5 Reasons why Arsenal will be a team to watch out for next season

Arsene Wenger's 22-year reign at Arsenal came to an end last season. Although he was highly successful, winning the Premier League 3 times (once unbeaten) and the FA Cup a record breaking 7 times, the last few years with him at the helm weren't particularly joyful ones for the club or the fans.

Towards the end of his reign, calls for him to be sacked grew louder as the fans got frustrated with the direction the club was heading in. Lack of trophies and transfer market activity in addition to not qualifying for the Champions League seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back. Wenger stepping down as Arsenal boss was almost inevitable after relations between the club and the fans turned toxic.

Now, with Unai Emery taking charge of Arsenal, fans seem to have newly found optimism for the upcoming season. The club seems to be heading in the right direction and the players look like they have found their love for the club again. The transfer market activities have been hugely lauded, as Emery has swiftly taken advantage of the window.

Shrewd signings and fulfilling the needs of the team have been a priority for the Spaniard and he's done so very early on in the window. Things are on the up for the club and here are 5 reasons why Arsenal could very well be a contender next season:

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#1 "Possession and Pressing"

Mastermind: Arsenal's new boss Unai Emery

Unai Emery's first press conference as Arsenal manager started rather uneventfully. Apart from a few zingers about the media from Gazidis, there was not much to take away from the press conference other than how to pronounce the new boss' name.

But towards the end of the conference, Emery was asked about his style of play. The master tactician, though not fully familiar with the English language, made sure he fully emphasized the new coaching philosophy he would bring to the club. He wanted the club to be "a protagonist for all of the match."

Emery's coaching style revolves around the possession of the ball. The attractive attacking playstyle when the ball is in possession is finely balanced by the pressing of the opposition when they have the ball to regain possession. Almost like a yin-yang style of play.

This brand of football will be a breath of fresh air to the supporters who have become accustomed to the stale brand of the Beta version of the tiki-taka that was played under Wenger. The new signings made by the manager will help translate his philosophy onto the pitch.

#2 Steel

Hercules: Arsenal's new signing Sokratis isn't afraid of making a tackle.

One of the biggest knocks against Arsenal over the past decade has been that no matter how beautiful the football they play is, they are very easily bullied off the pitch. Teams such as Stoke City and Chelsea have found great success against Arsenal because they know that the team could never deal with the physicality of their game.

This was taken advantage of by many teams last season as Arsenal had one of the worst away records in the league. Gone were the days of Vieira and Adams. The once feared Arsenal were being rag-dolled by teams who were a lot inferior to them in terms of quality.

Unai Emery has been quick to address this issue. The additions of Stephan Lichtsteiner, Sokratis Papasthatopoulos and Lucas Torreira have gone a long way in adding the grit and physicality that Arsenal's game has been missing for so long. In LIchtsteiner and Sokratis, Arsenal gain experienced heads who add strength, aggressiveness and resolve to an otherwise mushy backline.

Both players collected a plethora of bookings last season, with Sokratis having a total of 9 yellow cards and 1 red card for Borussia Dortmund. Lichtsteiner was booked a total of 10 times, with no direct red cards. This shows that they aren't afraid to be aggressive while defending, something which the Arsenal backline has been lacking for more than a decade.

Torreira brings the trademark South American doggedness ('La Garra Charrua' is what they call it in Uruguay) in midfield, the likes that Tevez and Suarez (and a certain Chilean who shall not be named) use to terrorize defenders to gain back possession. Also, Torreira is an engine in midfield, and when paired up with Aaron Ramsey, will give Arsenal a tireless double pivot in front of the back four.

In terms of defensive contributions, Arsenal's pre-existing midfielders in Aaron Ramsey, Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny pale in comparison to Torreira. Last season, Torreira attempted the most tackles out of the four midfielders with an average of 2.8 tackles completed per 90 minutes, with an overall success rate of 68%. Xhaka places 2nd in the list with a total of 2.1 tackles per 90 minutes with a success rate of 63.6%. Elneny, although boasting a higher success rate at 70.6%, only completed a total of 1.2 tackles per 90 minutes.

Ramsey rounds off the list with 1.7 tackles per game with a success rate of 48.6%. The Uruguayan also dominates in terms of interceptions, with an average of 2 per game. Ramsey follows with 1.2 while Xhaka and Elneny average 1 interception per game. Torreira is the player that Arsenal has been missing for years. With him acting as a screen in front of the back four, the Arsenal attackers are provided with the freedom to showcase their abilities.

This newly acquired armour will help Arsenal against the more physical sides in the Premier League and in the Europa League.

#3 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Too Fast, Too Strong, Too Good: Aubameyang celebrating after scoring a goal.

One of the bright spots for Arsenal last season in a rather woeful campaign was the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Signed for a club record fee in the winter transfer window while having a prolific season for Borussia Dortmund, where he scored 21 goals in 24 appearances in all competitions for the club, fans were excited to see how he would acclimatize to England.

The Gabon international took to the Premier League like a duck to water. Handed the King of Arsenal's number 14 shirt (Thierry Henry not Theo Walcott), Aubameyang knew he had a lot to live up to. The striker delivered and then some. He finished the season with 10 goals and 4 assists in 13 appearances and even struck up a new partnership with Alexandre Lacazette. Their budding friendship and the fearsome partnership has got fans chomping at the bit for the new season to start.

Aubameyang's combination of lightning quick pace and deceptive strength is very difficult for defenders to deal with. His positioning skills are top notch and his finishing is world class. He looks like he's going to be pillaging defences next season and no one would put it past him to win the Golden Boot. He is a joy to watch and he always has a smile on his face when on the pitch. His pre-season antics show that he is already in fine fettle. Aubameyang is ready to light up the league next season and for many seasons to come.

#4 A Point To Prove

Wizard of Öz: Will Mesut Özil show his worth?

Is there a more polarizing player in football than Mesut Özil? Easily the best playmaker in the world on his day, the German has become an enigma for both club and country in recent years. He is often made the scapegoat when either Arsenal or Germany don't win games.

Perhaps its because the fans know the quality of performances he can produce and that makes them even more frustrated when he cuts a dejected figure on the pitch and doesn't look like he is putting in the effort that his teammates around him are. Though some of the criticism is unwarranted, even Özil must learn to accept that he does go missing in games of significance.

Last season was a major crossroads in the career of the German. After months of speculation, Özil signed a lucrative new contract to extend his stay at the club for another 3 years. This showed that he had faith in the club but it also showed that he was in his comfort zone under Wenger's management, as he had done barely anything of note to warrant such a big contract.

Finishing the season with 5 goals and 12 assists in 35 games, Özil ended the season looking like he wasn't bothered with how the team performed. Also, a flurry of games missed due to niggling injuries and sicknesses made the German get on the fans' nerves, with many questioning whether his motives were solely football driven or whether he was in it for the pay-day.

Following a World Cup campaign to forget, Özil now has a lot to do in order to establish himself with the best players in the world again. Unai Emery's appointment forces Özil out of his comfort zone. He is no longer guaranteed a place in the side, as he was in Wenger's teams. Emery will not accept lazy, nonchalant football and demands the highest level of physical performances from his players, as seen in his rigorous training sessions.

Özil will look to prove all his doubters wrong in the upcoming season. Reports that he has cut his holidays short in order to join his teammates in the pre-season training camp before Arsenal's tour of Singapore will come as welcome news to Gunners' faithful. It shows that the German is ready to take his game to another level. There is no doubt that the attacking talent around him will help his performances, but the signing of Torreira is also very important as it helps take the defensive load off Özil and lets him concentrate on his strengths.

There's no shying away from the challenge now. Jack Wilshere being let go was a statement to show that there is no room for sentiment under Unai Emery's reign. This season may be sink or swim for the German.

#5 Nothing To Lose

War Room: The coaching staff that look make Arsenal a contender for years to come.

One great aspect about a rebuild is that nobody expects the team that is being rebuilt to do well in its first season. Arsenal are going into next season with minimal expectations. Qualifying for the Champions League will be a huge achievement for the club next season as it is Emery's first season in charge and his style of play needs time to be integrated into the team that was under Wenger's reign for so many years.

There is no pressure on the club to win trophies in the upcoming season and that comes as an advantage to the club. The unpredictability of the team might take other clubs by surprise next season. Unai Emery is an unknown quantity in the Premier League. His play style and tactics might take the league by storm.

Players like Torreira and Guendouzi, who are coming into the league out of obscurity give the familiar feeling of Premier League sensations like Riyadh Mahrez and N'Golo Kante who were unheard of before turning into two of the Premier League's best players.

Arsenal are going to be one of the most exciting teams to watch next season. Emery's reign will be successful if one goes by the early signs being shown at the club. Hopefully, the team lives up to its potential.