Arteta’s Arsenal side are now the official Premier League champions. Erling Haaland’s 94th-minute equaliser at Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium was not enough to push the title race between Manchester City and Arsenal to the season’s final matchday. With a 4-point gap and just one game remaining, a nerve-wracking end to the season comes to a cinematic end. The Spaniard had come excruciatingly close, narrowly finishing as runners-up in three consecutive seasons to Manchester City and Liverpool. With grit, sacrifices, and the right recruitment, among other things, Arteta’s dedication to ending Arsenal’s Premier League drought has finally paid off in grand style.
Arsenal last lifted the Premier League trophy under Arsene Wenger during their iconic Invincibles season in 2004. After Arsene Wenger’s departure in 2018, Arsenal struggled to find stability under replacement Unai Emery. The brilliant Spaniard could not get the Gunners firing, managing a fifth-place finish and reaching the Europa League final in his maiden season, before being dismissed in his second season following a poor run of form. Former Arsenal winger Freddie Ljungberg took over as interim manager for a month, overseeing 1 win, 3 draws, and 2 defeats before Mikel Arteta was unveiled as the new head coach.
In the 7 years that have followed Arteta’s appointment, he has struggled to win any major trophy since winning the FA Cup in his debut season. However, as the team improved and edged closer every season, one could sense that it was only a matter of time and a stroke of good luck before the trophy visited the Emirates Stadium for the first time since their move from Highbury. That persistence has finally paid off with Mikel Arteta becoming the first man to win the Premier League with the same club as both a player and manager.
Difficult But Necessary Changes
The Journey to Arsenal’s Premier League triumph has been rooted in the belief of the ownership, manager, squad, and fans that winning is possible when the right decisions are made consistently. While three consistent near triumphs were clear and positive signs, it takes a lot of belief to keep challenging season after season.
Arsenal’s win has seen fans celebrating massively before their now ceremonial final match against Crystal Palace next week, a stark contrast to the sense of despair prevalent at the club before Arteta took over. In hindsight, this Arsenal side is unrecognizable from the team Arteta inherited. Over the years, the coach has gradually phased out the “beautiful football” for which Arsenal was famous, replacing it with a strong ability to grind out results by any means.
This season, Arsenal transformed into set-piece kings, scoring 18 goals from them, including in a crucial 1-0 win over Burnley in game week 36. While many managers complained about their set-piece tactics, it bears the hallmark of grit that has made their victory possible.
Another of their biggest characteristics is their transformation into a physically strong and tactically solid defensive side. With arguably the best center back pairing in the league, Arsenal has conceded the fewest goals across Europe’s top 5 leagues, an impressive statistic in all ramifications. With 19 clean sheets, David Raya has also won the Premier League’s Golden Glove award for the third consecutive season. Arsenal are second in goals scored this season, only behind Manchester City, and are tied with them for overall goal difference. In essence, Arsenal has become a compact team that’s hard to break down and highly focused on winning on both ends of the pitch.
The club’s ownership also played a key role in building Arsenal’s champion mindset. The club’s loyalty inspired confidence in the manager from players and fans alike. They also revamped their transfer strategy by phasing out problematic big names like Aubameyang, bringing in a balance of proven and young, hungry talents. Signings like Declan Rice, Odegaard, and even newer ones like Califiori, Eberechi Eze and Piero Hincapie all played a key part in their premiership run. Their investments in the club infrastructure, its stadium, and training facilities helped boost the team. Finally, community building and engaging fans directly built an unwavering loyalty between the club and its fan base. A fanbase that has been crucial and vocal in their support, spurring on the champions when morale ebbed low.
All Roads Lead to Budapest
Arsenal have the chance to reward the long-term patience and planning of both the club and the manager and write their names in Gunners history when they face current holders PSG in the Champions League final in Budapest on May 30th. With their premiership win, the team will be bristling with confidence, a huge morale boost to take into the final. Their tight-knit defence will be put to the test against PSG’s huge attacking quality. While the rest of the fans will be celebrating their 14th premiership win in their 140-year history, Arsenal will be dreaming of making history.
