The balance between short-term and long-term goals was always going to make this a tricky season for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta. Over the past few years, Arsenal have fallen into the trap of not knowing which to prioritise. Should they develop younger, more talented players? Should they lean on more established pros? They're tried to do both at once and have ended up failing on both counts. The short-term hope is, rather bluntly, to be better. Better with the ball, better against the ball. The long-term goal is to be good enough to finish in the top four not just once but repeatedly. The long-term plan can’t be realised without short-term success and short-term improvement can’t be...
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