relocation of Calafiori has not yet had to be completely assigned by Myles Lewis-Skelly on the left due to his persistent injuries.
Raheem Sterling's last-minute loan from Chelsea on the Deadline Day of the transfer in some ways summarized the strategy of Arsenal. Insiders were determined that the move was a coup because Chelsea would pay the lion's share of his wages, but they knew all too well that they needed an attacker and this was a desperate last swipe to bring in to connect an attacking gorge.
That theme of transfers is an underlying one in the campaign. By January, after Gabriel Jesus had sustained a seasonal injury against Manchester United in the third round of the FA Cup, called for a striker fever.
You could feel Arteta's growing frustration about the increasing questions about a new striker with the transfer window open.
His outputs of the press conferences had a stony feeling about them, his face masked an annoyance in the constant bombing, but an incidental recognition that he too did not deny in the situation.
On an occasion he had a brushing meeting with a reporter outside the camera on his line of interrogation. The pressure was clear and it was not to admit.
Arteta would have regretted the impact injuries and referee decisions on the fortunes of his team both in public and private. They are topics that must be tackled, but of the factors within his control there were two that turned out to be crucial: the run between December and January, and draws.
In December the Gunners dropped points to Everton and Fulham. And then they were eliminated in January by Newcastle and Manchester United in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.
It was this period that the writing almost put on the wall for their season. Then there was the issue of draws. Arsenal ended the campaign on 14 – only Everton, in the 13th position, had more (15).
Champions Liverpool had only four draw. It is a damming statistics and a reflection of a lot of ball possession, but still a lack of finishers in their side. This summer transfer it makes Venster Monumental for the Fortuinen of the Club.
There was also the strange curveball such as the departure of sports director Edu in November, as reported by Mail Sport.
The shock news took Arsenal surprised, especially because it only came two months before the January window.
The club quickly underwent his search for a new sports director, the managers who fly to Los Angeles only a few weeks later to plot their next movements for the rest of the season.
Seven candidates were interviewed, with Andrea Berta from Atletico Madrid the preferred choice. His extensive contacts and track record were all factors that helped with decision -making.
He was officially appointed on Sunday 30 March and was introduced the next day into reporters at a press conference in London Colney prior to the Arsenal match against Fulham.
Berta decided to come up with a whim and welcomed journalists who surprised the staff. He has a talent for this kind of charm.
For example, in the days after his appointment, he had arrived gifts. Tailor-made red tires were given to the managers prior to the Crunch Champions League quart final of the North London Club against Real Madrid.
The Gunners won 3-0, thanks to two superlative Declan Rice Free-Kicks, with staff present in the red tires of Berta. They saw it as their 'happy' red tie, so it was superstitious for the second stage in the Bernabeu who saw Arsenal sealing a semi -final place.
It was Madrid's result that delighted both club staff and fans, a disputable highlight in a campaign that sometimes swung quickly.
Their semi -final exit hit the club hard, but it was a major improvement compared to the previous campaign in Europe in terms of mental strength.
Last year they had reached the quarterfinals against Bayern Munich after an absence of six years in the competition. Yet a relevant theme was their struggles on the road.
The 2-1 defeat per lens on October 3, 2023 in the group stage in particular stood out. The French side had finished in the Ligue 1 that season and were hammered 6-0 by the Gunners in the Emirates Return-Been.
There was a gap in the classroom between the two sides, but that was cut aside. The Stade Bollaert-Delelis had created a Ketelatmosphere in a city that after 20 years enjoyed the return of the most important European football.
A relevant feeling can be felt and it rattled the Arsenal players. That feeling of discomfort on hostile European turf occasionally brought his head up.
The other moment was the 1-0 defeat by Porto in the round of 16 first leg. Again, the atmosphere threw off the Gunners.
This time Arsenal was strong on the road grass. They registered important victories over PSV Eindhoven and Sporting Lisbon respectively 7-1 and 5-1 and placed a brave representation in the 2-1 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the Parc des Princes.
When asked by Mail Sport to the different approach to tackling opposition away from home in Europe compared to last season, Arteta said: 'Probably the daily work that the players have put and the conviction that we have generated.
“Sometimes when we think:” Well, we are going to Europe, can we do it in Europe? ” And I keep telling them (the players): “You did it three days ago against one of the best teams in Europe, so they have to think, can they do it against the team in the Premier League?”
'And play with that conviction that you are exposed, high is exposed here every week in this competition. So we have the tools, we have the experience and the means to play and overcome every situation. '
It is this development in Europe that they take to the next campaign. It is one of the more promising signs.
As far as the competition is concerned, Arteta is false referee decisions and have led the gunners to fall short in the competition again.
Declan Rice sends away for kicking the ball against Brighton, William Saliba's main collision with Joao Pedro resulting in a penalty from Brighton and the resignation of Lewis-Skelly for a challenge about Wolves's Matt Doherty (this was later saved by the FA) were all very hard decisions.
There were also others who were controversial, such as the Leandro Trossard Red Card against Manchester City in an incident comparable to the rice.
You can understand why Arteta feels fed by referee decisions because they have cost Arsenal crucial points.
Long -term injuries to people like Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Jesus have undoubtedly also played a role.
It is the honor of Arteta, he has been creative and has found ways of difficult perilarability. Take the spits problem in February after the HAVERTZ hamstring injury, which adds that Jesus is a side.
The Spaniard turned to play Merino at the top. He hit nine goals, including a crucial against Real Madrid, and helped to keep their campaign on the right track in many respects.
The other aspect was the rise of young people Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly. For a long time, Arteta has been accused of not taking an opportunity with the youth.
This season his hand was reversed due to injuries, in particular Lewis-Skelly, he has trusted and helped the development of his young players.
It feels a long time ago since Arteta Lewis-Skelly has used a full back against Bournemouth in Los Angeles last July at the preseason.
That was the first introduction from the teenager to football in the first team in a position other than the role of midfield he played at the academy level.
His strength and positioning immediately stood out and even though he initially started the season with the Under-21s, Lewis-Skelly regularly sat on the bank of the first team.
Injury in December presented him his chance and he no longer looked back and since then 15 games started. But it was Arteta who saw left as the position for him and risked him in large competitions, such as in Crunch Champions League matches that Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain were confronted.
Nwaneri is another example. He has collected 11 League Start and has shown a glimpse of what a future star he could become, such as that beautiful finish against Preston in the Carabao Cup in October.
Silverwerk has passed Arteta again and the disappointment is fresh, but in this season there are plenty of promising moments to give Arsenal Hope for the next campaign.
But it all starts with a determining summer transfer window.