Arsenal’s lineup this season has many highlights. The players’ excellent performances, their strong teamwork, and their balanced tactics have impressed everyone and dealt deadly blows to their opponents. In this article, I will focus on a few standout players from Arsenal’s lineup and the coach, Mikel Arteta, who arranged this top team.
Bukayo Saka: The King of Assists
The Premier League has completed seven weeks of matches. The Arsenal lineup has won five out of seven games, earning 17 points and currently sitting third in the EPL table. The team’s outstanding performance this season is largely due to Bukayo Saka‘s contributions. The young 23-year-old winger has truly excelled this season.
In the seven matches played by the Arsenal lineup, Bukayo Saka leads with seven assists.
In the first match against the Wolves, he assisted Kai Havertz in the opening goal.
Against Aston Villa, he set up Thomas Partey.
In the third match against Brighton, he assisted Kai Havertz once again.
During the game against Spurs, he assisted Gabriel Magalhães, who scored the only goal of that match. Bukayo Saka suffered an injury during this match. Despite this, he continued to assist Gabriel Magalhães in the following game against Manchester City.
In the match where the Arsenal lineup defeated Southampton 3-1, Bukayo Saka showcased his talent by assisting two goals and scoring one himself. His performance was exceptional, making this match the most outstanding of the seven.
Record-Breaking
With seven assists in just seven matches, this is the highest number of assists by any player in the top five European leagues. Additionally, Bukayo Saka created the most “big chances” (12), leading the Premier League with 27 total chances created. Only Barcelona’s Raphinha has more assists than him in Europe.
Another record is that Bukayo Saka has assisted in all five of Arsenal’s Premier League matches. The only other player to achieve this was Thierry Henry in the 2004/05 season.
Bukayo Saka has maintained an impressive form since the start of the Premier League season. If he keeps this up, he could break multiple records.
Kai Havertz: Seamless Connection with Bukayo Saka
Kai Havertz has scored four crucial goals in the seven matches. His goals have often given the Arsenal lineup the lead and secured victories.
In the first match against Wolves, he scored Arsenal’s first goal of the season. He also assisted Bukayo Saka in the same match.
His second goal in the Premier League came during the Arsenal lineup’s match against Brighton, where he scored with Bukayo Saka’s assist in the 38th minute. This marked their third successful connection.
Kai Havertz scored again against Leicester.
Their fourth combination occurred in the match against Southampton. In a tense first half where the Arsenal lineup hadn’t scored yet, Havertz received a crucial pass from Bukayo Saka and equalized.
Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz seem to have an unspoken understanding. Out of Havertz’s four goals, three were assisted by Saka. They appear to always complement each other perfectly. Perhaps Mikel Arteta should consider using this duo more in future matches.
David Raya: Keeping Opponents at Bay
In football, preventing the opponent from scoring is just as important as scoring goals. This is where the goalkeeper plays a crucial role. The Arsenal lineup has a rare balance of strong offense and defense, thanks not only to attacking players like Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, but also to goalkeeper David Raya.
Let’s see how he has repeatedly kept the goal safe from opponents’ attacks.
During the match against Wolves, the Arsenal lineup was under pressure in the second half as Wolves pushed forward looking for chances. When Jorgen Strand Larsen had a chance with a header, everyone thought it would be a goal. However, David Raya made a fantastic save, helping Arsenal to a 2-0 victory without conceding.
In Arsenal’s first away match, the Arsenal lineup beat Aston Villa 2-0. Seeing that the opponent didn’t score shows how much effort the goalkeeper put in. Aston Villa had several goal-scoring opportunities but failed to convert any. The only chance they had, a header from Ollie Watkins, was also saved by David Raya.
During the match against Spurs, the team made multiple attempts to score. Kulusevski was still trying in the final minutes, but all their efforts were thwarted by David Raya.
Mikel Arteta: The Indispensable Coach
Arsenal’s success cannot only be credited to outstanding players but also to coach Mikel Arteta‘s guidance. He arranged the Arsenal lineup based on players’ styles and skills, leading to such good results in these seven weeks.
Arteta played for Arsenal for five years before becoming an assistant coach at Manchester City. After returning to Arsenal in 2019, he took over as head coach.
When he first took the job, he noticed the players were in a low state and immediately set out to motivate them.
“I want people to take responsibility for their jobs, and I want people who deliver passion and energy to the football club. Anyone who doesn’t buy into this, or who has a negative effect, is not good enough for this environment or this culture.”
He emphasizes players having the right attitude, passion, and fighting spirit. In his first match as head coach against Bournemouth, despite only drawing, he felt satisfied with the players’ spirit during the game.
Arteta is tactically flexible and adjusts the Arsenal lineup based on opponents and match situations. He often uses a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation, making real-time changes during matches. He encourages players to maintain good positioning and teamwork to maximize ball control.
Arteta stresses the importance of teamwork and communication among players, sharing responsibilities, and staying connected in both defense and attack.
He has been awarded the Premier League Manager of the Month and the Manager of the Year multiple times. His coaching style combines tactical flexibility, ball control, youth development, and teamwork, creating a successful model. His leadership has not only improved Arsenal’s competitiveness but has also laid a solid foundation for the team’s future.
On September 12, 2024, Arteta signed a three-year contract extension with Arsenal. We can expect him to continue leading the Arsenal lineup to shine in European competitions.
Conclusion
No matter how Arsenal’s lineup changes, they continue to surprise us each time. Arteta’s smart tactics, the players’ synergy, and the ability to adjust strategies in real time are key. I believe that in future matches, no matter the challenges they face, they have the strength to overcome them. Let’s quietly watch Arsenal as they aim for the championship.
