Arsenal: 5 positives in 2021 to build on under Arteta

With news of Tuesday’s clash with Wolves being called off, Arsenal are now certain to end the year on a high note by signing off 2021 with five wins in a row.

Having started December dreadfully with back-to-back defeats away at Manchester United and Everton, it’s been distinctly brighter since.

The 5-0 away thumping of Norwich as Carrow Road capped off a fine climax to a mostly forgettable 12 months. 19 goals have been scored in the five matches since Goodison Park, with only two being conceded during that time, and a place in the Carabao Cup last four is also in the bag.

It’s been a whirlwind year full of dwindling hope, soaring highs and sinking lows. Fans have been through it all with this team.

Arsenal: 5 positives in 2021 to build on under Mikel Arteta as Gunners claim Premier League top four spot heading into new year

Whether or not one has backed Mikel Arteta unreservedly, wanted him gone, or been caught somewhere in the middle, he’s still the manager. Of late, he hasn’t been doing a bad job of it, either.

Sitting in fourth, six points adrift of Chelsea and six clear of Tottenham – who have matches in hand – there have been clear improvements from the entire team under Arteta’s stewardship.

One need only rewind four months to go back to the Etihad to see a team, manager and club in disarray as Manchester City put five past Arsenal when they could so easily have hit double figures. It was hideous to watch and there was little to convince supporters that it would get better before it got worse.

Well, it has got better. Quite a lot better, in fact. Everything about the team from back to front has shown marked improvements, with a different Arsenal taking to the grass to dazzle an increasingly delighted fanbase. Top four is still an outside bet and there will be more tough days to swallow, but across the season there have been plenty of positives for this group to build on as they continue to develop individually and collectively.

1. Finding Attacking Fluency (Goals!)

Remember the times when Arsenal couldn’t score? Couldn’t create chances? Couldn’t finish the few they did make?

They weren’t fun times. Good thing they appear to be a thing of the past.

It was one of many complaints directed towards this team during the early part of the season, with chances and ultimately goals few and far between. Arteta’s rigid positional play shackled fluidity and unless the move was perfectly choreographed the route to goal was blocked.

The result was laborious football played from back to front in with no intensity or speed. Arsenal could pass their way up to the halfway line and then the invention stopped. Uninspiring, meticulous passages brought little success.

What has changed? Personnel will be brought up, as will the organic development of certain attacking principles, but there has been an undeniable improvement in the way Arsenal move themselves and the ball up and down the pitch.

19 goals in five games? A +9 goal difference having had a -9 goal difference after three games? Immeasurably more enjoyable.

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