Arteta's Potential Departure: Arsenal Boss Reveals Doubts About Club's Future Following Unsettling Season Finale

Mikel Arteta has confessed that he pondered his suitability to further guide Arsenal following their underwhelming conclusion to the previous season. Despite holding the top spot in the Premier League for a remarkable 248 days, the Gunners were unable to secure the title, making them the team with the longest time in the lead to not clinch the trophy in the history of the competition.

Pep Guardiola's team, with a remarkable 12 consecutive victories, managed to surpass their rivals' comfortable lead in the league table, as Arsenal struggled to secure victories in the Europa League, FA Cup, or Carabao Cup. Consequently, Arteta's side ended their once-promising campaign without any silverware.

Speaking before Sunday's Community Shield, where Arsenal will meet City once again at Wembley, Arteta pondered his response to the previous season's events, stating, "The initial weeks were quite challenging. The first step is to examine oneself and determine if there were any areas that could have been handled more effectively or differently. If so, then acquire knowledge from those circumstances.

Assess yourself. Do you still possess the qualities necessary to lead the club and the team in the direction you desire? Do you have the drive and conviction to accomplish it?

Upon careful contemplation, the answer is an affirmative. I have a strong sense of vigor and optimism.

Arsenal had an eight-point advantage over City in April, but squandered two-goal leads in consecutive matches against West Ham and Liverpool, resulting in both teams securing draws.

In their following game, the Gunners were unable to secure a victory as they settled for a 3-3 draw against the struggling Southampton, who were eventually relegated weeks later. Their woes continued as they suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat against an unstoppable City at the Etihad.

During that series of outcomes, Arsenal witnessed the disappearance of their chances to clinch the title. Reflecting on those matches, Arteta acknowledges that his team should have converted the three successive draws into victories.

"We encountered games where we were unable to secure a win, particularly the trio of draws that resulted in a momentum shift," he stated. "We possessed the necessary resources to emerge victorious from those encounters - the outcome was within our control."

Arteta: Arsenal must improve to challenge City

When asked about the Community Shield, which serves as the opening event for the upcoming season, Arteta expressed his desire for the club to enter a new era, stating, "Our aim is to compete for every trophy. We must demonstrate our capabilities."

He acknowledged that their efforts the previous year fell short of securing a major trophy, emphasizing the need for improvement. Arteta conveyed his team's excitement for participating in the final and the chance to clinch a championship.

Follow our live blog on Sunday for the Community Shield match between Arsenal and Man City, where we will be facing the reigning champions of Europe from last season, who are widely regarded as the team to beat. The match kicks off at 4pm.

Arsenal's first five fixtures

Arsenal's pre-season fixtures and results

Arsenal start season against Nottingham Forest

Following this, the Gunners will face two intense London derbies against Crystal Palace and Fulham. The excitement continues as they host Manchester United in their first 'Big Six' clash of the season on September 3, which will be broadcasted live on We.

The first north London derby of the season takes place at the Emirates Stadium on September 24, live on We, with the return fixture on April 27 - the fourth-last game of the campaign.