Arsenal have their work cut out if they’re to improve on 2021/22 finish

Following 18 months of indifference, Mikel Arteta showed that he’s the right man to lead Arsenal’s rebuild in 2021/22.

The Spaniard was handed an ominous task back in December 2019 when he succeeded Unai Emery as Gunners boss, and his journey thus far has been laden with promising peaks and sackable lows.

Arsenal have continued to back their man amid a rather tumultuous period for the club, and the rewards began to reap last season. While the campaign ultimately ended in disappointment as Tottenham pipped them to the final Champions League spot, Arteta’s young Gunners undoubtedly exceeded expectations and teased just how good they could be if their efficient work in the transfer market continued.

A return to Europe’s premier club competition for the first time in half a decade would’ve certainly hastened Teta’s rebuild, but Arsenal have still been able to add high-quality players to their ranks this summer which should see them improve in 2022/23. But will that be enough to thrust the Gunners back into the top four and more?

Arsenal have their work cut out if they’re to improve on 2021/22 finish with competitors enjoying busy summer windows

A stuttering end to last season saw Arsenal miss out on the top-four by a meagre two points to Antonio Conte’s buoyant Spurs. The Italian worked his magic to thrust an outfit that looked very Sunday league under Nuno Espirito Santo into the Champions League. As hard as it is to say, it was a pretty remarkable transformation.

And while they perhaps haven’t signed the biggest of names this summer, Spurs have smartly brought for their manager. We know what usually happens when Conte gets what he wants. The former Chelsea manager’s brilliance has some believing that a title charge may be on the horizon on the Lilywhite side of north London. But the sheer strength of Liverpool and Manchester City – even if they don’t hit the lofty heights of last season – means that such claims are pretty outlandish.

As for Arsenal, it’s unlikely that they’ll be competing for the title. A return to the Champions League is the primary aim, and they must get it. Once the Oleksandr Zinchenko signing is complete, the Gunners will once again be the leading spenders in the Premier League. The club are backing Arteta to the hilt and it’s time for the Spaniard to deliver.

However, achieving such an aim will be no easy feat.

This is a sentence you probably hear every summer, but the upcoming Premier League season has the potential to be the most competitive to date. Overlooking the obvious brilliance of the top two, you’ve then got a stabilised Chelsea who have quickly rebuilt under Todd Boehly, Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United, and Conte’s aforementioned Spurs. Not to mention a West Ham side that are so tough to beat under David Moyes, the resourceful Newcastle United, and the talented Aston Villa who’ll be looking to return to Europe for the first time in over a decade.

So, while Arsenal have undoubtedly improved this summer, the respective moves made by their competitors mean that the Gunners have their work cut out if they’re to build on last season’s fifth-place finish. Arteta certainly has starting XI that’s capable of competing against anybody, but do Arsenal possess the depth to compete on multiple fronts? Will they also be able to exploit the introduction of the new five substitutes rule as much as their ‘Big Six’ rivals? As it stands, despite the transformative arrival of Gabriel Jesus and the shrewd addition of Oleksandr Zinchenko, we’re still in a position where one or two injuries could stifle us completely.

There’s still plenty of time in the transfer window, however, and I’m sure another midfielder and a Raphinha alternative will be brought in before the deadline. Such additions are necessary,

The feeling around the club is overwhelmingly positive despite last season’s disappointment. The business conducted this summer has many believing that further strides will be taken next season, but the improvements of rivals mean that breaking into the top four is far from guaranteed.