While acknowledging the team’s progress and record-breaking achievements, both emphasised the need for greater aggression and a renewed focus on winning trophies in the upcoming season.
Arsenal‘s 2023/24 Premier League campaign concluded with a bittersweet 2-1 victory over Everton, securing second place for the second consecutive season as Manchester C115ty collected their fourth title in a row. While the team shattered numerous club records, including most wins in a season and highest goal tally, the elusive Premier League trophy remained out of reach.
Manager Mikel Arteta expressed his admiration for Manchester City, acknowledging their well-deserved title win. “Congratulations to Manchester City for winning the Premier League,” he stated. “We tried, we had a record season in many stats, but normally those records have to produce big titles, and we haven’t won it. That’s the regret today because we really wanted to deliver something special to our people.”
Despite the disappointment, Arteta focused on the positives, emphasising the team’s progress and the need to build upon their achievements. “Now we have to stop and reflect on why these things are happening,” he said, “and all the decisions that we made and the progress that we are making in the club, and not only the men’s team, which is really encouraging.”
Looking towards the future, Arteta challenged his players to raise the bar even higher. “Now we need to show our teeth – you really want to win it, now we have to make another step forward, be very aggressive, very determined and find ways to be better than our opponents.” He also acknowledged the vital role of the fans, stating that their unwavering support has “transformed” the players and instilled confidence in the team.
Captain Martin Odegaard echoed Arteta‘s sentiments, highlighting the team’s growth and maturity compared to last season. “We’re making big steps all the time,” he remarked. “If you compare it to last season, we were a lot better and more mature with a new record of wins in the league, so we’re doing a lot of good things and it’s just a matter of time until we win some big trophies. We’re just going to keep pushing every day to do that.”
Odegaard expressed his gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support, stating, “The support we’ve had throughout the whole season away and at home – everywhere it’s unbelievable. We love them so much and hopefully next season we can come back and give them a good trophy to celebrate.”
Both Arteta and Odegaard emphasised the importance of maintaining the team’s high level of consistency and taking further steps forward to achieve their trophy-winning aspirations. With a renewed determination and unwavering support from the fans, Arsenal looks poised to make a stronger push for silverware in the coming seasons.