Arsenal
Premier League • England
Arsenal ‘have themselves to blame’ for blunder as Tottenham ‘can be more successful’ – pundit
Arsenal have been told them only have themselves to blame for a blunder which has ended their season
Chris Sutton has told Arsenal they ‘only have themselves to blame’ for a blunder which ended their silverware hopes, as the pundit feels Tottenham ‘can be more successful’.
The Gunners bowed out of the Champions League in the semi-finals on Wednesday night. They were beaten 3-1 on aggregate by Paris Saint-Germain, with the French side winning the second leg 2-1.
Arsenal played the game with midfielder Mikel Merino up top as a make-shift striker, a position he’s fulfilled often this season, amid injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.
Sutton feels the lack of a No.9 hindered the north Londoners, and while that’s the next step for their success, for now, they could be outdone by rivals Tottenham.
He wrote on X: ‘Arsenal unlucky to meet [Gianluigi] Donnarumma in that form. Still feel like they are moving in the right direction but definitely a centre forward short this season. That’s poor planning and only have themselves to blame. Amazing to think Spurs can be more successful this season…’
Indeed, their north London rivals are in the semi-finals of the Europa League, but given they’re 3-1 ahead after the first leg, look more likely to reach the final, where they could potentially taste silverware in a season when Arsenal did not.
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O’Hara feels Spurs can have better season
Sutton is not the only person who feels Spurs could out-do Arsenal this season, with former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara adamant that winning the Europa League would constitute a better campaign, no matter where they finish in the Premier League.
“If Tottenham win the Europa League and finish 17th, we’ve had a better season,” O’Hara said on talkSPORT.
When Jason Cundy disagreed, O’Hara said: “Well we have, we’ve won something. Mate, let me tell you now, we get Champions League football, win the Europa League, Spurs finish 17th, I don’t care what anyone says, Spurs have had a better season.”
With Arsenal getting dumped out of the Champions League, the only way a trophy ends up in north London this season is with Tottenham.
Arsenal round-up: Arteta thought Gunners were better
After the loss to PSG, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta stated: “100%, I don’t think there’s been a better team [than Arsenal] in the competition from what I have seen, but we are out.”
Former manager Arsene Wenger disagreed, as he said: “Overall, in the two games, I would say they [PSG] were better than Arsenal, had more chances and were never really in danger, so congratulations to Paris Saint-Germain.”
There have been calls from some Arsenal fans for Arteta to be sacked, given silverware has eluded him for a few seasons.
However, TEAMtalk is aware not only that the Spaniard has the backing of the club, but that they feel he’s on the cusp of delivering a major honour.