Arsenal: Time to get used to the success of their found model because this is the reality for Mikel Arteta and his minions

If you call it a fairytale, then there are still pages left to be filled because this is not just a flash in the pan for Mikel Arteta and his minions, so welcome to reality.

It could have become obvious last season but the eventual stumble is still much acceptable because this is a team in transition, and maybe a season more out of Europe’s most prestigious competition gives them the avenue to prepare ahead for the main task.

Reminiscing their first three games at the start of last season, which was rounded off with a 5-0 humiliation at the hands of Manchester City at the Ethiad, though many could foresee the end even before the start, there was this believe that the result had nothing to do in defining their season.

Thereon, Arsenal went on to record some impressive results though there were also lows midway through the season, like their inability to overcome adversity which saw them lose when you'd expect them to win.

However, only Manchester City and Liverpool earned more points than the Gunners in the league since that defeat at the Ethiad and they went on to finish fifth, just two points below fourth place Tottheham Hotspur.

Many thought the Gunners would seal Champions League qualification but injuries to Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney in the run in really had it's toll on their performance and they eventually lost a couple of games which allowed Tottenham leapfrog them in the penultimate game of the season.

Their cause was also not helped by the dip in form of their strikers but all that is long gone with the new Arsenal, following a summer which saw Mikel Arteta spend on not only talent but characters.

Arsenal's first statement match was the 2-1 loss to Manchester City on the new year evening of the 2022. Even though they lost their heads and gave away a cheap penalty before going a man down and eventually losing the match, it was a much welcome performance up to their crumble.

They became more convincing after beating Chelsea 4-0 in the Florida Cup in the US and a week before the commencement of the league, they thrash a full house Sevilla 6-0 at the Emirates in the Emirates Cup.

Of couse it is very easy to take the credits away from those two performance because it is only preseason games but with the way they dominated the two club, it is very unlike a match between teams on equal level, nonetheless the number of missing regulars for their opponents.

Although their display on opening match of the season did not impress many but a 2-0 win at Selhurst Park, the stadium where their Champions League dreams was crashed last season could be their best result so far even by the standard.

Prior to that, Arsenal have one win in previous eight meetings with Palace and had never kept a clean sheet at the Selhurst Park since October 2013.

Arsenal have also dominated possession in all of their games after the trip to Palace this season. They have completed over 500 passes each in four of their nine games across all competitions while also maintaining successful rate of at least 80+ per cent in each.

A youthful and energetic side with a lot of players possessing infield leadership qualities, which help in overcoming adversity just like in their come from behind win against Fulham, the six goal thriller against Leicester, the 2-1 win over Aston Villa and their latest win over their North London rivals, Tottheham.

These four games could have gone the other way with the Arsenal of the past but Mikel Arteta and his staff have put in a lot of effort to see this side turn things around.

They are a threat on set piece and in the league, themselves alongside Liverpool and Manchester City have scored more than any other team from set piece situations since the start of last season.

One thing that also came to notice in their win over Tottenham was willingness to make the most of every chance presented.

Thomas Partey was seen launching a long throw into the Tottheham penalty area earlier on and that almost materialize but for Christian Romero’s clearance from a Granit Xhaka's flick which was bound for an unmarked Gabriel Jesus.

Mikel Arteta has also been blessing with a crop of young talents who are only developing and bound to get even better in the coming years.

Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka have been as good as any player in their respective positions in the league this season while the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Oleksandr Zinchenko help with their leadership as well to help these players in the field.

Arteta have the joy to call whether on Zinchenko or Kieran Tierney for the left-back role and Ben White or Takehiro Tomiyasu for the right-back position. This is arguably the best any team can get options at full back.

In their first and only Europa League match so far this season, Gabriel Martinelli, Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Magalhães are the only league regulars who started the game.

Martinelli started because of the absence of both Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson, Granit Xhaka because of his leadership and Gabriel because Tomiyasu is already starting and Ben White is already a right-back option in the league whilst Cedric Soares was unavailable.

It all makes sense for squad rotation purposes and allowing every player enjoy their given game time. Even when they are losing, like against Manchester United, they are always the side dictating the games.

This is what you expect from a team progressing in rebuild. They have deserved all their wins and it is not difficult to tell why the experts believe they can do the unimaginable and why rivals continuously criticize and talk about them.

Their build up play is almost perfect. Their win against Brentford is underrated because Thomas Frank's side have never been completely dominated and well beaten in a Premier League home game since their promotion to the topflight.

Infact, the loss to Arsenal is their first of at home this season and it was also the first time they failed to score in a league game since May despite going into the match on the back of a 5-2 win over Leeds United.

Arsenal have won all their games so far but at Old Trafford, where they were beaten 3-1 by Manchester United, a match where one can not help but think could have gone the other way had Arsenal had either Thomas Partey or Mohammed Elneny available for the trip.

Still, the only cause for alarm for them this season is neither the form of any of their opponents or the grounds where the games will be played but an injury to Thomas Partey.

With Mohammed Elneny’s return date not yet known, an injury to Partey will see them run out of option in a very vital position on the pitch and a league start for Sambi Lokonga, which will be expected is not something any Gunner will look forward to because everyone knows what happens whenever the Belgian starts against tough teams.

Other than that, the Gunners look stacked with depth and strength in other areas should injuries or suspension occurs.

Fabio Vieira came in for their injured captain Martin Ødegaard in the trip to Brentford just before the international break and the Portuguese midfielder slotted in seamlessly, even capping off his first Premier League start with a beautiful long range strike.

With Arsenal competing in Europe this season, the quality in depth will really go a long way to help them during the group campaign, where most of their domestic rivals will have to always play their best legs in the more competitive Champions League.

The World Cup break also present them a great opportunity to save time and bring in replacement for the injury prone Partey after they failed attempt to lure Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz to the Emirates on transfer deadline day.

Arteta could choose to return for the Brazilian, whose Villa contract ends in 2023 or explore other options with many still set to breakthrough in the Qatar later this year.

While many of the players of the oppositions will play significant roles for their respective countries in Qatar, only a few of Arsenal players will get quantifiable play time and this will benefit by giving them the needed rests while opposition players are burned out.

One more important factor spurring them on is the fact that they have won the fans back. The atmosphere at the Emirates on Matchdays is arguably the best in the UK today because Mikel Arteta has have them believing in the club again.

And this support is not only limited to their home games. Almost all the Arsenal players have their own songs amongst the Arsenal fans. This in a bid to lift the spirit of the players and establish the feeling that what they do for their club is appreciated.

Though they are not the finished product yet but they are right now as good as any other side in the league except Liverpool and Manchester City.

Albeit Liverpool are still considered a more complete team than Arsenal, anything but a win for the Gunners at the Emirates in their next league game against the Jürgen Klopp's side will be a disappointing result.

Why won't you get excited because of this Arsenal side ? The only reasonable explanation could be that you're a rival fan but the time is just about right to get used to it, because Mikel Arteta’s is not the same old Arsenal.

Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi