Can Arsenal's 2023/24 season be considered a success without a trophy?

Arsenal pushed Manchester City all the way in the league and advanced further in the Champions League in 2023/24 but finished without a trophy yet again. So, was the season a success for the Gunners?

Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal has been on a journey of constant improvement, perhaps having its best season since the 2003/04 Invincibles year. The Gunners narrowly missed out on the league title and made it to the Champions League quarter-finals, both of which can be considered massive improvements.

But the Gunners also failed to lift a trophy and haven't done so since the FA Cup triumph in 2019/20.

That is over three years since a major trophy was won. This brings us to the question: was Arsenal's season a success despite missing out on a trophy yet again?

Ultimately, that's in the eye of the beholder, but on one hand Arsenal's season could easily be seen as a success, such were the strides made both domestically and in Europe, but conversely, it could not be seen as a success due to no trophy being won.

Online, there have been back-and-forth comments regarding Manchester United and Arsenal as to who had the "better" season. United finished 8th in the league but won the FA Cup. Arsenal, meanwhile, finished second in the league but failed to claim a trophy.

Of course, either side has ammunition to support their arguments, but it is clear that Arsenal had a super successful year, as Arteta's plan to make the Gunners a juggernaut is coming together.

The improvements made domestically that saw them go undefeated against the "big six" were impressive. Of the 10 games, Arsenal won five and drew five, taking four points from City, Liverpool, and Chelsea while taking six from Manchester United.

That is a big step, considering that games against those opponents, especially away, have been torture for Arsenal fans.

Then there's Europe. While the Gunners should have beaten a wounded Bayern Munich team in the quarter-finals, the fact the club got there is again improvement.

Having not gotten past the Round of 16 for years under Arsene Wenger, Arteta finally managed to do it. Now the task is to consistently make it at least that far in the competition.

So, while there are some that will state Arsenal's season wasn't a success, for most who know where the club was and where it is now, what was accomplished this season shows that not only is Arsenal on the right track under Arteta, it is poised to have sustained dominance after some up and down moments.

Which was always Arteta's plan.