Mikel Arteta’s impact at Arsenal has been transformative. When the Spaniard took over in 2019, the Gunners were in the bottom half of the Premier League. Now they top it.
It has not exactly been a linear progression to the top. There have been bumps along the way. But with each passing game, you start to question what exactly they are lacking. Rob Edwards certainly couldn’t find anything
“They give no chances away to opposition,” the Luton boss said after Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat at the Emirates when asked what makes Arsenal so hard to play against.
They limited city to very little. It is clear how they attack but it is difficult to stop as they are there in good numbers and they can really suffocate you as well.
“I think they’re the one team out of all the three that are fighting at the moment that can play any game.
If it’s a physical game, a footballing game, a running game, whatever it is, they have the answer.
They’ve got the personnel to play any game. I just think they’ve got no weaknesses really. I don’t see any weaknesses.”
Prior to the winter break, the Gunners obvious problem was in front of goal. By the time the played their final game of 2023, they were just the sixth highest scorers in the Premier League. Now though, they are top.
The increased offensive proficiency has not come at the cost of defensive solidity though. In 2024 Arsenal have allowed a total of just 4.02 expected goals against in the Premier League (as per understat ).
For context, their title rivals Manchester City have allowed 10.27 this calendar year, while Liverpool have surrendered 11.62.
This dominance of games is what Arteta has been searching for since his arrival. His first words when asked to describe how he wanted his team to play in his maiden press conference were “we have to be dominant”. His side are certainly that right now.
While they have been up against some the league’s whipping boys during this calendar year, it’s not as if they’ve had it all easy.
They became the first side to beat Liverpool this season without the need of help from VAR, and became the first team in over three years to stop City scoring at the Etihad.
On both occasions they showed a maturity to get crucial results that was lacking last season.
The variety of opponents they’ve faced within this run speaks to their versatility as a team as well. When teams like Brentford have wanted to get physical, Arsenal have been able to give it back and still come out on top.
Equally when teams try to stretch the game like Luton wanted on Wednesday night, the Gunners come away victorious even with Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice missing.
And when teams want to make it a possession-based game like Burnley, Arsenal are more than happy to exploit the spaces.
The Gunners have become masters of recognising the game in front of them, and if you’ll pardon the pun, Arteta has equipped them with an arsenal of tactical tools to overcome any hurdle.
