That FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester United had more ramifications than just crashing out of the cup with Gabriel Jesus subsequently suffering an ACL injury that will keep him out for the rest of the calendar year.
With Bukayo Saka already on the treatment table, the last thing they then needed was an injury to Gabriel Martinelli. The Brazilian is now back but missed over a month of action. Kai Havertz? Well, Arsenal's trip to Dubai didn't have the same effect as it did in 2024, with the German suffering a season-ending hamstring injury.
Arsenal's Kai Havertz with manager Mikel Arteta after being substituted
Combine their rotten injury luck with some puzzling refereeing decisions throughout the campaign and it is hardly a surprise that Arne Slot's Liverpool sit 12 points ahead at the summit of the Premier League table.
That being said, there are some positives that Arteta will be able to take into the summer and beyond.
The biggest positives of Arsenal's season
Truth be told, there aren't many, but we cannot look past the emergence of Hale End duo Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
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For a long while it looked as though Nwaneri would be the biggest prospect to come out of the academy, notably being handed his first-team debut as a 15-year-old.
This term he has been handed more minutes than Arteta will have imagined due to injuries across the forward line but he's proving why he could be a generational talent, scoring eight goals in 29 outings this term.
Then, there's a certain Lewis-Skelly. Aged 18, he's made a remarkable impact as an inverted left-back. So impressive has the teenager been that Thomas Tuchel saw fit to name him in his very first England squad,
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He does lack discipline at times but no one can deny the positive impact both of these two young talented footballers have had on this Arsenal team.
If we're looking for another positive then the defence has remained resolute. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes look as imperious as ever.
Gabriel, in particular, has perhaps been Arsenal's player of the season, chiefly coming up trumps in several set-piece scenarios.
Yet, we haven't mentioned Jurrien Timber yet. His form in 2024/25 is reason to celebrate.
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Jurrien Timber's season in numbers
This time last year Timber was on the comeback trail as he stepped up his recovery from a horrific ACL injury suffered on his Premier League debut when Nottingham Forest came to town.
It was a nightmare scenario for the Dutchman but he's shown this campaign exactly why the club's recruitment team saw fit to hand Ajax £38m fee for his services.
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As data analyst Ben Mattinson outlined earlier this season, the full-back is now "one of the best Emirates-era signings" having made that right-back berth his own with Ben White on the sidelines.
It is a testament to the Netherlands international's performances that White - a player who contributed four goals and five assists in 2023/24 - hasn't been talked about much since he was out injured.
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In short, Timber has been exceptional this term barely missing a minute of action which is made all the more impressive when you consider memories of that ACL injury will very much be lingering at the back of his mind.
While the 23-year-old is unlikely to match White's numbers from last season, he has assisted three goals and scored twice, the latest of which came in that 7-1 rout of PSV Eindhoven a few weeks ago.
His form over recent months has been particularly good and he perhaps saved the finest performance of his Arsenal career to date for the 1-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.
In the words of Arsenal podcaster Adam Keys, the defender was "immense" this weekend and "made a couple of big transition-stopping tackles to keep Arsenal in control."
Timber vs Chelsea
Minutes played
90
Touches
64
Accurate passes
29/33 (88%)
Key passes
0
Accurate crosses
0/2
Successful dribbles
1/2
Ground duels won
5/9
Aerial duels won
4/5
Clearances
3
Interceptions
2
Tackles
1
Fouled
3x
Stats via Sofascore.
The stats made for excellent reading with the Dutch gladiator completing 88% of his passes, winning nine duels and being fouled three times.
One of the most press-resistant defenders out there, Timber did it all on the right-hand side, from contributing in attack to nullifying Jadon Sancho and Christopher Nkunku with ease.
He even had time to mock Enzo Maresca near the end of the game as Arsenal remained resolute to see out a 1-0 victory at the Emirates.
Speaking of the Emirates, have there been many better signings than Timber since they moved from Highbury?
It's a bold statement, but particularly at the back, there has hardly been a rich history of sturdy defenders at their new most recent home aside from the likes of Saliba, Gabriel and Laurent Koscielny.
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Certainly, in recent times Timber has to be right up there as one of the club's best bits of recruitment. The club-record arrival of Declan Rice will steal the headlines such was his whopping £105m price tag but his fellow summer arrival in 2023 deserves just as much praise for the way he's become such a fan favourite in north London.
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