In the last two seasons of the Premier League, Arsenal FC have finished second just behind Manchester City. Last season’s second-place finish was more of a mistake that could have been avoided if they had secured a win over Aston Villa and hoped that Tottenham kept City from playing well.
One thing that must be noted is how Arsenal has improved over the years. It is hard to ignore that they have and we can conclude that this is a team that might get their breakthrough any time soon. More than ever, everyone seems to be confident that Arsenal will finish at the top of the table, ending City’s dominance of the Premier League but the question is, can they?
Mikel Arteta took over as Arsenal’s manager after a four-year stint with Pep Guardiola at City, He made it clear that his plan was to bring the Gunners to title contenders status. And clearly, he has done that to a commendable extent as Arsenal has proven to be capable of winning the league at least in the last three seasons and coming.
One of the things that can be credited to Arsenal’s success lately is their recruitment strategy and it is all thanks to Arteta and sporting director Edu. Both of them have shown that they know what it means to discover talent, make decisions about the squad, and other footballing actions.
Declan Rice from West Ham is an example of a bold decision that has enhanced the midfield. In addition, bringing in Raya from Brentford and discarding Aaron Ramsdale showed that the team was now willing to make some very tough calls that would push them towards their goals.
Today, we can see that this move was a strategic one and it has made them serious contenders for the league this season. The latest football odds online suggest that Arsenal are City’s main rivals for the Premier League title. There is even optimism that can be felt in the Arsenal camp as their fans fancy the chance of them winning the league after more than two decades.
Football success is based on several factors and one of them is the right recruitment process. The signings Arsenal have done in recent times show that they are ready to achieve success and they have begun to prove their quality on the pitch. If they must turn this likelihood into reality, Arsenal needs to continue to be able to identify the talents they need and acquire them as quickly as they can.
Signing David Raya after his loan spell was obviously a step in the right direction and their recent signing of Italian international, Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna has significantly strengthened their defense depth.
There is a lot of clamor about how Arteta might replace Thomas Partey with former Newcastle United midfielder Mikel Merino. The deal was expected to be completed in the summer transfer window but it didn’t pull through. But then, the position that needs urgent work is the central striker position which has been lacking for a long time since Arteta took over.
Finding a consistent goal-scorer has been an uphill task for Arteta. After dismissing Aubameyang, Gabriel Jesus didn’t quite meet those needs. Everyone thought Havertz was being signed to do so but it turns out that the coach had other plans for the German.
While it may be argued that Arteta doesn’t rate the presence of a forward, there have been transfer rumors that have linked Arsenal to players like Ivan Toney from Brentford and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.
There is no doubt that if Arsenal can get a striker that is on a top level, one that is capable of scoring 20+ goals in a season, they could repeat the success of the 2024 team. One or two more signings can get the job done for Arsenal and end Manchester City’s reign in the Premier League.
