Martin Odegaard insists Arsenal are hungrier for top 4 after falling short last season
Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard has insisted that falling short of a return to the top four last season has only made the Gunners hungrier to succeed in the upcoming 2022/23 season.
In the closing stages of last season, Arsenal were on course to finish in the Premier League top four for the first time since 2016 and finally get back into the Champions League.
Four successive wins over Chelsea, Manchester United, West Ham and Leeds in late April and early May put them in the driving seat ahead of Tottenham.
But defeat in the north London derby followed up by a loss against Newcastle derailed their chances and Spurs sneaked ahead by just two points in the end to get the Champions League instead.
This summer, Arsenal have continued the project being led by Edu and Mikel Arteta, investing heavily to sign Manchester City duo Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko for a combined £75m, plus another £30m to bring in Fabio Vieira from Porto.
“We were all really disappointed at the end of last season,” Odegaard told Sky Sports.
“We didn’t finish as we wanted and I think everyone is really hungry now to come back stronger, improve, show the quality we have and to give the fans what they deserve. Everyone is really hungry and excited to do that.”
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Odegaard added that the ultimate goal for Arsenal goes beyond simply being a top four club once more, with silverware still the main ambition. The Gunners haven’t won the Premier League since 2004 and haven’t properly challenged since 2008, although they have lifted the FA Cup in four of the last nine seasons and most recently in 2020.
“Obviously the top four is a big thing – it’s where we want to be, and also to fight for titles and trophies…that is what this club should do,” the played said. “We need to improve every day and then we’ll see where it takes us.”
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