Supporters have fallen in love with Arsenal all over again

Good times never seemed so good.

Arsenal have quickly justified the abundance of pre-season hype in north London after a blistering start to the new campaign, where an assemblage of bourgeoning youth and world-class acquisitions have momentarily propelled the club to the Premier League summit.

Of course, an ambitious market approach and three consecutive victories have played a role in fuelling such faith in the Mikel Arteta project. However, a deliberate focus on connecting with supporters beyond the matchday experience has also resonated and it appears many are indeed falling in love with the Gunners all over again.

Arteta himself has spearheaded the increase in fan engagement – once describing the restoration of this bond as his “priority” – and he achieved it, in part, through a consistent emphasis on individual character and personality as well as sporting merit, which has resulted in the recruitment of what is a particularly likeable Gunners squad.

The personal touch to transfer dealings is appreciated by prospective newcomers, with Aaron Ramsdale recently revealing how the boss often spoke about family before his move last summer, while Martin Odegaard’s natural leadership qualities and treatment of others were major factors in our determination to make his initial loan switch permanent.

A likeable team, energetic manager and champagne football mean fans are falling in love with Arsenal again

Honest efforts on the pitch have also inspired fans to show appreciation by serenading the team with personalised chants, including catchy numbers for new arrivals Oleksandr Zinchenko and William Saliba and a heart-warming recital directed at the reborn Granit Xhaka.

Meanwhile, the All or Nothing documentary shared the moment Arsenal adopted Louis Dunford’s ‘The Angel’ as their new anthem and underlined the importance Arteta places on unity between players and supporters to reflect the club’s DNA.

Although these measures help to facilitate reconnection, impressive performances are crucial if support for the rebuild is to be maintained, and the gradual improvement observed over the last year has translated to champagne football during the first weeks of the 2022/23 season.

The team has always been well-structured but is now complemented by a star-studded squad that is fully committed to the gameplan and works as a unit to great effect, all of which is orchestrated by a young, progressive coach whose infectious energy continues to win the hearts and minds of the Emirates faithful.

After more than a decade of turbulence and discontent, Arsenal are finally displaying tangible signs of progress and they seem well on their way to competing at an elite level once again. It must be said that we have achieved nothing yet, but success is surely just a matter of time and the fans will be there every step of the way.