On Sunday, 26th September, Arsenal played hosts to their North London rivals Tottenham in their sixth Premier League game. With the availability of Son Heung-min confirmed, Spurs were expected to thoroughly bully their counterparts. However, a completely different scenario unfolded at the Emirates Stadium last week.
Within the opening 35 minutes, Arsenal found themselves ahead by a whopping three goals. Emile Smith Rowe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Bukayo Saka combined brilliantly with each other to put their side on top.
Although Arsenal have always had the upper hand over Tottenham in terms of records, this win will definitely hit the Gunners in a special sense. With the team stuck to rock-bottom 20th place after three-match weeks, Mikel Arteta‘s men have done a commendable job in recouping some form lately. In sharp contrast to the opening three games, where Arsenal lost on all occasions, conceding nine goals without a reply, the Gunners have done considerably well in their recent outings.
Their shock win against a defaulting Tottenham side has put together a win-streak of four games, something which seemed impossible at the beginning of the season. Overseeing their worst start to a top-flight season in 118 years, Mikel Arteta came really close to losing the faith of the fans.
Nevertheless, their recent upturn in fortunes have undoubtedly solidified Arteta’s position in the dugout, most probably signalling a new era in the club’s history. While it is difficult to base such a claim on a string of four wins, but Arsenal seem to have found the road to redemption, with Arteta as their leader.
Not only have the Gunners started producing results, but the change in tactics employed by the Spanish manager has also noticeably enhanced the team’s overall performances. His risky plan to structure the team around a young but inexperienced core is finally starting to produce results. With Aaron Ramsdale between the sticks and newcomers Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White in their backline, Arsenal fielded their youngest side ever in a fixture against Tottenham since 1988.
The team exuded a sense of urgency and a show of resilience that they had lacked in the initial games. With Arteta finally getting a chance to choose from a nearly-fit squad, his selections proved to possess the right blend of experience and energy. Subsequently, the former Manchester City assistant coach has been successful in stabilizing things at the Emirates.
Despite the criticism they received for the kind of money they shelled out in the summer transfer window, Arsenal’s new signings are finally clicking together, with Tomiyasu and White being the highlights. With Gabriel and the reliant Kieran Tierney also firing, Arsenal finally seem to have a decent and steady backline after a long while.
Furthermore, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka have proven themselves to be generational talents. All Arteta needs now is for veterans like Thomas Partey and captain Aubameyang to start putting in consistent performances to help out the youngsters at the club.
With a young and promising group of players on their books, Arsenal have the personnel to initiate a turnaround. If Arteta can club the said players together in a way that utilizes their talents to the fullest, he may end up reviving the Arsenal of the past. From the looks of it, the 39-year-old tactician can work wonders with a fit squad, and therefore, his recent victories could be a sign of better things to come for the 13-time Premier League champions.
