For as long as I’ve supported Arsenal, I’ve become somewhat of a pessimist. Even when the Gunners have proven their credentials to achieve success, part of me has never, wholeheartedly, bought into the idea. Key players have departed to strengthen rivals, the club have offered very little in the transfer window and the side haven’t shown the necessary development for improvement following every season, perhaps due to the shared belief that merely challenging for the top four is acceptable nowadays. When you take into consideration the demise of Leeds United, for example, the last nine years shouldn’t be frowned upon, yet this doesn’t mean that the decline has made for comfortable viewing. I, like many, cannot take solace in the failures of others and use that to compensate for the team I adore falling short.
However this campaign, 2013/14, has somehow proved contrary to the cynical presumptions. Arsenal were the only side in the top four to retain their manager over the summer and a sense of stability had returned once Wenger had finally managed to survive a window without losing of his most important players. The catastrophic start to the Premier League season against Aston Villa, and the failure to attract the likes of Luis Suárez and Gonzalo Higuaín among many other elusive transfer targets, stunted the widespread positivity, however it wasn’t long before the optimism returned.
In my opinion, the scales tipped from adversity to euphoria on the summer window’s ‘Deadline Day’. After continuous disappointments, Arsenal had finally secured their marquee signing in the form of Mesut Özil. Costing a club record £42.5m, this acquisition served as a statement of intent to the rest of Europe and demonstrated that this team can still attract the world’s brightest talents. Le Professeur was scrutinised by the supporters and the media, however the trust was instantly reinstalled when news of this coup emerged. It rejuvenated the squad, too, and the positivity within the camp has radiated with every performance since.
Mesut Özil, the phenomenon that he is, is bound to play a significant role in the outcome of the title race and, whilst understated by most, has shown no signs of regression since leaving Real Madrid. Statistically speaking, Özil has completed 76 more passes in the attacking third than any other player in the Premier League this season with a staggering total of 588. He’s also made the most key passes in Europe’s top five leagues which, when coupled with the various other figures illustrating his creative genius, is substantial proof that the opinions claiming he’s flopped are indeed nonsensical myths.
What Özil brings to the table isn’t exactly spectacular nor obvious to the untrained eye in that many aspects of his quality come from what he does off the ball. Drifting out into wider positions, specifically interchanging with the likes of Santi Cazorla and Tomáš Rosický, is something that doesn’t receive the attention it deserves as this simple, yet intricate, manoeuvre has resulted in one of the most fluid Arsenal attacking units to have ever assembled. When critiques of the Germany international claim that he often turns invisible during games, he’s actually making space for his teammates to roam into. Özil is looking more and more comfortable within his surroundings after every match and we’ll only continue to enjoy his imperious displays with time.
What has undone the Gunners in their unsuccessful quest for greatness over seasons gone by is their notorious defensive fragility. From Philippe Senderos, to William Gallas, to Johan Djourou, to Sébastien Squillaci – the side had never looked complete without a liability at the back. This seemed to be an endless problem at the club and when Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker were brought in from Lorient and Werder Bremen respectively, nobody was convinced that things would change in this department. Initially, the pairing showed nothing to affect the general consensus as Koscielny was perceived as erratic, whilst Mertesacker received a lot of criticism for his obvious lack of pace. At this present moment in time, Laurent is still prone to occasional moment of irrational behaviour and Per hasn’t come on leaps and bounds with regards to his speed. However, each has applied their strengths to compensate for the other’s weaknesses and it’s this cohesion that has given Arsenal what some believe to be the best central defensive partnership on the planet right now.
When you take into consideration the extraordinary season ‘keeper Wojciech Szczęsny is enjoying and also note the capabilities of duel-threat full-backs Bacary Sagna and Kieran Gibbs/Nacho Monreal, the North London outfit have the essential ingredients to keep any attacking force quiet, as has been the case when faced with Luis Suárez, Robert Lewandowski and many more renowned forwards that would have very easily destroyed many a previous Arsenal back-line. No side has kept more clean sheets than Wenger’s team domestically and this is something I believe the coach, along with Steve Bould, will take great pride in. Strong foundations are imperative to all fortresses, of course.
When it was announced that Theo Walcott would spend the rest of the season sidelined with an ACL injury, the moral of Arsenal fans dropped significantly. After all, Walcott has proven his worth as the ultimate big game player since becoming a permanent fixture in the starting line-up and silenced his doubters emphatically towards the business end of the previous campaign, where his goals ultimately deciphered the Gunners’ fate in the battle for European qualification. Julian Draxler was cited as a potential replacement and from the moment reports linking him with a move to the Emirates Stadium surfaced, the fans were desperate for it to materialise. Eventually, though, the transfer never went through and when Kim Källström proved Arsenal’s solitary business, the ‘Wenger Out Brigade’ soon appeared from out of their caves.
All will be forgiven if Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Serge Gnabry can continue to build on their exceptional showings since the turn of the year, though, and this is another factor that could sway the balance in the hunt for trophies. Oxlade-Chamberlain is quietly establishing himself as one of the most useful assets at Arsène’s disposal with his newfound versatility, offering an another avenue to explore in the injury hit double-pivot. Excelling alongside Mikel Arteta in the 2-0 win versus Crystal Palace, where his brace clinched the three points, has quashed certain doubts of his capacities in a central role. A place in Roy Hodgson’s World Cup starting line-up is certainly a possibility if he can continue to perform in this manner, but will not be the former Southampton attacker’s priority until he has Premier League winners’ medal around his neck.
Adnan Januzaj’s breakthrough at Manchester United has taken a lot of attention away from Serge Gnabry, but this doesn’t mean that the youngest member of the ‘German Core’ is any way a lesser player. Out of all the currently fit players representing Arsenal, Gnabry is perhaps the most direct and penetrative option on the flank. Whilst Rosický and Cazorla are technically exceptional, they’re not the probing wingers that are essential when breaking down the more rigid opposition and this is why, even at such a tender age, Gnabry’s role is of a paramount importance in the absence of Walcott and a role that will only increase in noteworthiness. Alike ‘The Ox’, albeit with less likely a chance of starting, the 19-year-old can aspire to summer trip to Brazil – fans of Die Mannschaft are already excited by the prospect.
The media, generally, don’t rate Arsenal’s chances of capturing their holy grail – the Premier League title – and the vast majority of observers share the belief that the team are merely delaying the inevitable slip-up that we’ve all become accustomed to on an annual basis. Arsenal are clearly the underdogs in this race, and sit in second place at time of writing, and will most likely remain unfavourable until it’s ultimately decided. This is a tag that I believe should be endorsed at the club, not feared, because of the added pressure it puts on Manchester City and Chelsea, whom are expected to finish every match with a victory. Arsenal may slip under the radar for the most part, however this is a marathon and not a sprint.
