28 November 2023 , 18:17
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During the 2020/21 season Arsenal were in a period of transition while under the guidance of Mikel Arteta.
The team had failed to generate a strong run of form following on from an early FA Community Shield win over Liverpool after a tense penalty shootout. And heading into the new year they had only won six Premier League games all season.
Their Europa League form, however, was marginally more impressive. The knockout rounds saw the Gunners earn six wins from six games in the group stages, and aggregate wins over Portuguese giants Benfica and Greek side Olympiacos.
Unfortunately for the North London team their journey would fall short in the semi-finals. A draw against Villarreal set up a tie that would see former Arsenal boss Unai Emery return to his former team.
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The Spaniard would get the better of Arsenal with a 2-1 win in Spain followed by a goalless draw at the Emirates. The result, mixed with their Premier League form - that would see them lose out on a European football place to rivals Tottenham - caused a brutal rant from former Arsenal defender Martin Keown.
What did Keown say?
"Hugely disappointing, they [Arsenal] were nervous, tentative, the performance wasn’t there and we shouldn’t be surprised, when we look at the Premier League position, ninth in the table, 19 goals scored here from 17 home matches," Keown said after the game. "It’s been a roller coaster season and inconsistency is rife through the group."
Keown enjoyed great success during his time at Arsenal (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)"I think the manager comes under enormous pressure. You start to look at the wisdom of a young manager coming here to take a huge job, a massive job at this football club. His inexperience, maybe, has cost him. He’s still here as manager, we’ll have to wait and see what happens on that."
Arteta wasn't the only member of Arsenal that came under fire. Keown - who made 433 appearances for Arsenal including three Premier League title wins - also lashed out at the club's owner Stan Kroenke.
"I don't know if it changes Kroenke. I don't even know if he would have been at the final if we had made it there," he added. "Does this club really matter to him? He's got six or seven franchises of other football clubs, basketball, hockey, you name it.
"Does he love football enough? We need someone who really wants this club, to own it, to love it, to take it back to where it once was. And if he doesn't want that - because now he [Arteta] is going to need big investment - if he doesn't want that he should step aside and let someone take it who does."
What has happened since?
Since Keown's comments there has been plenty of change at Arsenal, including a dramatic uptick in Premier League form that saw them challenge Manchester City last season, amid huge change to the squad.
Arsenal has enjoyed success since that fateful Europa League night (Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)The Arsenal legend's remarks on Arteta being under pressure, and comments on the team's Premier League form, have since subsided. The following season Arteta would guide the club to a fifth place finish in the league before next taking them to within five points of winning the Premier League title - ending the season with 26 wins, six draws and six defeats.
The Gunners have also seen significant investment in the side - another area of concern marked by Keown. The dramatic departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the following season saw the arrivals of Martin Ødegaard, Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale.
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The players have since been joined by the likes of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard, David Raya and Gabriel Jesus to name but a few to totally overhaul the squad. The total investment in the summer transfer window topped £200million, helping to quell some fears that the club's owners would be reluctant to invest heavily.
Arsenal are currently sat top of the Premier League table after 13 games and are set to enjoy another season fighting for the title, and success in Champions League football.