Its April 2023. At the time of writing Arsenal have just beaten Leeds United 4-1 to go 8 points clear at the top of the table with 9 games to go. At the start of the season even optimistic Arsenal fans would have expected a battle for top four. Its been an incredible season for the Gunners. They are top of the league and in with a real chance of lifting the trophy for the first time since 2004 they have done so by playing scintillating attacking football throughout.
There are so many individuals to admire. Ben White has been a revelation since his move to right back. William Saliba has returned from several loans spells in France and looks at home at the heart of the Arsenal defense. Oleksander Zinchenko has proved to be an inspired singing since his move from title rivals Manchester City last Summer. Granit Xhaka has taken his redemption ark to a new level as hes added goals and assists to his game. Captain Marten Odegaard has been majestic. Bukayo Saka has been………… Bukayo Saka. The young Englishman continues to endear the hearts of fans with his performances on the pitch and his lovable demeanor off it. There are other names to. In fact, you could name every single member of the Arsenal squad as having contributed towards a remarkable season and that is why they are where they are. While this Arsenal squad boasts an array of individual talent and character it is the collective that really shines.
Back in March 2021 Arteta that that his ‘project’ would ‘go bang’. The Spaniard was much maligned for the comment at the time as the Gunners were facing down a consecutive 8th place finish. However, spring forward 2 years and they look like the words of a man who saw something special despite the obvious struggles. Arsenal have invested heavily in young players and have taken a ruthless approach to moving players on-just ask Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang. When Arteta was first appointed in November 2019 he spoke extensively about the need to instill a consistent culture at the club. “You have to be ruthless’ Arteta said. ‘Anyone who has a negative affect is not good enough for this environment.” (Arsenal.com). These words were a breath of fresh air at the time and its difficult to argue that Arteta hasn’t been true to his word. Aubameyangs exile and eventual exit is testament to this. Arteta’s no nonsense approach to off the filed issues and his strong belief in the importance of culture has also been replicated on the pitch as well-most of all this season.
There has been a fluidly about the team and an understanding that can only come from good coaching. Arsenal are team comfortable playing out from the back and are unafraid of making mistakes. When mistakes do happen as they seldom have, the team has come together and responded collectively. This is in contrast to recent years where Arsenal sides have often struggled to cope with an individual error. Arteta has spoken about Arsenal as a ‘family’. This may be a rather stereotypical phrase but Arsenal have showed familial traits in the way they interact with eachother. This is also replicated in the fanbase. When William Saliba scored an own goal towards the beginning of the season against Leicester the fans reacted by showering the young French defender with support. Of course, a united fan base is helped by on the pitch results and performances but its more than that alone. The way the manager speaks about his team and the way his side of gone about trying to achieve what they want to achieve has been a big factor. Louis Dunfords ‘The Angel’ has been a consistent pre game theme song and ‘Ashburton Army’, a younger cohort of Arsenal fans have been instrumental in the formation of a louder, more atmospheric Emirates stadium.
Arsenal have a fabulous chance to clinch the Premier League this season. Though away games against Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle await as well as a home game to Chelsea represent a formidable test but Arsenal already proved their mettle and their quality this season. Winning the title would be well ahead of even Arteta’s schedule but it is now firmly within their grasp. It will be a tough ask and there is a long way to go. With 9 games remaining Arsenal are 8 points clear so there would be significant disappointment among the Arsenal fan base should Pep Guardiola and Manchester City be the ones lifting the trophy at the end of the season. However, that disappointment should not overshadow the fact that this Arsenal team have huge potential and have the structure and talent to achieve great things in the future.
TheGoonerStation 