Top four and a cup have to be realistic ambitions in Europe-free season

Arsenal's youngsters with the FA Cup

Top four and a cup have to be realistic ambitions in Europe-free season

Wednesday's win at Stamford Bridge kept Arsenal's slender European hopes alive but it remains more than likely the Gunners will be focusing solely on domestic competitions next season for the first time in a quarter of a century.

On many levels, it's shambolic that a club with Arsenal's resources are not going to be mixing it with their continental rivals.

It should be a minimum requirement and the club's failure to meet it this season will make it harder to attract new players and retain existing ones.

But there could be a silver lining to this particular cloud. A constant Thursday-Sunday schedule is taxing for players (and supporters) and the easing in the calendar could free Mikel Arteta's men up for a real go at the top four.

Chelsea won the league in their last Europe-free season in 2016/17, rising from 10th to the summit in the process, and while it may be asking a bit much for Arsenal to repeat that feat, there is evidence to suggest teams can benefit from simply having the league to focus on.

NO EXCUSES

Managers of the 'big six' love nothing more than a good moan about a hectic schedule.

Arteta has been no stranger to the topic - a cursory google of the Spaniard's name followed by 'fixture congestion' brings up results from June, November and January in the past 12 months alone - but he won't be able to use that excuse next time around.

If anything, he's been fortunate Arsenal have had such a packed calendar this season. For one thing, it has meant less time to dwell on largely dismal performances and, in addition, the run to the Europa League semi-finals has been about the only positive to take.

Next season, though, will hopefully allow Arteta to identify a best 11 and, as much as is possible, stick with it.

Arsenal do not have the depth of their traditional domestic rivals and have paid the price for that over a condensed campaign.

But as a starting XI, as the double over Chelsea has shown, the Gunners can compete with anyone.

FEWER INJURIES

On a similar topic, you'd naturally hope fewer games will result in fewer injuries.

Whether it's Alexandre Lacazette and Kieran Tierney recently or Bukayo Saka at various points this season, Arsenal have been regularly hindered by having key players unavailable at crucial times.

Bumps and bruises are inevitable over the course of a Premier League season, of course, but a fresher and healthier squad should in theory be a perk of not dining at the European table.

GIVE THE CUPS A GO

The FA Cup has prevented Arsenal's trophy cabinet gathering Spurs-esque levels of dust in recent years and next season will offer a real opportunity to decorate the famous trophy in red ribbons once more.

It will still likely be used as an opportunity to blood some of the younger players - depending on the kindness of the early round draws - but with less of a need to rest and rotate, the competition should be high on Arteta's list of priorities.

Winning trophies becomes a habit and it would be a huge confidence boost for Arsenal's young guns to start experiencing that sooner rather than later - even if it comes in the Carabao Cup, a competition the club are not in a position to write off as irrelevant.

So while the prospect no European football rightly hurts, could it be a price worth paying if next season results in a top-four finish and silverware? Admittedly it's a massive 'if' - but this could be a case of short-term pain equalling long-term gain.

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