Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal’s recent policy of signing players with Premier League experience has been key to his side’s impressive form this season.
While the Gunners still trawl the global market looking for the next big thing, a lot of the shopping in the last four transfer windows has happened much closer to home.
Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jorginho have layered experience onto the spine of the team following savvy deals with the likes of Sheffield United, Brighton, Manchester City and Chelsea.
The plug-and-play policy has worked a treat with all of them hitting the ground running.
Facing the media ahead of Sunday’s trip to Liverpool, Arteta said: “They give you stability because they have already done it, because they have already experienced those [challenges] and that facilitates a lot that process, especially when you have five, six, seven new players.
“When a few of them are integrated already quickly to the pace, to the demands and to the understanding that is needed in the league.
He added: “We knew that with those players that was what we hoped we were going to get and it has been proven that it was the right decision.”
After several years of struggling to create and take chances in the final third, the Gunners have developed an unrelenting attacking flow since August which has powered their title challenge.
Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard are all in double figures for goals, Eddie Nketiah isn’t far behind on 9 while Gabriel Jesus and Granit Xhaka both have seven to their name. Between them, they’ve also amassed 33 assists.
It’s not unlike the Arsenal of old when Messrs Pires and Ljungberg used to support an attack led by Thierry Henry.
“It’s really positive,” Arteta said about his side’s ability to share the responsibility in front of goal.
“We want to take the individual to the maximum of their capacity. To do that they have to first be on the pitch, which they have been and they have to perform.
“Sharing goals is something we needed to improve massively, especially from midfield, it was something we wanted to do better and then the unpredictability that causes in the opponent is obviously an advantage.”
Really hope that things go our way today. Will be tough v Liverpool and VAR but we have the strongest team for many a year.!
We should be happy we have this much excitement near the end of the season, haven’t had that for ages!!!!
Hoping for an early goal to quieten the atmosphere but VAR worries me today as well especially after that farce yesterday.
They ain’t called LiVARpool for nothing!!! I just hope we don’t get mugged off like Brighton did yesterday 😮
Also given which match officials we’ve been handed today- Kavanaugh on var and Tierney as ref- it’s going to be 11 v 14 (Liverpool getting plus one for each ref and another for the crowd)
After today with 8 games to go we will still be top of the table. It still gives me that happiness. Beat liverpool and whatever happens we’ll still be top with seven to go. Still in dreamland
The team has improved a massive amount, no question. I just want to be at the end of the season talking about our latest title, not improvement!
I say we follow the team’s example and try to keep it about the journey, not the destination shall we
they played well, defended the badge and always tried their best. im very happy with that and can’t ask for more. the title would be a huge achievement, but not all achievements come with a piece of metal. there’s plenty to be thankful for this season
The experience of Jesus, Zinchenko, Partey and Xhaka combined without extremely talented young players like Saka, Martinelli and Odegaard gives us a real chance.
What gives me hope is that Liverpool can be exposed quite easily against pace which was evident against Man City and if Chelsea could finish their chances they would have won that game as well.
It will be tough but we have the capability…
Why are my comments being moderated?
Except that one.
I guess because you are The Professional!
Use TP rather than P*rt*y.
Happens to me occasionally, mostly when I’ve posted comments on articles about the women’s team. I’ve never posted any anti-women’s football stuff, and the posts were positive, but there must be certain “trip-words”.
Arsenal have championship winning experience in Jesus, Zinchenko and Partey and fantastic young talent in Saka, Martinelli, Odegaard and Saliba. Liverpool will be tough as always, but it has been shown throughout the season that you can get at them – Man City cut through them with ease last week and we are just as lethal as City. Liverpool are a good side but are ageing – I just don’t think that many of them can physically play that pressing game they used to play a few years back. Arsenal won’t take anything for granted for sure but they should… Read more »
Today is massive, lets do this! Hope Jesus is fit to play on the day as his resurrection 😀
The headline and pun certainly writes itself.
I do think he will start ahead of Trossard.
It’s as sure as sure can be he will start ahead of trossard. Trossard has been fantastic addition but Jesus is out starter in centre forward. He wreaks havoc constantly. Tremendous player.
Rolling that stone across the goal line
I know, it’s only a rock he rolled, but I like it.
Happy Easter everyone.
Today is a day for 100% Belief. No doubts, no fears, no regrets, none of that ‘caution’ bollocks coming out of every Tom Dick and Neville in the media. Fuck Liverpool and fuck Anfield and fuck however fucking long it’s been since we won there, blah blah blah. Bollocks to it. We are The Arsenal and this team is packed to rafters with leaders and winners – Odegaard, Xhaka, Zinchenko, White, Jesus, Ramsdale, Partey, Saka, Martinelli, Trossard, Gabriel, KT, ESR and yes, Holding. And who knows today, perhaps Saliba as well. We have the right man in charge who will… Read more »
Bless you lad.
While i understand the sentiment here, experienced recruits in the past have not offered the stability they have promised (willian, Luiz, Socrates, etc), so let’s hope the group responsible for scouting do their homework before adding anyone to the current squad.
All said and done and however this is such a massive game and whatever happens in this game whether dodgy home ref decisions or perplexing VAR ones i hope our magnificent away supporters are not let down from an idiot or 2 who thinks its a good idea to wind Liverpool supporters up with the disaster chants recently at Chelsea/Man C, we are so much better than that..
We still have a lot to play for 👏 we’ll win this link Gunners