Arsenal discipline will be deciding factor of European glory

Once again Mikel Arteta and his men find themselves in an unlikely position to salvage another poor season. Much like the end of last season, Arsenal can drastically change their fortunes with a strong Europa League run.

In the previous campaign, it was the FA Cup that provided a get-out-of-jail-free card for Arteta, who utilized pivotal victories over former employers Manchester City and bitter London rivals Chelsea to springboard Europa League qualification. This season it is that very competition that could provide a pathway back to the promised land of Champions League football.

Since the finals days of Arsene Wenger’s reign, Arsenal has languished in Europe’s less glamorous and lucrative competition. Now in its fourth consecutive year in the Europa League, the club has perhaps the most favorable route to claiming the trophy.

After falling to eventual winners Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals in 2018, the humiliation of Baku in 2019, and the utter collapse to Olympiakos last year, Gooners will be eager to see the back of this competition.

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Arsenal discipline will be deciding factor in hopes of winning Europa League

However, what lies ahead for the Gunners is not a carefree or straightforward march to glory. Arsenal will need to put Slavia Prague to the sword over two legs in the quarter-finals, an objective which should need no extra incentive but with the deplorable actions of the Czech team’s fans after their victory over Scottish champions Rangers, the Gunners should relish the task.

If the north London outfit qualifies for the semi-finals then a grudge-match with a familiar foe could be on the cards: Unai Emery’s Villarreal are favorites to advance past Dinamo Zagreb and a meeting with the former Arsenal manager will certainly be a heated and tense affair.

Of course, there is no guarantee that any of this will play out, but if we’re honest, Arsenal should have enough to advance past Slavia Prague and Villarreal. When you consider that Arsenal has faced the likes of Atletico, Napoli, and Valencia in these stages in the past, this prospective path is relatively favorable.

The final could be against domestic rivals Manchester United, perennial European powerhouse Ajax, surprise candidates Granada, or the always proud and formidable Roma. Again, not to take any of those clubs lightly but those are all winnable games. Especially when we consider the prize; a European Cup, Champions League qualification, and with it financial incentives for the club and players both.

Obtaining this silver lining is totally within the team’s grasp but in order to salvage this abject season, Arsenal must stop beating themselves. Despite Arteta’s growing reputation as a no-nonsense gaffer, flexing his managerial muscle on the likes of Matteo Guendouzi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil, and many others, the Spaniard has not totally drilled a sense of discipline into this team.

Earlier in the season when things seemed their most dire, Arsenal struggled to finish games with 11 men on the pitch. Granit Xhaka and Nicolas Pepe stand out as two of the most egregious culprits, both getting sent off in pivotal games for completely avoidable infractions. More recently, the lack of discipline has manifested in other ways like surrendering a 3-0 lead to West Ham in the opening half-hour. West Ham’s second and third goals were especially unacceptable with players fully turning their back on play and committing unforgivable lapses in concentration.

Along with two eye-raising performances in the previous two rounds of the Europa League, at home against Olympiacos and at ‘home’ to Benfica, the West Ham game paints a picture of an unfocused and ill-disciplined side. If Arsenal has any hope of making it to the final let alone winning the Europa, Arteta will have to instill an iron-clad discipline into his wavering squad.