Arsenal trusting the process
Ever since their historic Invincibles season, it seems Arsenal have been gradually regressing to mediocrity as the Gunners went from challenging for the biggest honours in domestic and continental football to struggling to get into European competition. Their descent from English football’s summit was settled during the 2020/21 season, when the north London side finished eighth in the Premier League and failed to qualify for any European competition for the first time in 26 years. That, however, might have been a blessing in disguise rarely seen by a player his age, and not just in the way he finds himself in smart attacking positions, but also in the way he works defensively. Saka appears to have a clear understanding of what Arteta wants from him when Arsenal do not have the ball, but is also breathtaking to watch when in possession, which is when the academy graduate truly showcases his individual brilliance with his speed, dribbling and vision. The next highest goal contributor of players aged 21 or under in the league is another Arsenal player, Emile Smith-Rowe, who has struck on nine occasions and chipped in with two assists. While he has barely started since Christmas, with the likes of Odegaard, Alexandre Lacazette and Gabriel Martinelli currently preferred over him, it is hard to imagine that he will not play a huge role in the Gunners’ future, particularly after he was entrusted with the legendary No. 10 shirt last year, a jersey previously worn by club legends such as Dennis Bergkamp and Robin van Persie.
Getting rid of deadwood
For all the tactical tweaks that Arteta has made to the side, it is the intangible changes that have perhaps proved the most pivotal. The DNA of the club now seems to lie more within infrastructure and community as Arsenal appear to have found a new lease of life under manager Mikel Arteta this season. This week, Soccer Laduma international writer Kamogelo Motecwane dissects how the 13-time English champions look like a team with purposeful progression.
Standing by Arteta
After the first three games of the 2021/22 Premier League season, Arsenal headed into the first international break of the campaign having lost three consecutive matches and without scoring a single goal, with their third defeat being a 5-0 loss to Manchester City. In response, calls for Mikel Arteta to be relieved of his duties reached an all-time high as Gunners fans were adamant they were not willing to endure the hardships of the previous season, although the club’s hierarchy were firm in its stance in sticking with the 39-year-old as the man to take Arsenal forward, a decision that now seems to be paying off.
Following their hammering at the Etihad Stadium in August, the north Londoners claimed their first league victory of the season with a 1-0 win over Norwich City, a win that marked the start of an impressive, and perhaps unexpected, 10-game unbeaten streak. Although the result provided little to get carried away about, Arteta’s team selection had changed drastically from the XI that started against City, as well as the system which the Spaniard chose. Five of his six signings at the beginning of the campaign were included, with Aaron Ramsdale in goal, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White in the four-man backline, Albert Sambi Lokonga in midfield and Martin Odegaard returning to his natural playmaking role. Arsenal’s transfer window before the season got underway, in which they spent €165.6 million (R2.6 billion), was met with widespread skepticism as none of the players brought in were considered world-class, but bringing in high-profile individuals on big wages was never on Arteta’s agenda. He understood the state his side was in, and thus prioritised bringing in talented and promising footballers who, after some time, would adapt to his style and later shoot the lights out.
The new arrivals at the Emirates Stadium, combined with the almost welcome lack of duty in Europe, allowed Arteta to cultivate something that had been lacking from Arsenal for quite some time – consistency. The ex-City assistant manager leaned heavily on his signings, with the players able to form key relationships all over the field, and this familiarity has bred results. Of the 24 matches Arsenal have played since their humiliating loss to City, Arteta’s men have picked up 17 wins, all while boasting the youngest squad in England’s top division.
The emergence of Saka
The performances from the majority of the team’s more youthful players have been mesmerizing so far this season, but perhaps none more so than the exciting displays of England international Bukayo Saka. The 20-year-old has stolen the show as he has quickly become one of the most productive players in the Premier League and among the most exciting young talents in world football. No player under the age of 21 has contributed to more goals than the leftfooted winger so far in England this season, with Saka having scored nine times and picked up a further five assists. He exhibits a cleverness rather than its unchanging style of play, with Arsenal’s recent resurgence into a topfour challenger indicative of Arteta’s success in finding the Gunners with newfound defensive solidity and attacking freedom. Getting to this point was tiresome, but their approach of getting rid of talent that no longer served the club has undoubtedly improved the team in terms of morale and efficiency, even when those decisions were at first incredibly unpopular. Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was effectively handed over to Barcelona for free, with reports suggesting Arsenal paid the fan-favourite and former captain to leave the club. Four more players left the London giants in the January window – Ainsley Maitland-Niles joined Roma on loan, Calum Chambers went to Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee, Pablo Mari was loaned to Udinese and Sead Kolasinac, like Aubameyang, had his contract mutually terminated.
“Non-negotiables” was a phrase that Arteta had been ridiculed for during the less successful spells of his tenure, but it is an example of the ex-Everton captain being clear and direct about what he wants from his squad. Arsenal have quickly become a team that seems driven by passion, commitment and respect, with evidence lying in their recent performances against Wolverhampton Wanderers, both home and away, and away at Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, where the cliche of Arsenal’s “soft underbelly” was disproven. This Gunners side can dig in with solid defensive performances, and, in the case of their home win over Wolves, rally from behind to claim three points against a team that had not let a lead slip in almost three years. Arteta appears to be thriving managing a squad that would be considered thin in comparison to other sides in the Premier League. The 39-year-old has a remarkably particular style of play that he is hoping to instill at Arsenal, with the tactician often spotted coaching players to molecular level on the sidelines during matches. He quickly identified which players were not responding to his instructions or those who lacked the ability to carry them out, then ruthlessly removed them from the frame altogether.
In for the long run?
While Arteta has chosen to remain coy over his long-term future at the Gunners, reports claim the board is readying a new contract offer for the Spaniard, whose current deal at the club expires in 2023. It is suggested that Arsenal will propose a new threeyear contract to the manager, which will come with a much-deserved pay rise. Arteta was first appointed boss in 2019 and has since won two trophies – the 2019/20 FA Cup and 2020 FA Community Shield.