Flares at the protest outside the ground

FA Premier League
ARSENAL 2 (Pepe 59, 60)
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 0

EIGHTH place then.

A month after having to back out of the European Super League, Arsenal will be wholly grounded next season after their late season flourish came up short despite a smart win against Brighton this afternoon (Sunday).

The basic objectives of the season have clearly not been met but the noises are that Mikel Arteta will get another roll at the summer transfer frenzy and the start of a fresh campaign. Perhaps losing the distraction of Thursday night football may even prove a tonic, even if the financial loss will be bloody.

Truth be told, it was quite embarrassing to be nutting it out with the old rivals, Spurs, and Everton on the last day for a place in the newly formed Europa Conference League. The competition sounds like purgatory and avoiding participation should  be a welcome bayleaf to the mild sting of Spurs’ late comeback at Leicester.

Tottenham claim north London bragging rights for the fifth season in a row but the chaotic state of both clubs should temper any crowing. Trips to European football’s furthest outposts in a sort of Intertoto Cup Reborn is just about the right prize for finishing above Arsenal – but still only seventh.

Ticket ballot winners watch the protest

There was at least reason for encouragement from today’s victory. In fact if Arsenal had shown the urgency on display today all season, then perhaps they would have been competing for a place in a more prestigious tournament in the final knockings.

The team has talent, it’s just it is being laboriously drawn out by Arteta so far. Emile Smith Rowe is already one of the most important players in the team. His improvements, alongside Bukayo Saka, are green shoots. Then there is Nicolas Pepe, who has finally found form and is grabbing goals – two more today.

Add in the hope that Kieran Tierney has a fine Arsenal career still ahead and the imagination that Flo Balogun could force his way through and it’s not all grey skies.

It’s just whether Arteta has it in him to weed the squad this summer and bring in sensible additions. More choices like Willian will go down very badly with the protesting fans outside the Emirates; red and white flares and chants of Kroenke Out were once again hard to miss. Anybody going into the club shop was heckled as a traitor.

Fans continued their calls for Stan Kroenke to depart

What Stan Kroenke, the owner, will make of an asset which no longer comes with continental exposure – on the field at least – remains to be seen, but there were more placards inside the ground urging him to depart.

Pepe scored twice in ten minutes early in the second half to decide the game. The Seagulls were already safe from relegation and did  not conjure up much resistance, slightly uncharacteristically given how difficult opponents they have proved to be for Arsenal.

The striker, who might have been lifting the league championship in France tonight if he had never left Lille, was full of energy and ideas. The speed of his reactions earned him his first, a quick low shot past the keeper. The second had a touch of Thierry Henry, a wriggly run and then a carefully placed effort into the far corner.

For Pepe personally, it’s a shame the summer break comes next – but Arsenal as a whole are in desperate need of a timeout. The rebuilding should start tomorrow.

Arteta said afterwards: “I leave this season sad because this club deserves to be delivered trophies and Champions League and we haven’t been able to do that. But under very challenging circumstances. We have tried to stick together and do our best. It’s not been enough.”

He added: “Now we have to be very critical with ourselves and myself. For next season we must prepare the best possible way and take advantage of that. Hopefully, we can have a pre-season because I haven’t had that and have the chance to work with those players and do a better job.”

ARSENAL: Leno, Chambers, Tierney, Holding, Gabriel. Xhaka, Partey, Odegaard (Martinelli 86), Smith Rowe (Saka 74), Pepe, Aubameyang (Lacazette 79)
SUBS NOT USED: Ceballos, Elneny, Mari, Nketiah, Runarsson, Soares

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION: Sanchez, Webster, White, Dunk, Burn, Bissouma, Moder, Gross, Jahanbaksh (Lallana HT), Trossard (Connolly HT), Mac Allister (Alzate 66)
SUBS NOT USED: Caicedo, Karbownik, Steele, Tau, Zeqiri