Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal have made good progress this season and could have challenged Chelsea for the Premier League had they found consistency earlier in the campaign.
With five games left Arsenal sit 13 points behind the runaway leaders and level on points with champions Manchester City.
Unbeaten in their last nine matches, Wenger believes his side is beginning to show their quality and had injuries not unsettled their preparations they could have posed more of a threat to Chelsea.
"I feel we have made progress, so I look at in a positive way," he said. "What I want from this team is for them to grow together and become better.
"We faced a big challenge because Chelsea didn't drop their level, they were more consistent, that is why we didn't catch them. But overall we have made progress.
"It took us some time to find a good balance in the team, and we dropped some points this season because of that. I have said many times that we had big injuries after the World Cup, and we have not had [a fully fit] squad together.
"They [Chelsea] had a strong start and that has kept them going until the end."
Arsenal – who have a game in hand on the leaders – travel to Hull City on Monday looking to extend their unbeaten run to 10 league games.
‘He instantly popped into our ratings as one of the best U21 midfielders in Europe. The impressive thing is Slot has made him into more of a no.6' Inside Ryan Gravenberch's transformation at Liverpool
‘I don’t think Liverpool would look at Ollie Watkins, a striker isn’t a pressing issue for them – it’s Arsenal who need one’ Former Reds star explains why his old club don’t need an out-and-out forward this summer
