Arsenal

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

As the dust settles on the 2024-25 Premier League season, we have been taking a look at some of the alternative ways the the table could have finished...

Football games are 90 minutes long. They have been for more than 150 years.

So, what if they weren't? What if only the first 45 minutes mattered?

Some teams like to lead from the front, come out the blocks flying and try and get the job done before half-time.

If that had been the case this season and it all came down to that first half showing, then it would not have been Liverpool lifting the trophy, but in fact Arsenal winning their first league title in over 20 years.

With 20 wins, 13 draws and five defeats, the Gunners were the kings of the first half.

Four points behind them were Manchester City - a team that has for so long been able to control games from start to finish, but during their difficult spell with injuries and results, this was something they seemed to lack.

If the league really came down to this metric, Brentford fans would be planning for a Champions League adventure. While the Bees were fast starters this campaign, being able to back that up across the 90 minutes was their Achilles heel (ranking 14th in the second half).

And what about this year's Premier League champions? Arsenal may have had the number when it came to first halves, but Liverpool well and truly led the way in the second...

What if the season was all about the second 45 minutes?

While some prefer to get their nose in front, others prefer a half-time reset or back themselves to get the job done later in the game.

One of those teams was Arne Slot's Reds.

They won 24 of their 38 second-halves, drew nine and lost just five. If it was this 45 minutes alone that counted, they would have had 81 points and - just like in the actual season - been runaway winners.

Another club that enjoyed success after half time was Chelsea.

Ranking seventh in the first-half table, the Blues were often in a position where they needed to turn things around or dig out a result in the second 45 and, despite the young age of the team, managed 17 wins in second halves.

A side deserving an honourable mention here is Crystal Palace.

They may have finished 12th in the 2024-25 league table after a underwhelming start, but when it came to getting a result in the second half, with 16 wins,12 draws and 10 defeats, they were up there alongside some of the best in the league.

*Table data from Football365

Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, is expected to sign a new contract at Arsenal this summer, with the Gunners keen to ward off rumoured interest in the England defender from Real Madrid. (Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

BBC Sport pundit Nedum Onuoha has given us his insight and opinion every fortnight on your Premier League club throughout this season.

But this week, he's in the hotseat for your questions.

Maybe ask him who should be on your club's radar this summer, or where a rumoured target or new signing might fit into the team.

Perhaps see what he thinks about how successful a new recruit might be, who it is vital to keep, or what is needed to make next season a success.

Send in your questions here and we'll put a selection to him

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Sport senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel spoke has been answering your questions on the summer transfer window.

Sam asked: Which striker is Arsenal more likely to get? Viktor Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko? And which one is better for us?

Sami answered: That's the question on the lips of every Arsenal fan, isn't it? There isn't a straightforward answer, unfortunately.

Alexander Isak was always the club's main target, but I think it is safe to concede that deal cannot happen. So in terms of Gyokeres or Sesko, my information is that the club are working towards confirming the frameworks of both deals before making a final decision on which to proceed with.

Sesko has near universal backing at the Emirates but, crucially, will be the more expensive. Gyokeres' chances of moving to Arsenal have increased since Andrea Berta's appointment as sporting director.

Price is key here. Sesko ticks many boxes in terms of profile - he is younger than Gyokeres and plays in a stronger league (the Bundesliga) according to recruitment data. But some of the reported figures indicate he could cost £93m.

Gyokeres is more economical, but would see the club divert from their longer-term strategy given Sesko has always been a target.

Follow the Q&A and the rest of the day's football news here

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

While Arsenal have not lifted a major trophy since winning the FA Cup in 2020, last term marked the third consecutive season in which they have finished runners-up in the Premier League.

The Gunners also reached the semi-finals of both the Champions League and Carabao Cup, and pressure is building to shake off the tag of nearly men.

With a £51m move for Real Sociedad and Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi in the pipeline, manager Mikel Arteta seems intent on addressing his side's shortcomings early.

There should also be plenty of finance available for him to finally bring in a prolific centre forward to get Arsenal over the line in competitions - a bone of contention among supporters.

Record revenues of £616m in 2023-24 are likely to be exceeded thanks to the expanded Champions League format and extra broadcast revenue, while the sales of homegrown duo Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah in the past 12 months brings about £50m of pure profit.

"As the most profitable club in Premier League history, Arsenal could easily spend over £200m in the window and have no PSR concerns," said football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

"So if a striker is not signed it cannot be blamed on PSR."

Read more about the early transfer window and what each Premier League club can spend this summer

As the dust settles on the 2024-25 Premier League season, we have been taking a look at some of the alternative ways the the table could have finished...

Many of us will have been there in school.

It was not always about being the best, but about being better. Not trying to beat the others' scores or times, but about beating your own.

In sport too, it is why personal bests exist. It is a way of measuring your own improvement against what has gone before - we can't all be Usain Bolt and Florence Griffith-Joyner.

So if the Premier League season was all about how you compared to the campaign before, who would have come out on top?

Well, there is one clear winner.

With 29 points more than they had in 2023-24, Nottingham Forest would have been lifting that trophy.

They may not have finished the season quite as they hoped having spent so much time in the Champions League spots, but having narrowly avoided relegation a year ago, this shows the sheer scale of the improvement this term.

Their nearest challenger on this basis would have been Brentford.

With 56 points, they were three points short of their best ever Premier League tally, but having flirted with relegation last time out, it made for a more enjoyable season this time around.

Brighton, Bournemouth and Fulham may have just missed out on European adventures in the real league, but they are also teams who can be happy with the improvements they are showing as now well-established top-flight sides.

And despite the chaotic nature of Chelsea since the new ownership came in, they too can look to steady progress.

At the other end of the scale (or table), it is a very different picture.

Many question whether the traditional 'big six' teams is still relevant, given how others have broken that mould in recent years.

But if the season was based on improvement, four of those six would have been at the bottom.

Tottenham dropped-off in the league nearly as much as Forest improved. Manchester City had a high bar to reach, but a torrid spell proved costly. Manchester United have set multiple unwanted club records, while Arsenal struggled to maintain a real challenge for the title.

They say beware the wounded tiger, and it is hard to see all these sides having the same difficulties next season, but they will not have it all their own way with those teams that are on the up.

*All data from Opta and only teams who were in the league in 2023-24

Barcelona have opened talks with Arsenal and Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, 31, over a free transfer when his contract expires in June. (Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for you to tell us what Arsenal need to do in the summer transfer window.

Here are some of your comments:

Edward: A top-level striker is paramount and ideally good-level covering players for likes of Saka in other areas.

Lara: I think moving players on is just as important as new ones in. Zinchenko, Nelson, Lokonga, Tomiyasu, Jesus and Trossard should all be moved on in my opinion.

Lew: Buys - back-up keeper, playmaker in midfield, a winger and possibly two strikers so if one gets injured we at least have a second option. Sales - Zinchenko, Neto, Sterling, Jorginho. Other business - getting the contracts sorted for Gabriel, Saliba and so on.

Liam: Gyokeres deal needs to be our first priority. He is a proven goalscorer that we need. Sell Jesus and Nuno Tavares, get Viera and Lokonga back in the squad after their great loans last season as bench rotation players.

Nicholas: I think it is clear we need a striker so - come on Sesko! However, I think we absolutely need a winger - someone like Rodrygo or maybe Rashford. With Rashford, I really think Arteta could get the best out of him.

Jim: Wissa from Brentford would solve the number nine problem and wouldn't cost an outrageous sum like others mentioned.

Thank you for the feedback you submitted on the Premier League club pages.

Our aim is to contain all of the BBC's in-depth coverage of that team in one place, so it is helpful to hear from you - you are who the pages are for after all.

We are going through all your responses and will take suggestions on board for next season.

The transfer window opens on Sunday - albeit for 10 days initially, mainly so sides competing in the Club World Cup can get early business done - before reopening for the rest of the summer on 16 June.

A deal for Martin Zubimendi appears close but are there certain players you are desperate for Arsenal to sign, or an area of the squad that needs improving? Or maybe holding on to a key player is your biggest priority.

And what about sales - who needs to go?

So over to you... what names need bringing in and shipping out?

Let us know here

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

As the dust settles on the 2024-25 Premier League season, we have been taking a look at some of the alternative ways the the table could have finished...

A Premier League season can sometimes be a tale of two halves.

Some come flying out of the blocks, while others are more sluggish starters.

The busy Christmas period can be a turning point with the arrival of the January transfer window feeling like a fresh start.

So what might have happened if the league season only start on 1 January?

Well, Pep Guardiola's title-winning machines would have picked up their fifth Premier League trophy in a row.

Playing one game fewer than actual champions Liverpool - who secured the title with four games remaining - they would have finished one point clear of the Reds, not withstanding Arne Slot's side slowdown in form after sealing the title.

City always seem to come good after January, but this time it was not enough to outweigh the torrid time they had from late autumn.

The rest of the top six is not too dissimilar to the final placings, although in this case, Aston Villa would have secured Champions League football and Brighton a Europa League spot in the absence of Chelsea - whose form nose-dived at the very beginning of the year.

And while the new year is a new start for some, it is less so for others.

That was the case for many of those down the bottom of the league.

The relegated trio would still have been relegated and Manchester United and Tottenham would still have ended up in the bottom six. West Ham find themselves one place lower after Wolves picked up form under Vitor Pereira.

So what does this tell us? If you wan to achieve your Premier League ambitions, it is about making sure you are there for nine months and not just from January.

*Table data from Football365

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal secured a third runner-up finish in a row but this campaign is going to be remembered with frustration.

Mikel Arteta will have the same feelings and will be pondering what could have been as another season ends without a trophy.

The Gunners were robbed of key forwards for large part of the season with Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus all suffering a medium to long-term injury at some point in the season.

However, Arsenal's football was not as free-flowing as in previous seasons and, despite the injuries, the debate that went on all season was whether they needed a striker.

It is clear that they do and after failing to bring one in during the January transfer window, the pressure now moves to this summer window.

Arsenal are interested in Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko but it remains to be seen which one of those three, if any, come through the doors.

Arteta has progressed Arsenal but if the squad doesn't improve, the danger is next season will be remembered in exactly the same way.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on our fan contributor Laura Kirk-Francis' end of season scorecard (27 May, 09:53 BST).

Here are some of your comments:

John: Laura is pretty much right. I think the injuries did damage our season more than Laura thinks but red cards played their part as well. This window must be the window to make the difference between finishing first or second.

Jonathan: Agree with Laura - frustrating to end with nothing this season. Liverpool have been excellent but we've barely challenged for the league title. Points dropped from winning positions is the most damning stat!

Carl: Arsenal have made great strides under Mikel Arteta. True Arsenal fans understand this and are firmly behind him. With the addition of a striker and some more creativity in the number 10 role to take the pressure off Martin Odegaard, we will achieve silverware. Recruitment is needed this summer - but have no doubt, Arteta is the man.

Roy: Alexander Isak is a proven goalscorer but he does get injured a lot. The strikers from either Germany or Portugal look a better and cheaper bet. If we can also get Nico Williams then it would add another dimension to our attack!

Al: 6/10? Every other team besides Liverpool would love to have had Arsenal's season.

Image source, Getty Images

The BBC's Ask Me Anything team have done all of the research ahead of the announcement detailing next season's Premier League matches.

The fixtures for the 2025-26 season will be released at 09:00 BST on Wednesday, 18 June 2025 and the release will include the weekly schedule of all 380 matches.

The season will begin with a single fixture played on Friday, 15 August 2025 and conclude on Sunday, 24 May 2026, when all matches will be played at 16:00 BST. There will be 33 weekend rounds of fixtures, plus five midweek rounds.

The exact date and time at which individual matches are played during each weekend will be determined at regular intervals throughout the season, based on TV selections made by broadcasters.

Read the full article here

Arsenal have targeted 29-year-old Germany winger Leroy Sane, who is out of contract at Bayern Munich this summer. (Times - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

We asked you to select your Arsenal player of the season from the four candidates chosen by our fan contributor.

And with the poll now closed, we can reveal the winner is... Declan Rice!

Here's what Laura Kirk Francis from the Latte Firm podcast, external said about him:

Rice's two free-kicks against Real Madrid were at the centre of a memorable night for Arsenal, but his performance in the return leg, and his consistency across the season has been outstanding.

When Arsenal fans sing "we got him half price", in reference to his £105m transfer fee, they are absolutely right.

See the final poll breakdown

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on whether Martin Zubimendi will be a good addition to Mikel Arteta's side should he complete his switch to Emirates Stadium.

Here are some of your comments:

J.C: Great signing but still does not solve our main issue, which is needing a striker. Plus a winger for cover or even to push for a starting place.

Robin: A good solid signing. If it frees up Declan Rice to keep moving forward, it will be a big plus. Age wise, he is yet to reach his peak. Quite a few clubs have circled around him the past couple of seasons. All we need is a prolific striker and next season we'll win a trophy.

David: This signing evolves the way we play by liberating Rice and giving us extra security and creativity in front of the defence. Good signing - looking forward to seeing him in red and white.

Duncan: This means Mikel Arteta is going to use Rice as an attacking midfielder but bought him as a defensive one. Why not spend 51m on an actual attacking player instead of trying to convert Rice?

Ryan: He's exactly what we need but of course not at the expense of the essential forwards. Can't really judge until we see how the window ends and if we end up not being able to afford players in key areas as a result. Yet £51m for a proven midfielder is a bargain nowadays though.

Chris: Zubimendi will definitely increase the quality of the squad and bolster the solidity of the team, so will hopefully go a long way to addressing the issue of dropping points from winning positions, as well as enabling more creativity up top. Good start to the summer business!

• Not an Arsenal fan? Find and follow your club here

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Since treading the well-worn path from Sociedad's famed academy to the club's first team, Martin Zubimendi has become one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe.

He has been linked with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Liverpool in recent years.

Zubimendi has largely played as a deep-lying midfielder since making his Sociedad debut in 2019, although he is capable of playing in a more advanced role.

Arsenal were heavily reliant on defensive midfielder Thomas Partey this season. While Arteta wants the Ghana international to sign a new contract, signing Zubimendi would bolster Arsenal's options considerably.

Zubimendi proved his ability on the international stage last summer when he starred off the bench in Spain's 2-1 victory over England in the final of Euro 2024 after replacing the injured Rodri.

In addition to Zubimendi's imminent arrival, the Gunners want to sign a new centre-forward, with Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres among their preferred targets.

Talks over new contracts for Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Gabriel, Leandro Trossard, Thomas Partey, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are also ongoing.

Image source, Getty Images

With Martin Zubimendi set to have a medical before completing a switch to Arsenal from Real Sociedad, we want your views.

According to BBC sources, the deal is entering its closing stages with all documents in place and just the medical left.

Zubimendi has a reported £51m release clause and the Gunners have been long-term admirers of the defensive midfielder.

He has played 44 times for the La Liga side this season, scoring two goals and proving two assists.

So, how do you feel the news? Is he what the Gunners need? How well can Zubimendi do in Mikel Arteta's side?

Let us know here

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

Bournemouth and Tottenham were the most physical teams in the Premier League this season when considering the distance they covered and the number of sprints performed.

The results might explain why they had a lot of injuries.

Newcastle and Brighton were not too far behind though, with Brighton actually covering the most ground in the league, with fewer sprints.

Chelsea and Liverpool's style of play saw them sprint a lot but not cover a lot of ground, while Manchester City and Arsenal were the opposite (ran a lot but didn't sprint a lot).

Nottingham Forest very much had their own style of play this season as they both ran and sprinted the least.