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Arsenal have been in rebuild since their decorated and highly successful manager Arsene Wenger left the club in 2018. After 22 years under the Frenchman, the club underwent a tumultuous phase for a few years.
Former player Mikel Arteta was appointed as Arsenal's head coach in 2019. He took over after Unai Emery's 18-month spell and Freddie Ljungberg's few weeks as interim manager.
Arteta had previously worked under Pep Guardiola as part of Manchester City's coaching staff, winning two Premier League titles between 2016 and 2019. In his first few months as Arsenal's head coach, Arteta won the FA Cup.
In doing so, he became the first player in Gunners' history to achieve the feat as captain and manager.
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One of the highlights of Mikel Arteta's tenure at Arsenal so far has been his clarity regarding Arsenal's core values and his expectations from players. The Spaniard has set some ground rules that he calls 'non-negotiables'. Recently, playing slick football and scoring goals seem to be two of them.
Arsenal were 20th in the Premier League at the end of August after lost their first three games of the season. Now, they are fourth in the table, a point clear of West Ham United in fifth and two clear of their north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in sixth.
The Gunners' ascent to the top four has been remarkable. To put it into perspective, Arsenal (76) earned just one point less than Liverpool (77) in the Premier League last year. On that note, here's a look at five key factors that have played a crucial role in Arsenal's resurgence under Mikel Arteta.
#5 Mikel Arteta's clarity about the Arsenal project
In Arteta's final year as an Arsenal player in 2015, the Spaniard started preparing for life after his playing days would end. Arteta had three offers to be involved in roles at either Arsenal (Academy head), Tottenham Hotspur (Assistant) or Manchester City (Assistant).
He reconnected with Pep Guardiola, whom he has known since their time at Barcelona's La Masia in the 1990s. Arteta joined City's coaching team under Guardiola in 2016.
There is a direct link between Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola's approach. Like Guardiola, Arteta rules with an iron fist and despises indiscipline in the team and the organization. He recently stripped Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of the captain's armband following a 'disciplinary breach'.
The Arsenal manager has been very clear about his actions, emphasising the need to restore Arsenal's long-lost DNA and style of play. Dubbed 'Arteta-ball' by Arsenal fans, it includes quick, efficient passing and occupying key areas while building up play from the back.
You can watch a montage of the Gunners' playing style here:
With his decisive decision-making, Arteta has been able to spark a change in the mentality of the club from inside out. Players, staff, Arsenal's board and the fans are all in support of the Spaniard now, given the work he has done at the club.
#4 Successful summer transfer window (2021)
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal's technical director Edu Gaspar oversaw one of the most crucial and eventful summer transfer windows in the club's history in 2021.
Arsenal signed six players for their first-team squad. Nuno Tavares (Benfica), Ben White (Brighton), Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield United), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Bologna), Martin Odegaard (Real Madrid) and Albert Sambi Lokonga (Anderlecht) arrived and became integral members of the starting group. The Gunners also signed young striker Mika Biereth from Fulham, who went straight to the U-23s for development.
To say these players fit in well would be an understatement. Arsenal's back four has been revamped, with White and Tomiyasu joining Gabriel Magalhaes and Kieran Tierney. Ramsdale went straight in goal, and has recorded 15 clean sheets in the Premier League in 2021, many of them in Arsenal.
He ranks fifth in the list of keepers with the most Premier League clean sheets last year. Ramsdale achieved it despite playing for a relegation candidate in the first half of the year.
The Arsenal players are now a cohesive unit ready to build momentum and challenge for silverware in the coming years.
It will be interesting to see how Arsenal further bolster key positions in their lineup in the January transfer window.
#3 Mikel Arteta's knack of developing wide forwards
Many believe Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was more than just a right-hand man for Pep Guardiola during his time at Manchester City. Arteta was a key component of the tactical think-tank at the Etihad Stadium. He played a key role in Raheem Sterling's resurgence between 2016 and 2019
Sterling improved some areas of his game significantly during the time Arteta was at City. The timing and direction of his runs, positional play and finishing improved massively.
In the two seasons between 2017 and 2019, Sterling had a whopping 64 goal contributions for City in the Premier League. He helped the club win back-to-back league titles for the first time in their history. In the process, the Englishman won the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
Mikel Arteta has continued his trend of developing wingers or wide forwards at Arsenal, taking Emile Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli under his wing.
Together, the trio has made 28 goal contributions this season. All three seem more mature, know-how and when to increase or decrease games' tempo, and have also improved their decision-making. That could be key to Arsenal's challenge for a top-four finish
#2 Reconnecting Arsenal's fanbase with the team through performances on the pitch
This season, Arsenal have played like they did under Arsene Wenger, when free-flowing, exciting football with a lot of goals was the norm.
The Gunners have adopted a fast-paced style that involves shifting the ball quickly. It allows their midfielders to find space quickly and release the likes of Saka and Martinelli. Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu have offered Arsenal width in the final third, making smart overlapping runs.
Playing with this fast-paced, refreshing style, the Gunners have scored some wonderful goals this year.
Known for their online presence, Arsenal fans on social media are jubilant and excited for the future.
Since Arteta arrived, there has also been a marked increase in the coverage received by Arsenal's Hale End academy and the U-23 team. Players like Omari Hutchinson, Charlie Patino and Miguel Azeez are tipped to be the next stars to make the step up to the first team.
With fans on their side, there is very little that can stop the Gunners from giving their all week in week out.
#1 A group of young, determined and talented boys
Arsenal are the youngest side in the Premier League this season, with an average age of around 24 years of their starting XI.
The Gunners have fielded the youngest XI in 17 of the 20 gameweeks so far, the exceptions being their first three games of the campaign. Interestingly, the Londoners lost all three clashes. However, since then, their XI has remained pretty much unchanged.
Gabriel and White have formed a formidable partnership at the heart of Arsenal's defence, with Ramsdale manning the posts behind them. Right-back Tomiyasu came in from Bologna last summer, and has taken to life in the Premier League exceptionally well. Thanks to his versatility, the Japanese can provide cover at the centre-back spot as well.
In attacking midfield, the Gunners managed a coup by signing Martin Odegaard for just £30 million. The Norwegian adds technical brilliance with his incisive passes, and displays admirable work rate.
He has slowly proved himself as a candidate to be named Arsenal's captain for next season. Odegaard had an incredible most with Arsenal in December, getting directly involved in six goals (three goals and as many assists).
At the halfway mark of the Premier League season, Arsenal are in fourth place with 35 points. Mikel Arteta will hope his young guns keep firing to help propel Arsenal back into European competitions.
