Arsenal's season started with a whimper and ended with one too. Monday night's chastening defeat at St James' Park will sting for the team, who know Champions League football was within their grasp and is now all but lost.
Players collapsed to the turf at full time following their dismal 2-0 loss to Newcastle with a collective feeling that they had blown their shot at returning to Europe's elite for the first time in six years.
All Arsenal can do now is do their job - by beating lowly Everton on the final day and hope that Spurs lose to already-relegated Norwich City at Carrow Road.