After last season’s despair it’s fabulous to see the fans getting ‘their Arsenal’ back

WE are in the international break and Arsenal fans are more than entitled to have their own getaway.

In fact stay on cloud nine for a while longer. Why not, you deserve it!

There are many that will say that it is too soon to be waxing lyrical about Arsenal’s current form of nine successive wins across all competitions, six on the spin in the Premier League, second-highest corers of the season behind Manchester City.

However, for a club that was in turmoil, under severe pressure and in despair last season, they have now found their feet and have finally got some confidence back.

I spent the majority of last season talking to Arsenal supporters on Premier League’s Fanzone – a show that I present – where fans from around the world Skype in to discuss their team’s performances.

I do not recall speaking to a single happy Gooner at any point in the campaign.

From fans in New York to diehard followers in South Africa, geography made no difference to the emotional state of the Arsenal contingent.

It’s only recently that Eno from Nigeria spoke to me about how times are changing.

Compared to last season, the numbers tell us that progress has been made.

To be precise, Arsenal are five points, seven goals and two positions in the table better off. Small margins maybe, but things are moving in the right direction.

Last Sunday the focus was on Liverpool v Manchester City, while the early game between Fulham and Arsenal seemed like just a warmup.

Perhaps the lack of pressure, a moment out of the spotlight, is the very thing that helped them.

Scoring five goals against any team in the Premier League will certainly lift the players and whichever way you look at it, out of every manager in action that day, Unai Emery walked away the happiest.

We can’t ignore that there is work still to be done. Arsenal may have fired five goals but it was past the only team yet to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League. The Gunners themselves also still have defensive weaknesses – 10 goals conceded after eight games is not good enough for a team with top-four ambitions and, interestingly, it’s the same number of goals conceded at this stage last season.

However, the improvement that has been made under Emery is clear to see and fans will hope it continues when Arsenal host Leicester City on Monday week, a timely reminder of just what team spirit and hard work can achieve.

Two weeks later the players have a real opportunity to make a statement in front of the home support when

Liverpool visit.

For now though, the supporters can continue to sing ‘We have our Arsenal back’ and chant Lucas Torreira to the tune of the old Patrick Vieira song.

It’s refreshing to see Arsenal fans just enjoying being Arsenal fans again.

HIGH POINTS AT LASTEmery is quickly making his mark at the Emirates and his stars had plenty to celebrate at Fulham (below)