Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal squad can achieve what nobody expected them to do when the season started in August. The English soccer giants can claim the “Champions League Double” by winning both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League titles. It’s a tall task, as it involves a European soccer club winning its domestic league and the Champions League within the same season. While much more common with teams in Spain, Germany, and France, English teams have found it extremely difficult to achieve.
This proves how competitive the Premier League is – it’s the best domestic league in the world. Arsenal have been crowned champions 12 times since the league’s inception in 1888. Their most recent title came in the 2003-2004 season, when the “Invincibles” were led by manager Arsene Wenger, who guided an undefeated Arsenal team to the record books. 23 years later, Arteta’s Arsenal squad can achieve something Wenger never did.
How Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal Squad Can Win The Premier League
Even though Arsenal haven’t won the league in over two decades, they’ve finished second in the last three seasons. The Gunners are no strangers to the pressures of winning, but they’re notorious for collapsing in April, about a month before the season ends. Although Arsenal had a big lead this time around, complacency has Manchester City breathing down their necks.
Yet, somehow, this year feels different. One major element is the key: defense. Backline anchors Gabriel and William Saliba suffocate opponents. Facing 83 shots on goal, the defense isn’t even surrendering a goal per game (.76 GAA). Is that recipe for success sustainable? It has been so far.
Goalkeeper David Raya has been exceptional. He leads the league in clean sheets, not allowing a goal in 17 matches (47% clean sheet percentage). Raya’s only allowed 26 balls to fly into his net in the 35 games he’s played. Out of the 83 shots he’s faced, the Spaniard has turned away 56 of them, boasting a 67% save percentage. His heroics between the posts have him as a frontrunner for the Golden Glove award as the best keeper in the Premier League. Much like in hockey, a goalie depends on his defense, and the Gunners don’t make many mistakes defensively.
While Arteta has fixed the defense, the offense still plagues the North London club. Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp aren’t walking through those doors, and Arsenal hasn’t rostered a top-tier striker since Robin Van Persie left in 2012. There have been attempts to strengthen the attack by adding past-their-prime forwards Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Gabriel Jesus, moves reeking of desperation to recapture the magic they once possessed.
Arsenal’s Young Guns
There is a bright spot in all of this. The Gunners have found recent success in young star forwards Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Viktor Gyokeres. Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke, and Martin Zubimendi have anchored the midfield, setting the pace of the game and creating chances for the youngsters up front.
Because Arsenal’s stars are young and the offense isn’t quite consistent enough, many matches played become nail-biting. They’re used to winning tight, low-scoring games. Even the highest-scoring clubs in the league have been held in check, with the most goals the Gunners have given up being three (only once). The players know they can close out games, which helps them stay focused mentally and remain in the moment. It’s unlikely there would be a score fest in any of the remaining games.
Manchester City has the advantage of Erling Haaland scoring for them, but Arsenal has the advantage of an easier schedule. The three remaining teams that Arteta’s Arsenal squad faces (West Ham, Burnley, and Crystal Palace) are at the bottom of the Premier League table. Resiliency works more in the Gunner’s favor than most people realize. After losing to Manchester City 2-1 a few weeks ago, they bounced back and shut down Newcastle the following game, winning 1-0. This bodes well for any potential skids within the closing weeks of the season.
Man City has one more game to play than Arsenal, but their schedule is much tougher (Brentford, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Aston Villa). They squeezed out a draw against Everton, fortunately extending Arsenal’s cushion in the standings even more. Aston Villa, Bournemouth, and Brentford are all within the top 11 of the standings, while Bournemouth, Brentford, and Villa are all within the top 10 in scoring. Not only that, but City has an FA Cup final against Chelsea sandwiched in between their remaining league games. While the FA Cup isn’t as important to win as the Premier League, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will undoubtedly want to win both. Man City will need more than just Haaland to win all those games. Even if Arsenal slips up in one of their matches, it’s likely City will, due to the difficulty of their own schedule.
Injuries can derail a season, and Arteta’s Arsenal squad has taken a bite from the injury bug. Havertz has missed 23 out of 35 Premier League matches. Regardless, the Gunners have proven they can win without their stars. Players such as Eberechi Eze have stepped up, providing massive contributions. Manchester City also has its share of injuries. Rodri, Ruben Dias, and Josko Gvardiol have yet to return to the club. These are major pieces City needs to overtake Arsenal, and the calendar is shrinking fast.
