'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwX/2gAIAQEAAAAACT//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF/9oACAECEAAAABf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/9oACAEDEAAAAH//xAAhEAACAgEEAgMAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEEQAFBiESE1GBkv/aAAgBAQABPwCnx6jAtWlZrTS7TEj+SdD3SNnJID/Hh+esabhWxOxZ5d/LHsmK0qp9A5wNf//EABcRAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAxT/2gAIAQIBAT8A21R//8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAESE0L/2gAIAQMBAT8AtllH/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
With less than a week to go until the 2021-22 season commences, Arsenal will be looking ahead to what needs to be an improvement from their 2020-21 campaign.
The Gunners finished eighth in the league last season and managed to reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League. However, with no European football this season, Arsenal can concentrate solely on their Premier League campaign as they try to get back into contention for a top-six finish.
Mikel Arteta's squad is slowly coming together, but Arsenal's season will hinge upon a few standout players' performances. So without further ado, here are five players that Arsenal will depend on the most in the 2021-22 season:
#5 Thomas Partey
Thomas Partey has had an injury-riddled spell at Arsenal so far. The Ghanaian joined the club from Atletico Madrid amidst great fanfare last summer. However, Partey was only able to show glimpses of what he's capable of due to multiple spells on the sidelines.
The midfielder has been unlucky with injuries again, as he will miss the first couple of weeks of the 2021-22 season. But Mikel Arteta will depend upon the Ghanaian to anchor his midfield when he returns. Partey is undoubtedly talented and will be integral to the Gunners this season.
His ability to carry the ball forward as well as his defensive prowess will make him irreplaceable in Arsenal's midfield. Should he keep himself fit, the Gunners' fans can expect a big season from Partey this year.
#4 Nicolas Pepe
Arsenal's record signing looked to finally be finding his feet towards the end of last season. The Ivorian ended the 2020-21 campaign in sensational form and is set to have a big season ahead of him.
Nicolas Pepe was arguably one of Arsenal's best players last season in terms of production. The winger finished as Arsenal's second highest scorer in all competitions with 16 goals. Pepe was also key in their Europa League campaign, and was selected to the 2020-21 Team of the Tournament. He contributed six goals and four assists in 13 appearances in the competition for the Gunners.
Pepe's pace and dribbling ability make him a nightmare to deal with, and now he has also added an end product to his game. It is up to Mikel Arteta to get the best out of the winger, but the Ivorian looks well on his way to repaying the £72 million that Arsenal paid for him in 2019.
#3 Ben White
Arsenal splashed the cash on Ben White this summer and the Englishman could be exactly what the Gunners need to steady their defense.
Surprisingly, despite their troubles, Arsenal finished with the third least number of goals conceded in the Premier League last season. However, the Gunners lacked a leader in defense, and White seems to fit the bill perfectly. The 23-year old is a commanding presence, and his positional sense and organizational skills were apparent during his time at Brighton and Leeds.
The Englishman is a modern centre-back who is comfortable bringing the ball up from the defense and spraying passes across the pitch. White's performances for Brighton last season also earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2020 England squad.
The defender is set to be at the heart of Arsenal's defense for years to come and will be key to the Gunners' 2021-22 campaign.
#2 Emile Smith Rowe
Following Bukayo Saka's meteoric rise last season, it looks like Emile Smith Rowe will be the next Arsenal youngster to have a breakout campaign. The Englishman signed a new long-term contract earlier this summer and is set to be a huge part of Mikel Arteta's plans for the club going forward.
This was evident when the club handed Smith Rowe the famed No.10 shirt, worn previously by the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Robin van Persie and Mesut Ozil. Given Arsenal's lack of depth in the attacking midfield position, the onus will be on the Englishman to step up and be the creative hub of the team.
Smith Rowe's dribbling ability and vision are a huge asset to Arsenal. The Englishman has also been praised for his work-rate, which seems to be the reason why Arteta holds him in such high regard.
However, the Spaniard has demanded that the Englishman increase his goal contributions this season. This could see Smith Rowe take his game to the next level and he looks set to have a massive season for the Gunners.
#1 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang endured a difficult 2020-21 campaign. Sickness, loss of form and off-field issues played a huge part in the striker's underwhelming performances last season. But Arsenal will be relying on him to have a bounce-back year this time around.
The Gabonese hitman only managed to score 13 goals across all competitions last season. This was in stark contrast to previous years, where the striker easily and consistently broke the 25-goal mark.
Aubameyang's form last season translated into Arsenal's poor run, as the Gunners' main problem seemed to be their inability to score goals. However, this season, everyone will be expecting the striker to be back to his best.
On his day, Aubameyang is one of the most feared strikers in the world. The Arsenal man's pace, finishing and positional sense makes him a huge goal threat. The forward has single-handedly changed games for the Gunners in the past and they will be hoping to see the best of Aubameyang once again in the 2021-22 season.
