The next 11 days will have a lot to say about the immediate future of the Arsenal Football Club.
Will Mikel Arteta rest key players during the club’s Premier League run-in so they are fit and rested for the August 1st FA Cup Final?
Can AFC beat Aston Villa and/or Watford in the club’s final two Premier League games of the season?
Can the club finish 6th or 7th in the PL to earn a spot in the Europa League preliminary rounds?
Can the Gunners defeat Chelsea at Wembley to win a 13th FA Cup, and qualify for the Europa League group stage?
Will a successful finish to the season be enough to convince Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to extend his contract beyond next season?
There is so much at stake for the Gunners. A spot in the Europa League’s group stage will ensure a payout of over $3-million (USD), and would extend the club’s participation in European competition to 23 straight seasons. Both the cash, and the prestige, are extremely important to the club at this stage of their history.
Now, in order to calculate the Gunners’ chances of finishing 6th or 7th in the Premier League, you need to need to understand Einstein’s theory of relativity, E=mc2.
The bottom line, Arsenal needs to win their two remaining league games, score a lot of goals in those games, and hope Tottenham, Sheffield United, Burnley and Wolves all crash and burn. However, to qualify through the FA Cup, the Gunners just need to beat Chelsea.
So, as we head to Villa Park today, it will be interesting to see who Arteta lists in his starting XI. By rest Aubameyang, the Gabonese striker has no chance of catching Jamie Vardy in the race for the Golden Boot.
How would this decision play into Auba’s desire to stay at Arsenal? So, what’s better for the club, a happy Aubameyang, or a well-rested Aubameyang? It’s a slippery slope for the boss to maneuver, both today and again on Sunday.
What a season of twists and turns we have had. Oh my!
All I can say my fellow Gooners is this. Hang on, and keep the faith!
Cheers, and stay healthy and safe!
Gunner1953
The man called “Mr. Arsenal.” Ken Friar OBE, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 92. Friar was instrumental in the development and construction of Emirates Stadium. RIP
Arsenal gets 2nd Champions League win defeating Lille, 3-0, on Tuesday in North London.
Kyra Cooney-Cross was named the Arsenal Women’s Player of the Month for September. Congratulations!
Mikel Arteta on winning 14 consecutive UCL games in the group/league phase, “It shows the level of consistency that we have. We are carrying on playing the way we do, performing that way in competition. I’m sure we can do that more, but we have to earn it because it’s big.”
