Arsenal: 3 ways Gunners will benefit from COVID-19

1. Mikel Arteta has time

Arsenal hired Mikel Arteta in the midst of the busiest period of the season. Having delayed the decision to move on from Emery, they were forced into action and dropped Arteta into an impossible situation: he had to redefine a team that had little time on the training ground due to the number of games they would have to play.

Arteta has spoken about the advantages of having a preseason, something that he has not been handed. It is just another hurdle that he has encountered at the club, and one that, like almost every other hurdle, he has largely cleared. This time off, then, has provided the Spaniard with an extended opportunity to work with his players.

Of course, Arsenal were not allowed to train until mid-May. Much of the interactions have been virtual. But Arteta has handled the situation superbly and now has four weeks of full-contact training to prepare his team for their first match, a daunting trip to Manchester City. It should not go unnoticed just how smooth and cohesive the team looked in dispatching Charlton in a 6-0 friendly win last weekend.

Arteta has the chance to delve into his system, to analyse the players at his disposal, work in detail on their respective roles and responsibilities, and build a team that innately understands what is required. That is an opportunity he has not yet had, and the results could be rather impressive.