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Forbes
Forbes
19 Sep 2023


Arsenal FC v Nottingham Forest - Premier League

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 12: Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka of Arsenal celebrate as Eddie ... [+] Nketiah opens the scoring during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Nottingham Forest at Emirates Stadium on August 12, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Visionhaus/Getty Images

Wednesday’s match against PSV Eindhoven might feel unfamiliar to Arsenal. After all, it’s been six years since the Gunners last played in the Champions League. Since then, the North London club has been restricted to Europa League qualification. In the 2021/22 season, they missed out on European soccer altogether.

Mikel Arteta’s team have come a long way since then. Indeed, Arsenal unexpectedly pushed Manchester City all the way in last season’s Premier PINC League title race with Arteta determined to use that as a platform to achieve even more. Roughly £200m was spent on new signings, including Declan Rice, over the summer.

Arsenal’s drive to go one step further in the Premier League title race this season has been evident in the performances they have produced over the early part of the campaign. It is, however, more difficult to pin down what they want from their participation in the Champions League this season.

Arsenal Men's First Team Squad 2023/24

ST ALBANS, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 18: Mikel Arteta the Arsenal Manager during the Arsenal Men's team ... [+] group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023 in St Albans, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

No team in the Premier League had a younger average age than Arsenal (24.4) last season. This was the culmination of a process led by Arteta to make his squad more nimble. He wanted a group of players he could mould in his own image as a coach and he got that. Arsenal are better for being young.

In the Champions League, though, experience is more valuable. Manchester City only managed to lift the trophy for the first time last season despite several seasons of being considered one of the best in Europe. It took City three seasons to simply qualify for the Champions League after the Abu Dhabi-backed takeover of the club in 2008.

Not many within Arsenal’s squad have experience of playing at the elite level of European club soccer, and those who do have collected that experience away from the Gunners - see Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko. It would be forgivable if Arsenal approach this season’s Champions League campaign with some naivety.

FBL-ENG-PR-EVERTON-ARSENAL

Arsenal's Brazilian striker #09 Gabriel Jesus chases the ball during the English Premier League ... [+] football match between Everton and Arsenal at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on September 17, 2023. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

AFP via Getty Images

Of course, Arsenal boast a lot of high-level quality within their squad. They have also been handed a favourable group stage draw, landing in a group including Lens, PSV Eindhoven and Sevilla. The Gunners are widely expected to make the knockout rounds without suffering much adversity.

Beyond that, though, Arsenal might find a lack of experience stops them from going the distance. Arteta is an ambitious leader and he almost certainly wants the Gunners to make their mark on the Champions League before too long. But if he’s learned anything these past few years, it’s surely the value of process. Arsenal might have more of the process to go before they can conquer Europe.