Why Arsenal are STRONGER this season
Their team is packed with strapping 6ft-plus players. And with Toney on the radar for January, they can push City all the way
THE foundations of Arsenal’s title challenge can be traced back to the capitulation of their previous one. On May 19 this year, Mikel Arteta felt compelled to point out some home truths during a meeting at their team hotel ahead of the penultimate game of the season at Nottingham Forest. Five days earlier, the Spaniard watched his team implode at home to Brighton, a result that effectively ended Arsenal’s title dream. But it was not that result or performance that had Arteta’s goat. The mood at the club’s London Colney training ground in the aftermath of that harrowing loss was distinctly gloomy. The sessions are said to have lacked intensity. Arteta sensed a deficiency in spirit. Who could blame the players, they were left heartbroken after that tame surrender against Roberto De Zerbi’s side. But that made no odds to Arteta. He did not recognise his team that week and told them so ahead of the Forest game. Arsenal lost 1-0 at the City Ground — a result that mathematically ended their title challenge. Arteta knew. But have they learned? Sunday’s euphoric win over Manchester City has supporters dreaming of the title once again. Can they last the distance? Here, Mail Sport analyses why Arsenal’s title charge is stronger this year and where it could fall down again.
WILLIAM SALIBA
ARTETA may reflect on the City victory with pangs of ‘what might have been’. Saliba was imperious at the weekend, dealing ruthlessly with Erling Haaland. But if only he had been available for the clash at the Etihad on April 26.
City dispatched Arsenal 4-1 to strike a fatal psychological blow. For all intents and purposes, that was the day City won the title and they did it by ruthlessly ripping through Arsenal’s soft centre. Saliba could only look on in frustration, a back injury ruling him out. Arteta was sketchy with the details of Saliba’s ailment, publicly refusing to outline what the injury was or set a timescale for his return. The lack of transparency was because Saliba felt he could play. But the structural damage to his back was such that medics could not clear his return. Many at the club believe Saliba’s absence for the final 11 games of the season cost Arsenal the title. There is certainly credence to those assertions. Injury problems continue to linger.
Saliba has been playing with a painful foot injury for a number of weeks, a problem that has caused him to withdraw from the France squad this week. Arteta will hope the problem clears up soon because he has seen first-hand the impact on his team when Saliba is absent.
PHYSICALITY
ARSENAL signed Kai Havertz and Declan Rice this summer, who are 6ft 4in and 6ft 1in respectively. It has been a deliberate strategy by Arteta and sporting director Edu, who both agreed the team lacked physicality at crucial junctures last season. They moved efficiently to address those perceived flaws and look stronger for it. The victory at Crystal Palace in their second game of the season was a case in point.
Far from their best, Arsenal clung on to a 1-0 lead despite finishing with 10 men after Takehiro Tomiyasu’s red card in the 67th minute. It was noticeable that night how robust the Gunners were in defending their own box under an aerial bombardment from Palace in the closing stages. Arsenal, owing to their attacking capabilities, will play teams off the park — but thanks to a very specific recruitment strategy, they can rough it, too.
DECLAN RICE
IT HAS been £105million well spent. Rice will captain Arsenal one day, at least Arteta believes he will. He may well be the biggest difference from Arsenal falling short in the title race last season and emerging triumphant this campaign. Already one of the leaders of Arsenal’s dressing room, it is abundantly clear why Arteta made him his all-or-nothing signing of the summer.
Arsenal paid more than they expected, the club believed they could get him for £90m. But the Gunners have not overpaid. If he continues on this trajectory it is a bargain. Rice brings control, drive, poise and tenacity in central midfield.
When Thomas Partey returns to full fitness, Rice will be freed to move his talents higher up the field. Rice, Partey and Martin Odegaard — is there a better engine room in England?
TONEY IN JANUARY?
GABRIEL JESUS, Eddie Nketiah and Havertz — as a false nine — remain crucial to Arsenal’s set-up. But questions linger over whether Arsenal need someone who can score 25 to 30 goals a season. It is a deficiency Arteta and Arsenal’s recruitment team are taking very seriously. One name springs to mind: Ivan Toney. A striker Arsenal are coveting, big time.
It is understood that Toney is coveting Arsenal, too. On the face of it, Toney is a perfect fit for Arsenal. The goals are a clear selling point, but Toney’s character and physicality tick a lot of boxes for Arteta. But having spent more than £200m in the summer, is there enough in the bank to make another substantial outlay — probably towards £80m — for Toney in January? If they do, it would impact their spending next summer.
AVOIDING INJURIES
JURRIEN TIMBER is out for the majority of the season due to an ACL injury suffered in the opening game of the season against Nottingham Forest. Arsenal have already lost Bukayo Saka, Partey and Gabriel Martinelli for games this season.
It is testament to the squad Arteta has built that they have coped without key players. But take Rice, Saliba or Gabriel out of the team and fans would worry. Arteta places a lot emphasis on players being durable. For all of Saka’s brilliant attributes, his durability — his ability to play through pain — is the one trait Arteta admires the most.
Arteta’s regime is tough. Training is intense, that can take its toll on the body. If Arsenal can keep their best players on the pitch, then they will be City’s closest challengers.