Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterKieran Gibbs believes Arsene Wenger deserves more credit in hindsight than he often got in his final years at Arsenal.In recent years, we have seem a number of big clubs finishing in mid-table obscurity - or even worse.Chelsea finished 12th in 2023 and 8th in 2026. Manchester United finished 15th in 2025. Tottenham finished 17th in both of the past two seasons and were at serious threat of relegation last season.There's a number of reasons that has happened, including a huge hike in the money the Premier League's middle-class are making out of TV rights relative to their equivalents in other countries.But whatever the cause, former Arsenal left-back Gibbs feels Wenger did a better job than people necessarily realised to keep the Gunners consistently in the top four. You may like Mikel Merino reveals how Arsenal have battled internal doubts "If youd have told me Arsenal werent going to win the win the league again for such a long time, Id have said you were mad" Ray Parlour on Arsenals 22-year wait for the Premier League Ex Arsenal star admits, 'My biggest mistake was leaving for Barcelona' Although Wenger's last Premier League title came in the Invincibles season in 2003/04, they did not finish lower than 4th until his final two seasons in charge, in 2016/17 (5th) and 2017/18 (6th).Things initially got worse following Wenger's departure before improving again.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta took Arsenal to back-to-back 8th-place finished before the latter gradually got to them back on top of the English game again last year.And Gibbs told FourFourTwo: "During my time there, I always felt that we were only two or three signings away from winning the league."But the club was in a cycle, after moving into the new stadium, where the board were only willing to spend so much and we were losing players in key moments."f you compare it to other big clubs who are struggling now, it wasnt as bad as it might have been perceived at the time."We never fell out of the Champions League places."I think he did an incredible job and Im very fortunate to have played for [Arsene Wenger]. All of his stories and lessons have stuck with meTOPICSArsene WengerKieran GibbsArsenalSteven ChickenSocial Links NavigationSteven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.With contributions fromSean ColeWriter
