Context:

Mikel Arteta faces mounting pressure as Arsenal's Champions League aspirations ended in a semi-final defeat to Paris St-Germain, marking five years without a trophy for the club. Despite Arsenal's strong performance, PSG's tactical prowess and the exceptional goalkeeping of Gianluigi Donnarumma stifled Arsenal's attack, with PSG securing a 2-1 victory. The loss highlights Arsenal's ongoing struggle to transition from a 'nearly' team to a trophy-winning side despite their talented roster. Echoing the sentiment of players like Declan Rice, there is a collective yearning within the team to secure silverware, yet repeated close calls have yielded no results. Arteta must address strategic missteps, particularly in securing a reliable striker, to meet the club's high expectations and return to winning form.

Dive Deeper:

• Arsenal's Champions League journey ended in disappointment as they were defeated by Paris St-Germain in the semi-finals, continuing a five-year trophy drought since their FA Cup win in 2020 under Arteta.

• Despite a commendable performance, Arsenal struggled to capitalize on their offensive opportunities, as PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma delivered crucial saves, thwarting Arsenal's scoring attempts at key moments.

• The loss underscores Arsenal's ongoing challenge of converting potential into tangible success, despite possessing a roster with standout players like Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard.

• There is a palpable sense of urgency and expectation for Arteta to transform Arsenal into a winning team, as the club remains under pressure to deliver results and trophies to satisfy fans and stakeholders.

• Strategic missteps, such as failing to secure a proficient striker last summer, have been identified as factors contributing to Arsenal's inability to progress past critical stages in tournaments.

• Arteta's recent comments on trophy-winning dynamics have been scrutinized, as they fail to account for Arsenal's shortcomings in delivering results despite being in competitive positions.

• The defeat against PSG was marked by moments of self-sabotage, with defensive errors allowing PSG to capitalize and secure their path to the final, leaving Arsenal to reflect on another season of 'what might have been.'