Wenger: Arsenal shifting focus to holding off Man United for 4th

From “this is our year to win the title, we have to do it this year or we’ll never do it,” to “we have to turn it around otherwise we won’t finish fourth,” the 2015-16 Premier League season has finally come full circle for Arsenal.

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It’s nice to know that in an ever-changing world — particularly this PL season — there are still a few things we can always count on. Following Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, in which their hopes of finishing above Tottenham Hotspur for a 21st straight season took a massive hit, Arsene Wenger’s post-game press conference was especially somber and dripping with defeat — quotes from the Guardian:

“Honestly after the game today I am not in that kind of mood to dream about the championship, I am more in the kind of mood to repair the mental damage and prepare for the next game. It is much more about that and to look behind us because everybody is playing well and winning games. For us it could be a fight until the end to get the place in the top four. If we can do more, we will do more but let’s not dream and focus on the next game.”

The gap between the Gunners, who currently occupy fourth place on 60 points, is now just four points as Manchester United won for the third time in their last four league games on Saturday. In terms of current form, Arsenal are mid-table over their last six league games (nine points), while Louis van Gaal’s surging Man United side is bested only by Leicester City, Manchester City and Liverpool during the same period.

Wenger has already said that Arsenal will do minimal transfer business during the summer, but failing to even qualify for the UEFA Champions League would not only mean tens of millions of dollars fewer coming into the club next season, but also a lack of the Champions League football required to attract the kind elite players that can improve their squad.

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