Having failed to qualify for European competition for the first time in 25 years, Arsenal prepare for the 2021-22 campaign with only titles of a domestic nature to fight for.
Mikel Arteta's tumultuous 18 months at the helm have seen fans buoyed by a record-extending 14th FA Cup triumph before fury erupted at the club's proposed Super League plans, and owners KSE remain under pressure to sell to Spotify CEO and boyhood Arsenal fan Daniel Ek.
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However, Arteta's focus must solely be on the Gunners' on-the-pitch endeavours - as well as attempts to strengthen the squad and offload a number of out-of-favour players - and a season without Champions League or Europa League football may be a blessing in disguise as Arsenal seek to become top-four contenders once more.
Here, Sports Mole provides an in-depth preview of Arsenal's 2021-22 season and where we think the Gunners may end up come the end of the campaign.
FIXTURES
Arsenal will take part in the inaugural game of the 2021-22 Premier League season on Friday 13 - not a great omen for either side - as newly-promoted Brentford play host to Arteta's men in gameweek one before challenging fixtures with Chelsea and Manchester City to round off August.
Friendlier fixtures with Norwich City and Burnley await in September before the first North London derby of the season on the 26th, while a challenging November also sees the Gunners face Liverpool and Manchester United in the space of 10 days.
Arsenal kick off 2022 against the champions Man City on New Year's Day before travelling to Tottenham two weeks later, and they will round off the campaign at home to Leeds United before a trip to Newcastle United on May 15.
> Click here to see all of Arsenal's 2021-22 fixtures
SUMMER SIGNINGS
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In
Ben White (£52.7m, Brighton & Hove Albion)
Albert Sambi Lokonga (£15.8m, Anderlecht)
Nuno Tavares (£7.2m, Benfica)
Out
David Luiz (released)
Mark McGuinness (undisclosed, Cardiff City)
Trae Coyle (undisclosed, Lausanne-Sport)
Zech Medley (undisclosed, KV Oostende)
Daniel Ballard (loan, Millwall)
Ben Sheaf (undisclosed, Coventry City)
Matt Smith (loan, Doncaster Rovers)
Matteo Guendouzi (loan, Marseille)
William Saliba (loan, Marseille)
Dejan Iliev (loan, SKF Sered)
Tyreece John-Jules (loan, Blackpool)
Harry Clarke (loan, Ross County)
Total spent to date: £75.7m
Total received to date: £0m
Net transfer balance: - £75.7m
SQUAD
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Goalkeepers: Bernd Leno, Alex Runarsson
Defenders: Hector Bellerin, Cedric Soares, Calum Chambers, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Pablo Mari, Rob Holding, Kieran Tierney, Nuno Tavares, Sead Kolasinac
Midfielders: Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Lucas Torreira, Joe Willock, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Emile Smith Rowe
Forwards: Bukayo Saka, Nicolas Pepe, Willian, Reiss Nelson, Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Eddie Nketiah, Folarin Balogun, Gabriel Martinelli
> Click here for full details of Arsenal's 2021-22 squad
STRONGEST XI
STAR PLAYER - BUKAYO SAKA
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Affectionately dubbed 'starboy' by the Arsenal faithful, Bukayo Saka certainly lived up to that billing in the 2020-21 season, becoming a mainstay of the Gunners' team while still being in his teenage years.
While the Hale End academy product has gained experience as a full-back, central midfielder and winger, he has seemingly nailed down the right-wing spot as his own at the Emirates Stadium and demonstrated his love for the club by signing a new four-year deal in the summer of 2020.
Often a shining light during the most miserable periods of Arsenal's season, Saka was one of the few Gunners players who could hold his head high after every final whistle, and a tally of seven goals and 10 assists from 46 games last season is a testament to his irrepressible talent.
Saka's stellar form in the 2020-21 season made it impossible for Gareth Southgate to overlook him for England's Euro 2020 squad, and the 19-year-old proceeded to step up where many would not dare during the penalty shootout in the final versus Italy.
Watching Gianluigi Donnarumma keep out his spot-kick - a save which handed Italy the coveted trophy - represented the most agonising moment of Saka's fledgling career, but bountiful opportunities lie in wait for the Arsenal man as he prepares to play in front of an Emirates crowd who just cannot stop singing his praises.
MANAGER - MIKEL ARTETA
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From midfield maestro to Pep Guardiola's right-hand man, Mikel Arteta did not think twice about jumping at the Arsenal job following the sacking of Unai Emery, but his appointment was met with apprehension from some corners given his lack of experience at the top level.
The Spaniard would quickly quell those fears by masterminding the Gunners' 14th FA Cup triumph last summer, but when the words 'Arsenal' and 'relegation' were beginning to be used unironically in the same sentences several months later, talk of the axe started to intensify.
However, Arteta's strict approach towards management - which he demonstrated by dropping club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the North London derby following lateness - and tactical tweaks in the second half of the season saw the Gunners register the third-best form in the league from matchday 19 to 38, only behind Manchester City and Chelsea.
The 39-year-old continues to garner praise for his willingness to incorporate young players into the game - a move which more or less saved Arsenal's 2020-21 season - but several Gooners remain uninspired with his approach to continue with under-performing veterans such as Willian.
Yet to iron out the glaring defensive deficiencies in this Arsenal squad - as evidenced by their error-strewn display against Chelsea in the Mind Series - the next four months could make or break Arteta's time in the Emirates dugout.
LAST SEASON - 8th
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Perhaps selling fans false hope with back-to-back victories over Fulham and West Ham United to start the Premier League season, Arsenal's horror show appropriately began during the Halloween period before the #ArtetaOut movement gathered pace over the winter.
A slender victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford provided the only silver lining over the thick storm cloud that engulfed the end of 2020, as Arsenal lost five and drew two Premier League games before their Boxing Day clash with Chelsea, where a 3-1 victory would be the catalyst for better things to come.
Out with Mesut Ozil, in with Emile Smith Rowe, Arsenal's fortunes drastically improved over the New Year period with five wins and two draws before a calamitous evening at Wolverhampton Wanderers and subsequent defeat to Aston Villa kickstarted another run of patchy form.
However, the Gunners would end the league season with 15 points from 15 on offer in their final five games - as well as claiming impressive wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City in the spring - but they were still pipped to the seventh and final European spot by Spurs on the final day.
Away from the Premier League, Arsenal's FA Cup defence ended at the first hurdle with defeat to Southampton, while Unai Emery gleaned revenge over his former club by dumping them out of the Europa League semi-finals with Villarreal en route to the trophy.
PREDICTION
Arteta will not allow his side to let up during their EFL or FA Cup endeavours, but Arsenal's ever-alarming injury woes should ease with no midweek European encounters, which can only be a good thing in terms of their league prospects.
The Gunners have strengthened in areas that had to be strengthened and are still being tipped to send some shockwaves in the transfer market, but any more big-money moves will certainly hinge on departures of a plethora of fringe players.
A top-four charge is surely still out of the question for Arsenal, but two seasons without European football is simply incomprehensible, and we expect an under-fire Arteta to steer his side back into the top six above North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
VERDICT: 6th
