After finishing second in the Premier League for the third consecutive season, it’s now or never for Arsenal to take the next step and win the league, and their offseason additions have backed that. Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, and Kepa Arrizabalaga joined, and their big catch of Viktor Gyokeres finally arrived on Saturday.
Those will bring a new look to Mikel Arteta’s squad by bringing the ability to control possession more than they already do, rest Bukayo Saka, and bring the striker that the attack has been crying out for.
We got to see the first look at a few of those signings in Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Milan to kick off their preseason on the right foot. It was certainly a match that looked like a preseason friendly, with both sides shaking off the rust while Arsenal struggled to get past the wall that is a Max Allegri defense, highlighting the urgent need for the striker who could push them over the top, and just as important in that pursuit, put teams away rather than letting them hang around.
Stats aren’t the end-all be-all in preseason play, but when looking to break down a stout defense, the Gunners have needed more, which is why they were pursuing Gyokeres in the first place. Taking 23 shots and putting nine on target for an xG of 1.78, Arsenal struggled to get past Milan’s defense until Saka found the moment.
But Arsenal know what they have in Saka and Martin Odegaard at their best, two dynamic players who can create and score, but it has been only enough to get them to second in the league. It’s the upgrade on the Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz spots in the lineup, producing 22 goals and six assists, that can turn them from the Premier League’s nearly men into champs. Gyokeres was able to score 39 goals in the Portuguese top flight alone, and even half of that could be enough in their pursuit of glory.
In the Champions League, where Arsenal made it all the way to the semifinals despite Havertz and Jesus only contributing four goals to their run, they may have gotten past PSG with Gyokeres leading the line, rather than falling in the semifinals. He scored six goals in only eight matches for Sporting while also contributing to the press to keep teams on their toes in possession as well. Wednesday’s game showed, once again, the need for a hunter in the box to make those near-post runs and be in the right spot at the right time to turn the tide.
If he jcan keep his level of production, it will only make players like Saka more dangerous while even allowing Ben White to get more involved in the attack. Add in Madueke’s dribbling and chance creation, and it gets to a point where you can argue that this season will feature the most talented Arsenal squad under Arteta.
It won’t mean anything if it doesn’t bring trophies with it, but as the Gunners have gone all in on their offseason, the fits of the players that they have gone for are clear. Norgaard and Zubimendi bring experienced presences to the midfield, Madueke brings a way to cut through defenses, while Gyokeres should bring the goals, and with it, potentially much, much more.
