Arsenal ready to fire, insists Arteta

MiKEL ARTETA believes Arsenal are ready to go up another level after they surrendered a top-four finish last season.

Arteta’s side kick off the season with a trip to Crystal Palace tonight, carrying hopes of a Champions League return. Arsenal had a five-point buffer over Tottenham with just three games to play last season but fell away to finish behind their north London rivals in fifth. The Gunners have responded by making five signings this summer, including Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City. Arteta said: ‘We are ready to go to a different level, i am convinced of that. Other teams already had a much a stronger squad than we had, and they still recruited. This is not going to get any easier, so we can just focus on what we are trying to do and we are confident that we are going to be able to do it.’ Arsenal suffered a slow start to last season, losing their first three games without scoring a goal, but Arteta insists it will be different this time. ‘We’ve had the pre-season that we wanted — well-organised, good results, performances,’ he said. ‘We are with a level of energy and ambition to have a successful season and we have to show that on the pitch.’ success in pre-season, and the transfer market, has swelled fan expectation. The hope is that players with a record of winning trophies, such as Jesus and Zinchenko, will stir Arsenal’s squad.

‘Those players have been inspired by top players, top professionals, ruthless winners for years. it’s their turn to do the same and inspire those younger players,’ Arteta said.