Arsenal have been one of the big surprises of the Premier League season thus far. After a couple of years of midtable mediocrity under his leadership, Mikel Arteta has finally got the Gunners going in the right direction and competing for the Champions League places.
While they ultimately fell short against leaders Manchester City, Arteta’s young Gunners showed for at least one half that their present and future are quite bright.
SBOTOP breaks down exactly what has gone right with the Gunners this season and what we could expect from them going forward.
Arteta’s defensive investments paying off
The first place to start is at the back, where Arsenal have invested tens of millions of pounds trying to improve their backline. This summer alone, they broke the bank to sign centre-back Ben White, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu, and left-back Nuno Tavares.
And after half a season with the club, it looks like all four could end up being very shrewd investments. Ramsdale has been a revelation between the posts, with his fantastic saves and unusual antics making him an immediate fan favourite.
Meanwhile, White and Tomiyasu have been provided some much-needed solidity on the right side of Arsenal’s defence.
And on the left side, Tavares has been terrific when given the playing time and has provided some stiff competition for Kieran Tierney, who has been impressive in his own right but remains a bit injury prone.
Finally, defensive midfielder Thomas Partey has started to live up to his hefty price tag by playing his best football since arriving in London last year.
Granted, the Gunners have still had some lapses and need more time to shore up that defence, especially against the top teams. But the good news is they finally have the pieces in place for Arteta to implement his preferred system.
Young Gunners powering impressive attack
Arsenal have had their issues in attack since Arteta took charge as they’ve averaged a mere 55.5 goals over the last two seasons. But things finally seem to be turning around this year with the help of some impressive young Gunners.
Emile Smith Rowe, 21, has been absolutely remarkable, with 8 goals and 2 assists in 18 Premier League appearances. Bukayo Saka, 20, scored against City, his fourth goal in three games as he is finally back to his best form after a slow start. And Gabriel Martinelli, 20, has been electric since being inserted into the starting lineup.
Things finally began to click when Arteta made the big decision to drop captain Pierre Emerick Aubameyang from the squad and put Martin Odegaard in the No. 10 role behind Alexandre Lacazette.
The 23-year-old Odegaard – Arsenal’s only notable big-money signing in attack this summer – has thrived in the role, while Lacazette has been a much better fit than Aubameyang in playing as the lone striker.
Not only is this new front four more dynamic, but it is also more energetic in terms of pressing, which was so crucial in their first-half brilliance against defending Premier League champions Manchester City. They played perhaps the best half of Premier League football against City this season, which is a testament to how well the absent Arteta prepared them for that match.
The future for Arteta’s Arsenal is bright
After a couple of rocky years with several highs – their FA Cup win – and lows, it seems the club’s patience with Mikel Arteta is finally paying off. The last month is a glimpse into what is possible for these young Gunners now that they’ve assembled this promising young squad, and the City first half showed that they can compete with the very best.
Of course, there is still half a season to go, and Arteta must show he can provide consistent Premier League 2022 results like his mentor Pep Guardiola in order to capture one of those coveted Champions League spots.
The second half of the City game should serve as a major lesson for the entire club on how quickly things can change, especially for a squad that is so young and one that has the erratic Granit Xhaka on its side.
But right now, the future is looking bright at the Emirates, as bright as it has been for a long time. Arteta, with the help of the right pieces at his disposal, has done well to get the Gunners on the right path. At this point, the Premier League 2022 odds of them claiming fourth have shifted in their favour. It is now up to him to keep steering them back to the top of the Premier League.
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