Mikel Arteta is known for his relentless work ethic, so it is no surprise that just over one week into his summer break he was already plotting how Arsenal can overhaul Manchester City.
The Gunners have finished runners-up to City in each of the past two years, and Arteta has said it will take “perfection” to finally topple Pep Guardiola’s men this time.
Arsenal ended last season with a club-record number of Premier League wins and goals scored, but were still two points behind their rivals. “To improve those numbers becomes really tricky,” Arteta said this week. “But this is the level required to win this league. We all have to set new standards.”
Sir Alex Ferguson famously once said “attack wins you games, defence wins you titles”, and Arteta clearly follows the same school of thought. In five of the past seven seasons, the team crowned champions have had the best defence in the division.
Defence was the cornerstone of Arsenal’s title charge last season, and their summer transfer business suggests that will be the case again. David Raya’s loan move from Brentford has been made permanent for £27million, while Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori has joined from Bologna in a deal worth £42m.
Arsenal had the best defence in the top-flight last season, conceding just 29 goals and keeping 18 clean sheets, five more than any other team.
The Gunners struggled last season during congested periods, especially around the turn of the year, and the club agreed that Arteta needed more options. The arrival of Calafiori adds depth and gives Arteta the chance to replicate Guardiola’s tactic of playing four centre-backs in his backline.
The 22-year-old excelled for Italy at Euro 2024 in the heart of defence, but came through the ranks in his homeland as a left-back. That was the one area of Arsenal’s backline that, at times, was exposed last season, with Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu all getting runs in the team.
Calafiori could prove the solution there, given he combines ability on the ball with a natural love of defending. “He goes for the tackles,” Raya said of his new team-mate this week. “He just goes for it. He would put his head in a washing machine.”
The return of Jurrien Timber, who missed virtually all of last season with a knee injury, further boosts the defence. But the big question is whether Arsenal have enough firepower to topple City? The Gunners still want to sign a midfielder and forward before the transfer window shuts, having so far failed to bolster their frontline.
Arsenal shared the goals around last season, but the lack of a recognised No9 is a concern. Only three times in the past 15 seasons has a team won the title without having a player reach the 20-goal mark. Kai Havertz excelled as Arsenal’s main striker in the second half of last season, but can the German do that over a whole campaign?
The big question is whether Arsenal have enough firepower to topple Manchester City at last
Gabriel Jesus, who started fewer than half of Arsenal’s League games last season due to a knee issue, being fully fit will help ease the burden, and the Brazilian could a have big role to play.
Arsenal, who kick off the season at home to Wolves on Saturday, won 16 of their final 18 League games last season and look a settled side.
There should not be any teething problems, as was the case last year when they had to find the best roles for Declan Rice and Havertz, and that could be crucial ahead of a tough start. Arsenal travel to Aston Villa, Manchester City and Tottenham in their opening five games and must hit the ground running. In a tight title race, they cannot afford to give City a head start.
