Arsenal performed superbly in the Premier League this season, but fell just short in the title race, and ended without any silverware to their name.
The Gunners finished just two points behind Manchester City after an outstanding run of form in 2024 saw them win 16 out of 18 Premier League games.
However, Arsenal came undone against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals, and they were also eliminated from the FA Cup in a home defeat to Liverpool, meaning that they ended the season with no major trophy.
Former Arsenal star Emmanuel Petit, who won the title with Arsenal in 1998, has now expressed his concern that Mikel Arteta’s excellent squad do not have a trophy to their name.
Emmanuel Petit expresses trophy frustration despite positive Arsenal season
Speaking to Get French Football News, Petit praised the work Arteta has done, but warned Arsenal that they have to add trophies to their performances.
“City are almost a separate case, but they’re also the example to follow in terms of the expectations they put on themselves – not only in England but also for 99% of teams in the world – except maybe Real Madrid, who also have that culture,” he replied when asked about comparisons between Arsenal and Man City.
“But I’m very pleased with Arteta’s work, very happy with the season, despite losing the title on the last day – we experienced that in 1999, losing the title on the last day having won the double the year before.
“Right now I can’t compare generations for the reason I gave – if you’re going to do so, then you need to compare everything that is comparable – that is to say, will this Arsenal team be remembered in 10 years’ time? There are often “beautiful losers” and this Arsenal are good losers but I’d rather they were good winners.
“The proof is that City have just won their fourth title in four seasons – it’s historic – we’ll remember them as probably the best team the Premier League has ever had. So in 20, 30, 50 years, people will remember them for that. But for this year, even though Arsenal have had a great season, I’m sorry but in 10 years’ time no one will remember them.”
This Arsenal side are too good to not win a trophy under Mikel Arteta
Arteta won the FA Cup in his first season as a manager with a nearly entirely different squad to the one he has now, but whilst there have been no trophies since apart from two Community Shields, his side are competing at the very top level.
Arteta stated that this season was “history, not progress,” with his side recording their highest-ever goal total, and lowest-ever goals conceded record in the Premier League.
Whilst his side are going up against a winning machine in Man City, there is simply too much quality in this team and with Arteta, to continue going trophyless.
Petit is right, if this young Arsenal squad end up winning nothing whilst the likes of William Saliba and Declan Rice perform at the level they are, they run the risk of developing a reputation like Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur side, who performed well and won nothing, and Arsenal will hope to prove that they can win the biggest trophies next season.