It may have ended in disappointment but this Arsenal season is one that few will forget. The Gunners went into the campaign, not even as favourites to make the top four, before defying the odds to push Manchester City all the way for the title.
"There’s no question about that," said Mikel Arteta when asked after the 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest about the progress his side had made. "I’m not questioning that at all"
While some may view as a half glass empty season, there are plenty who will still want to remember it in every detail. Here football.london 's Arsenal writers take a look back at the moments of the campaign.
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Kaya Kaynak - Chief Arsenal correspondent
Best moment: Reiss Nelson's goal vs Bournemouth
There's something about a last-minute winner. You know it hardly ever happens, but you have to believe it's possible. In my 20 years watching Arsenal as a fan I could only remember one truly last-gasp goal when everything felt on the line - Danny Welbeck's header against Leicester in 2016. As Martin Odegaard swung in the 97th-minute corner against Bournemouth it was this hope that kept me alive.
When the initial ball was headed away I cursed myself for ever being foolish enough to believe such a thing could happen. It's funny how football can make you chastise yourself for something that you have no control over. I should have looked down at my keyboard to finish typing up my player ratings at that point but for some reason, I decided to watch the ball loop down from the sky in slow motion. Then it happened.
As Reiss Nelson shamed home that late winner, the whole world sped up again. I'm normally pretty good at keeping my composure in the press box, but for the first time a let out a squeal of "it's in, it's in, it's in" at a frequency only dogs could hear. It's a moment I'll never forget, and proof as to why, in football, you should always keep believing.
Best player: Martin Odegaard
This is a tough one. I don't think any Arsenal player has been able to sustain their superb levels throughout. Gabriel Jesus and William Saliba have both had lengthy injuries, Alex Zinchenko has dropped off defensively, Granit Xhaka had a dry spell around the new year. Even Bukayo Saka's influence tailed off a bit after the West Ham penalty miss. The player who's probably come closest to maintaining elite quality all season is Martin Odegaard. The Norwegian is a sublime technician who was always a gifted passer, but now he has added end product to his game. If he's able to keep this up next season, then Arsenal will, no doubt, be pushing for the Premier League again.
Worst moment: Man City build-up
Arsenal have done a pretty good job of shaking off their inferiority complex this season. Spurs away? No problem. St James' Park? Consider it done. There is one place though where they still seem to struggle.
For me it's not so much the battering at the Etihad that is the worst moment of the year, it's the build-up to it and that feeling that there was absolutely no way Arsenal could win against Manchester City. It's the only time this season I've felt that with the Gunners, and it's something they'll want to get rid of entirely next season.
Worst player: Richarlison...
This one feels harsh. I genuinely don't think there's been an actively bad player for Arsenal this season. I'm gonna game the system a bit and expand this out to include Spurs players too. With that in mind it's Richarlison - double the amount of yellows for taking his shirt off as goals!! - deliciously Spursy.
Most improved player: Granit Xhaka
It's hard to look too far beyond Granit Xhaka here. When it became clear that Arsenal would be playing 4-3-3 this season, I was one of the many who thought they needed to upgrade on the Swiss international. As a result, I am now full to bursting on humble pie.
Xhaka was always an influential leader, with superb passing from deep, but a penalty box poacher? I don't think any of us saw that coming. Hats off to Mikel Arteta and Xhaka himself for making his last season at Arsenal one to remember.
Biggest 'what if' moment: What if Saliba hadn't played vs Sporting
I know that he got his injury against Fulham, and it could have flared up at any moment, but it's impossible to wonder what would have happened if Mikel Arteta hadn't played William Saliba in that second leg against Sporting CP. Arsenal's season seemed to turn on that night when he limped off, compounding the already devastating long-term knee knock Takehiro Tomiyasu picked up. Rotating the starting XI and trusting his squad players is something Arteta will have to get better at next season, or we're going to be left with plenty more of these what might have been moments.
Weirdest/funniest moment: Arteta's wild dreams
There's been a lot of meme-worthy Mikel Arteta content this season. The gif of him mimicking Simon Hooper's rolling ball gesture against Aston Villa. The screenshots of him racing back to retrieve Granit Xhaka from the post-Spurs melee like someone trying to hold their mate back from being too lippy with a nightclub bouncer. The footage of him jubilantly high-fiving a child after Reiss Nelson's winner against Bournemouth before realising an actual child was wondering around his technical area.
For me though it would have to be his quick-witted response to a question about Leandro Trossard. Press conferences with Arteta can often be like trying to yield blood from a stone, so it a lovely shock to hear him joke "I have very wild dreams" when asked if he had expected in his wildest dreams that Trossard would be so good. 'Chapeau', as the Spaniard himself might say, for that swift dose of post-match banter.
Tashan Deniran-Alleyne - Arsenal Writer
Best moment: Nelson vs Bournemouth
It has to be Reiss Nelson's 97th-minute winner against Bournemouth. If the Emirates Stadium had a roof, I'm sure it would have been blown off due to the noise generated when the ball hit the back of the net. More so than the strike, William Saliba kicking the corner flag, Martin Odegaard dropping to his knees, Ben White teasing Neto, a lot was going on as Arsenal came back from 2-0 down.At that point, it felt as if the Premier League title was heading back to the red half of North London.
Honourable mentions for the best moment of the season have to include winning away at Tottenham for the first time in the league for nine seasons, Emiliano Martinez's own goal and the 3-2 win over Manchester United.
Best player: Gabriel Martinelli
Arsenal's joint-leading scorer in the Premier League and one of the very few players to not be affected by the pressures of the title race. He's gone from a rotational option at left-wing to a guaranteed starter over the course of the season.
Worst moment: Arsenal 3-3 Southampton.
For me, this is where the Premier League title race was decided. Just look at Southampton's results before and after this fixture and why dropping points at home to the worst team in the division was such a blow.
Worst player: Fabio Vieira
Between Fabio Vieira and Marquinhos. Because of the transfer fee and expectation upon arrival, it has to be the former. I can accept that it usually does take players around six months to adjust to a new league and that the midfielder didn't have a full pre-season, but far too often games have passed him by and I can't point to one game where he's shown what he can do when fully acclimatised.He really needs to show improvement very soon.
Most improved player: Granit Xhaka
There were signs of the Switzerland captain enjoying the new midfield role towards the end of last season, but he has been brilliant this year. It's not just the goal contributions, his aggression has been a lot more controlled and the fact he's come full circle with the supporters just highlights the huge improvement.
Biggest 'what if' moment: What if Arsenal didn't forget how to defend in the run-in
Many can point to William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu's injuries, but there were signs of fragility long before and I just wonder if a tweak was introduced earlier maybe the title wouldn't have slipped away.
Weirdest/funniest moment: Zinchenko huddle
Oleksandr Zinchenko calling a team huddle having been at fault for both of Southampton's goals was extremely weird but Martin Odegaard seemingly telling him to relax made it funny.
Tom Canton - Arsenal writer
Best moment – Reiss Nelson's goal vs Bournemouth
To be in the Emirates Stadium the moment Reiss Nelson’s strike in the last minute of the game with Bournemouth hit the back of the net was something I personally have never experienced. Although it never counted toward a Premier League title in the end, the belief I felt at that moment will be something that stays with me forever.
Best player – Martin Odegaard
Score more? Okay, easy. And has Martin Odegaard done that or what?
The Norwegian international reaching 15 non-penalty goals this season is an amazing feat. He continues to thrive under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, has led this team like a worthy captain and only looks to be on the way to bigger and better things.
Worst moment – Nottingham Forest away
The title was all but over before this game even kicked off but what I couldn’t begrudge the Arsenal side in any other game was a lack of trying. In this match however, it was just a whimper of a display from a side who, despite not yet having lost the league, had already admitted defeat and that was the lowest point of the season for me. Although it was tempting to say William Saliba’s injury.
Worst player – Rob Holding
I’d like to caveat this with the fact that there were really no “bad” players this season and Rob Holding had some good games. Holding is here purely through context and the context of this situation is a simple one… Holding isn’t William Saliba.
It is hard not to think of what could have been had the Frenchman never got injured. But it has highlighted the needs for the summer in the bluntest way possible which in turn is a good thing.
Most improved player – Oleksandr Zinchenko
To go from being what was effectively a backup option to one of the most integral players in a side competing for a title is a credit to Oleksandr Zinchenko and Mikel Arteta. The Ukrainian has shown the world his talent and just how good he is and I am sure he’ll go down as one of the best £30m signings in Premier League history in years to come having improved so much after having the restraints torn away in north London.
Biggest what-if moment – Martinelli pass to Saka vs Liverpool
The score is 2-2 and yet Arsenal have a chance to win the game. The ball breaks to Gabriel Martinelli on the left and who is sprinting through the middle but Bukayo Saka.
The Brazilian spots him, and plays the pass but… it’s overhit. What could have been had that pass been perfect and given Saka a one-on-one chance with Alisson in the dying moments at Anfield? We will never know, but that moment will haunt me forever because a win on Merseyside could have changed everything for the Gunners this season.
Weirdest moment – Haaland lets his hair down to score
I’ve had so many moments of joy, but the weirdest moment for me has to be seeing Erling Haaland let his hair down with minutes remaining in the clash between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Etihad before then getting the opportunity to score. The knee slide that followed caused it to flick back like some advert for a well-known shampoo and conditioner brand.
City let their hair down from that moment forward and simply just kept winning. Whereas Arsenal have to now shave off the last remaining players who aren’t up to scratch, before brushing off the disappointment of the campaign and going again to hopefully dye the ribbons on the Premier League trophy red and white next season.
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