Arsenal have a bright chance to forge their name in history books as the team that came out of nowhere to lift the Premier League. Last season, one would have thought it would take a number of years for Arteta to raise Arsenal to a position where they can go toe-to-toe with Manchester City for a chance to lift the Premier League.
A year later, after bottling the chance to finish in the PL top 4, Arsenal are 8 points clear of City with a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace and have 10 more games to bring silverware to the Emirates. When they talk about this Arsenal team this PL season, they won’t be talking about Arteta’s training methods, dictating everything from pre-game rituals or how often you should eat, but I have no doubt the one thing they’ll also remember is how Arteta raiding Man City brought Arsenal the success they are enjoying.
Oleksander Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus have really transformed Arsenal. Jesus, before he was injured during the World Cup, had single-handedly weaponized Arsenal’s attack; he had found a way to get the best out of Arsenal’s attacking play, and upon his arrival, Saka and Martinelli suddenly were playing in elite mode.
Zinchenko has also been a force; he has found a way to raise Arsenal’s game with his technical ability, which sees him carry the ball from the wing to the midfield to link up the attacking play.
But that’s not all the two former Manchester City players do, as Odegaard says, “[About Jesus] He gives everything in all situations, so it is great to have him back. Of course, he helps with leadership, he has been at Manchester City and won a few things there, so he can help with his experience and his energy as well.
“The players from City just bring different thinking; they have the experience, and people listen to them when they talk. They are calm under pressure and add a lot of things. The whole team is helping each other, so that is the main thing.”
It is no coincidence that after the two joined Arsenal, things got better. Zinchenko’s revelation that as soon as he joined, he saw Arsenal contending for the Premier League says it all.
Ultimately, it is just amazing how Arteta can transform a player who is seen as average at Man City into a player of world class for Arsenal..
