The year 2022 was full of highs and lows and saw the emergence of some new star players for Arsenal. So, HITC Football takes a look at five lessons Mikel Arteta’s side have learned.
It was certainly a year of mixed fortunes after the Gunners missed out on qualification for the Champions League. But Arteta has overseen a revitalised Arsenal emerge as a Premier League title contender in the 2022/23 season. They have not won the title since 2003/04.
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Arsenal have not been a contender for the title since they finished second to Leicester City in 2015/16, either. But a £45m deal with Manchester City for Gabriel Jesus in July sparked a new-look Gunners in Arteta’s fourth season. The Spaniard took over in December 2019.
A two-decade wait may finally end at Emirates Stadium in 2023, then. Although securing a return to the Champions League will remain Arteta’s priority. Arsenal have not competed in UEFA’s premier club competition since 2016/17 and had no European action in 2021/22.
So, what lessons have Arsenal learned during 2022 that Arteta can carry into their Premier League title bid? Well, HITC Football has taken a look back through their past 12 months…
Arsenal learned William Saliba was very much worth the wait in 2022
Likely the best lesson Arsenal learned through 2022 was that William Saliba was very much worth the wait. Unai Emery signed the centre-half from Saint-Etienne back in July 2019 for £27m. Yet the Frenchman would not play competitively for the Gunners until August 2022.
The 21-year-old even made his debut for France before his Arsenal bow. Didier Deschamps offered Saliba his international breakthrough in March whilst dazzling on loan to Marseille. It was his third loan move since joining Arsenal after spells with Saint-Etienne and OGC Nice.
But Arsenal fans now know the potential Saliba possesses after emerging as one of the first names on Arteta’s teamsheets. The eight-cap star has transformed the Gunners’ defence through his strength, speed and ability to command the line with just a sprinkling of errors.
Arsenal learned how to keep their emotions in check after collapsing at Tottenham
A key lesson that Arsenal had to learn in 2022 came from their disappointment of failing to qualify for the Champions League. The Gunners had a spot in the UEFA tournament in their control with just three Premier League games to go. But they would finish two points shy.
Defeats to Tottenham Hotspur, who took fourth place at Arsenal’s expense, and Newcastle United denied Arteta’s men. A win at Spurs would have also seen the Gunners claim a first top-four finish since 2015/16. But Arsenal’s defence imploded in the north London derby.
Cedric Soares gave up an early penalty when referee Paul Tierney adjudged the right-back to have fouled Son Heung-Min. The official would also send Rob Holding off with a second yellow card following another incident with Son. Tottenham went on to win the game 3-0.
But Arteta declared ahead of September’s north London derby at Emirates Stadium, which Arsenal won 3-1, that his players had learned their lessons from May’s demoralising loss. It was a calamitous performance that proved extremely costly but offered some key lessons.
“We went into that game with many different circumstances, in terms of players we had available, not available [and] what happened during the game,” Arteta said, as quoted by the Daily Mail. “You take the lessons, you learn from it and you move on. That’s it.”
Arsenal learned Eddie Nketiah is ready to fill big shoes in Mikel Arteta’s attack
Another lesson Arsenal learned in 2022 that could be key in 2023 is that Eddie Nketiah is able to deliver. Arteta had only used the 23-year-old for 38 minutes in the Premier League over the first half of last season. But he ended the 2021/22 campaign in stunning fashion.
Arteta had to rely on Nketiah to lead Arsenal’s efforts to qualify for the Champions League after paying Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang £7m to terminate his £350k-a-week contract in January, per The Times. Alexandre Lacazette also struggled for form ahead of his release.
But Nketiah shrugged off the challenge and scored a brace at Stamford Bridge to help the Gunners beat Chelsea 4-2. He would add another two goals to beat Leeds United 2-1, as well. A goal on the final day of the season against Everton took him five in seven games.
Nketiah had only scored five goals over his previous 52 top-flight appearances. But his end-of-season form saw the striker pocket a new five-year contract and the #14 shirt. Now, the striker must justify that deal and step up again after Arteta lost Jesus due to knee surgery.
Jesus had a transformative effect on Arsenal after quitting Manchester City as a four-time Premier League winner. The 25-year-old may only have five goals from 14 top-flight games in red. But his work harassing defenders lets Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli flourish.
Ben White is becoming a huge fan’s favourite at Emirates Stadium as a right-back
Ben White joined Arsenal from Brighton & Hove Albion for £50m in July 2021 to serve as Gabriel Magalhaes’ centre-back partner. But the emergence of Saliba following his long-awaited Gunners debut forced the England international to reinvent himself this season.
Yet Arteta has seen White become a huge fan’s favourite at Arsenal with his performances as a right-back. The 25-year-old immediately settled into his new position and regained his place in the Three Lions fold ahead of the World Cup through what he offered in the role.
From his first game in an Arsenal shirt, Gunners supporters have seen White show superb skill defensively. He has also always been confident on the ball and willing to burst up the field. But the Poole-born ace is now adding an end product with some precise crosses, too.
Keeping Thomas Partey fit will be vital to the Gunners’ Premier League title bid
A lesson Arsenal will likely wish they did not learn in 2022 was that keeping Thomas Partey fit is vital. The Ghana midfielder missed their final nine matches of the last Premier League season due to a thigh injury. He has also missed some this season with another thigh issue.
Partey’s absence in late August and into September also coincided with their first defeat of 2022/23 against Manchester United. While Arteta sorely missed the 29-year-old during the run in last term, especially at Tottenham. The Gunners are a far weaker team without him.
When Partey is in the side, Arsenal click on another level and have a much stronger chance at winning the Premier League title. He protects the Gunners’ defence like no other player in Arteta’s ranks. His ability on the ball and new goal threat cannot be understated, either.
So, keeping Partey fit for the rest of the campaign will be vital for whatever Arteta aims to achieve. It is also a lesson Arsenal learned in 2022 that may define how their 2023 unfolds.
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