Last season it was five points, this season it was two points. Progress, right? Of course. Alas, Arsenal have missed out on the Premier League title for a successive season.
In short, this has been a remarkable campaign for the Gunners, one that so nearly vindicated all of the backing the board have given to Mikel Arteta throughout his first venture into football management.
It's incredibly hard to believe it's his first job as a manager. This is one of the finest football brains on the planet, a coaching marvel, but he is still missing the sole thing you get judged on in football; trophies.
Arteta does have an FA Cup triumph in the bank but what he really craves is the Premier League. It's now 20 long years since the Gunners last tasted league success but the agony will have to be endured for another year.
They are getting closer but up against the juggernauts of Manchester City, you can only do so much.
This term has seen Arsenal walk away with 89 points, more than a host of seasons in which Manchester United won the league under Sir Alex Ferguson. They also recorded 29 league wins, the most they've ever secured since the division's inception in 1992.
So, how can you say it was a bad year? It wasn't, honest.
There will be a tinge of regret after the way things ended on Sunday, of course there will be, but we shouldn't be drawn into thinking of the bad and the ugly; let's just savour how far Arteta has taken this team. They are back at the top table and they're not going anywhere.
That said, there could be somewhat of a summer clearout once the dust settles on this truly wonderful campaign.
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The summer transfer window is just around the corner and it's all hands on deck to prepare the north Londoners for another title challenge.
Arsenal's summer transfer plans
Back in January, it was thought that Arsenal may well throw all of their eggs in one basket; at a striker.
They may well maintain that plan. After all, Gabriel Jesus has scored just once in 2024 and Eddie Nketiah hasn't scored in the Premier League since last October.
Thankfully they've Kai Havertz step forward, a man who is making Arsenal forget all about the likes of Ivan Toney and Dominic Solanke, two faces to be linked over the winter.
The German, signed for a questionable fee of £65m, has defied his doubters, scoring eight goals and supplying seven assists in 18 matches as a centre-forward this term.
There have been links in recent days to Benjamin Sesko but might Edu and Co stick with Havertz? They ought to give him another go.
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There are also plans to sign a central midfielder. Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes is one name, as is Everton's Amadou Onana.
Should either of those two arrive then it could pave the way for an exit or two in the middle of the park. It won't be Jorginho who signed a deal just a few weeks ago. Instead, it's likely to be Thomas Partey.
The players who could leave Arsenal
With Arsenal needing to mount funds to acquire a few players in the summer, there are several players who are likely to be on the chopping block.
Aaron Ramsdale is reportedly on his way to Newcastle while the futures of fellow homegrown trio, Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe are also in doubt.
Yet, it's a midfielder, an elder statesman of the game who could well have played his final game in Arsenal colours on Sunday.
Partey has been a revelation at times in the Arsenal midfield, notably giving Arteta's side a sense of steel and physicality rarely seen in the engine room since the days of Patrick Vieira.
The trouble is, he possesses a wretched fitness record, one that's seen him miss 72 matches throughout his Arsenal career to date.
2020/21
33
0
3
21
2021/22
26
2
1
19
2022/23
40
3
0
6
2023/24
16
0
0
26
Total
15
5
4
72
Further to that, he's been incredibly inconsistent since returning from injury a few weeks ago. The Ghanaian was particularly impressive in the derby win over Spurs, completing 93% of his passes, the best tally of any Arsenal starter, completing 100% of his dribble attempts and winning five ground duels.
Though, since that performance, he has struggled. The 30-year-old was particularly poor during the 1-0 victory over Man United eight days ago, misplacing a number of passes and proving fortunate not to give away a penalty after diving in on Amad Diallo.
His performance against Everton on Sunday also left a lot to be desired. Partey failed to get much of a hold on the game and had little influence defensively or offensively.
The former Atletico Madrid man did complete 94% of his passes and have 92 touches – the second most of anyone on the field – but what he did in possession lacked substance and purpose.
Minutes played
69
90
90
Touches
92
44
54
Pass success
94%
79%
85%
Duels won
1/6
8/8
2/4
Dribble success
0
100%
100%
Key passes
0
0
2
Tackles & interceptions
0
4
3
The midfielder didn't boast a key pass or cross, nor did he manage a single dribble. Worryingly he was totally dominated by the Toffees pairing of Idrissa Gueye and Onana, with Partey losing five of his six duels.
Handed a 5/10 match rating by Football.London's Kaya Kaynak, the reporter noted that Partey was 'not at his best on the ball once again', cursing 'a few wayward passes'.
Kaynak further stated that it was 'not a performance to suggest he's the long-term solution at six for Arsenal.'
With a contract set to expire in 2025, we'd be inclined to agree. Reports in recent months have suggested Partey could be on his way out and it would not be a surprise on the evidence of his last two displays. Will we ever see him in Arsenal colours again? It feels unlikely, certainly in a competitive fixture.
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