In just over two years under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal have experienced a number of false dawns only to falter again.
At one point, it looked as if he would be more of a Frank Lampard than an Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer, and certainly not a Pep Guardiola.
However, after a pandemic, huge squad upheaval and myriad disappointments, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have finally arrived.
Nothing demonstrates this more than the recent 2 – 1 defeat to Manchester City. Not only the performance, but the feeling around the club.
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In recent years, a frustrating loss at home would have been cause for the incredible brand of neurosis Arsenal fans have become all too familiar with.
Despite gripes about the officiating, the prevalent feeling among Arsenal fans is that this defeat shows har far they’ve come.
You would have to go back a long way to find the last time Arsenal played like that against a world class team. Even Arsene Wenger struggled to eke that kind of performance from the Gunners in his final years.
Their new core of Ramsdale, White, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Tierny, Odegaard, Saka and Smith Rowe has given the team an impetus and identity that has been lacking in N5 for too long.
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For the first time since Unai Emery’s first season, there is genuine hope they can make the top four. Under Emery, they played turgid football. Under Arteta, they are playing a modern, exciting style spearheaded by players under 23.
The future is bright for the Gunners if this team can keep improving together. After years of division and existential dread, Arsenal fans have a team they can get behind at long last.
