It has been quite a season for Arsenal so far and one – that has managed to live up to the expectations, especially after the departure of Arsene Wenger at the end of last campaign.
However, new coach Unai Emery has done an excellent job so far, and despite a difficult start to the season, the Gunners stand firm at fifth in the league table with 24 points on the board, just three points behind arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Here is a report card of Arsenal’s season so far.
Standout performers
Arsenal’s offensive duo of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has looked extremely dangerous this season, having already scored 12 goals between them so far, which is almost half of Arsenal’s 26 goals this term.
Lacazette, in particular, has always looked threatening when deployed as a number nine and even though he has scored only one goal in his last four games, he has certainly been one of Arsenal’s best performers so far.
Speaking of which, new signing Lucas Torreira has also been super impressive thus far and has really reinvigorated the Arsenal midfield with his dynamic movements and remarkable work-ethic. He has played a key role in Emery’s tactics and his form will go a long way in shaping the fate of Arsenal during the remainder of the campaign.
Underwhelming performers
Experienced defender Stephan Lichtsteiner hasn’t exactly had a great start to his life in the Premier League, having featured in only three Premier League games so far. And even when he was given the chance, the Swiss international often looked tentative and out of pace, which could be a huge worry for Emery.
Another player who has failed to win hearts at Arsenal this campaign has been Sokratis Papastathopoulos. The former Borussia Dortmund defender arrived for a fee of €16 million in the summer but has struggled with injuries and lack of form whilst also failing to fortify the Arsenal defence despite his vast experience.
And his place in the first team could be jeopardy as well, especially with Rob Holding producing impressive performances in recent weeks while club captain Laurent Koscielny is slowly recovering from his injury.
The manager and tactics
Coach Emery has been reluctant to step away from his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, despite the adverse start. But, the decision has paid off, it seems, as the Gunners are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League games, during which they have registered seven victories.
Under Emery, Arsenal have seen a great improvement in terms of their end product in the final third, which is largely due to their flexible 4-2-3-1 shape which often shifts into a 4-2-2-2, thus crowding out the half-spaces while Aubameyang drifts infield to act as a central striker alongside Lacazette.
But, things could certainly get tricky in the second half of the campaign and with Arsenal remaining winless in their last three league matches, it will be interesting to see how the Spanish mastermind manages to lead the Gunners to success come May.