Where do Arsenal stand heading into the international break?
Where do Arsenal stand heading into the November international break?
The international break provides an ideal opportunity to look at where Arsenal stand 11 games into the Premier League season.
With a huge meeting against Liverpool at Anfield coming up when the break is over, Mikel Arteta will hope key players on international duty avoid injury over the next fortnight.
That was always going to be the case but after a resurgence in form in recent weeks, the Gunners will head to Merseyside fancying their chances of a result.
Pressure on Arteta lifted as form continues to improve
After losses in their opening three league matches, Arteta was many people’s pick to be the first manager sacked this season.
Now, things are looking a lot brighter and there is perhaps more optimism than ever before as the Spaniard approaches his third year as the club’s manager.
Arsenal have not lost since those defeats, the worst results since then being draws against Crystal Palace and Brighton, with a point secured a Palace with a late equaliser from Lacazette.
Most notably they prevailed 3-1 in the North London derby at the Emirates, but there have also been wins over the likes of Aston Villa, Leicester and most recently Watford.
Though some wins have come against sides that Arsenal should be beating, the run of positive results has provided a huge boost for the club.
Arteta’s system and tactics are finally starting to take shape and create a clear identity at the club, suggesting things may keep heading in the right direction after a highly criticised start to his reign.
Stars starting to shine
Another reason why things are looking brighter is that several players are now playing very well across all positions.
In terms of summer signings, the likes of Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Aaron Ramsdale have all made a huge impact since joining the club.
Ramsdale and Tomiyasu in particular have pulled off several standout performances while White has improved dramatically since a tricky start.
Elsewhere, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe have continued to shine and have been among the best players across the whole league.
Saka has been a key player for a season or two now but Smith-Rowe has really grown into his role in the starting XI and will be one of the first names on Arteta’s team sheet.
European football a possibility
After their current unbeaten run, Arsenal now sit fifth in the Premier League table, ahead of the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham and within three points of Man City, West Ham and Liverpool.
Having failed to make it into Europe last season, a return to at least the Europa League looks likely as the club look to build a team capable of competing at the very top once again.
And they are still in contention for another trophy, with an EFL Cup quarter-final clash against Sunderland shortly before Christmas, a match the Gunners will be heavily favoured to win.
In many ways, the international break may have come at a poor time for Arsenal considering the momentum they’ve built.
However, having overcome the previous international break with no issues, there’s no reason why they won’t be able to do so once again.
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