Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) beat Arsenal 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal clash at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, April 29. Ousmane Dembélé scored the only goal of the game in the fourth minute, giving PSG an early lead.

Arsenal tried to counter but had no luck. Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard both had strong shots saved by PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Mikel Merino slotted a goal, only for it to be ruled out for offside. Despite more control during the latter half of the match, Arsenal could not break through.

Earlier in the 2024-25 season, PSG lost to Arsenal in the Champions League group stage. Since then, they’ve found their form. The French side went on to beat top English clubs one after the other until they were just one step away from the final.

Their second semifinal leg will be held next Wednesday, May 7 at PSG’s home ground, Parc des Princes.

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Despite Arsenal still competing in a slanted title race against Liverpool, most people see the Gunnersâ€?2024-25 season as a failure. It is hard to go against that notion as the North London club has exited both domestic cup competitions and is seemingly out of the title race against Arne Slot’s Reds. 

While they still have a shot to win the Champions League, this campaign is still a failure since they could not maximise their chances through recruitment. Looking back at their 24-25 season, their recruitment could be the big reason behind their lack of success.

Edu did not help Arsenal remedy their issues

Now-former Sporting Director Edu Gaspar had his final transfer window in the summer of 2024. While Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino were targets manager Mikel Arteta adored, Edu needed to be more proactive. The team needed depth in the attacking department beyond Kai Havertz as the starting striker.

Havertz is a fantastic player within Arteta’s system, but they needed more options, preferably a target man striker. If a clinical striker had been present, Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard would have had more assists as they created plenty of chances every match.

Furthermore, another issue that Edu forgot to look into is the depth as injuries have started to occur around the squad. They already had limited wingers behind Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Leandro Trossard, but Edu and his front office only got Raheem Sterling on loan, which has become a failed decision.

Gambling on market opportunities would have been the way to go, but Edu left Arsenal in a bad place before leaving his position in November 2024.

Arsenal could have won more games in the EPL

While Arsenal only lost three games this season, the draws have been the biggest issue. They have nine draws this campaign, which is tied for third-most in the league. Considering they have suffered the most red cards this season, depth has become an issue.

Due to the bans and injuries seen in the Arsenal squad, Arteta has been forced to play some players out of position. Thomas Partey is a good example of this as he has played right-back multiple times. After all, Jurrien Timber has been the only right-sided full-back who has been relatively healthy.

Arteta has been coaching well despite the issues since the injuries have been disastrous. Even if they have suffered plenty, it is amazing that Arsenal remains second in the table. That is an achievement in itself as any team would have collapsed with their number of injuries like what happened with Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Arteta knows the pressure, which is why he wants to keep motivating his players. He said, ‘The difficulty is higher than three days ago but if you are going to win the Premier League you have to do something special. If you are going to win the Premier League with the circumstances we have you will probably have to do something that nobody else has done in the history of the Premier League�

It is okay for fans to feel disappointed this season

In a campaign that saw Manchester City drop off, Arsenal was expected to capitalise. However, the Gunnersâ€?injury issues hampered their chances of winning while Liverpool had enough depth to get over their own. 

Fans are disappointed with what has transpired this season, but that should be expected due to the bad place Edu put Arsenal in. Getting limited depth was an issue, and that reared its ugly head multiple times this season. The disappointment will keep popping up, but thinking that Arsenal remains a contender is proof of the club’s quality.

Arsenal is set up well for the long-term future

Despite their struggles this season, Arsenal still has the brightest future in the Premier League. With Saka, Declan Rice, William Saliba, and more, there is an awesome timeline for the Gunners. They are in the prime of their careers, and it looks like they are committed to playing in North London for a long time.

They are prepared to keep battling for the manager, the fans, and more since they want to succeed with Arsenal. With Andrea Berta rumoured to join Arsenal as the new sporting director after Edu, there should be new reinforcements for the club. 

Moreover, it is expected that some people won’t like the results this season, but there is always progress with this Arsenal squad. They were initially seen as a fun team that plays attacking football, which happened in 2022-23 during their surprise title challenge. In the 2023-24 campaign, they proved they were a defensive juggernaut.

This season, they have cemented their place as a top club despite all the injuries they have suffered. With a full and healthy squad in the long-term future, Arteta could guide this team to victory. He already has done well with his development, so it is time for him to get results. 

Arteta and the players must do better next season

The 2025-26 season will be an important campaign for Arsenal. The club’s new sporting director should make some massive moves to support the team in their quest to win both the Premier League and the Champions League. 

With better depth, the Gunners should have some of the best chances to win a trophy. They have been without a trophy since 2020, so everyone is excited for Arsenal to pull off a victorious run. 

They can have a loaded toolbox with their squad, and thankfully, Arteta is a good manager who could capitalise for the club. Recruitment and proper injury management could guide this team to the promised land, especially if they go against Liverpool and a healthy Man City.

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