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South Wales Guardian
26-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Kieran Tierney gives Arsenal final-day victory
No side in the competition had ever lost 30 in a season but Martin Odegaard's drilled finish into the corner in the 89th minute sent them back to the Championship with a final humiliation to go with their meagre 12-point tally, on the day that new boss Will Still was unveiled to home fans. The outgoing manager of Lens in Ligue 1 watched his new team from the stands and will have been encouraged when Ross Stewart scored his first goal for the club to equalise against the side that a for a third year in a row finished second. For Mikel Arteta, seated nearby as he served a one-match ban, he was left to reflect on a campaign in which his side fell 17 points short of last season's tally. It will not have escaped Arteta that the 89 points the Gunners finished with 12 months ago would have been comfortably enough to win this season's title. In the end, far too many drawn matches and poor discipline – no team in the league received more than Arsenal's six red cards – had cost them. Raheem Sterling almost marked what was likely to be his final Arsenal appearance with a first league goal for the club after seven minutes, swinging a shot just wide after seven minutes. The Chelsea loanee's future remains uncertain but it appears unlikely to include another year at the Emirates. Southampton wanted a penalty when Yuki Sugawara's drive was deflected behind off the arm of Declan Rice. Arsenal may have been fortunate that VAR concurred with referee Darren Bond's on-field decision of no hand ball. Mikel Merino then headed Gabrielle Martinelli's cross against the bar as visiting fans were taunted with chants of 'Tottenham Hotspur, they've won more than you.' A wonderful first touch from Martinelli saw him bring down a high ball over the top before bringing an equally impressive save from former teammate Aaron Ramsdale, then from the resulting corner Oleksandr Zinchenko shot inches wide. Arsenal's pressure was mounting and a minute later they broke through. Ben White's low cross from the right was beautifully pitched, and there at the near post sweeping across the ball from five yards out was Tierney who tapped in his first league goal since Boxing Day 2021 to the delight of travelling fans. There had been no great gulf between the teams in the first half despite the chasm that divided them in the table, and so Saints' equaliser 10 minutes after the break was far from undeserved. Mateus Fernandes' corner was delivered into a crowded six-yard box where Stewart rose powerfully above two defenders to head the ball back over his own shoulder and in past the dive of David Raya. A wonderful block from Charlie Taylor denied Zinchenko as he unleashed a bullet from 12 yards, Bukayo Saka was denied a final-day goal by the offside flag, but Arsenal would have the final say, Odegaard sidestepping Will Smallbone and lashing in the winner to send his side out with a win.
North Wales Chronicle
26-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Kieran Tierney gives Arsenal final-day victory
No side in the competition had ever lost 30 in a season but Martin Odegaard's drilled finish into the corner in the 89th minute sent them back to the Championship with a final humiliation to go with their meagre 12-point tally, on the day that new boss Will Still was unveiled to home fans. The outgoing manager of Lens in Ligue 1 watched his new team from the stands and will have been encouraged when Ross Stewart scored his first goal for the club to equalise against the side that a for a third year in a row finished second. For Mikel Arteta, seated nearby as he served a one-match ban, he was left to reflect on a campaign in which his side fell 17 points short of last season's tally. It will not have escaped Arteta that the 89 points the Gunners finished with 12 months ago would have been comfortably enough to win this season's title. In the end, far too many drawn matches and poor discipline – no team in the league received more than Arsenal's six red cards – had cost them. Raheem Sterling almost marked what was likely to be his final Arsenal appearance with a first league goal for the club after seven minutes, swinging a shot just wide after seven minutes. The Chelsea loanee's future remains uncertain but it appears unlikely to include another year at the Emirates. Southampton wanted a penalty when Yuki Sugawara's drive was deflected behind off the arm of Declan Rice. Arsenal may have been fortunate that VAR concurred with referee Darren Bond's on-field decision of no hand ball. Mikel Merino then headed Gabrielle Martinelli's cross against the bar as visiting fans were taunted with chants of 'Tottenham Hotspur, they've won more than you.' A wonderful first touch from Martinelli saw him bring down a high ball over the top before bringing an equally impressive save from former teammate Aaron Ramsdale, then from the resulting corner Oleksandr Zinchenko shot inches wide. Arsenal's pressure was mounting and a minute later they broke through. Ben White's low cross from the right was beautifully pitched, and there at the near post sweeping across the ball from five yards out was Tierney who tapped in his first league goal since Boxing Day 2021 to the delight of travelling fans. There had been no great gulf between the teams in the first half despite the chasm that divided them in the table, and so Saints' equaliser 10 minutes after the break was far from undeserved. Mateus Fernandes' corner was delivered into a crowded six-yard box where Stewart rose powerfully above two defenders to head the ball back over his own shoulder and in past the dive of David Raya. A wonderful block from Charlie Taylor denied Zinchenko as he unleashed a bullet from 12 yards, Bukayo Saka was denied a final-day goal by the offside flag, but Arsenal would have the final say, Odegaard sidestepping Will Smallbone and lashing in the winner to send his side out with a win.
Glasgow Times
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Kieran Tierney gives Arsenal final-day victory
No side in the competition had ever lost 30 in a season but Martin Odegaard's drilled finish into the corner in the 89th minute sent them back to the Championship with a final humiliation to go with their meagre 12-point tally, on the day that new boss Will Still was unveiled to home fans. The outgoing manager of Lens in Ligue 1 watched his new team from the stands and will have been encouraged when Ross Stewart scored his first goal for the club to equalise against the side that a for a third year in a row finished second. For Mikel Arteta, seated nearby as he served a one-match ban, he was left to reflect on a campaign in which his side fell 17 points short of last season's tally. It will not have escaped Arteta that the 89 points the Gunners finished with 12 months ago would have been comfortably enough to win this season's title. In the end, far too many drawn matches and poor discipline – no team in the league received more than Arsenal's six red cards – had cost them. Raheem Sterling almost marked what was likely to be his final Arsenal appearance with a first league goal for the club after seven minutes, swinging a shot just wide after seven minutes. The Chelsea loanee's future remains uncertain but it appears unlikely to include another year at the Emirates. Southampton wanted a penalty when Yuki Sugawara's drive was deflected behind off the arm of Declan Rice. Arsenal may have been fortunate that VAR concurred with referee Darren Bond's on-field decision of no hand ball. Mikel Merino then headed Gabrielle Martinelli's cross against the bar as visiting fans were taunted with chants of 'Tottenham Hotspur, they've won more than you.' A wonderful first touch from Martinelli saw him bring down a high ball over the top before bringing an equally impressive save from former teammate Aaron Ramsdale, then from the resulting corner Oleksandr Zinchenko shot inches wide. Arsenal's pressure was mounting and a minute later they broke through. Ben White's low cross from the right was beautifully pitched, and there at the near post sweeping across the ball from five yards out was Tierney who tapped in his first league goal since Boxing Day 2021 to the delight of travelling fans. There had been no great gulf between the teams in the first half despite the chasm that divided them in the table, and so Saints' equaliser 10 minutes after the break was far from undeserved. Mateus Fernandes' corner was delivered into a crowded six-yard box where Stewart rose powerfully above two defenders to head the ball back over his own shoulder and in past the dive of David Raya. A wonderful block from Charlie Taylor denied Zinchenko as he unleashed a bullet from 12 yards, Bukayo Saka was denied a final-day goal by the offside flag, but Arsenal would have the final say, Odegaard sidestepping Will Smallbone and lashing in the winner to send his side out with a win.
North Wales Chronicle
25-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal gave all they could in title fight
Arteta confirmed transfer plans are in place to try and end a 21-year wait for the title. Martin Odegaard's 89th-minute drive sealed a 2-1 win against relegated Southampton at St Mary's on the final day whilst there was a goal too on his final appearance for Kieran Tierney before departing for Celtic. There is little secret though behind where the Gunners have fallen short this season. Their goal tally of 69 is 22 fewer than last season and for the first time in the Premier League era no player made it into double figures in the league, Kai Havertz – who missed three months through injury – finishing top scorer with nine. Ending the season with all three points ⚡ — Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 25, 2025 They finished 15 points behind last season's total of 89 which would have comfortably been enough to pip Liverpool to the title this campaign. 'There is nothing else to squeeze,' said Arteta, who watched the game alongside co-chairman Josh Kroenke as he served a touchline ban. 'There is not a single drop more to give. Hopefully (the fans) value where we are and where we have brought this football club. 'We're going to have plenty of time to think, to analyse what happened in the season, to learn from it, to take the positive things the team has done and think how can we now go into that little percentage that is missing.' That search will surely begin with the hunt for a recognised goalscorer. Though lengthy injuries to Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka have undoubtedly affected Arsenal's goal return, there was nevertheless a feeling at the start of the season that there was a missing piece at the front of the team, which has proved prophetic. 'Believe me, we are on it,' said Arteta. 'We will try to squeeze and think and turn every stone that we possibly can to make this club even more successful. 'We'll sit down and put all the plans together, they are almost done. We will sit down and finalise a few things that still have to be decided.' Arsenal condemned Saints to a record 30th Premier League defeat late on when Odegaard sidestepped Will Smallbone and lashed the ball into the corner from range. Singing all game long once again 🎶 Safe trip home, Gooners 👏 — Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 25, 2025 Earlier, after Tierney had signed off his six-year stay by tapping home his first league goal since Boxing Day 2021, Ross Stewart headed the equaliser for his first Southampton goal, as new manager Will Still – the outgoing boss of Lens in Ligue 1 – watched from the stands. It was a final match in charge for caretaker Simon Rusk who guided the team through the difficult final weeks of a horrendous season. 'I've had no information on my future,' he said. 'My concentration was to support the players in delivering a game plan to get something out of these games. 'It's good for everyone to have clarity on who the manager is going to be and I'm sure when the time is right, I'll get some clarity on my own future.'
South Wales Argus
25-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal gave all they could in title fight
Arteta confirmed transfer plans are in place to try and end a 21-year wait for the title. Martin Odegaard's 89th-minute drive sealed a 2-1 win against relegated Southampton at St Mary's on the final day whilst there was a goal too on his final appearance for Kieran Tierney before departing for Celtic. There is little secret though behind where the Gunners have fallen short this season. Their goal tally of 69 is 22 fewer than last season and for the first time in the Premier League era no player made it into double figures in the league, Kai Havertz – who missed three months through injury – finishing top scorer with nine. Ending the season with all three points ⚡ — Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 25, 2025 They finished 15 points behind last season's total of 89 which would have comfortably been enough to pip Liverpool to the title this campaign. 'There is nothing else to squeeze,' said Arteta, who watched the game alongside co-chairman Josh Kroenke as he served a touchline ban. 'There is not a single drop more to give. Hopefully (the fans) value where we are and where we have brought this football club. 'We're going to have plenty of time to think, to analyse what happened in the season, to learn from it, to take the positive things the team has done and think how can we now go into that little percentage that is missing.' That search will surely begin with the hunt for a recognised goalscorer. Though lengthy injuries to Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka have undoubtedly affected Arsenal's goal return, there was nevertheless a feeling at the start of the season that there was a missing piece at the front of the team, which has proved prophetic. 'Believe me, we are on it,' said Arteta. 'We will try to squeeze and think and turn every stone that we possibly can to make this club even more successful. 'We'll sit down and put all the plans together, they are almost done. We will sit down and finalise a few things that still have to be decided.' Arsenal condemned Saints to a record 30th Premier League defeat late on when Odegaard sidestepped Will Smallbone and lashed the ball into the corner from range. Singing all game long once again 🎶 Safe trip home, Gooners 👏 — Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 25, 2025 Earlier, after Tierney had signed off his six-year stay by tapping home his first league goal since Boxing Day 2021, Ross Stewart headed the equaliser for his first Southampton goal, as new manager Will Still – the outgoing boss of Lens in Ligue 1 – watched from the stands. It was a final match in charge for caretaker Simon Rusk who guided the team through the difficult final weeks of a horrendous season. 'I've had no information on my future,' he said. 'My concentration was to support the players in delivering a game plan to get something out of these games. 'It's good for everyone to have clarity on who the manager is going to be and I'm sure when the time is right, I'll get some clarity on my own future.'
