Title race may be over, but Arsenal’s season still a success

Arsenal suffered their worst defeat of the season in a 4-1 thumping to Manchester City to hand the title advantage to Pep Guardiola’s team.

It was billed as a true title decider, and Arsenal, for whatever reason, didn’t show up. Manchester City dominated every facet of the game as they overpowered Arsenal and pounded them into submission.

The win sees City move to within two points of Arsenal at the summit but have two games in hand on the Gunners.

It is now City’s title to lose.

While there is no doubt a sense of Arsenal “bottling” the league title, and fans are, of course, angry at what has transpired over the last four games (three draws and a loss), perspective shouldn’t be overlooked when taking stock of the season if the league title stays in Manchester.

Title race may be over, but Arsenal’s season still a success

Heading into the season, a top-four finish was the aim for Mikel Arteta’s side. They got that with five games remaining. Tick.

After years in the Champions League wilderness, the Gunners will return to Europe’s premier club competition next season. It was the main goal for Arsenal, and one that they have achieved with aplomb.

A title charge wasn’t even on the horizon for the Gunners, so it does make what has transpired this season surprising. No one gave Arsenal any shot of winning the title, and for most of the season, Arteta’s side held the top spot. That is growth.

Players have also shown their talents. The likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel, Eddie Nketiah, Ben White, William Saliba, Martin Odegaard and Aaron Ramsdale have all shown their incredible quality, which bodes well for the future.

It wasn’t expected, but given the situation in which Arsenal found themselves, fans dared to dream of what was once impossible just months ago…a league title.

Against the irrepressible City juggernaut, the Gunners kept them at arm’s length for most of the journey, but the constant shadow of the reigning champions appears to have caught up to them.

But that’s okay.

Regarded as one of the best teams on the planet, to have pushed them this far in the title race is a feather in the cap of the club and Arteta… but it doesn’t appease the fans’ frustrations at essentially gifting City the league. Nor should it.

But while fans are attacking players on social media, it is essential not to lose sight of what is being built here.

Yes, Arsenal were in the title hunt and once looked like winning it, but now, that is a slim possibility. Fans shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bath water.

Don’t burn the team after four poor games at the most inopportune time. What is being built is special by Arteta and the club.

Despite the title race looking over, the season has been a success for the Gunners, whether it feels like it or not.