According to the latest reports, Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette has admitted that Arsenal are only a few seasons away from challenging for major titles. The French forward believes that the primary target for next season is to achieve Champions League football for next season and try to secure a top four berth.
Unai Emery’s first season at Arsenal was quite a mixed one as he took over from legendary manager Arsene Wenger at the helm. The 69-year-old French manager has been in charge of Arsenal for 22 long years and has won several major honors including three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups during his reign.
Wenger’s philosophy became outdated after a while and during his final few seasons at the club, even the most ardent of Arsenal fans wanted Wenger out of the club. The north London side were in dire need of a new manager to breathe some fresh air into Arsenal and Emery provided just that with his appointment.
The 47-year-old Spaniard implemented his philosophy into the club and most of his summer signings hit the ground running at the Emirates Stadium. Emery also guided Arsenal on a 22 game unbeaten streak across all competitions and looked certain to attain a top four berth in the Premier League table.
However, a stunning collapse towards the back end of the season ensured that Arsenal finished in fifth place and ineligible to play in the Champions League. Arsenal had another great chance of qualifying into the elite tournament if they beat Chelsea in the final of the Europa League but the Blues handed their local London rivals a 4-1 thrashing in Baku indicating that there is plenty of work that needs to be done over the course of the summer and beyond if Arsenal are to challenge for titles.
French forward Alexandre Lacazette has insisted that Arsenal are a club that should be playing regularly in the Champions League. The 28-year-old striker admitted that he wants to win major honors with Arsenal but Champions League qualification should be the benchmark, “A club like Arsenal has to be playing in the Champions League every season. We will start to think about winning the biggest titles in a few seasons, but first, we need to make sure we are in the Champions League consistently again. That has to be the main target of every Arsenal season. You come back to training and that’s what everyone is thinking about. We are hungry to hear that song once again. It is time. We have the quality to do it, so we have to make sure we do it.”
Alexandre Lacazette: “I had to fight hard to earn my place here. I think I have the coach’s faith in me now. I have also grown closer with the fans this season, which is a joy for any player.” [RMC] pic.twitter.com/CUSZjRiGr0
— GoonerViews (@GoonerViews) May 28, 2019
The French international then reflected upon the 2018/19 season and explained that winning trophies was the most important thing: “It has been positive. We have a new coach with a new approach, and I think I have played well – better than in the previous season. And we have played bigger, more important games. It is so important to win something. This is a great club, which has a very long history of winning important trophies, so it is time we won something big again”
