The evolution of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal

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We all know when Mikel Arteta took over Arsenal, the club were in a bad, bad place. Both on and off the pitch.

He took over a team 10th in the league with just one win in eight games. we had an ageing overpaid squad filled with egos who were not playing for shirt.

If you look at Manchester United now, finishing 15th and getting knocked out of the League Cup by Grimsby, we were heading that way.

The board plucked for Arteta, and he has rebuilt the club from the bottom up.

Training facilities and scouting have improved, the academy is producing superstars, and the senior team is now challenging year after year for titles. But it is easy to forget where Arteta’s Arsenal started.

Looking back, Arteta’s first line up was a nightmare.

Ego driven superstars in Aubameyang and Ozil were ripping the club apart. Underperforming senior players in Lacazette, Xhaka, Luiz and Sokratis disinterested. And youngsters Saka, Maitland-Niles and Nelson were overburdened.

The fact this was the strongest XI Arteta could put out against Everton back in 2019 is shocking.

Arteta gets mocked for his talk about “phases”, but he is completely right to look at the evolution of Arsenal in a series of phases.

We were never going to go from 10 to title challengers quickly. And I think we were surprised how quickly we did it. The plan was for progress each year, with different targets in place, and different players targeted. you don’t build the roof before you have done the foundations.

Phase One was returning Arsenal to the Champions League.

It had been about 3-years since we had qualified and the club was struggling with the financial hit, and in turn struggling to attract the top players we needed to enable us to return to Europe’s premier competition.

Phase One involved getting those underperforming, highly paid hasbeens of the payroll and replacing them with young, hungry talent. Player who might not be top, top class, but players who could drive us towards top 4 at least.

The club found the prima-donas tough to shift. Old, past their best and on huge wages, no one really wanted them.

Gabriel and Thomas Partey were recruited as the rebuild began, and then Ben White, Aaron Ramsdale, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Martin Odegaard. Beyond Partey, none were really an elite European player, but they all had the talent and hunger to reach those heights.

Phase Two of the project was to turn us from Top 4 challengers to title challengers. It would take both the development of the new players by Arteta to get us out of Phase One and the recruitment of best level players to make the hill.

We kind of skipped through Phase Two quickly. The players we recruited to take us through Phase One progressed quickly and drove us towards the title. Phase One and Two quickly merged without the need of drastic changes.

In a blink of an eye we went from 5th to challenging for the title. The back end of Phase One was leapfrogged and we were looking at quickly being through Phase Two as well. The quick progression certainly raised fans expectations and Arteta attempted the quell them by saying we were 1-2 years ahead of schedule.

Phase Three of the project was turning our one off title challenge into becoming consistent title challengers.

We challenged for the title in 2022/23 with a paper thin squad. Arteta only trusted 13-15. We were not in the position either financially or status wise to build the strength in depth that the likes of Liverpool and Man City had.

What we now needed was to move from having a squad of 13-15 first teamers to a squad of 25. It is that squad depth that drives you not only towards the title, but also competing on multiple front and year after year. Without unlimited riches it was always going to take a few summers to get the squad depth we needed.

We are now well into Phase Three and things are looking bright. The squad depth is highlighted by our second string which, if Piero Hincapie join, is probably better than the XI that Arteta had in his first game with the club.

The evolution of the club really is highlighted when you put the two XIs side by side.

It is filled with expensive players on their way down, whilst our current 2nd XI is filled with a mixture of exciting young talent and serious 2nd choice senior pros who are proper solid players.

Now some who have got to this point will say “well now Arteta has the this great squad, not winning the league is a failure”. But that does not take into account that Manchester City and Liverpool also have equally fantastic starting XIs and squads.

The evolution of Arsenal under Arteta has not missed a step. we are now have a squad of 25 and ready to challenge on multiple fronts. We now just need the silverware.

Keenos

What if Viktor Gyokeres is a “flat track bully”?

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Following on from last weeks blog about how we are now in the “instant success era“, one criticism I have seen thrown at Viktor Gyokeres by pundits and fans is how he will be a “flat track bully” in the Premier League.

This opinion is based purely on the view that he has only performed in Portugal, and therefore is will only be able to perform against mid-lower league clubs and not the top.

Now, taking away that you need to do some crazy mental gymnastics to build this opinion (and you are basically saying we should never sign a player outside of England, Italy, Germany or Spain as every other league is inferior), I have a question.

Would it be a bad thing if Viktor Gyokeres only performs against those teams 7th and below?

Under Mikel Arteta, our form against “Big 6” teams has been exceptional. For clarity, the above graphic is against Manchester’s City and United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham. It excludes Aston Villa and Newcastle – whilst both have performed well the last couple of seasons, they have shared more relegations than trophies in the last decade. Only their own fans think they are big clubs.

22 games unbeaten against the Big 6, averaging 2.18 points per game. If we played 38 games only against the Big 6, that would see us get 83 points, 1 point less than what Liverpool achieved to win the league last season.

We are a long memory away from being spanked by Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea home and away every season, and we now go into these games expecting to win at home and get a draw (at least) away.

Form against the Big 6 is not what has cost us the league title in the last 3 seasons.

Last season (2024/25) we dropped points twice against Bournemouth (two defeats), Brighton (two draws) and Everton (also two draws), whilst also dropped points at home to Crystal Palace, Brentford and Aston Villa.

The year before (2023/24), it was defeat against Aston Villa that led us to no longer be in the driving seat in the race for the title. We lost both games to Villa that season.

We also lost back to back games to Fulham (away) and West Ham (home). We failed to beat Fulham in either game.

And then in 2022/23, our season derailed after we failed to beat West Ham (away draw), Southampton (home draw), Brighton (home defeat) and Nottingham Forst (away defeat) in the last 8 games of the season. We failed to beat Southampton home and away despite them finishing bottom.

It is clear to all and sundry that it was our performances in these “lesser” games that saw cost us league titles, not games against Liverpool or Manchester City, Tottenham or Chelsea. So tell me then, if would Viktor Gyokeres only performing in the games against 7th and below be a bad thing?

A flat track bully who turns up against the West Ham, Southampton’s, Brighton and Fulham’s of this world and scores a bucket load to secure 3-points. And then for the Big 6 games we perform how we have over the least 3 and a bit season and snatch victories based on control, resolute defending and taking our chances when they come (from set pieces).

Now I am not saying that Gyokeres is going to only be a flat tack bully. It seems to have been forgotten that he scored 6 goals in 8 Champions League games last season for Sporting. Including a hat trick against Manchester City. He also has 15 goals in 26 games at international level.

I think Gyokeres will turn out to be a fantastic striker for Arsenal giving time. And if all he ends up doing is scoring bucket loads against those lesser teams, then that might actually be exactly what Arsenal need to win the league!

Keenos

MATCH REPORT: Arsenal 5-0 Leeds United

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Arsenal delivered a five-star performance at the Emirates Stadium as they swept aside Leeds United with a ruthless 5–0 victory in their first home game of the new Premier League season. It was a display full of attacking intent, set-piece precision, and individual brilliance, though injuries to key players cast a shadow over an otherwise sparkling afternoon.

First Half: Arsenal Take Control

The match began with Leeds pressing high and showing plenty of early energy. They forced an early save from David Raya, who tipped away a header to settle the home crowd’s nerves. Arsenal, however, gradually imposed their authority, circulating the ball with composure and probing for gaps.

The breakthrough came in the 34th minute. Declan Rice delivered a dangerous corner into the box and Jurrien Timber rose highest to power his header into the bottom corner, giving Arsenal a deserved lead. It was a goal that epitomised the Gunners’ increasing threat from set-pieces.

Just before half-time, Arsenal doubled their advantage. Timber was again at the heart of it, surging down the flank before finding Bukayo Saka in space. The winger unleashed a thunderous strike beyond the goalkeeper, sparking wild celebrations inside the Emirates. At 2–0, Arsenal looked in complete control.

The mood, however, was tempered by a setback. Captain Martin Ødegaard was forced off with a shoulder injury late in the half, an early blow to Arsenal’s rhythm and a worrying sight for Mikel Arteta.

Second Half: The Floodgates Open

If Arsenal’s first-half performance had been authoritative, the second half was ruthless. Just three minutes after the restart, summer signing Viktor Gyökeres made his mark. Collecting the ball inside the area, he showed strength and composure to drill a low finish into the far corner, registering his first Premier League goal for the club. His celebrations were full of relief and determination, a striker eager to prove himself in north London.

Leeds struggled to cope with Arsenal’s tempo, and another set-piece undid them just minutes later. Rice’s delivery again caused chaos in the box, and Timber was on hand to flick home his second of the afternoon. The Dutch defender’s brace, alongside his earlier assist, made him the standout performer on the day.

At 4–0, Arsenal were rampant, but another worrying moment arrived midway through the half when Saka pulled up clutching his hamstring. He left the pitch immediately, adding to Arteta’s growing list of injury concerns.

Debut for a 15-Year-Old

The match will also be remembered for a historic debut. In the 64th minute, 15-year-old academy talent Max Dowman entered the field, becoming one of the youngest players ever to feature in the Premier League. The teenager played with remarkable confidence, drifting past defenders with ease and nearly scoring with a curling effort that flashed just wide.

Dowman’s lively cameo was rewarded when he won a penalty late in the game, driving into the box and drawing a foul from a weary Leeds defender. Gyökeres stepped up from the spot and dispatched it with authority to complete the 5–0 rout and secure his brace.

Individual Performances

Jurrien Timber was immense throughout, not only scoring twice but also showcasing his defensive awareness and passing range. His versatility and physicality gave Arsenal a new dimension, while his aerial presence proved decisive.

Gyökeres grew into the game, initially quiet in the first half but lethal after the interval. His brace announced his arrival as a genuine threat in Arsenal’s frontline.

Declan Rice was another standout, dictating play from midfield and delivering two pinpoint corners that directly led to goals. His influence continues to grow in this Arsenal side.

And while his appearance was brief, young Max Dowman will long be remembered for the composure and fearlessness he displayed at such a tender age.

Tactical Summary

Arsenal dominated possession and showed their increasing variety in attack. The combination of slick passing moves, devastating wing play, and set-piece prowess gave Leeds no respite. Defensively, they were compact and disciplined, with Raya rarely troubled beyond the opening exchanges.

Leeds, to their credit, worked tirelessly but struggled to contain Arsenal’s movement. Their pressing game was bypassed too easily, and once the goals began to flow, they had little answer to the home side’s relentless intensity.

What It Means

The result maintains Arsenal’s perfect start to the season and underlines their title credentials. It was a statement victory, showcasing not only their star players but also the strength of their academy pipeline. The emergence of Dowman was a symbolic moment, highlighting the club’s continued investment in youth.

Yet, despite the emphatic scoreline, concerns linger. The injuries to Ødegaard and Saka could have major implications in the weeks to come, especially with high-profile fixtures on the horizon. With Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz already sidelined, Arteta may need to rely on squad depth earlier than expected.

Final Whistle

At full-time, the Emirates buzzed with optimism. Arsenal had dismantled Leeds with style and swagger, their attacking play irresistible at times. Timber and Gyökeres provided the goals, Rice orchestrated from midfield, and a 15-year-old debutant stole the hearts of the fans.

The 5–0 win was a resounding reminder of Arsenal’s ambitions this season. But the celebrations were tempered by the reality of injuries to key figures. If Arteta can navigate those challenges, Arsenal look every bit the side capable of pushing for glory.

DJ