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Arsenal is undergoing major changes this season. The club is being restructured, new players have been brought in, old players have left and there is a new manager in the form of Unai Emery. The Gunners have finally found their groove under their new manager as veteran players like Ozil have found their golden touch and the strike force of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is one of the most feared in the Premier League.
Coming off of one of their worst seasons, Arsenal is looking to bounce back and there are a number of reasons why supporters of the red and white should be excited for the new season:
#1 A New Manager
The search for a new manager was started with many potential candidates such as Massimiliano Allegri, Diego Simeone and Mikel Arteta, a former Arsenal player himself and assistant manager at Manchester City. Ultimately, Unai Emery was signed. While some supporters were disappointed that the manager was not a blank slate, like Arteta, many were elated at the new signing.
Emery brings a lot of experience to the table. He worked at Sevilla with its smaller transfer budget, but even with the lack of funds, he still won the Europa League three times on the bounce with them. He also managed Paris Saint-Germain with its larger transfer budget, managing players such as Neymar, Cavani, and Mbappé (and their egos).
At a press conference after his appointment, Emery revealed that he wants to continue Arsenal's possession-based style of play, but also wants players to press the opposing team after losing the ball.
This will alleviate some of the lethargy or low energy gameplay which is sometimes criticized by fans. Also, many fans have grown excited after seeing his difficult training sessions at London Colney. Immediately after a preseason game, Emery held a training session, showing his intensity and desire to make sure his players are ready for the new season.
Additionally, as the first manager in decades for Arsenal, he does not have any emotional connections with any players. Wenger was known to coddle players, putting too much faith in their abilities and potential. Now, players have to prove themselves worthy of a starting spot week-in and week-out with a new manager calling the shots. This will draw out the best in players, as seen in the fledgling rivalry between Bernd Leno and Petr Cech and Lichtsteiner and Bellerin.
#2 New Transfers
Arsenal has made a slew of new transfers this season, with most, if not all, of them coming very early in the summer transfer window. This is definitely a sign that the Arsenal administration is aware of the deficiencies in the squad and is working to correct them.
After Petr Cech's abysmal season last year, Bernd Leno, a Bundesliga keeper, has been brought in to provide competition at the goalkeeper position. Lucas Torreira was also brought in as a central defensive midfielder due to Granit Xhaka's being forced to play in that position, one that he is not suited to.
Sokratis Papastathapoulos, a former Borussia Dortmund center back, has also joined the Arsenal squad. He is the no-nonsense defender Arsenal fans have been crying out for years. Although he is on the older side (30 years old, to be exact), he will provide experience and will help Arsenal's younger defenders, especially due to Laurent Koscielny's absence due to injury.
#3 Academy products and youth players
Arsenal has always been a club renowned for giving young players a chance to play on the world's biggest stage. This has had varying levels of success in the past. If one focuses on the present, however, there are a number of youth players to be excited about.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles was an outstanding performer last year, exhibiting maturity that is found in more developed players, even though he played primarily in defense and not in midfield, his preferred area.
Reiss Nelson, a speedy winger, and Eddie Nketiah, a budding striker, are also players looking to take the next step into the first team. Rob Holding and Konstantinos Mavropanos, who has only bought in the winter transfer window, seem to be the future of Arsenal's defense. All of these youngsters have room to grow but have the potential to be starters in a couple of years for Arsenal.
