16th of February 2011, exactly 11 years from today’s date, Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal hosted Pep Guardiolas Barcelona at the Emirates. Arguably, Barcelona, the greatest ever football team coached by one of the finest coaches in world football were set to step foot on the Arsenal turf. Against all odds in the 83rd minute Sami Nasri’s squared ball finds Andrew Arshavin who curls one beyond Victor Valdes in the Barcelona net to complete a historical comeback and register the greatest night the Arsenal faithful have witnessed at the Emirates since moving from Highbury in 2006.
The Emirates stadium under the Champions League’s lights is spectacle the arsenal fans were used till the 16/17 season when things starting going South for the North London based football club as Arsene Wenger for the first time as an Arsenal manager failed to get champions league qualification. Wenger failed to get the club back into the champions league in his last season as an Arsenal manager as well, in 2018/19 Unai Emery succeed as an arsenal manager, a late penalty missed by Aubameyang in the North London derby meant Arsenal finished 5th in the league, Emerys men had another shot at champions league qualification through the Europa league where he met London rivals Chelsea in the final. Arsenal got humiliated by Chelsea in the city of Baku as Chelsea fired 4 past arsenal. Emery was sacked the following season and was the start of Mikels Artetas tenure as an arsenal manager, after two successive 8 place finishes and completely missing out on a European spot last season, Artetas men sit in pole position to finish in the top 4 this season.
Having played 22 games Arsenal now sit on 6th position in the league table 4 points of Man United in 4th place with 3 games in hand. Arsenal have already been knocked out of the League cup by Liverpool and an early exit from the FA cup means Arsenals only focus for the season is going to be the Premier League.With no European football Artetas men will be playing a game a week which would reduce chances of injuries and fatigue.
Arsenal had a very successful summer transfer window , with Arsenal being the highest spenders in Europe having bolstered their ranks with a number of young talents from across Europe. Arsenal kicked off their window by signing Portuguese fullback Nunu Taveres from Benfica for a deal worth around $9M, Arsenal then went on to sign Brighton’s player of the season and English defender Benjamin White for $68mil. White a pacy modern ball playing CB was seen as a perfect replacement for David Luiz, after a shaky start to the season against Brentford Ben White has been one of the best CBs in the league this season keeping 11 clean sheets in the next 20 games. Arsenal also signed Belgium midfielder and Anderlecht captain Sambi Lokonga. Arsenal also signed English Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale who has arguably been the signing of the summer, Ramsdale is a modern goalkeeper comfortable with ball in his feet and playing out from the back and has the ability to hit long passes accurately, with elite shot stoping ability and the quality to dictate his penalty area Aaron Ramsdale has shut his critiques form his performances. Martin odegaard than arrived at Arsnenal for $47mil from Real Madrid after a successful 6 month loan spell technical director Edu and manager Mikel Arteta decided to bring Odegaard to the Emirates on a permanent deal, Odegaard has been in the heartbeat of a youthful Arsenal attack. On deadline Arsenal signed Japanese International Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna for $21mil. Tomiyasu has been very solid in the arsenal defence and has formed a formidable partnership with Ben White, Gabriel and Kiernen Tierney in the Arsenal back 4.
Arsenals youthful attack has shown a lot of promise this season with hale enders Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe registering 10G/A each for the season as off yet. Gabriel Martinelli has also been a shining light with 6 G/A to his name.
Arsenals main top 4 rivals West Ham Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspurs have been very inconsistent this season with all 3 dropping a lot of points. Arsenal having won 5 of their last 7 games and having already played at Anfield Etihad, Old Trafford, Molineux and King Power and having hosted Man City this season should be looking to get back to the champions league finish this season. Arsenal play Brentford next on the 19th of February at the Emirates stadium.
