Arsenal V Norwich: What Does Failure to Win Mean for Arsene Wenger's Men?

Arsenal are on the brink of Champions League qualification, but they have found themselves struggling to get over the finish line. Steve Morrison’s 85th-minute strike has compounded doubt, frustration and misery to Arsenal’s hopes of playing in European football’s premier competition.   

The Gunners' failure to beat Norwich means that Tottenham have a third-place finish within their grasp—all that stands between them is an away trip to Aston Villa before wrapping up the season against Fulham at White Hart Lane. Both are games that you would expect Spurs to win.

Newcastle face a more difficult task in hosting Manchester City before heading to Goodison Park to achieve a top-four finish. Six points is a necessity for the Magpies if they want a shot at Champions League qualification, and for these reasons, Arsenal should rightfully be considered favourites to cement fourth spot against West Brom.

Then, of course, there is that great variable: Bayern Munich V Chelsea in the Champions League final. A fourth-place finish is out of the question for Roberto Di Matteo’s men, but victory at the Allianz Arena will land a slot in next year’s competition at the expense of the team that finishes fourth, which is now most likely to be Arsenal.

Failure to qualify for the Champions League is an issue in itself for a team of Arsenal’s repute. Arsene Wenger has already conceded that failure to achieve a Champions League slot would be a ‘disaster’ for the club.

If Arsenal are not in the competition next year, it will cost them £35 million; money that is needed to rebuild Wenger’s weakened team.

"We want to be in there, in the top four, and to play in the Champions League, and anything else would not be good enough,” the Frenchman said.

Phil Wood, chairman of Arsenal, has tried to lighten the mood by telling fans that "We have been planning for not qualifying every year, so it is not a disaster, but it would be nice if we could."

More importantly for the club is the fact that their team is in desperate need of fresh talent; talent that will not be attracted to the Emirates if the Gunners are not playing in the Champions League.  

Long-term target Jan Vertonghen has openly expressed his desire to play in the Premier League, but failure to qualify for European football’s premier competition could see the Belgian midfielder opt for a move to Tottenham instead. Newcastle, too, are interested in the versatile 25-year-old.

A deal for Vertonghen seemingly rests on the next 17 days.

The Gunners could also lose out on any hopes they harboured on signing Lille’s Eden Hazard and Rennes’ Yann M’Vila. Hazard in particular has attracted the interest of a plethora of Premier League clubs and Arsenal seems to be bottom of the hierarchy.

Not only will Arsenal find it difficult to sign the big-name talent they need, they also face the possibility of losing their most important assets.

Influential team regulars such as Alex Song and Thomas Vermaelen have reportedly captured the gaze of Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho.

To add to Wenger’s woes, Van Persie is yet to decide whether he wants to renew his deal with the club. The Dutch striker has stalled on signing a new contract, although Wenger has expressed that he will force the hitman to see out the remaining year of his contract. Manchester City, Juventus and Barcelona have all expressed an interest in the striker.

Arsenal’s failure to defeat Norwich has left their season out of their hands and, most annoyingly, in the grip of their most bitter rivals.