Arsenal look and play like a different animal from when Mikel Arteta first joined the club.
At that time, the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil, to name a few, were the senior pros.
But Arsenal were in a world of mess and it wouldn’t be for a few years, and a lot of spending in the transfer market, that the team would be in its current position.
For two seasons in a row, Arsenal have challenged for the Premier League title, but they have fallen short to the might of Manchester City.
The feeling is that the London club are edging ever closer to winning their first English title since the days of Arsene Wenger.
Arsenal’s win over Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday was proof of that because they defended and fought for the three points like champions would.
But it has taken the Gunners a long time to get to this stage, including periods when fans were calling for the manager’s head.
Whilst Arteta, technical director Edu Gaspar, and many other coaches deserve huge credit for this transformation and rise, the players also deserve their flowers.
Ian Wright highlighted the role Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe have played in helping Arsenal to this current state.
The legendary striker stated that the Hale-End stars ‘dragged Arsenal through’ that difficult Aubameyang and Lacazette era, as he told Premier League Productions (15/09/24 at 1:35 pm).
Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe’s rise
“When you consider when he got into the Arsenal side, where Arsenal were,” said Wright about Saka.
“It was almost on him and Emile Smith Rowe’s shoulders to try and get Arsenal through a certain period in the Lacazette and Aubameyang period, in and around that time.
“He was around 19 and 20. They dragged the club through. Just being able to support them two kept the fans going and gave Mikel the support he needed. It was down to them two.”
Emile Smith Rowe joining Fulham
It would have hurt Arsenal fans to see Smith Rowe join Fulham this summer because of what he meant to them.
But injuries and a lack of game time meant that it was the right time for the player to leave and now he has started life strongly at Craven Cottage.
READ MORE: Alan Shearer impressed by £38m Arsenal star and Gabriel Magalhaes after win over Tottenham
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Smith Rowe re-joins Saka in England colours sooner rather than later because he certainly has the quality to earn those international caps again.
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