The week in Arsenal: Looking ahead to Bournemouth & reflecting on a winning start…

Two Premier League games in to the 2022/23 season have seen Arsenal collect six points, score six goals, and concede two. The Gunners are flying and have maintained their stunning pre-season form early into the new campaign, with the football on show matching the results. In years gone by, it may have been easy to simply praise the fixture list for giving Mikel Arteta’s side an ‘easy’ start, but with the performances as comprehensive and dominant as we have seen thus far, I feel that does Arsenal a disservice.

Let’s take a look back at how we won our first two games, the standout performers, some key moments within them, the way Arteta has deployed his team, and where we can continue to improve, before previewing Saturday evenings visit to The Vitality Stadium, where we will take on Scott Parker’s Bournemouth.

The team:

A factor in our strong start has been the consistency in team selection by Arteta, with the lineup remaining unchanged since Oleksandr Zinchenko signed for the club. The current first XI boasts a strong record of four wins, and a 16-2 aggregate score in the four games it has played (including pre-season).

The side is playing with full confidence, and you can see the on-pitch connection and relationships improving with every kick of a ball amongst the group. The idea in this 4-3-3 system is to play a fluid 3-2-5 / 2-3-5 with the ball, that is if you want to try and give it some sort of structure.

Arsenal:

This can change depending on the fullback pairing, but in the Zinchenko / Ben White dynamic I’d be confident in my description. The nature of the RB profiles at Arsenal means that whilst first choice Takehiro Tomiyasu and deputising CB White can both provide an overlap and attacking support to an adequate standard, neither are final third threats or presences in the mould of Reece James or Trent Alexander-Arnold. This means the Gunners have a three back hybrid available, suiting the strong defensive capabilities of the pair to stifle opposition attacks.

Our LB profiles are the antithesis of this, with Kieran Tierney and Zinchenko boasting a strong presence going forward. Whilst both are able defenders, Tierney is a powerful runner who overlaps and delivers well from wide areas, whilst Zinchenko is a technically brilliant footballer, who can overlap as well as find himself in the pockets of space left by our LCM, the Ukrainian is known to play in midfield, and this versatility is highlighted and celebrated in Arsenal’s current system.

The single pivot player in the side is Thomas Partey, who is tasked with cutting out the ball, winning duels and distributing to those ahead of him, assisted by his defence who are adept at reading the game to squeeze the oppositions forward line and intercept high. Granit Xhaka has been reinvented as a box-to-box player within this side, with the Swiss finding himself popping up in all sorts of positions across the left hand side, as well as arriving late in attacking areas as an extra body. Pushed slightly higher is club captain Martin Ødegaard, who is a link between the less creative players in deeper roles and the attacking trio, tasked with making things happen on the ball, and supporting Bukayo Saka from his role on the touchline, making underlapping runs to drag defenders away from the winger. The pair also have a really strong combination pattern made possible by their understanding of each others games, and ability in tight spaces.

Granit Xhaka celebrates his goal against Leicester, in his re-defined role in the side.
**Photo / @Arsenal via Twitter**

Then come the two biggest goal threats of the system via the in-form Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli. Both have scored two goals so far this season, and provide an electricity to the game when they have the ball. The LW in this system has plenty of space to operate in and is often more isolated with just one opposing defender, such is the support provided by those closest to him. For Martinelli, this means he has time to make runs into space off the ball, in dangerous zones between opposing RB and RCB for example, or he can use his strong dribbling and 1V1 ability to take his man on. The combinations on the left hand side are plentiful, and Gabriel Jesus has found himself operating in this space at times during the opening two fixtures, providing lots of options for his teammates and confusion for defenders, who find it hard to pick him up.

Jesus in the CF role has taken the team to a different level thus far, and represents the biggest difference between the team from last season and this term. Jesus highlights what Arsenal had been missing for so long, with the ball he links up perfectly with his supporting cast, dribbles and carries the ball exceptionally at a frightening pace, crafting goalscoring opportunities frequently, and creating space effortlessly. Without the ball the Brazilian is a bundle of energy, an irrepressible threat to his opposing CB partnership, battling with them all game. He demonstrates strength to hold his man off, ridiculous pressing capabilities, and the physical presence in the air or with opponents who are in possession, pestering and fighting until the opportunity is gone. He cannot be praised enough for his start in my eyes, he makes something happen out of everything in a match, big or small, pretty or not, and it is elevating us hugely.

The Brazilian duo of Gabriel’s (Jesus and Martinelli) in attack are on fire so far this season…
**Photo / @Arsenal via Twitter**

In typical Mikel Arteta fashion the team without the ball can drop into a compact 4-4-2, with Ødegaard acting as the second man alongside CF Jesus in the central zones, defending from the front and pressing tirelessly. However, in the opening two games of the season we have seen this far less from the Gunners, possibly due to the opposition we have faced, or simply because we have evolved past the need to have to soak up pressure as much as we used to under Arteta. Palace had us pinned for part of our Premier League opener at Selhurst Park, however the team still attempted more of a high press in the game, not just purposefully sitting back and letting wave after wave of pressure arrive unchallenged. Against Leicester, the Foxes took a more reserved approach to the game, leading to no long spells out of possession, meaning the high press was mainly deployed to win possession back, and with the ball Arsenal displayed far more control.

The positives from our first two tests…

Starting with the positives, and I feel context is a largely important factor in my appraisal and disapproval of certain aspects of the performances against Crystal Palace and Leicester. Arsenal did not play their best game ever against Patrick Vieira’s side, however the opening 30 minutes was certainly one to behold, as Arsenal showed superiority in every aspect of the pitch, from winning duels and second balls, to playing with freedom and a creative flair which silenced the home crowd and laid the foundation for victory.

A set-piece routine provided the opening goal, scored by Martinelli to show the continuation of a theme from last season of Nicolas Jover’s genius. Out of position White marshalled Wilfried Zaha expertly from RB, giving the tricky winger a night to forget, and William Saliba greeted the Premier League with a dominant display, not putting a foot wrong all evening, breeding confidence. Outside of this I feel the well praised Xhaka and Jesus deserve their flowers once again, for playing with such a high intensity and desire to win. Eddie Nketiah also had a great cameo when welcomed onto the pitch from the bench, providing the thrust for the second goal, which killed the game.

Gabriel Martinelli celebrates the opening goal of Arsenal’s 2022/23 campaign at Selhurst Park.
**Photo / @iF2is via Twitter**

As for Leicester, the Emirates was rocking for this thrilling Arsenal team, and they were not left disappointed. Arteta’s side had some brilliant individual performances once again, in the form of the aforementioned Jesus and Xhaka, who repeated a display of individual drive and skill, this time along with Martinelli, who’s second half goal was sublime, after he had caused havoc to Wesley Fofana and Timothy Castagne on the Leicester right hand side, almost getting the former sent off.

However, it was the team performance that had improved massively from the season opener, with a much improved display of calmness on the ball and control to dictate the game at our desired pace, admittedly aided by Leicester’s pathetic attempts to press or win the ball, with Brendan Rodgers’ side opting to sit off and wait for counter-attacking opportunities instead. The performance was far more convincing despite the winning margin remaining the same, and as a unit the team nullified Leicester’s biggest individual threats for the most part in Jamie Vardy, James Maddison, and Youri Tielemans, remaining patient when building up, not biting at the repeated cynical fouls committed by Leicester, and keeping our heads when the deficit was halved twice in the game – overall the performance was commendably mature and displayed the qualities required to reach the top 4.

The weak points…

Onto the criticism for the performances, starting with Palace, and I would almost describe the teams performance from a structural point of view as the exact opposite to what I just described as the positives from Leicester. The team as a whole showed a considerable lack of composure, particularly in midfield, where it felt as though all three midfielders were often too nervous to carry the ball forwards, with Ødegaard the biggest perpetrator of this fault, showing no improvement on his performance in the corresponding fixture from last season. Our passing was erratic and rushed, which allowed for a Palace onslaught from around the half an hour mark all the way through to the 70th minute.

Palace were unlucky on the night, with some big saves from Aaron Ramsdale to maintain the clean sheet, however Ramsdale’s debut in the #1 shirt also featured some nervous moments, adding to a pattern of sloppy distribution stretching back to last season, with a long punt hitting Palace forward, Odsonne Édouard and looping dangerously close to the Arsenal goal. Debutant Zinchenko and Gabriel Magalhães on the left hand side of the defence all too often provided encouragement for Palace from a defensive standpoint, and Zinchenko struggled aerially in a mis-match against opposing winger Jordan Ayew – although the former Manchester City man added quality and calmness to the build-up. Overall, the Eagles created a few too many easy chances off the back of a sloppy structure, lack of focus, and individual errors that must be eradicated for us to succeed this season.

Ramsdale denies Eberechi Eze brilliantly, however he needs to cut the lapses in concentration out.
**Photo / @iF2is via Twitter**

Onto the negatives against Leicester and whilst massively reduced, these once again focus on the defensive side of the team. There were certainly improvements to the teams structure and solidity post Palace, although as I mentioned the weak performance of Leicester combined with the setting for the game at home means I am intrigued to see how we control our next away test.

Another strong start was rewarded with a 2-0 lead going into the 40th minute of the game, with a marauding run from Fofana weaving his way through to goal before being denied by Ramsdale the only real Leicester chance, that was until Leicester were awarded a penalty by referee Darren England for Ramsdale’s alleged ‘collision’ with Vardy, latching onto a loose ball over the top. This decision was overruled when Mike Dean intervened via VAR, and this may seem harsh as it certainly was not a penalty, but I feel as though Ramsdale contested for the ball, rushing off his line when Vardy would have reached it nearer the corner flag than the goal, at an awkward angle, and with Gabriel and Saliba well placed to deal with the threat. In these situations I would much rather avoid giving the referee a decision to make, especially with how inconsistent VAR can be when intervening. These sorts of events can change games in an instant, along with the atmosphere inside of a stadium, and even if they are overruled, it can provide a way back for a team that was dead and buried by that stage, sending nervous energy around the ground.

A further defensive mixup between Ramsdale and Saliba led to the latter putting the ball into his own net early in the second half, in what can be put down to another lack of communication – which can be expected with the new players bedding in, but certainly not a moment that either player will remember fondly. Both players reacted incredibly positively though, assisted by the fans who got right behind them, as well as the quick response from Xhaka, which killed some freshly returned Leicester belief. Lastly, Maddison’s goal which restored some Leicester faith of a comeback for a short while was avoidable, players were slow to track Maddison’s overlapping run and the angle which he slots the ball through Ramsdale’s legs from is the sort of goal I can only imagine a goalkeeper would be furious with themselves for letting in. On that train of thought I do not want to heap more criticism onto Ramsdale, but merely hope that he can re-find his true level, as he has shown a slight decline in overall performance since around April.

Mikel Arteta will certainly be looking to eradicate the sloppy aspects of each performance.
**Photo / @Arsenal via Twitter**

These observations may seem harsh, and I felt that way when writing, however I am harsh on this team because my expectations are high, and I believe in them and the manager to achieve greatness. It is important that incidents within games do not become patterns, eventually manifesting themselves as long term soft characteristics about the team – and a defensive frailty is the worst of the lot.

How will Bournemouth look to hurt Arsenal’s confident start to the season?

Scott Parker is certainly underrated in my eyes as a coach, for me he demonstrates a far more promising present and future in management than his other English counterparts such as Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Parker has a strong and rigid style which matches his tough persona as a player, often deploying a back three or five, utilising both systems so far in the two opening games of the season. His teams have strong principals, and with the quality of the squads at his disposal (including here at Bournemouth), a lot of the big results he collects are a result of resolute defending, bravery from attacking players, and tactical nuances. Parker’s last meeting with Arteta saw the Englishman come away with a more positive result, back in 2021 when his Fulham side fought for a 1-1 draw at the Emirates, where Arsenal scored a 97th minute equaliser. Here is how he may lineup on Saturday evening…

Bournemouth:

Injuries: Jordan Zemura (COVID), Dominic Solanke (Ankle), Ryan Fredericks (Calf), Joseph Rothwell (Thigh), David Brooks (Medical Recovery).

Suspensions: N/A

Bournemouth opted for a 3-4-2-1 in their recent visit to The Etihad, although after a 4-0 demolition by the champions, Parker himself admitted that Pep Guardiola’s side were “just too good” for the Cherries to handle. However, in Parker’s opening day 2-0 success against Aston Villa, the team played a 5-3-2, with the notable difference being the inclusion of left back Jordan Zemura, who is a doubt ahead of Saturday evening after struggling with COVID recently. Also in that line-up was Dominic Solanke, who had a great Championship season last term, although will miss Arsenal’s visit due to an ankle injury.

Kieffer Moore celebrates his goal which made sure of the three points against Villa on the opening day – although Parker may need a new solution at CF.
**Photo / @iF2is via Twitter**

Through a mixture of injuries and an attempt to get the best, most experienced members of the squad playing, Bournemouth have yet to show a settled XI or structure so far this season, hence the inclusion of new recruit Marcos Senesi, as well as Jamal Lowe, Phillip Billing, and Junior Stanislas as possible starters in my predicted XI. With Solanke out, it does feel that Welshman Kieffer Moore will struggle as the lone CF, opening up an opportunity for a change. Parker may also look to get Jefferson Lerma back into midfield from CB by including Senesi, especially against this well oiled, attacking Arsenal machine. A physical battle will certainly have to be relished by Arteta’s side if they wish to keep a clean sheet, and implement sustained pressure.

Some final thoughts on Arsenal…

Regardless of the enigma that is this Bournemouth side so far, I feel confident knowing that no matter how strong our opposition, at this stage in Arteta’s tenure I rarely find myself worried about how we will prevent the other team, focussing more on how Arsenal will win the game with their strengths. I think this system is good enough to dismantle any style of team when the players show the right intensity and act as a unit without the ball especially. Arsenal have a mix of measured buildup and individual brilliance, which can find its way around any defensive puzzle within a 90 minute spell.

Arsenal:

Injuries: Fábio Vieira (Ankle), Reiss Nelson (Muscular).

Suspensions: N/A

As for Arsenal’s lineup, I believe it will remain unchanged once again, with only Tierney and Tomiyasu’s return to fitness threatening any re-shuffle by Arteta, however with the form of the side, it is hard to see any re-integration of injured players being rushed. This squad is blessed with the depth to allow for players to take their time when returning to the fold, with the same luxury being afforded to Emile Smith Rowe and Fábio Vieira – who both partook in the Arsenal U-21 sides triumph over Swansea’s U-21 on Wednesday evening, to rebuild fitness and match sharpness.

Vieira showcased his ability on Wednesday night at the Arsenal U-21 fixture – slowly building his match sharpness back up from injury.
**Photo / @davidhickman14 via Twitter**

It feels as though Vieira is still a way from playing, although interestingly the highly adaptable Portuguese may well be used as an interior in midfield, replacing Xhaka in our best XI, as the attacking positions that Xhaka find himself in would suit Vieira’s game far better, adding another creative tool to pick the locks of opposition defences. This is a particularly exciting prospect in games against weaker opposition, especially when you factor in Zinchenko’s ability to invert and cover the central zones left vacant by the LCM.

Smith Rowe on the other hand, is much further along the injury timeline, and a cameo is more than likely from the bench on Saturday to get him back up to speed. On that same note, Nketiah has so far been a victim of the productivity and sensational form of Jesus and particularly Martinelli early in the season, preventing him from starting. This is a shame because as I’ve reiterated many times, Eddie has a big season ahead of him where he will certainly pleasantly surprise many, although his mentality leads me to believe he will stay patient and hungry whilst he works his way into the XI.

I am hopeful that Saka will regain some confidence on Saturday too, as the one negative to the system currently is his isolation on the touchline of the RW, as a result of the lack of attacking combinations from his fullback and from Ødegaard’s lacklustre supporting movement in the opening two games. Saka has looked quiet by his sky-high standards but I am not worried about him, he has created chances and certainly impacted our wins positively, even without goals and assists – which is arguably the biggest sign of a top player.

Gabriel Jesus embraces the fans in my favourite photo of the week, which encapsulates the mood around the club right now.
**Photo / @iF2is via Twitter**

Overall, Saturday cannot come soon enough for me, Arsenal look brilliant and each game is a pleasure to watch at this moment in time. The connection between the fans and club is at an all time high in Arteta’s reign, and the positivity surrounding the performances will serve to maintain the high standards.

Match Preview: Crystal Palace v Arsenal.

Friday, August 5th, 2022 Selhurst Park Kick-Off (UK): 8PM – Live on Sky Sports Match Officials: Referee: Anthony Taylor. VAR: Darren England.

Arsenal once again have the duty of raising the curtain on the latest Premier League campaign, with a visit to Selhurst Park kicking off the 2022/23 season on Friday night. Hosts Crystal Palace will be entering their tenth consecutive season in the top flight, and as Premier League regulars, they will know exactly how to deal with the occasion. The Gunners will be looking for an opening day victory in the Premier League, after this alluded Mikel Arteta’s side last year at the hands of Thomas Frank’s Brentford. This is the fifth time that Arsenal will be involved in the first game of a new Premier League season, with a strong record of three wins and one loss in this scenario.

Christian Nørgaard wheels away in celebration on the opening day of last season, as Arsenal surrendered to the atmosphere and occasion at Brentford.
**Photo / @BrentfordFC via Twitter**

The prospect of a London derby to begin the season is exciting for the neutral, however Arteta’s side will certainly have to be cautious, as Selhurst Park in particular has proved to be a tricky ground to visit in recent memory for Arsenal, winning just two of their last six visits to South East London, with the latest loss being a heavy 3-0 defeat back in April, which inflicted major damage on Arsenal’s hopes of finishing in a top four spot last season. Combining this with the brilliant form of Patrick Vieira’s Palace last season, that saw the Eagles visit Wembley in an FA Cup semi-final, and finish in style with a run of six consecutive home games unbeaten, in which they kept five clean sheets, and Arsenal will have to be careful not to fall at the first hurdle on Friday.

How Arsenal can avoid opening day upset…

With Arteta yet to defeat Vieira in his two managerial meetings with the Arsenal invincible, a new plan will be needed to overcome the failures of old. The main issue with our performances against Palace last season came from a lack of maturity and intensity at times in both games, and despite a great show of resilience to claw a point back at the Emirates in the 95th minute back in October, leaving it late will be the last thing on any Arsenal fans mind for the first game of the season.

In the aforementioned home fixture, Arsenal did not struggle to control the game per se, dominating the attacking statistics, but showed a real naïvety when the ball was lost, particularly in the final third. Whilst it is true that these were the early days of a move away from a 4-2-3-1 shape for the Gunners, meaning certain dynamics such as Emile Smith Rowe as a #8 and the lack of proper spacing between players were teething problems that had not yet been resolved, the performance allowed an easy counter-attack which Vieira’s team, spearheaded by Jordan Ayew, Christian Benteke, Odsonne Édouard and later Michael Olise, took full advantage of.

Edouard celebrates what looked like a Palace winner at the Emirates, after a ruthless counter-attack.
**Photo / @CPFC via Twitter**

Once the sides met again in April, Arteta’s switch to a fluid 4-3-3 was no longer in its infancy, and the confidence amongst the fanbase and team reflected this, with the system bearing fruit for Arteta’s men. Simultaneously though, Palace had improved themselves, with Wilfried Zaha returning to be a key player, as well as Jean-Philippe Mateta and Olise announcing themselves as mercurial talents, and key bows to the Crystal Palace arrow. On this night, Arsenal’s downfall was no longer about a misunderstanding of tactical instruction, but more a capitulation under the lights on a Monday night, where Palace outfought, and out-thought us. The intensity on the pitch was low from kick-off, and the game had an end of Arséne Wenger era feel to it, with players struggling to win first or second balls, getting passed around and dribbled past with ease, and showing a lack of an organised press – which contributed to CB Joachim Andersen’s second assist of the game, so it was no surprise that within 30 minutes we were 2-0 down. A second half penalty sealed our fate, and the difference from October was the dominance in the Palace performance, rather than the weakness in ours. Another toothless performance come Friday and we may as well forget about a positive result, as Palace will have their fans right behind them, and early in the season one off ‘surprise’ results are far from infrequent.

Fast forward to August from the dismal night in April and Arsenal’s system has kept refining itself since, and with our new players, new combinations, and ever-improving confidence, the game has a fresh dynamic. Since we have had the full compliment of players that we will take into the game on Friday, in Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and returning loanee William Saliba, Arsenal have scored ten goals and conceded none in two games to first Chelsea, and then Sevilla, and whilst this may be pre-season, which I do not bother drawing too many conclusions from, the team has played with a noticeably better freedom and fluidity. Players are interchanging all over the pitch, everybody has a brilliant understanding, and the rotations and patterns of play are gorgeous, as well as proving to be very difficult to stop.

I have talked in more depth in my season preview about our new signings and players that I believe will particularly impress this season, but in a few words, Jesus has opened endless possibilities in comparison to last season, as his link up, dribbling, pace, finishing and shot creation is worlds above that of Alexandre Lacazette. Saliba’s return and new recruit Zinchenko both bring a lot of the same improvements to the team, with both hugely lifting the composure and technical security of our defence whilst being astute defenders. Saliba allows for cover across the backline in the form of Ben White shifting to RB, whilst we wait for the injured Takehiro Tomiyasu to make his return – however this is far less urgent now. Zinchenko also provides cover for the injured Kieran Tierney, with the Ukrainian providing calmness in possession, and the ability to both overlap and invert effectively – making him much harder to pick up.

These improvements in defence and attack alone make it less likely that the same mistakes from our last visit will reoccur, as we notably failed to have any high quality attempts on goal, with Palace defenders Andersen and Marc Guéhi marshalling Lacazette expertly, with his lack of physical qualities making it an easy day at the office for the pair. As well as this, Cedric and Nuno Tavares serving as the two fullbacks on the night were incredibly erratic on the ball, often hoofing it long which only served to rebuild pressure from Palace and their fans. Both also struggled to deal with their respective wingers, and with the quality of Vieira’s wide-men, this caused dangerous situations frequently. In midfield, unfortunately new recruit Fábio Vieira will miss out as he has a slight injury, however Arsenal still boast an incredibly strong trio of midfielders for the trip, who have only grown in their understanding of the roles they are tasked with.

The write off at Selhurst Park last season left me shocked in the stands, but our squad has improved since.
**Photo / All rights belong to me**

With that, as long as Arsenal play their game, and avoid the mistake of letting Palace set the tone with the crowd behind them, I believe from a footballing point of view we have got what it takes to be dangerous enough going forward, whilst frustrating the Palace attack enough to prevent a similar scoreline as last season. Arsenal will have to be cautious on set pieces, as Palace are a real threat in these situations, having the players to win plenty of fouls, and despite our strong record on corners in particular last season, giving any team dead ball situations can help to build confidence, at the very least. This game will be the biggest test for Arteta’s side until the trip to Old Trafford in early September in my view, meaning a positive result here would be massive for the confidence of this ever developing side. A negative result would not be followed up by tough consecutive games as it was last season, but ultimately if Arsenal want to achieve their goals, a win is all that will do.

How Vieira can get Palace purring against his former side again…

Discussing how Arsenal have improved and will provide a new set of challenges for the Eagles on Friday in isolation can skew reality, and it must not be lost that Palace have had a positive few months since the sides last met too. Palace certainly make use of the feeling they get from a game when playing against Arsenal, and this stretches back to the 3-0 embarrassment of 2017, where Sam Allardyce’s team rampantly bullied Wenger’s collapsing Arsenal, as if the crowd were telling the players what to do telepathically. The energy generated by the faithful “ultras” of the ground will be no different on Friday, and the electric atmosphere the fans help to build will be a major factor in not just this game, but all games at Selhurst Park this season. The side boast the strong home record mentioned prior for a reason, and if Arsenal are not at their very best, I am certain that Vieira will utilise this and incorporate it into the way his team approaches the night.

Palace under Vieira have deployed a fairly traditional 4-3-3, however there are plenty of tactical nuances to this system, and each player has a well defined role, particularly from an attacking sense. Going from front to back, the South London outfit have not been scared to utilise three traditional CF’s across the frontline, with Ayew the clubs official #9 often finding himself on the touchline of the right flank, Benteke still rotating as a useful starting CF, and Edouard playing from the left. This is because when Palace attack, the LW often tucks in, almost forming a two man strike partnership of yesteryear with the defined CF. Ayew can hold his width and is often supported by what was the busy RCM of the midfield three last season in Conor Gallagher – who has since returned to Chelsea after his loan spell – which may cause some tactical tweaks to the system. Where the LW in this system often tucks in, young English LB Tyrick Mitchell is tasked with stretching the pitch, staying as high and wide as possible. The fullback got his first senior England call up last season, and has a notably strong ability to keep possession and deliver the ball from wide, whilst acting as a ‘stopper’ style traditional fullback.

Palace pair Mitchell and Guéhi impressed last season, which earned the both of them senior England call-ups.
**Photo /** **via football365.com**

Anchoring the midfield has been a mixture of Cheikhou Kouyaté – who has now left the club, Will Hughes, and Luka Milivojević, with these players ordered in how many Premier League minutes they played last season. To the left of this deeper midfielder is often a ‘busier’ box to box style player, as despite Gallagher’s tenacity, his focus was more offensive. This player comes in the form of Palace veteran James McArthur, as well as Jeffrey Schlupp, who are both willing runners, providing the squeeze on opponents, harassing them into making quick, rushed passes. The side then form something of a back three to accommodate captain Joel Ward’s strengths, with the excellent Guéhi and Andersen partnership joining him.

Another note to make about that pair is the brilliance of their passing – particularly over long distances. This combined with a physically capable set of tall attackers in a front three is perfect for getting from back to front quickly, as not many defences can deal with this bombardment. Palace do not boast an amazing pass accuracy percentage, neither do they play what would be traditionally ‘beautiful’ football, however the pace at which they act with the ball is frightening, whether it be a long ball to a forward, quick give and goes through midfield, or the sight of Zaha and Olise dribbling in full flow, they have plenty of ways to flex their attacking might. The combination of pace in attacking movement, as well as the high press and squeeze which can shrink the old school pitch of Selhurst Park will be a danger for Arteta to consider, and whilst Arsenal will certainly not want to surrender possession via long balls, they will need to be accurate, composed, and communicate well when building up to avoid any mishaps.

Vieira’s Palace tactics are hardly reinventing the wheel, however they have strong principals, rooted in the era where Vieira graced the Premier League as a player, with a modern twist. As well as these principals on the pitch, Vieira has created something far deeper and long term at the club. Palace had been stagnant ever since the 2018/19 season, with star players often departing, leaving an ageing squad in their place. Despite the ownership at the club taking an active interest and chairman Steve Parish being a boyhood fan it was simply too risky to get rid of Roy Hodgson and these players, as whilst stagnant the formula was ensuring Palace’s Premier League survival season after season. Following Hodgson’s retirement from management though, Palace were forced to switch their system around, and following nine senior players leaving the club in the summer of 2021, Vieira took charge, and has become a part of the family, with the Frenchman taking an interest from top to bottom, even watching academy games regularly. Vieira is becoming a figurehead at the club, and with such a strong crop of talented players, both past and present, beginning their careers at The Academy – which received a £20M rebuild in 2021, there are exciting times ahead.

However, there may be a slightly bitter taste in the mouths of Palace fans following Gallagher’s move back to Chelsea at the end of his loan spell. The 22 year old had an outstanding campaign for Palace last season, with the all action midfielder epitomising the style that Vieira wishes to imprint upon his side. The Palace faithful fell in love with the young English midfielder, and will be nervously awaiting to see if any of the solutions to his vacancy can replace his impact.

Of these solutions are two more under-25 midfield talents, in the form of Ebere Eze (24), who spent the entirety of last season out with a bad injury, yet has seen plenty of action under Vieira in pre-season so far, and new signing Cheick Doucouré (22), who arrived from Lens in Ligue 1 for £22M in July. Whilst the profiles of both of these players does not replicate Gallagher’s directly, we could see a shift to a double-pivot from Vieira’s side, with Eze lacking the defensive work rate to be a box to box in the Gallagher mould. The upside though, is that Eze is as silky on the ball as they come, and I believe he will help Palace retain the ball better, pass with a vastly improved accuracy and create more chances from open play. Doucouré would also suit my proposed formation change, as he is suited to a deeper position, however the sky is the limit under Vieira, who told him “I’m going to make you better. I know your game, I’ve known it for a while, so I know what you need”.

New boy Doucouré comes to SE25 full of promise, after starring in two impressive seasons for Lens in Ligue 1.
**Photo / @CPFC via Twitter**

Another area of concern for the Palace faithful, will be the messy pre-season the club undertook this summer, with the squad essentially being split in two, with just eight senior outfield players having travelled to Singapore and Australia for a tour that was due to commence ahead of the 2020/21 season, but was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst the foreign tour has been revealed as a big money maker, and positive for brand exposure too, it is far from ideal for squad cohesion of new signings, amongst other purely footballing queries. Zaha, Eze, Guéhi, and Olise all remained on English soil and whilst the 26 man squad was filled with young, hungry players for Vieira to keep his eye on ahead of the new term, as well as the pre-season both on UK soil and abroad yielding positive results, you would think the idea may have just added unneeded confusion and stress to preparation for Vieira.

Predicted Lineups:

Arsenal:

Injuries: Emile Smith Rowe (Groin), Fábio Vieira (Ankle), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Thigh), Kieran Tierney (Knee).

Suspensions: N/A

As previously discussed, Arsenal will retain their 4-3-3 on Friday. The team practically picks itself, through a combination of reliable quality, and some positions that are injury hit. After Bernd Leno’s departure to Fulham on Tuesday, there is no doubt that Aaron Ramsdale will start – that is if there was any doubt cast in your mind anyway. The back four sees new boy Zinchenko in, as Nuno Tavares left the club for a year long loan move to Marseille on the weekend, and Tierney is still nursing an injury which kept him out at the back end of last season. Ben White starts at RB, following his spell here in pre-season, where he played with excellent authority over the position. Tomiyasu has a chance of playing, as he looks likely to return soon, but I don’t see it myself on Friday. It would be throwing him in at the deep end facing up to Zaha when he would just about pass as available for the game.

Thomas Partey starts at the base of the midfield three, despite the Ghanaian being in the midst of a legal battle which turned incredibly public via Twitter last week. The club seem to have a clear stance which will not be unchanged, which is to support Partey, meaning unless in the eyes of the law his situation changes, he will continue to be picked, however that is received by fans. Xhaka has featured heavily in pre-season, and his typical reliability will be useful in this game. As for Ødegaard, the new official club captain is a guaranteed starter without question, and it will be interesting to see if the Norwegian can forget his woes from this fixture last season. The front three has two of our finest players in Jesus and Saka undoubtedly starting, supported by new #11 Martinelli, who due to Smith Rowe’s injury, has an opportunity to make that LW spot his own.

Crystal Palace:

Injuries: Sam Johnstone (Quadricep), Jack Butland (Hand), James McArthur (Hip), Michael Olise (Ankle).

Suspensions: N/A

As for Crystal Palace, I have opted for a 4-3-3, as this was Vieira’s preferred lineup last season, however with the new midfield profiles I would not be shocked by a 4-2-3-1 shape, which could see a re-shuffle in midfield, with Schlupp coming out of the side for Hughes to partner Doucouré. Regardless though, Eze will certainly be gifted with a free role, with his main challenge to create chances and keep Palace ticking over against an Arsenal side who love to have the ball. The back four and goalkeeper are easy choices for me, with Guaita actually being the only senior keeper available, as both other keepers including new recruit Johnstone, finding themselves on the injury list.

From the midfield to the attack I will reiterate that there are numerous choices and combinations available to Vieira. The missing McArthur will prove to be a big blow for Palace, after Kouyate’s experience has been lost this window. This leaves the Eagles thin in central midfield, and possibly needing another midfielder before the transfer window closes, especially if the club wish to improve their control on games this term. As for the front three, Zaha and Ayew seem certain to start, with both players being trusted on big occasions. The CF option at Palace is never one I am confident of predicting, with Vieira happy to roll the dice and rotate between his three options, although on this occasion I believe Mateta will play, especially after his excellent performance against the Gunners back in April. One last plausible suggestion is that new and promising youngster, Malcolm Ebiowei could feature on the wing from the start, although I believe on Friday he may only see minutes from the bench – the young Englishman will certainly make the first XI very soon, though.

Final thoughts…

I believe Friday will be a high quality, captivating contest to kick the newest instalment of the Premier League off, with two teams of contrasting styles trading blows – the question is which system will falter first? The key battles will come from midfield, and Arteta must ensure that Arsenal survive the fast paced football Palace will serve his team. There will be top individuals in both attacks, and if either of Jesus or Zaha decide to switch the fireworks on, not many defenders will have a say in what follows. If Palace bombard Arsenal aerially they may get some joy, but in the same tone Arsenal will be too strong if they are able to keep hold of possession and bring wave after wave of attack, which will suffocate the space Palace want to spring a counter.

Jesus has the X factor to make something happen out of nothing, and has been in red hot form since joining Arsenal…
**Photo / @Arsenal via Twitter**

But of course, that is just the football, and once the ground is full, the fans are up for it, and all eyes are on the London based outfits, you never really know what may happen. Expect the unexpected, the Premier League is back!

What should we expect from Arsenal next year? My Arsenal season preview 2022/23.

Can you feel that?

The fresh feeling of a new season is here, the air is filled with optimism, the latest kits have been released, the predicted lineups are doing the rounds, and you are currently really puzzled as to where your team is actually going to drop a single point this season – the team is practically perfect in every conceivable way!

Arsenal are launching their 2022/23 season with a trip to Selhurst Park, a ground which has not been kind to the Gunners in recent history, and with banana skin potential Arsenal will have to be careful. Though it is not all doom and gloom, because despite my warning that playing a competitive game will bring us all back down to earth, especially against Crystal Palace (I have personally prepared myself for a Jordan Ayew masterclass), I have a strong feeling that Arsenal can build on the already positive foundations that were laid last season. I will preface before expanding that at the point of writing Arsenal’s last first team signing was Oleksandr Zinchenko and we have so far avoided any doomsday scenarios that mirror the opening day of last season against Brentford, where our squad was obliterated with COVID-19 cases, long before postponements were made the norm for this issue.

The optimism pre-match before the collapse at Selhurst Park last season, where Crystal Palace came out 3-0 victors in a dominant performance, denting Arsenal’s top four challenge.
*(Photo: Rights belong to me)*

Alas, I won’t discuss the seasons opener in much more detail, I just make the point because I believe that how you start is key, and whilst Mikel Arteta is a man of strong character who can (and has) demonstrated his ability to rescue more precarious positions, Arsenal have a “nice” early fixture list in modern Premier League terms, so a strong start in those five would boost confidence immeasurably amongst the group. With that being said, lets take a look at the bigger picture of the season, before a ball has been kicked…

What should we be aiming to achieve this season?

I will start with what I believe is a far better way of assessing the confidence of fans in their team than predicting a league position, predicting a points tally. I am forecasting everything in this article on the grounds that we avoid an injury catastrophe which sees multiple key players out for extended periods and have to mention that Arsenal are yet to address two last key gaps within the squad, those being an established winger signing (à la Raphinha) and an extra midfielder, someone in the Youri Tielemans bracket, not strictly his profile, although an extra midfielder is urgently required as we will explore.

Tielemans has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal, although Arsenal are yet to have put a bid in for the Belgian maestro.(Photo: @iF2is on Twitter)

I believe a realistic, positive target for this side would be 75 points, which would confirm a place in the top four in the last five seasons, leading to a finish as high as second in the 2020/21 season. The last time Arsenal achieved 75 points in the league was back in 2016/17, ironically the last time 75 points was not enough for a top four finish, testament to the competitiveness of the league on that occasion. The magic 75 points I believe we could achieve would give us a huge chance of securing Champions League football, and would require just two more wins from the previous campaign. In practice, I believe this team is well equipped to reach this goal, however I have not set the bar at over 75 points to account for the reintroduction of European football into our calendar, which will certainly provide a challenge in comparison to last year, for the players and manager alike. As well as this, the lacklustre attempts at silverware in the domestic cups last season did wonders for our recovery periods between games, and with a never seen before mid season World Cup, there are bound to be new challenges along the way.

But, with new challenges come new beginnings, and there are four key new additions to the squad who are ready to play a vital role in the upcoming season. Arsenal have strengthened in the form of Gabriel Jesus (£45M), Fabio Vieira (£34M), Oleksandr Zinchenko (£32M) and William Saliba (recalled from loan). With these four players comes a blend of young talent, hunger, leadership, experience, technical brilliance, versatility, and an additional sense of competition amongst the squad. In regards to the 75 points I implore Arsenal to achieve this is incredibly important, as I actually feel as though much like the 2016/17 season, the 2022/23 season is going to be incredibly gruelling, competitive and difficult to navigate. The Premier League schedule looks hectic as it is, without factoring the scheduling of two domestic cups, all UEFA competition’s and the small matter of a World Cup in-between.

Regardless, I believe a 75 point Premier League campaign, at least one final in a domestic cup or the Europa League and a respectable run in the remaining two competitions should be required by this stage in Mikel Arteta’s tenure. I am not one for setting strict goals in football as a fan, as there are so many variables that can dictate and transform your season in an instant, but having rough goals ahead of a campaign is good for assessing progress, and Arsenal are good enough for these targets from a pure footballing point of view. In addition, much like last season where the Arsenal fanbase had a massive, positive change in expectation due to how we performed, it is important to reassess as the games come and the weeks go by, this helps to keep the pressure up to perform.

Mikel Arteta has demonstrated a steady progress as Arsenal manager, but entering his third full season as Arsenal manager, the Gunners must now make that leap into the top four.
*(Photo: @Arsenal on Twitter)*

Arsenal, Arteta, and the Champions League…

Discussion about Arsenal’s requirement for Champions League football belongs in the “this is Manchester United we are talking about here” hall of overused punditry lines with no real substance or thought these days. Regardless of the truth behind the statement from an expectational viewpoint by fans, a way to attract the very best players to the club, or from a financial standpoint due to the significance the top four spots in the Premier League hold on the clubs which finish there, we have heard it far too often.

The issue is that Arsenal had begun to fall behind as early as 2016, and whilst participating in Europe’s elite competition has always been desirable, the astonishing value that TV contracts and performance related bonuses hold combined with the financial suffering of the last few years throughout European football largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic (speaking of topics everyone has discussed far too much), a growing disparity has formed between clubs that are consistently qualifying for the Champions League and those who are not. This means that whilst Arsenal have certainly taken large strides in the correct direction, demonstrating a positive trajectory, the club will always slightly suffer until it sees the back of its Thursday night European adventures.

The Champions League has not only a brilliant footballing incentive, but an enormous financial one too.
*(Photo: BT Sport)*

Mikel Arteta has done a great job as Arsenal manager when you also consider this is his first job in the role, but football is a results business and whilst he has dealt with some unprecedented challenges, Arsenal cannot drift as we have done for nearly half a decade for much longer. A balance needs to be struck. Yes, Arteta has failed to achieve the top four so far in his job here, however these failings have been the matter of just eight combined points in his two full seasons, and when you consider the rest of the work that has been done at the club in building a strong connection back to the fanbase, using the transfer window positively to sign players who are improving the squad each time, culturally resetting the club back to where it should be, helping to regain an identity, or simply starting to clear that rot dating back to 2016, I feel there should still be a positive outlook when wondering what the future will hold.

Arsenal got worse before they got better under Arteta, and the cynic in me may even question whether it is possible that my expectations grew lower, meaning I appreciate what I used to have far more, but amongst those thoughts it’s hard to ignore the tangible difference in mood around the fans, players and club. Maybe it is time to abandon the terminology that was largely adopted by Arsenal fans late into Arséne Wenger’s reign, of always being either a managers biggest fan, or their number one enemy, with both of these extremes often lacking the correct nuances to correctly judge a managers tenure.

This season I hope that Arsenal’s emphasis as a club, whether from fans or players is not about getting top four specifically, but about achieving their absolute best level of performance. Whilst this may seem dismissive of the goal of top four that we have not yet achieved, I feel that from a footballing perspective Arsenal are more than good enough for the Champions League, however the energy, hope, and expectation of top four at the end of last season ended in capitulation. There appears to be a mental block that gives some fans and players alike cold feet at the prospect of getting the job done, which is why I am so pleased at the calibre of player that we have signed thus far, as all four new faces achieved Champions League qualification with their sides last season.

Lastly, the new rules by UEFA that will come into effect from the 2023-24 season that drastically change the Champions League and the way teams earn their spot mean that this is the last season where the traditional top four battle will truly exist, and it would be a good statement to send if we could achieve qualification via the old format one last time. The new system has four new spots for clubs that would be left out in the current circumstances, with two of these spots allocated to clubs with the highest coefficients who were due to partake in the other UEFA competitions, slots which firmly suit Arsenal’s recent criteria as a club, as the Gunners are currently ranked 17th in the UEFA coefficient, thanks to almost three decades of European football without interruption, and some deep runs in tournaments since we began regularly appearing in the Europa League. Of the sixteen teams above us, only one team would really strike me as a non-guarantee for automatic Champions League qualification each year.

The squad…

It remains to be seen whether Arteta will continue with his 4-3-3 system, it looks likely to me in which case an uninjured side is vital, as this requires our specific role players to be available. Fabio Vieira’s signing strikes me as a real statement that we will continue in this way, he also suggests a stylistic preference from Arteta that may have come from his tuition by Pep Guardiola and Arséne Wenger, to pack plenty of technically strong, capable players onto the pitch at any given time, whilst in typical Arteta fashion not risking too much and becoming defensively vulnerable. Vieira is a wildcard, I had heard of him and seen him play briefly but with his transfer appearing from thin air, I have not really even processed it yet, he is certainly a player I am intrigued by, to unlock defences, strike the ball well from range, dribble effortlessly and evade opponents, he looks to be a real steal with sky high potential, adding another tool to pick the lock of the opposing defence.

New recruit Fabio Vieira is shown around London Colney by Edu on his first day at the club.
*(Photo: @Arsenal on Twitter)*

By far my favourite signing is that of Gabriel Jesus, the player I have been trying to figure out ever since he stepped foot on English soil back in January 2017. At first he looked a poacher with great footwork, but after more time spent watching him I saw a character, who works tirelessly without the ball and always has the cogs in his brain turning when he possesses it. Jesus started to strike me as a player who needed more, he was hungry but he always had to share his food with Sergio Aguero, and later to Guardiola’s systems which had little to no room for him. In the 2019/20 season is where I began to see a player who was capable of far much more than I ever thought. A forward trusted and capable of playing in any game, as well as being able to contribute in any position in a front three.

Jesus dropped some special performances during this time, against Real Madrid in both legs of a Champions League tie for example. Once again a couple of years later, Pep rolled the dice and made Jesus his main man, where he was stunning whenever he was given the chance, scoring what felt like a goal per game with confidence flowing. Jesus’s ability to rise for the big occasion and be integral in big games, paired with his pre-season so far has shown me that I think he simply needed more responsibility, a responsibility he will be awarded with at Arsenal. Be excited, Jesus is going to raise the level of our football in every conceivable way, and without disrespecting Alexandre Lacazette, the fact that we have moved on from him naturally was bound to improve us, his immobile, physically weak, non shot creating style robbed us of many moments where we could have scored last season – I don’t see these same opportunities being squandered now!

Gabriel Jesus towers above Sergio Ramos at the Santiago Bernabéu in 2020, a game in which he was magnificent.
*(Photo: @iF2is on Twitter)*

Zinchenko’s addition to the squad and the profile it brings has been long overdue. Arsenal’s fullback pairing of Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are top quality players who’s dynamics combine to form a great partnership, the issue has been the pairs infrequent availability due to injuries. Zinchenko provides a world class option at LB, as well as in many roles through midfield. The Ukrainian is another player to increase the technical level of the squad, and his intelligence, experience and leadership at just 25 is almost unheard of. Zinchenko offers an overlapping option if needs be (to compliment Tomiyasu) or the ability to tuck in to midfield or even CB in a build up, allowing a RB in the profile of Cedric the license to get forward.

Arsenal’s fullback situation impacts the back four massively and the way that the team build up. However, with the returning William Saliba to the fold and ready to be a key player in Arteta’s set up, the defence should be far less stretched than last season. Saliba is in my eyes, the perfect modern CB. He has worked incredibly hard since his arrival at Arsenal, with two loans to separate French clubs, where he has proved his abilities time and time again. The Frenchman boasts a 6’3″ frame, a brilliant ability to tackle cleanly in any situation, a strong reading of the game, as well as an excellent prowess when in possession. He is commanding, and his arrival compliments both Gabriel and Ben White, who will be competing with him for the two CB spots, which will push all three players to be at their best. Linking this to the fullbacks, in pre-season so far Ben White has played RB on a few occasions, with a Gabriel – Saliba CB partnership forming, this has been effective and is certainly an option to explore in the event of injury. With that being said though I personally do not see value in extracting too much from pre-season games, where players are travel tired, not at 100% fitness, in an uncompetitive atmosphere and managers are trying new things without fear of being berated heavily.

One last player I’d like to put the spotlight on is Eddie Nketiah, who has become the latest Arsenal player to don the #14 shirt following his contract renewal. I could not be happier for Eddie, he is a player I have seen vastly develop since Arteta’s appointment, and has been on a positive trajectory ever since. Nketiah returned from an efficient yet ultimately useless loan spell at Leeds in the January of 2020, where he played minutes off the bench much as he did at Arsenal prior. At this point Nketiah was a poacher who displayed good movement, a ‘knack’ for scoring goals at all levels and an average level physically, meaning when faced against the right CB he could hold the ball up well and score headers too. Since then, due to his hard work and the work of the club, we have a faster, stronger, much more technically accomplished, better dribbler of the ball who can play as a forward across the front three, interchanging based on the situation in the game. Nketiah is brilliant in tight spaces and his dribbling is some of the best you will see from a young English CF these days. Pairing this with the raw abilities as a CF he possessed in the first place and the fact that the type of goals he scores has increased, and we have a real player on our hands, someone I have been playing close attention too and who I feel will have a bigger impact on this team than most people have realised yet.

The new look Arsenal, with Gabriel Jesus, William Saliba, and Bukayo Saka, three of our brightest players, celebrating a goal on tour in America.
*(Photo: @Arsenal on Twitter)*

All of the players I have mentioned along with the already confirmed brilliance of the likes of Bukayo Saka lead me to believe we will be far stronger from a structural standpoint, which is key in a 4-3-3 when in defensive transition, a far stronger pressing team due to the replacement of Lacazette with the dynamism and work-rate of Jesus, Nketiah, Martinelli, Saka and Ødegaard combining and better defensively due to the bolstering of the squad in this area, along with the return of William Saliba.

The (winter) World Cup and the importance of squad depth…

Addressing a World Cup which will begin in late November and come to a close a week before Christmas is a feeling that is alien to me, so let’s explore it together. The tournament has already had an impact on the 2022/23 season, with the campaign starting earlier than it would in normal circumstances, as well as the fact that more matches will be played over a shorter period of time, with two games a week the norm at times for sides who are not even in Europe. The Europa League group stages will be played with infrequent breaks between match-weeks, and these will conclude almost a month earlier than normal, on the 3rd November. The last Premier League matchweek will commence on the 12th November, and players attending the World Cup will join up with their national teams shortly after.

The issue I see with this structure is that football has been catching up with itself since the COVID-19 pandemic, as since then, we have seen no substantial breaks for top players who have competed in all competitions as well as playing in the Euros, AFCON or Copa America tournaments that have followed. Simple science will tell us that with less recovery comes an increased chance of injury, so Arsenal will have to manage their players to a microscopic degree and not take any risks. As for the World Cup itself, we will then be separating players who are competing and those who are not, which leads to many interesting scenarios.

The worlds top players have not had a ‘normal’ season since before the pandemic, as the football calendar has been unforgivingly relentless since.
*(Photo: @iF2is on Twitter)*

Let’s use Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka as examples here. The pair are key first team players for Arsenal who will always play when fit for both club and country, both attackers, and both under 24 years old. Ødegaard’s Norway did not qualify for the tournament meanwhile Saka will be travelling to Qatar with England. Despite their similar circumstances, the player going to the World Cup in any case is going to travel far more, as well as training and playing at a far higher intensity whilst the tournament takes place. Bringing form into the argument, if both are in great form, one will have their form massively interrupted by the month in which they will not be playing, whilst the other may translate their good form to their national team, but face burning out upon their return, as typically there would be a bigger gap before and after the tournament. Regardless of the reason, this break will damage their form and therefore be a negative for the club. On the flip side of that, a break or potential change of scenery could help bring some players alive, so we just need to hope for some balance – however this and so many other factors which we may not have even begun to think about will massively determine how each club performs, and with so many variables out of the clubs hands, it is going to be difficult.

International managers will have plenty of clubs on their cases during the World Cup, as club bosses will be watching World Cup games with their hearts racing…
*(Photo: @iF2is on Twitter)*

The work Arsenal have done to make this squad more rounded with quality and adaptability has gone some way to easing the pressure of the unknown consequences of the World Cup though, with squad unity at a high and players not only able, but willing to play multiple positions, Arsenal are in a fairly strong position. I believe squad depth and availability really could trump outright ability this year within the Premier League. The post World Cup run in to the end of the season with multiple games per week in different competitions is going to require a strong core, which I believe Arsenal now possess. The fact that Arsenal are not overly reliant on one player is also a benefit, I would never hope for an injury to any player, but a spell on the sidelines to the likes of Harry Kane at Spurs or Kevin De Bruyne at City could completely derail a season in an instant.

One thing I can be sure of in this World Cup: there will be plenty of unhappy club managers making phone calls to national team staff, asking for an extra massage for their player!

Our competition…

Now that we have looked internally and projected the clubs fortunes from the inside, how do our main competitors shape up ahead of next season? I believe Manchester City and Liverpool have both become slightly weaker due to the players they have allowed to leave, however Klopp and Guardiola’s teams have left an almost 20 point gap between themselves and the rest of the league on numerous occasions in the last few seasons, and I cannot see anybody making up that gap just yet, despite the fact it may be a closer fought affair.

Klopp and Pep will still be number one and two as far as I am concerned this season, even if the gap between them and the rest is not as substantial as before.
*(Photo: Getty Images)*

Chelsea and Tottenham made up the final two spots in last season’s top four, and have both since had busy transfer windows. Despite the clubs finishing in third and fourth respectively, I believe it is Spurs who are a much larger threat to Arsenal and the rest of the league than Chelsea, who look stagnant at the minute. Spurs pipped Arsenal to fourth within the last week of the season, mainly due to an Arsenal capitulation, however I believe that had Antonio Conte been in charge for the entirety of last season, the tight race would have commenced between Arsenal and Chelsea instead. Conte is nothing short of a world class coach, and whilst his approach may be critiqued as more of a short term plan, it is undeniably effective. Spurs looked sensational at times, with Heung-Min Son and Kane being joined in attack by young Swede Dejan Kulusevski from January, forming a frightening attacking trio. Adding to this the ability for Conte’s system to cover up for poorer players weaknesses (Ben Davies), and massively improve underperforming players (Emerson) and Spurs have all of the ingredients of a team who can put a strong league campaign together. The additions of Ivan Perišić and Yves Bissouma stand out to me in particular, adding proven quality in positions that are vital in the system. The signing of young Djed Spence, one of the finest wing-backs in England last season, is also an exciting proposition.

Chelsea on the other hand, had quite the opposite season to Spurs. After a strong start where the Blues were touted as title contenders they slowly began to fall away, with their marquee summer signing Romelu Lukaku not hiding his frustration at his role in the team, eventually making his intention clear to leave the club. Chelsea had a disappointing 2022, with average Premier League form that saw them trudge to an uneventful third place finish, as well as two domestic finals that were both lost on penalty shootouts to Liverpool. Off the pitch the club found themselves in a huge area of discomfort, with former Russian owner Roman Abramovich having his assets frozen in the midst of a political battle between the UK government and major Russian money, as a result of the Russian – Ukrainian war. The club were threatened with the prospect of sanctions, but have since had a takeover, with American businessman Todd Boehly taking the reins as owner. Since then the club have seen a campaign of new spending, with Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly being amongst the big names brought to the club.

Raheem Sterling will certainly strengthen what has been a lacklustre attack at Chelsea, the question is do they still need more attacking reinforcements?
*(Photo: @ChelseaFC on Twitter)*

Despite this, the issues continue for the West London outfit, as two of their first choice targets in Jules Kounde and Raphinha opted for a move to Barcelona, despite Chelsea offering substantial transfer fees and contracts. It goes without saying that this may happen at times in the transfer market, however Chelsea have never had to face this sort of rejection before, especially when participating in the Champions League. Chelsea lack a real edge in attack, Lukaku has returned to Inter Milan and the £100M that was spent on him just a year ago has proved to be a waste. The club are without strong depth at wing-back, and despite a promotion of youth in Conor Gallagher following his positive loan spell at Crystal Palace under Patrick Vieira’s tuition last season, the midfield is lacking in comparison to other top clubs. Adding to this a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal in America during their pre-season tour, and I do feel confident that Chelsea are the side to pick off from the top four next season.

As for Manchester United, I already see an improvement in the fundamentals at the club under new manager Erik ten Hag, however his project much like Arteta’s will take time to bear fruit at Old Trafford. Fans and pundits alike will have to drop the “this is Manchester United” trope and come to terms that the club has been rotten, and spending your problems away has not, and will not work for them. United are competing in the Europa League and with this have two routes back to Champions League football, however I feel it may be a stretch for them this season. I expect a major improvement over last years embarrassment, but I cannot see them finishing in the top four just yet. The club also have the matter of Cristiano Ronaldo to deal with, as he is seemingly reluctant to drop down to the Europa League (ironic, I know) with the club and is looking for a route out, disturbing what has otherwise been a peaceful and positive start for ten Hag’s team.

Erik ten Hag has begun his era at Manchester United, and there may be a greater realisation of the major issues at the club now…
*(Photo: @ManUtd on Twitter)*

As for any other major threats to our season, I would say that the West Ham, Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Brighton bracket of teams, whilst strong, will not have the firepower to trouble the traditional top six this season. The Europa League may surprise some Arsenal fans in its quality after a season out, as it still has a reputation of being “easy” despite some top teams playing from the knockout rounds each season. There is an added importance on topping our Europa League group this season too, as this team automatically qualifies for the round of 16, skipping the round of 32 in the new format.

Final thoughts…

I believe that Arsenal fans should be excited for the season ahead, after a positive season last year, where our style of football was beginning to come to the fore, the fans, players and manager built a special connection with a tangible energy back in the ground, and a top transfer window this summer. Arsenal have once again identified what they need and got it, rather than just signing players who look good in isolation. The vast improvements in some areas, such as the introduction of Jesus over Lacazette, will raise the ceiling of this team immeasurably, and the unity in the squad is an ever-growing plus.

Champions League nights at the Emirates are sorely missed, but the strides this team are taking could bring these kind of images back in the near future…
*(Photo: Arsenal Website)*

I don’t believe in a black or white target in football, nor for a manager, but it is evident that Arsenal at this stage are good enough for the Champions League, and with that they must be participating by the 2023/24 season. I believe anything else would be a failure, simply because I believe in how good this manager and his team are. Arsenal need to make this season about being the best they possibly can be, and if they fulfil that goal, there is no doubt in my mind that we will impress ourselves and others once again, and return to the Champions League, where we can continue to build and progress. Our trajectory has been positive for a while now, and with the rational decisions being made by the club, there is no reason for this to be interrupted. I am very excited for this season, and I think you should be too!