Arsenal set to make big impact in new season
By Mark Gleeson
Arsenal are involved in the opening game of the new English Premier League season against Crystal Palace this Friday and hoping to capitalise on strong form in the pre-season build-up, including a 6-0 thumping of Spain’s Sevilla last weekend.
The Gunners are overdue a return to the ranks of the front-runners in England. They did make a belated run for a top-four place last season, but then let it slip and suffered the ignominy of seeing hated rivals Tottenham Hotspur book a Champions League place at their expense.
That was not unexpected from one of the youngest squads in the league which will be one season wiser now. Coach Mikel Arteta has refreshed the team and the addition of Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira promises much excitement.
Vieira posted 14 assists for Porto last term, more than any player aged 21 and younger under in Europe’s top six leagues, while Jesus has been scoring freely since arriving at Arsenal from Manchester City. He has gone from being a squad member to a first-team regular and can be expected to thrive.
Arsenal’s fans like what they see. This is what the PainintheArsenal website had to say: “The club’s efficient and shrewd work in the transfer market has rid any memories of the epilogue to last season with many projecting the Gunners to improve upon their fifth-place finish in the Premier League.
“Mikel Arteta and Edu have done a stellar job in preparation for the new season - both on and off the field - and the unity surrounding Arsenal heading into 2022-23 is unlike anything we’ve seen since Arsene Wenger’s pomp. This club is turning a corner and it’s about time Arteta’s project exploded at the Emirates.”
Arsenal do have the Europa League title to chase, where they are directly into the group stage. But do not expect them to be champions just yet. This is a building process and the gap to the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool remains large.