Mikel Arteta might not have led Arsenal to a top-four finish. However, his team’s performance on a night they had to come from one goal down will spark a ray of hope as the season comes to a close. On a calm Saturday night under the beautiful floodlights at the massive Wembley Stadium, Arsenal went down in the early minutes of the game. And not even the deafening silence from the empty stands could prevent Pulisic from netting the opener.
Tense moments
From there, it was a matter of chasing the game, with Arteta’s charges pressing hard to get the equalizer before the break. And when it came, through a penalty, the Arsenal’s bench rose in celebration, probably aware of their chances of winning the game altogether. The center referee Antony Taylor blew the final whistle, bringing the hotly contested duel to a close. From touchline, an elated Arteta clenched his fists and punched into the air. His players, still able to gather a last burst of energy, ran into each other’s arms.
And with the final whistle, a sigh of relief rented the air, spreading through the streets of London and later turning into wild celebrations among the Gunners faithful. A grueling season with little to smile about had suddenly turned around, with the coaching staff elated at the team’s performance.
The season had finally ended on a trophy-winning high.
An Awful premier league campaign
Arsenal finished a distant eighth in the premier league standings. That was a horrible performance, and not even the FA Cup will erase that. While the appointment of Mikel Arteta was meant to breathe a new life into the team, nothing can be further from the truth. The FA cup record-holders haven’t been anywhere near their best.
Their last game against Watford was another reminder of a team that had found it difficult to hold onto leads. They had a comfortable 3-0 at the break only to concede two in the second half and subject themselves to unnecessary pressure in the game’s dying minutes.
Some improvements
Chelsea met Arsenal in the Europa League finals last year and had an easy route to claiming the trophy. Let’s just say Arsenal was pathetic and didn’t turn up for the finals. However, the last two FA games have painted a picture of a team that has mastered how to handle big games and ultimately wins in the end.
Against Manchester City, Arsenal showed a tactical masterclass, subduing Guardiola’s charges and disarming them on their way to the final. It was a comfortable 2-0 win, a result that came unexpectedly to many soccer fanatics.
And then came the finals at Wembley. Frank Lampard had dispatched Manchester United on their way to Wembley, setting a contest of former players. And while the bookmarkers favored the former Chelsea captain, it was the old Everton midfield dynamo that had the last laugh.
The Premier League table doesn’t reflect the notable improvement in the team. That was the lowest finish in a quarter of a century. However, that still doesn’t take away the fact that Arteta has brought back the team’s fighting spirit and togetherness.
It feels like something is brewing up, and it was all laid bare at Wembley on that Saturday evening. Christian Pulisic’s opener might have sent everything into disarray; however, they recollected themselves to put up one of the best performances of the season.
