Sonaloux.
Arsenal.
The State of Arsenal Football Club
Scroll for a full analysis including the squad, the current tactics, the relation to their competitors and opinion on the club.
Arsenal
Located: London, England
Founded: 1886
Ground: Emirates Stadium
Capacity: 60,704
Owner: Kroenke Sports & Entertainment
Manager: Mikel Arteta
Last Season Position: 8th in the Premierleague
Squad Value: €554.00m / €1.12b (Liverpool) - *Transfermarket.com
Club Summary
Gone are the days of Henry and Bergkamp terrorizing defenders on a weekly basis. Out is the security that Highbury provided and the fear it instilled in opposition teams that made their way into the once North London fortress. Arsenal have moved on from the almost boring consistent top four finishes - a position many fans would now take in a heartbeat. Arsenal have entered into a new era after the departure of the talismanic Arsene Wenger, a transition period that has seen the likes of Unai Emery come and go, Freddie Ljunberg at the helm for a brief stint and now under the guide of who many call Pep-Light: Mikel Arteta. While the team is currently languishing a far cry from their preferred Champions League positions, all is not lost as the future does seem brighter than the immediate past under Mikel's tutorship. Some very talented youngsters and and wholly under performing team means there may yet be more progress on the horizon.
Squad
Goalkeepers
When the goalkeeper is arguably one of the stand-out players, concern generally needs to be cast out towards the outfield players. Bernd Leno has provided a consistent basis contrasting Arsenal's many years of having a struggling number 1 since the departure of Jens Lehmann. Arsenal were even blessed last season with having two top-notch goalkeepers and managed to cash in on Emiliano Martinez after his sale to mid-table competitors Aston Villa. Currently, the back up options are fair replacements, but should an injury occur to Leno, Arsenal may struggle to command the penalty box in quite the same manner.
Bernd Leno
Transfer Market Value: €32m
Fifa Rating: 84
Team League Position When Joined: 6th (2018)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Runar Alex Runarsson
Transfer Market Value: €2m
Fifa Rating: 70
Team League Position When Joined: 8th (2020)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: N/A
Mat Ryan
Transfer Market Value: €8m
Fifa Rating: 78
Team League Position When Joined: 10th (2021)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: N/A
Defenders
The defence has traditionally been Arsenal achilles heel since the time post the Invincibles and in the modern age it has been no different. The saving grace that Arsenal has at the moment is that the current roster includes many players for the future. Bellerin, Tierney and Gabriel all still have room to grow, and there is a great talent in Saliba is currently out on loan. The two English lads in Holding and Chambers have unfortunately seen their early potential not come to fruition but are suitable backups when needed. Arsenal have a leader in the form of David Luiz, however, he is naturally prone to the odd gaff here and there, and often in pivotal moments.
Hector Bellerin
Transfer Market Value: €28m
Fifa Rating: 79
Team League Position When Joined: 4th (2014)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Kieran Tierney
Transfer Market Value: €28m
Fifa Rating: 79
Team League Position When Joined: 5th (2019)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Gabriel
Transfer Market Value: €28m
Fifa Rating: 79
Team League Position When Joined: 8th (2020)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: N/A
Rob Holding
Transfer Market Value: €12m
Fifa Rating: 77
Team League Position When Joined: 2nd (2016)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Cedric Soares
Transfer Market Value: €4m
Fifa Rating: 76
Team League Position When Joined: 8th (2020)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: N/A
Calum Chambers
Transfer Market Value: €14.5m
Fifa Rating: 75
Team League Position When Joined: 4th (2014)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Pablo Mari
Transfer Market Value: €7m
Fifa Rating: 75
Team League Position When Joined: 8th (2020)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: N/A
David Luiz
Transfer Market Value: €6m
Fifa Rating: 79
Team League Position When Joined: 5th (2019)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Midfielders
For years Arsenal fans were crying out for a solid defensive midfielder, it seems they have finally landed their man in the form of Thomas Partey - if he is able to stay fit. Surrounding him are the suitable candidates of Elneny and Xhaka, although neither are prone to lighting the world on fire, but both are competent support staff. Unlike many other top clubs, a serious concern for Arsenal is that two of their best midfielders are currently loanees in the form of Odegaard and Ceballos, both from Real Madrid - a club famous for tough negotiations. On the other end of the spectrum, the two young guns in the form of Saka and Smith-Rowe have often carried the Gunners in crucial matches this season, and considering their young age, both make for exciting prospects for the future.
Bukayo Saka
Transfer Market Value: €40m
Fifa Rating: 78
Team League Position When Joined: 5th (2019)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Dani Ceballos
Transfer Market Value: €32m
Fifa Rating: 79
Team League Position When Joined: 5th (2019)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Martin Odegaard
Transfer Market Value: €40m
Fifa Rating: 83
Team League Position When Joined: 10th (2021)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: N/A
Thomas Partey
Transfer Market Value: €50m
Fifa Rating: 84
Team League Position When Joined: 8th (2020)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: N/A
Mohamed Elneny
Transfer Market Value: €7m
Fifa Rating: 77
Team League Position When Joined: 2nd (2016)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Emile Smith Rowe
Transfer Market Value: €2.7m
Fifa Rating: 73
Team League Position When Joined: 6th (2020)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: N/A
Granit Xhaka
Transfer Market Value: €25m
Fifa Rating: 79
Team League Position When Joined: 2nd (2016)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Forwards
Traditionally the strongest area of the Arsenal squad, the shift from Mikel Arteta into a more defensively solid team has caused a few concerns for the team up front. While on paper the strikers and wings are of great quality, this has unfortunately not translated into necessary results to drive Arsenal up the table. After a good start, Willian has unfortunately fallen off the pace, Pepe shows sparks of his obvious talent, but cannot perform week in week out. When Aubemyang does not fire, Lacazette often picks up the slack, although not to the same level of quality often needed. Of the young guns, the most exciting prospect is Martinelli who is still on the road back from injury.
Alexandre Lacazette
Transfer Market Value: €35m
Fifa Rating: 82
Team League Position When Joined: 5th (2017)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Willian
Transfer Market Value: €15m
Fifa Rating: 79
Team League Position When Joined: 8th (2020)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: N/A
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Transfer Market Value: €40m
Fifa Rating: 86
Team League Position When Joined: 6th (2018)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Nicolas Pepe
Transfer Market Value: €40m
Fifa Rating: 80
Team League Position When Joined: 5th (2019)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Reiss Nelson
Transfer Market Value: €12.5m
Fifa Rating: 72
Team League Position When Joined: 5th (2019)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Eddie Nketiah
Transfer Market Value: €20m
Fifa Rating: 74
Team League Position When Joined: 5th (2019)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Gabriel Martinelli
Transfer Market Value: €25m
Fifa Rating: 74
Team League Position When Joined: 5th (2019)
Team Last Full League Position:8th (2020)
League Position Improvement: Decline
Manager
Tutored under the wing of arguably two of the greatest managers of all time in Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola, Arteta has laid the foundation for a solid path forward, even if the immediate results do not necessarily show it. He does have a trophy under his belt already, which is a good sign. Much like Man Utd and the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, the transitional period may be far longer than a club like Chelsea, who seem to thrive in a state of perpetual chaos. Implementing a more rigid and defensive controlled style of play, the free-flowing attack of the Wenger era may have come to an end, but hopefully for the sake of Arsenal fans, a new dawn is in the cooker for the gunners.
Mikel Arteta
DoB: 26/03/1982
Premier League Seasons: 2
Joined Club: 22 December 2019
Tactics
Arteta's Plan
Arteta may have initially become a victim of his beliefs and he currently has Arsenal playing a playstyle that does not necessarily play to the player strengths. While striving to play control-based possession, the fluidity of their former attacking ways have become slightly stale. Too many back passes, and not enough off the ball movement has often caused the attacking momentum to be lost. While credit needs to be given to the improved defensive resilience the team shows on the whole, it is often overlooked as they are unable to punish teams and get results. The high press has shown signs of success, but without an in sync midfield and defence, it has been too easy to bypass. Arsenal also have the penchant to be stuck on the edge of the final third, without a suitable creative midfielder to pick to decisive pass, however Odegaard and the emergence of Smith-Rowe may be able to improve in this deficiency.