Arsenal: 4 reasons why losing out on top four would be majorly disappointing

Thierry Henry has sparked some interesting discourse across the Arsenal world in recent days. The greatest player ever to play for the club, and the greatest player who will ever play for the club, isn’t one to mince his words.

The all-time top scorer has changed his stance considerably in the time between the 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace and the recent win over Wolves. When asked whether he thought Arsenal could secure European football he replied ‘not with what I saw recently’, which was at the time entirely fair.

But it’s what he’s said in the build-up to Saturday’s game with Brentford which has caused the biggest stir.

It’s important to remember that Henry is a fan. He bleeds Arsenal, and only wants what is best for Arsenal. Granted, he’s part of a movement that doesn’t look to favourably on the club at present as he bids to raise Daniel Ek’s profile, but he still loves the club. Hence why his comments aren’t overly surprising.

https://twitter.com/TheAFCnewsroom/status/1494022335053107203

Arsenal: 4 reasons why not finishing in the Premier League top four would be disappointing after Thierry Henry said it would be a failure if they didn’t

"“The best thing about Arsenal is that they didn’t play,” the Frenchman said on CBS Sports. “West Ham didn’t take advantage of it. Tottenham has never taken advantage of it. “But Arsenal had to go and win at Wolves. That was a massive win, so there are still a lot of games to go. For me, if they don’t do it, as I said at the start of the season, then it will be a failure.”"

It’s that word, failure.

After finishing eighth in back-to-back campaigns and signing a group of young players who weren’t expected to move the needle far enough for Arsenal this season to secure top four, would it now be a failure to miss out from it? Before the season began nobody gave the Gunners a rat’s chance in hell of finishing anywhere near those positions.

With 16 games left to play, is Henry right? Well, he is, and he isn’t. Finishing outside of the top four wouldn’t constitute some abject failure, but it would be unmistakably disappointing. That seems like a apt description. Here’s why.

1. Expectations Have Changed This Season

This is where most of the outrage lies, in that expectations set before the season finished aren’t allowed to bend in accordance with fluctuating circumstances.

As far as setting targets and expectations goes, the fairest time to do is at the beginning of the season. Here there is no influence on events that take place regarding or not regarding Arsenal, and you can take stock of the situation at face value.

But of course these expectations can be altered. Not since Unai Emery and his team’s outstanding bottle job in 2019/20 have Arsenal been this close to elite European football, and that’s still with a wealth of matches left to play.

Realistically, as much as everyone wanted to finish in the top four, off the back of the stinking mediocrity that fans had been subject to for the previous two seasons, a Europa League place was a more achievable target.

It is not acceptable for this club, as five seasons out of the Champions League is horrendous, but was realistic in regards to Arsenal’s current plight.

That is not the case any more. This is how the table looks with 16 games left to play, and it’s leaning in Arsenal’s favour. Absolutely the target is now top four, and without doubt the adjusted aims now mean not securing it would breed disappointment.

Failure, however, is a strong word.

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