Consistency is Key

Arsenal have started the season like... well, Arsenal.

If the past few years have shown us anything, it is to expect the unexpected. Arsenal are inconsistent and that inconsistency has only gotten worse.

After heading into the first international break rock bottom of the Premier League table without a goal, Arsenal enter the next international break as the form side in the division.

1-0 wins against Norwich and Burnley gave Arsenal the momentum to derail North London Rivals Tottenham 3-1 before drawing away to high flying Brighton.

This turnaround has seen Mikel Arteta awarded with the Manager of the Month award - the first Arsenal manager to win since Arsène Wenger in October 2015.

The wait in itself tells a story of Arsenal's decline but Arteta is fully deserving of the award for the way he has turned things around.

(Photo: Arsenal.com)

So what changed during the first international break?

In truth, most of the turnaround was done over the past 18 months. The return of key players and the signings which Arteta played a role in acquiring provided a platform for Arsenal to take a step forward - which is exactly what they did.

Arteta just had to assemble the pieces at his disposal in the right way.

Against Norwich he made two big decisions: Swapping in Aaron Ramsdale for Bernd Leno, and playing Takehiro Tomiyasu from the off.

Those decisions have had transformative impacts on the team. Ramsdale has come in and exuded confidence, claiming crosses and making excellent saves when called upon. He has a similar aura to Emi Martinez between he sticks.

Bringing in Tomiyasu has allowed Arteta's side to press high as we saw against Tottenham as well as vary their build up play due to the Japanese international's versatility.

What we have also seen since the first international break is the re-emergence of Gabriel as a dominant defensive force, sweeping up with Ben White, which has seen Arsenal concede just one goal in their last four league games.

With the recent changes in place, and a seemingly settled side, Arsenal's goal now is to find the consistency that has eluded them in recent years.

After the current international break, the Gunners face: Crystal Palace (H), Aston Villa (H), Leeds United (EFL Cup, H), Leicester City (A), and Watford (H).

Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Watford have all had their moments of success this season but if Arsenal have aspirations of European Football, they are teams that should be beaten at home.

The cup game offers Arsenal's first teamers some respite but more importantly an opportunity for the bench and fringe players to make their case. With a lack of European football this season, minutes are harder to come by for the likes of Lacazette and Martinelli, so the EFL Cup is a good chance for them to show what they can do.

Leicester City at the King Power will likely be Arsenal's toughest test over the next month and a measure of where the team are against fellow challengers for the European places. Leicester have underwhelmed thus far but Arsenal know as much as anyone that a team's fortunes can change in an instant.

This international break has a similar feeling to the last. We think we know what we have in this Arsenal side, and to an extent that has been shown, but a strong showing in October and early November would go a long way to showing us if Arsenal can truly challenge for the top 6 or even top 4.

On Thursday the football world got confirmation that Newcastle United had been officially taken over by a Saudi-led consortium, giving the Tyneside club the richest owners in the Premier League.

It is great news to see Newcastle given new owners as the writing has been on the wall for Mike Ashley for many years, so it is hard not to be happy for Newcastle fans.

However, the takeover does raise broader concerns about where football is, and is going. What we have seen already over the past two decades with money in football has been frightening.

Chelsea, Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain have risen to the top of European football, the past 5 years has seen 10 players move for over £100 million and in a year's time the world's attention turns to Qatar for a mid-season winter World Cup in air conditioned stadiums.

The money in the game and the globalisation of football has incrementally been allowed to happen by the people in charge, and if those same people do not step in soon, it is scary to imagine where football will end up.

It is not just the money involved but the baggage attached. Saudi Arabia's links to human rights abuse are very concerning, and now that same state is being handed control of a football club.

Arsenal are not innocent in this. Arseblog wrote an article yesterday detailing some of the baggage around our club: https://arseblog.com/2021/10/the-premier-league-camel/.

And for all the backlash, the takeover has gone ahead, which leads to an even scarier thought. This takeover, and the attempted Super League breakaway earlier this year, offers a blueprint for these events to happen in the future in a more subtle and efficient way that the fans will not realise or understand before it is too late.

We know the Super League will return in some form in the coming years, and we know there are other oil rich nations, such as Bahrain, who will be wanting to make their mark on European football.

We as fans are at the mercy of the people in charge of football to implement regulations to make the game fairer and more sustainable.

Unfortunately the people in charge have largely failed to do that over the past few decades.

Adam Perry - 06/10/2021