Arsenal may have been humbled in that chastening and likely title-determining defeat to Manchester City, but there is much to suggest this is not some anomalous, one-off, once-in-a-generation season for Mikel Arteta’s side.
They can, of course, still win the Premier League this season. There’s perhaps never been a side two points clear at the top of the table with only five games left to play so resoundingly written off as on Wednesday night in Manchester.
However, with Manchester City holding two games in hand and the trajectories of the two sides’ form and confidence heading so drastically in opposite directions, the situation seems bleak for Arsenal.
But, a closer analysis of the club offers some hope as to why Arsenal, post 2022-23, will be back.
Age
Lost in the brutality of the 4-1 thrashing was that this Arsenal squad are the joint-youngest in the Premier League, alongside Southampton. At an average of 24.4 years of age, that the players have even managed to remain top for quite so long is a fantastic achievement.
Homegrown star Bukayo Saka and breakout star Gabriel Martinelli, wingers worthy of any of the world’s best front lines, are only 21 years old. Standout centre-back William Saliba, whose absence with a back injury since mid-March has been so keenly felt, is only 22.
First-choice goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, now one of the leading in the Premier League, is 24. Emile Smith Rowe, who has struggled for minutes after suffering with injuries but has the potential to be an England player, is only 22.
Even the supposedly older heads, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, both signed from Manchester City to add some experience to this young side, are 26.
Premier League table
Compare Arsenal’s average age to that of their Big Six rivals and they are in a strong position. Chelsea are the next closest at 26, Manchester United 26.5, Manchester City 26.7, while Liverpool and Spurs are 27.1.
All sense and logic suggests that, provided Arteta can keep the crux of the group together, they are only going to improve in the years ahead. And on that note…
Contracts
Saka is clearly the most crucial piece of the puzzle — the generational talent and potential Ballon d’Or winner to build around — and he is thought to have a contract agreement in place that will tie him to Arsenal for another five seasons. His current contract runs out next year and Arsenal risked moving into precarious territory.
When Martinelli signed a fresh deal until 2027 in February, Arteta made clear that locking down their existing talent was a priority.
“Part of the plan obviously is to extend the contracts of our biggest talents and commit them to the future,” Arteta said. “We are trying to do that, we have started with Gabi and that’s good news. The others will be done when we can and we have to agree on that.
“I see everyone really happy and really willing to continue at the club but we have to meet expectations and timing is key on that.”
Saliba, who would also be out of contract and available to leave on a free transfer in summer 2024, is next on the list, and is expected to commit to a longterm contract soon.
Ramsdale, whose contract still runs until 2025, with the option of a further year, is also in discussions over improved and extended terms.
Signings
What the defeat to Manchester City and the decline in form on the final stretch of the season did expose, however, is that Arteta requires strength in depth and competition in key areas.
Champions League qualification will give them plenty more money to play with and there’s an argument that they go all-out to sign Declan Rice from West Ham, who will cost around £100m. At only 24 years old and a potential future England captain, he fits the profile of player who can help them become trophy contenders once more.
Brighton’s Moises Caicedo, who they missed out on in January, is another option they will explore. He subsequently signed a new contract but would still, clearly, be interested in joining Arsenal.
However, with Brighton flying, would qualifying for Europe convince him to stay on the south coast for a while longer? Plus, with Liverpool in the hunt for Alex Mac Allister you can be sure Brighton will make sure any move is right for them, not Arsenal.
Arteta has also been scouting Real Sociedad defender Robin Le Normand, who is believed to have £44m release clause.
Arteta
It’s easy to forget that this is Arteta’s first job as a manager, after all those years working alongside Guardiola. Like his young squad, he is still developing and growing, too.
Arteta admitted after the Manchester City game it was “time to look in the mirror [at] what we could have done better or differently” and he will have to make honest assessments of what he has gone wrong this season and bold decisions about how to improve. (Not something he has been afraid of in the past – Aubameyang knows this all too well.)
There have been calls for the excellent Leandro Trossard, signed in January, to play more prominently while Arteta will know any high-quality additions will risk destabilising the current balance.
“Mikel has brought another dimension to Arsenal,” Guardiola said of his protégé before they met on Wednesday night. “They’re huge competitors in all senses. They’re so aggressive. They control all the aspects. And we’ve felt it.
“In the two games we’ve played this season we’ve felt it. And you have to challenge them in those terms otherwise the speed they have up front the intensity they have in the long balls, second balls, the quality in the build-up, it’s difficult.”
Guardiola could well have trained his new major rival of the coming years.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/xtiIWyG
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