Arsenal: Time to kick on from slow start to the season

After nearly two weeks with no Arsenal it’s great to have the Premier League back but Sheffield United will present a stern test on Monday night.

The last two weeks seem to have gone painfully slowly, with Arsenal fans still struggling to explain and understand what they have seen this season. Most of the club’s play this year has been defined by disorganised chaos, with a gaping whole in the middle of the pitch and a porous defence.

Thrilling 2-2 draws against Watford and Tottenham, as well as a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Aston Villa would have been great to watch for the neutral, but left fans hiding behind the sofa.

Unai Emery’s subsequent attempts to tighten the defence led to two dire matches against Manchester United and Bournemouth, where attack was stifled and neither side played with any fluency.

Suddenly Arsenal went from the side everyone wanted to watch to the team to avoid at all costs.

Meanwhile, fans have been left to sit and stew in the bad odour left behind by two lacklustre performances and although it has been painful, I am sure the time off will have been greeted well by Emery.

With four important players on their way back from injury, gaining four points from the last two games should be treated as a positive.

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Arsenal are now sat third in the league, just one point behind Manchester City and able to travel to Sheffield United with a stronger, fitter squad and two more weeks spent working on the training ground.

The Gunners simply haven’t been good this season, and Emery has done little to convince that he can coax entertaining football from the team, but the return of Kieran Tierney, Rob Holding, Hector Bellerin and Alexandre Lacazette can have some impact. Maybe I am simply projecting hope rather than conducting rational analysis, but having watched the club in the cup games, the full backs should add extra quality.

Obviously, improvement rests on more than just those two players, with more balance needed throughout the side. Questions need to answered about the midfield, the wide players and the centre forwards, but nevertheless, I am glad for another opportunity to see whether Emery has made any progress.

It is certain that he will need to as Sheffield United are a tough opponent, with a slightly unique setup under manager Chris Wilder.

No doubt Emery will have spent hours watching Sheffield United over the past two weeks, and will have inevitably come up with a plan for how his side can counteract their overlapping centre backs and floating forwards.

The hope is that Emery won’t be too negative in his approach, but fans should also be wary of underestimating the fixture.

The Blades have been really impressive this season, and given Arsenal’s away record, don’t rule them out of adding to the confusion and frustration that has defined this season.