Does Arteta have the guns to dethrone Pep this time?
Much like last season, Arsenal have managed to stay at or around the Premier League summit as the end of 2023 approaches, but can they go all the way this time? Despite losing their most recent EPL fixture against Aston Villa by a goal to nil, the Gunners have only dropped points
A different approach
Much credit has to be given to manager Mikel Arteta for his willingness to somewhat adapt his style of play in a sport that is constantly evolving in order to improve and always be one step ahead of the opposition. “This team is going to be different to last season and hopefully very different to next season,” he said earlier this month ahead of their game against Wolverhampton Wanderers, which the Gunners won 2-1, adding, “That’s part of the evolution. Leaving some of the things in the past to the new things. That has a transition. We want to still be competitive and win matches, and I think the team is competing really well.” The first significant observation that’s different about the Gunners this season is their arguably more rugged approach to playing. They are said to look less fluent with the ball at their feet this season and this could very well work in their favour. The team is not playing with quite the same zest going forward, placing a larger reliance on their physicality and defensive solidity. The EPL has always been renowned for its physicality and even though some would consider today’s version of the game a little more on the soft side, physicality is still an important aspect when it comes to obtaining results. Even Pep Guardiola has emphasised the importance of winning the second ball in the past, and understandably so. In a league where ball-playing teams will come up against sides who like to sit deep and defend their box while trying to create counter-attacks, something as seemingly insignificant as winning the ball when it becomes available immediately after it bounces can determine the outcome of a play.
Key players
With the inclusion of Declan Rice and Kai Havertz, who stands at an intimidating 1.86m, another element has been added to the side’s midfield. Although people have pointed the finger at Havertz for not contributing more goals and assists (he has netted three times and created one in the EPL so far this season), the Germany international has contributed to the
on five occasions in their 16 fixtures thus far, and the north Londoners are looking like serious title contenders, a similar position to which they found themselves in last season. The threetime league winners were, however, doing better at this stage in the previous campaign. They were in top spot, two points ahead
team in other ways. Since the start of the 2023/24 league campaign, he has won 3.13 aerial duels per 90, putting him in the 98th percentile compared to his positional peers across the top leagues in Europe. This symbolises Arteta’s different approach to their second consecutive title charge. Rice, meanwhile, has been handed a perhaps surprisingly more attacking role since making the move to the Emirates Stadium instead of a more robust one that many would have expected, attempting an average of 61.35 passes per game and completing 90.8% of them, putting him in the 91st percentile. The former West Ham United man has also managed to make 7.81 passes into the final third per 90, which puts him in the 95th percentile. It demonstrates the Spanish tactician’s desire to hold on to his own principles but tweaking them in a way that ensures his team does not lose its footballing identity and rather grows into a side capable of doing everything a club must do to become the best version of themselves possible.
Additionally, more height in the line-up would naturally increase a side’s chances of scoring goals from set-pieces, as well as defending them. In fact, Arsenal’s stoppage-time winner that saw them beat Luton Town 4-3 last Tuesday originated from a set-piece and ended with Rice getting his head on the end of a cross put into the box by Martin Odegaard, handing the London side a crucial three points. Another physically imposing figure who contributes immensely to the defensive make-up of Arteta’s system is William Saliba, and his fitness will be another crucial aspect to a successful title charge. Last season, Arsenal’s win percentage with him in the team was 78%, while it dropped to just 44% without him. Some would say another characteristic of a league-winning side is the ability to generate goals from players all over the pitch. It is essentially the lack of reliance on one or two players to score goals. For example, last season, Marcus Rashford was Manchester United’s main source of goals, but he has not fired for the Red Devils this time around and the consequences are evident. United currently have a goal difference of -3, and have scored only 18 times in 16 matches. The Gunners, of Manchester City. This time around, they are three points ahead of the Citizens, but the picture looks quite a bit different. Arsenal are currently second, one point behind rivals Liverpool and one point ahead of third-placed Aston Villa, who have emerged as this season’s dark horses. The focus now needs to be on meanwhile, have scored 33 goals and conceded just 14, with three of those coming against Luton. The north Londoners have also had 13 different goalscorers this season. Bukayo Saka is, however, proving to be a standout performer and one of the side’s main sources of creativity, with five goals and seven assists. And while Eddie Nketiah has five league goals as well, some fans of the side will argue that another, perhaps better, striker should be brought in as a back-up option for Gabriel Jesus if the club is to boost its chances of winning the EPL. A January transfer window in which Arsenal are able to bring in a few players to enhance the depth of their squad would do wonders as they would probably not want injuries to crucial players to dent their title hopes once again.
Inside the boss’ mind
Aside from reigniting life for the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium, Arteta should also be lauded for how he has perceived the standards required to be one of the land’s most successful clubs. “What has happened in the last five years is unprecedented,” the Spanish tactician said after his side’s controversial 1-0 loss to Newcastle United in November. “It never happened with the amount of points and level of the teams. Now it’s the amount of teams with that level that is increasing and increasing. That’s why comparing to the past in this league is a waste of time. It’s very different to what it used to be, and that puts the demands of what we do every single day in a different scope.” The Spaniard is not at all wrong. Only seven points separate Liverpool, who are first on the table, and fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. With the way things are currently going, the amount of thinking that would be needed to try and predict a title winner at this stage of the campaign is likely to leave you with a bitter migraine. Nevertheless, Arteta has shown that he understands his competition and what it takes to overcome them, and does not shy away from making the necessary adjustments to help him achieve this goal. It may just prove to be enough for the current Arsenal boss to get his hands on his first-ever EPL trophy as a manager. what they can continue to improve on since losing out on winning their first title Premier League title since Arsene Wenger’s iconic Invincibles triumph in 2003, and the key aspects that could see them become champions of England once again, writes Soccer Laduma journalist Junaid Benjamin.