But will the good signs displayed so far in preseason translate to competitive games on multiple fronts over the next 10 months? Only time will tell.
Review of Arsenal’s 2021/22 season
Arsenal’s 2021/22 was a polarising season which saw them finish fifth in the Premier League and put up underwhelming performances in the domestic cups.
Some believe the team matched expectations and achieved progress having finished eighth in the league season before.
Others are of the opinion the team underachieved and should have finished higher having spent a lot on new signings and had a full season without the distraction of European football.
State of affairs
The Gunners actually appear to be in a good place heading into what looks set to be a good season for them.
Arsenal finally have a team that can compete on all fronts but the negative side to that is they no longer have the luxury of being the underdogs.
This means the team absolutely has to deliver this season which is additional pressure on head coach Mikel Arteta, after all with great power comes great responsibility.
Transfers: Ins & Outs
Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus and Ukrainian star Oleksandr Zinchenko both arrived from Manchester City for €52.2 million and €35 million respectively.
Portuguese midfielder Fabio Vieira joined from Porto for €35 million, American goalkeeper Matt Turner joined from New England for €6.3 million and Brazilian winger Marquinhos was signed from Sao Paolo for €3.5 million.
Big question: Has Arteta’s honeymoon period ended?
Although Spanish manager Arteta was appointed by Arsenal in December 2019, his tenure at the club will start with the 2022/23 season. He has sort of been handled with baby gloves for the past two and half years with the excuse of a rebuild shielding him from criticism.
Now that the rebuild is all but complete and Arsenal are in a good position to compete, Arteta no longer has a margin for error and risks getting sacked mid-season if things do not turn as expected.
What would constitute a good season?
On the strength of their transfer business so far, Arsenal fans should expect nothing less than a third-place finish and a deep run in all cup competitions.
Their newfound squad depth should enable them to be contenders to win the Europa League while also clinching a top four spot in the Premier League.
Ideally, Arsenal finishing third in the Premier League, winning the Europa League and either one or both the FA and EFL Cups would constitute a successful season for the Gunners.
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