Finishing in the Europa League places this season would be more beneficial for Arsenal than finishing in the top four. That's right.

The Gunners occupy fourth place in the Premier League, currently five points clear of fifth place Manchester United. Man United, however, have a game in hand and still have their sights on the final Champions League spot.

Should The Red Devils overcome the north London club and deny them a place in Europe’s premier competition for the first time since 1995/96, however, it could just be a blessing in disguise.

Arsenal are not going to win the league again with Arsene Wenger in charge, that is becoming clearer and clearer by the day. In a campaign that has seen Chelsea implode, Man United be inconsistent and Manchester City flatter to deceive, Arsenal have once again failed to seize their most golden of opportunities.

Top at New Year, the expectancy grew that Arsenal would finally come of age and win their first title since 2003/04. Instead they faltered, struggled and fell foul once again of the sheer lack of winning mentality in the side... just ask Alexis Sanchez.

And really you can only blame Arsene Wenger. The signings haven’t been what Arsenal need, a midfield enforcer and a world class striker. Equally, the feeling is that Wenger cannot compete tactically with his contemporaries. But the real problem is the mental side of the whole set up. When the Premier League was there for the taking no-one at Arsenal stood up and took games by the scruff of the neck, the club are more than content with finishing fourth.

It's sorry situation for a club that should have loftier ambitions, Jamie Redknapp alluded to this in his Sky Sports column.

"You can't keep doing that [getting into the top four] and be brainwashed into thinking fourth is good enough. They should be doing more. They should be looking to win the title."

This is why finishing out of the top four would be good for Arsenal. You’d think that if the Gunners conspire to finish fifth Wenger will have to go. That’ll be the last straw and the get out of jail card of ‘at least we qualified in the Champions League’ becomes irrelevant. Wenger wouldn’t have a leg to stand on and finally a new era that Arsenal fans are clamouring for more and more would finally be ushered in.

A new manager would make the changes Wenger seems too scared or downright stubborn to make. Changing the nature of the team into winners again will not happen under Wenger, the situation is sterile.

Then, without Champions League football who’s to say Arsenal would play a full strength side in the Europa League? They’d surely only focus on winning the Premier League in this instance and maybe they finally would.

This isn’t to say I think Arsenal will finish outside the top four this year. I don’t think Man United will catch them with the few games left. Plus Arsenal have fixtures at home to Norwich and Aston Villa, which are more than winnable. I do think though that next season will be much the same because of this for Arsenal and their fans, and until the loop of being hopeful at the start of the season and then only finishing fourth is broken, the Premier League title will be staying away from the Emirates.

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