Arsenals INSANE 2024 (League) Form

“Trust the process”. That’s what Arteta told Arsenal fans and board. And they did, well, at least the board did. The process that started slow is now in full bloom. Arsenal are playing brilliant football. Fast, attacking, fun-to-watch football. If you’ve watched a lot of Arsenal this season, this probably won't be news. The stats will be fun though.

Yes, they are still catching up to Manchester City and Liverpool. Regardless, though, the start to 2024 has been insane (in the league). They now have seven straight wins. The opposition has been varied as they’ve taken on both Nottingham Forest and Burnley at the bottom and Liverpool and Newcastle United. Not only that, but in those seven games, they’ve scored 25 while conceding three.

There’s been one major disappointment, of course. The first leg against Porto in the Champions League. In the league, though, they’re steamrolling opponents.

Insane run of form

Gunners had a strong start to the league campaign but fell a little off the pace in the latter parts of 2023. The main issue was their lack of goals. Manchester City and Liverpool averaged 2.05 and 2.37 goals a game, respectively. Arsenal, meanwhile, averaged just 1.85.

That’s why, in the winter transfer window, Arsenal was linked to every striker with two legs and a pulse in Europe. Every fan, pundit and armchair expert were saying “a striker is the missing piece”. And for good reason. Manchester City and Liverpool were both scoring a lot more. Erling Haaland last season showed how much of a difference an out and out goalscorer can make.

While no striker came in, Arsenal have proven that, maybe, the striker wasn’t the issue. Since the new year, Arsenal are averaging more than four goals a game. By far the highest in the league.

So, four goals per game, seven straight wins and only three conceded, what happened?

Defensive solidity

All season, Arsenal have been the best team in the league defensively. The addition of Rice and the return of Saliba has made their back line rock solid. Havertz works crazy hard pressing and winning second balls which helps the defence as well.

Saliba and Gabriel are probably the best centre back pairing in the league at the moment. Saliba has been putting in great performances all year and Gabriel just won player of the month for January. The team has only allowed 23 goals all season.

Since Zinchenko’s injury, Jakub Kiwior has been given the left back slot. While he doesn’t offer quite as much going forward, he’s contributing a lot more defensively. 

Offence

Martin Ödegaard is second in the top five leagues this season for through balls per 90 and first for key passes per 90. Recently, he’s clearly been given instructions to try the killer balls more often, it shows. Saka has started scoring a lot. After scoring six goals in the first half of the season, Saka has more than doubled his tally in just seven games. 

Kai Havertz had a terrible start to the season. Remember the 007 jokes? 0 goals, 0 assists, 7 games. He was practically written off already. This year though, with Gabriel Jesus out injured, the German has been starting quite a bit as the central player in the attacking three. His role however is more of a false nine or, as Arsenal fans describe it, false 8.5. He sits further back to let Martinelli and Saka play off him.

The North London club is also by far the most efficient at set pieces. They’ve scored 18 goals from corners, penalties and freekicks. Second placed in that list is Everton on 15. The company they surround themselves with at the top of this list is interesting. Other than Arsenal, it’s all teams towards the bottom of the table. Arsenal has decided to make set pieces a weapon.

The thing is though, despite the increased goal production, nothing has really changed. They still attack the same way, from the wings with cut-backs or cut-ins combined with shots from outside. It’s just all clicking. Arteta, the players, the board and the fans trusted the process. And now they’re reaping the rewards.

Do they have any chance at the title?

Their problem, however, is that there’s no room for mistakes. That the two teams ahead of them are two of the best teams to ever grace the Premier League.

They may get an edge they don’t want. After their loss against Porto in the Champions League they may well be knocked out of the competition. That would make their already light game load even lighter, compared to Liverpool and City. 

Since New Year, Arsenal are clearly the best team in the league. By pretty much any metric, goals scored, goals conceded or points. They’re showing Liverpool and City that it’s definitely a three way race. The process is working and this year they have depth to see the season out til the end.

This is what you get for trusting the process.

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