Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has declared that his side is determined to finally end their long wait for major trophies, saying the club is filled with belief that “this season will be different.”
Arteta made the comments in his programme notes ahead of Arsenal’s pre-season clash with Villarreal, setting the tone for a campaign that many consider to be make-or-break.
“We know what our targets are and what we want to achieve this season — there is a big belief in our ability to achieve that,” Arteta said.
Despite transforming Arsenal into consistent contenders since taking over in 2019, Arteta has yet to win any silverware since his debut season FA Cup triumph. The Gunners have finished second in the Premier League for the past three seasons, and last year, they reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals — their first since 2009.
But for critics, including many fans in Nigeria and other parts of the world, Arsenal’s inability to lift any European trophy in over a century of European football history has become a constant point of mockery and online ridicule.
“Arsenal is just vibes and near-miss FC. When will they lift something that matters?” a Nigerian fan tweeted, echoing widespread criticism on X (formerly Twitter).
Another post from a Ghanaian fan read: “If Arsenal were a movie, it would be called ‘Almost Champions: The Trilogy.’”
Due to the fact that the English side has ended 2nd position, thrice in a row, some football lovers around the globe says
“If I wanted to pray for success in my exams, I would pray not to come ARSENAL(2nd) but FIRST in my class. A university student writes.
Across multiple countries, Arsenal fans have endured endless taunts from rival supporters who brand the club “European trophy-less” and “bottlers,” especially after close campaigns that failed to yield silverware.
Yet, Arteta is confident the tide is turning, especially after the club spent nearly £200 million ($266 million) in the summer transfer window to bolster the squad. Arsenal have brought in Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Cristhian Mosquera, Noni Madueke, and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
“We have been very, very close the last few seasons and the whole team is going to determine whether we achieve that or not,” Arteta said.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining daily focus and internal motivation:
“We have to set the demands that we want within this goal, because that’s the most important thing — the internal demands have to always exceed any external demand. That is what we are trying to achieve every single day.”
Arteta also spoke about building an “invincible” aura at the Emirates Stadium, driven by passion and fan connection.
“We want our people to start connecting with our players straight away, to start to build momentum and to start to feel that at home we are invincible,” he said.
Arsenal will kick off their 2025/26 Premier League campaign with a blockbuster trip to Manchester United on August 17 — a match that could set the tone for a season Arteta and his critics are watching closely.
