International recognition a testament of how far Arsenal have come and could well prepare them well for the longer way to go

Arsenal are recently returning back to form and have been showing signs of being good enough for a place in the Premier League top four. Nonetheless the outcome of the battle for that (top four) this season, surely they can be said to be good enough to earn that.

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Given their disastrous start to the season, being five points off third place Chelsea is testament to the level of their transition since the 5-0 loss at the Ethiad on Gameweek three, even though they have dropped points where you'd expect them to win in the course of their good run.

The Gunners have been good enough to better the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur on the log, but have not been good enough to rival the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City, who can be said to be playing on a different level.

Their inability to show up in big games has rendered them a team struggling to make the top four but not on the level of other top four teams in the English top-flight, at least not enough to be considered a title contender.

Mikel Arteta's side have picked up zero points in their games against Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United combined this season, in what has summed up to six games. Yet to earn the top four this season, their tenacity against the big boys will be questioned again, when they host Manchester United and travel to the Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in the space of four days next month.

There has been signs in recent games that they are preparing to take the fight to the big boys but then, the results in those games showed they still have a long way to go.

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Since the turn of the year, they lost their two league games against City and Liverpool, both at the Emirates. It was however different story compared to the past, where they were completely overruned and outclassed. They showed glimpse of readiness but still without the proper cutting edge.

Their inability to convert half chances into goals was punished by a clinical Liverpool side, who taught them another tough lesson not to lose concentration at any moment during the course of a game.

It is obvious Mikel Arteta and Edu Gasper will be anticipating new signings in the summer but the level of the quality of their incomings will be so much dependent on how they finish the ongoing season. A Champions League spot will surely boost their chances of getting better quality players.

The Transition and Encouraging signs

Arsenal currently have the youngest squad in the Premier League, maybe in Europe top five Leagues when you take into perspective that the oldest player in the group, Alexandre Lacazette could be on his way out of the club this summer as talks on extending his soon to end contract has stalled, or maybe the club wants a different man to lead the line next season.

With the style of acquisition, a much younger striker will be expected to come in, or maybe a couple as Eddie Nketiah’s contract also runs out in the summer. This could pave way for the North Londoners to bring in a set of firepower in the coming transfer window.

A lot has changed since Mikel Arteta started his reign. Prior to his appointment, only a few of Arsenal's first team players were getting regular international football. The likes of Granit Xhaka, Kieran Tierney and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seemed to be the only ones involved with their country’s national teams.

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However, there has been significant change in that as almost everyone is now getting a call up to represent their respective countries even if they are younger players compared to those of the past.

Starting from the goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to those playing upfront, the back two of Gabriel Magalhães and Ben White are getting called up to some of the top five best National Teams in the world, while another young defender in William Saliba, currently on loan at Olympic Marseille in the Ligue 1 has recently been called up to the French National Team.

Being involved internationally is a way for the players to learn from the more experienced and internationally established stars. It would also prepare them well for the next stage of their careers and good news for Arsenal, the time is right for the players to learn.

Gabriel Martinelli is the latest player to get international recognition and he will head to Brazil alongside fellow countryman, Gabriel Magalhães, who also received his first call up to the National Team late last year and both will be hopeful of their first cap when Brazil play Chile and Bolivia in their upcoming games.

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Ben White has been called back to the England National Team for the first time since making the European Championship squad last summer, a merited reward for his astonishing season with the Gunners having joined from Brighton for £50million before the start of the season.

The same for Aaron Ramsdale, who won his first England cap last November but the goalkeeper has pulled out of the squad due to a hip injury that kept him out of Arsenal's trip to the Villa Park last weekend.

Emile Smith Rowe also made his first international appearance last November while Bukayo Saka is fast becoming a regular in the Three Lions first team.

Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Martin Ødegaard are the captain of the Ghanian, Swiss and Norwegian national teams respectively while Kieran Tierney is the vice captain of the Scottish national team.

Takehiro Tomiyasu, Mohamed Elneny and Nicolas Pepe are also regular international players while Albert Sambi Lokonga is also getting a regular call up to the Belgian Red Devil's squad. Nuno represents the Portuguese Under 21 and countryman, Cedric Soares has just been called again ahead of Portugal's all important World Cup qualification playoff games.

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The only players not involved internationally are Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah, both whom might be on their way out of the club and eventually replaced in the summer. It is very difficult not to acknowledge how much transition there has been at the Emirates since the Spaniard took over the reigns in 2019.

The Gunners have won each of their last five games away from home for the first time since 2015, when they finished third. The numbers are getting better week in and out and another positive for the Arsenal faithfuls is the spirits of the players.

Defensively, they have kept 13 clean sheets in the league this season, which means they have equalled their best defensive record since the last six years, with ten more games to go.

The vibe the players show when representing the club is that they are happy doing it and they love what they are doing. The believe is staring to show and even after the disappointing home loss to Liverpool in the midweek, they returned in the weekend to pick maximum points against a very good Aston Villa side.

The relationship amongst the players is also encouraging. Aaron Ramsdale, who was not included in the matchday squad due to a hip injury was at the Villa Park to support Bernd Leno, and the love was there to be seen at full time in the Birmingham.

Mikel Arteta has created a very positive atmosphere at the club which is very needed after the negatives that ensued before the departures of Willian and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the summer and winter respectively.

As admitted by Arteta, “the decision (to shipped out the players) is the best for all parties...” The results has proven him right as the departures has improved the club on the field and off it while the (departed) players are having great time in their new clubs.

(Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

As things continues to get better for Arsenal, even if they still come short of the bigger teams, keeping the squad together will help them become more of a competitor in the nearest future, while Champions League qualification might hasten the arrival of the glorious days for the club.

Consistency is key and it's been evident lately that they can get the job done. They just need to take it a step higher by showing up against the bigger teams and hopefully the incoming players can add more winning mentality to the squad, and have them competing on the same level as the current powerhouses in Europe.

Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi