At the start of the season, even the most optimistic Arsenal fan could not have predicted the club would be where it is now.
Victory over PSV Eindhoven last night means Arsenal have qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League, with a point in Eindhoven next week enough to ensure they will secure top spot and a bye to the last-16.
The Gunners are also top of the Premier League, four points clear of Manchester City, and their win last night was their 13th of the season in all competitions. They have lost just once all season, at the hands of Manchester United last month, and no team in Europe’s top five leagues boasts a better win percentage than them.
“The confidence is there and you can see that for me it’s the hunger to go again and try to win,” said manager Mikel Arteta. “I want them to be ruthless, every three days, they’re going to be knocking at my door: ‘I want to play and I want to win the game’.
“I’m really happy everybody is participating, everybody feels part of it, which is really important, and everybody is competing and putting in the performances which are needed to win the games.”
No one sums up the surprise nature of Arsenal’s stunning start to the season more than Granit Xhaka. The Gunners are flying under Arteta, yet few would have predicted Xhaka to be at the heart it all.
The midfielder has, arguably, been Arsenal’s best player this season, and he looks transformed in a more advanced role, scoring the only goal of the game last night against the Dutch side.
Before that strike in the 70th minute, Arsenal had been struggling to break down their Eredivisie opponents, who performed nothing like expected, given they are managed by Ruud van Nistelrooy. With the former Manchester United striker at the helm, one thought PSV would be an attacking side, with some street smarts thrown in, but instead they were stubborn and organised.
Arsenal dominated possession and finally got the breakthrough through Xhaka, who finished well with his right foot from Takehiro Tomiyasu’s cross.
Granit Xhaka has, arguably, been Arsenal’s best player this season, and he looks transformed in a more advanced role
It was the 30-year-old’s third goal of the season, which is as many as he scored in the last three campaigns combined, while it was also his first for Arsenal with his right foot. Even if Xhaka may be reluctant to admit it, he is in the form of his life right now.
“It’s a hard question, I don’t want to put myself down!” said the Switzerland midfielder. “I did good work to be where I am at the moment, but it’s a different time, let’s say that. I’m much more experienced, much more, not clever, because I don’t want to label myself stupid before, but with the games, with the age, with everything else around, you become a different player, a different person. I’m so happy that everything is going how I always dreamed.”
The challenge for Xhaka and Arsenal is to ensure this fine start to the season does not fizzle out. The games are coming thick and fast, but Xhaka has been able to deal with the load, missing just 93 minutes this season. “It’s a secret,” he joked, when asked how he does it. “Listen, I am 30, I know my body better than before.”
In his new role, Xhaka clearly knows his game better, too, and, after a period where he was being written off, looks at the peak of his powers.
