Few would have predicted this start to Arsenal’s campaign, particularly after the farcical season opener against Aston Villa, where the Gunners were beaten 3-1 on their own turf.
A lot of fans will point to referee Anthony Taylor’s shocking performance, but clearly Arsenal were in disarray having offloaded multiple players and brought in nobody except rookie striker Yaya Sanogo, thus leaving the squad in a paper-thin state. Thankfully reinforcements were gradually brought in. Mathieu Flamini returned to the club on a free, goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano signed on loan and, of course, on deadline day, Arsenal obliterated their transfer record by bringing in German star Mesut Özil.
Whilst the Gunners had beaten Fulham and Tottenham, and seen off Fenerbahçe in the Champions League before the 25-year-old’s arrival from Real Madrid, it’s impossible to underestimate ‘the Özil effect.’ Not only is he the genuine match winner blessed with individual brilliance the club have lacked since the departures of Robin van Persie and Cesc Fàbregas, but he has an intangible impact on the team as a whole.
The most glaring difference between this Arsenal side and the ones of old – and by old I mean the last eight years, a sad indictment of the kind of short-termism that is prevalent in football nowadays – is simply confidence. Arsène Wenger’s side have almost become synonymous with being ‘mentally weak,’ despite the manager’s quips to the contrary, with the tendency of not fulfilling their true potential.
But players like Wojciech Szczesny, Per Mertesacker, Olivier Giroud and, most prominently of course, Aaron Ramsey, have emerged from the relative shadows of mainstream obscurity and turned in consistently brilliant performances. Whilst it would be excessive to apportion all praise to Özil, he has undeniably lifted the team with his presence and ensured his teammates raise their game to levels that looked far from feasible even 12 months ago.
They’ve beaten Liverpool, Napoli and Borussia Dortmund this season, so evidently their first XI is capable of being a match for anyone. But Gunners fans would have argued that was the case in previous years as well, with scalps over Barcelona and Bayern Munich suggesting Arsenal have always been able to be as good as they want. That aforementioned lack of belief, along with multiple injuries, has been the team’s Achilles heel for far too long.
However, this time around, there appears to be a bit more depth to the Arsenal squad. Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lukas Podolski have all missed large parts of this season, and whilst their direct play has often been missed, results haven’t suffered as a result of their absence. With three massive games approaching in the next fortnight, against Napoli, Manchester City and Chelsea, using the squad efficiently is the key to ensuring whether Arsenal really are in this for the long haul.
For the first time this year, really, Wenger tinkered with his squad against Hull City, bringing in Flamini, Tomas Rosicky, Nacho Monreal and Nicklas Bendtner for first-team regulars Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs and Giroud. Truth be told, it was a comfortable win for Arsenal and whilst Hull are by no means going to be the toughest opponents they’ll face this season, it was a positive that rotation can take place without compromising results.
Bendtner, who, believe it or not, is actually a very competent footballer opened the scoring in that game, and whilst supporters will obviously be hoping for another striker to come in during the January transfer window, he represents a reasonable alternative to the impressive Giroud. His international record for Denmark pays testament to that and, as far as I’m concerned, the problem has always been his attitude. If he’s got his head screwed on, and gives nothing less than 100% when called upon, I see no reason why he can’t be an important asset to this Arsenal side.
Thomas Vermaelen, despite some critics, is still a very good defender and will probably be brought in at some point to give one of Mertesacker, or his partner in crime, Laurent Koscielny, a well-earned breather, whilst Gibbs and Monreal will continue to be rotated throughout the season. I’d struggle to name a team in the world that rivals Arsenal for depth in that left-back position.
It is of course crucial to find the balance between giving players a break, and disrupting the team too much, and it’s particularly delicate when playing teams like Manchester City and Chelsea, who Arsenal have struggled against in recent years. The respective returns of Walcott and Podolski will come as a huge boost as we enter a vital stage of the season. Whether Wenger can efficiently manage his squad during this period will be the real test of his side’s title credentials.