William Saliba Opens Up About Heartbreaking Trophy Drought: 'My Pocket Was Empty'
William Saliba has confessed that concluding campaign after campaign empty-handed has made him "weary", yet this also provides extra drive as Arsenal pursue an historic Quadruple opportunity.
In their pursuit of a maiden Premier League crown since 2003–04, Arsenal have secured second place in each of the past three campaigns—trailing Manchester City (on two occasions) and Liverpool.
The club's latest significant silverware arrived just months after Mikel Arteta took charge with the 2019–20 FA Cup triumph. The Spanish manager includes subsequent Community Shield victories in 2020 and 2023 among his achievements, though many don't view this tournament with equal importance.
Since Saliba established himself as a regular starter in summer 2022, the Gunners have reached the Carabao Cup final four twice—including the current campaign, plus one Champions League semi-final appearance. They haven't progressed past the FA Cup's fourth stage since their last victory in that competition.
"I'm weary of ending seasons empty-handed, so currently we have four tournaments to claim," Saliba informed journalists this week, after defeating Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final opening leg to sit 90 minutes away from their first major cup final in six years.
"My hands were empty last season and now we aim to capture everything … Carabao, FA Cup, Champions League, Premier League," he stated. "Naturally, it's challenging to declare this but we want to demonstrate it on the field and we will commit everything to secure every trophy."
Arsenal's Quest to Win Unprecedented Quadruple
Arsenal's Mission to Claim Historic Quadruple
No club in English football history has ever achieved a Quadruple, consisting of a First Division/Premier League championship, FA Cup, League Cup and the European Cup. Manchester United (1998–99) and Manchester City (2022–23) remain the sole teams to accomplish a Treble. Liverpool's cup 'treble' in 2000–01 missed a league championship and featured Europe's second-tier tournament.
However, Arsenal remain firmly in contention and well-positioned across all four tournaments to become the first.
In the Premier League, the Gunners hold a six-point advantage over Manchester City with slightly more than half the campaign completed. They also top the league phase table in the Champions League with a perfect record from six of eight fixtures played.
Arsenal will welcome League One side Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup fourth round next month and, as noted, hold an aggregate lead in the Carabao Cup semi-finals after this week's first leg victory.
Should Arteta guide his squad to complete success, it would mark history in multiple aspects.
Beyond the potential Quadruple achievement, Arsenal have never in the competition's 70-year existence claimed the European Cup/Champions League. Their current Premier League title absence has now reached 22 years, representing their longest such period between league championships since joining the top division in 1919.
It's been over a generation since their last League (Carabao) Cup success, with supporters under 40 years old too young to remember the most recent victory in 1992–93.