Arsenal: Mikel Arteta has started 2020 in the most impossible way

Arsenal’s defense is terrible, but apparently New Year’s resolutions are real things, because Mikel Arteta’s resolution is coming true as we speak.

Through the past few, Arsenal have had numerous problems come and go. They had trouble creating chances over the past several months. They had problems scoring goals. They had trouble establishing midfield presence. All of these things that were strengths became weaknesses.

But one problem has stuck around for years now. One problem that hasn’t been a strength in years. And that is, obviously, the defense. The defense that gave up two goals at home for four straight matches rather recently.

It’s been awful. And the solutions haven’t been that inspiring—David Luiz and Sokratis? Blegh. William Saliba is exciting, but he’s not here yet. Calum Chambers is hurt, Rob Holding can’t sort himself out, Shkodran Mustafi is Shkodran Mustafi, it’s all been a mess. And by all rights, it should still be a mess, but it isn’t.

And perhaps the only reason it isn’t is because of Mikel Arteta. Somehow, Arteta has started 2020 without giving up a single goal through two matches.

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Small sample size? Sure. But it’s more than we’ve been able to celebrate in ages.

The point is, we have started this calendar year perfect defensively. Which is crazy to think about. Defense. Perfect. It just doesn’t sound right. And to be fair, it hasn’t looked perfect on the pitch, but it’s been perfect when the final whistle blows, and that’s what matters, right?

There is one clear and obvious change here. It’s that the team is defending as a unit. Altogether. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is defending, for God’s sake. That’s when you know that something has changed. And it makes a difference. Our midfield looks more capable, our strikers are tracking back. This is a team that has been given a brand new defensive philosophy and it’s making the dreaded Luiz/Sokratis duo look remarkably capable.

Some of it comes down to luck, sure. Leeds narrowly missed goals how many times? But you can’t chalk up two straight clean sheets from this defense as luck. You chalk it up as dynamic changes imparted by Mikel Arteta.

Where those changes go when we get even better centerbacks is one hell of an exciting prospect to think about. But then again, maybe Luiz and Sokratis are better than they’ve looked under Unai Emery. I think it’s pretty safe to say, no?