2021 will go down as one of the most unusual and bombastic years of sport.
From the rise and fall of the European Super League to Max Verstappen’s F1 World Championship lap to Emma Raducanu conquering the world of tennis, sport has been a whirlwind in a year where the Covid-19 pandemic continues to grip the world and social divisions continue to widen.
And then, there’s Arsenal. Whilst many football clubs had extraordinary, heartbreaking and hopeful years, the north London side seemed to roll all three emotions into one in what has been a mental 12 months for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Surviving the 2020/21 season
It’s easy to forget that the start of the year saw a discussion over whether Arsenal will finish the 2020/21 season in the bottom half of the table, with the Gunners starting the year in 13th place.
However, a resurgence led by Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odegaard in the second half of the season saw Arsenal finish eighth and just one point off seventh place.
A Premier League campaign that ended in hope, though, was marred by a UEFA Europa League season that concluded with anger as Arsenal were eliminated from the semi-finals by eventual winners Villarreal, with former manager Unai Emery at the helm to inflict further embarrassment.
Indeed, the summer was one that many Arsenal fans and pundits knew was going to be one of the most important in years. And in retrospect, it absolutely was, with the north London side making six signings, spending the most out of any club in Europe, and every single new arrival being a home run.
Laying the foundation for a bright Arsenal future
Odegaard returned with fanfare whilst ridiculed signings such as Aaron Ramsdale and Ben White have played out as bargains in the market from Arteta and Edu Gaspar.
And it’s these players, as well as the future development of Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, that have Arsenal fans dreaming big in 2022.
Consistent form and big results against the likes of Tottenham, Leicester City and West Ham have transformed Arsenal’s fortunes from joke relegation candidates to genuine UEFA Champions League contenders. And the New Year could present an incredible new era for the club.
Arsenal head into Christmas into the top-four for the first time since 2016. And whilst there will no doubt be some bumps along the road, 2021 has been a massive year for the Gunners, with Arteta laying down the foundations for the future for the Premier League club, who could well be on their way back to the top of English football.
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