Peaks then valleys, then peaks again

Wednesday’s match at Crystal Palace was the perfect example of Arsenal’s rollercoaster season. There were peaks then valleys, then peaks again. We started strong, and finished strong, but the middle left little to be desired.

The same goes for the Gunners 2020/2021 campaign. Here’s what I mean: From August through November the Gunners had 11 wins, 1 draw and 5 defeats. From December through April the club’s record was 15-7-12, and now in the final month of the season the team has regrouped to produce a record of 4-2-0.  Peaks then valleys, then peaks again. Unfortunately, the long spell of valleys has put Arsenal 9th in the Premier League table with just one match left to play.

So, here we are. One match to play, and our only hope for European football lies with the newly-created Europa Conference League. However, to reach this “lofty” goal, the Gunners must defeat Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday while checking the scoreboard to see what happened to Everton, Tottenham and West Ham United. It’s hard to believe, but here we are, on the edge of our seats hoping to finish 7th. How far have we fallen? As Freddie Ljungberg recently said, “I hope this is rock bottom.”

Now, back to Wednesday. Kudos to Nicolas Pepe for his outstanding two-goal performance. Maybe the club’s huge transfer fee the Gunners paid for Pepe is finally beginning to pay dividends. And also, let’s give a big pat on the back to Gabriel Martinelli who came off the bench to kick in the game-winning goal.

As for the rest of the squad, I would say there were some very poor performances. Saka seemed tired and uninterested. Partey was inconsistent and out of position for most of the match, while Aubameyang was more of an observer, and less of a participant.

However, on the other hand there were a few bright spots beside Pepe and Martinelli. Leno was solid in goal, Tierney was his usual impressive self, Chambers played hard while Smith Rowe once again ran his socks off. At the end of the 90 minutes, the Gunners had the win, and the three points.

So, minus the second leg Europa League semifinal disaster with Villarreal, the Gunners have put together a good finish to the season. Now the dilemma is this. What is best for Arsenal next season? A) to play in the Europa Conference League, or B) to miss a season of European competition to give the club a chance to regroup and rebuild?

Personally, I think qualifying for this new competition would be a good thing for Arsenal. Why? Because it would show some accomplishment for an otherwise bad season, plus, the extra games against “weaker” competition would give some of Arsenal’s younger players a chance to compete on a European stage. Wouldn’t this help in the rebuilding process?

This coming Sunday will also mark the end of David Luiz’s career at Arsenal. Could the match also be the final Arsenal appearance for Hector Bellerin, Mo Elneny, Willian, Granit Xhaka, Mat Ryan, Alexandre Lacazette, Dani Ceballos or Martin Odegaard? Look for a major purge in the days ahead as Edu and Arteta begin their summer rebuilding project.

Regardless of Sunday’s outcome, and despite what players leave the club this summer, it’s time to put this season, and the previous season, behind us. Are there brighter days ahead for the Arsenal Football Club? One can only hope this is rock bottom.

Gunner1953