With the Premier League coming close to the start of the new season, we are here with the Season Preview of one of the famous English clubs Arsenal. The North London club has been way off from the top of the Premier League for the past decade. Yet, they remain one of the big clubs in England as they look to regain their glory years.
Last season was a disappointment for Arsenal as they finished 8th, outside all the European places. Mikel Arteta though has been positive about the learning curve as he looks to slowly build the club. Arsenal will be looking for a much-improved performance this time around as they look to fight for the top 4 places.
With ESR getting the no.10 jersey and Bukayo Saka in excellent form, Arsenal will be hoping to perform well with these two youngsters carrying them around.
How Arsenal fared in 2020-21?
Mikel Arteta took charge of Arsenal and tried to implement a style. Playing from the back, having more possession of the ball was the intention. His implementation of the style was visible in the initial games but they came up short against all the big guns. Inconsistent results also meant the Spaniard shuffled between a 3-4-3 and 4-2-3-1 throughout the season.
There were two sides of Arsenal in the last season. One side showed some beautiful football and got results. However, at the same time, they lacked the composure and that added quality to go all the way and compete with the best. Their Europa League run came to an end in the Semi-final after a defeat to Villareal.
Also Read | Most Embarrassing defeats of Arsenal in History
Transfer Activity
Arsenal has been quite active in the transfer market. Having already made 3 additions, they are linked with a couple of more players, as Arteta looks to bolster his squad ahead of the new season. The two loanees, Martin Odegaard and Dani Ceballos returned to Real Madrid after there were no negotiations to keep them for one more season.
Arsenal have splashed the cash on Ben White, the bright English defender from Brighton who sealed a move to the Gunners at 50 million euros. Arteta had stressed on having a defender, with good on-the-ball abilities and he has got his wished fulfilled now. The Gunners also made another defensive addition in the form of Nuno Tavares. The Portuguese left-back joined the club from Benfica for 8 million euros. He is expected to provide competition to Kieran Tierney.
Another exciting addition made by Arsenal was in the form of Albert Sambi Lokonga. The powerhouse midfielder who played for Anderlecht has made his move to Arsenal. Lokonga along with Partey is a duo that can excite the fans going ahead. The signing provides a quality addition to Arsenal’s midfield.
What to expect in the upcoming season?
Arsenal are still not up to the standard which can see them being labelled as title challengers. When compared to the other ‘Top 6’, the Gunners still lack a bit of quality squad and experience to fight for the title. A top 4 finish can be expected from the Gunners. More importantly, this is the season that could see Arteta’s philosophy being fully implemented.
Arsenal fans should be excited to see free-flowing attacking football from the likes of Aubameyang, Smith-Rowe, and Bukayo Saka. These 3 will be expected to carry more of the goalscoring burden which could see Arsenal fighting for a good cup run and a respectable finish. With Arsenal not playing in Europe, it could be a blessing in disguise as it would allow Arteta to focus on finishing in the Top 4.
Prediction for 2021-22
Consistent performance throughout the season can see Arsenal fighting for that top 4 places with the likes of Liverpool, United, and Spurs. Although a top 6 finish is most likely and a good season can be capped off with a cup run and victory in FA Cup or the Carabao Cup.
Also Read | Tottenham Hotspur: Season Preview 2021-22
