Is the atmosphere at The Emirates improving?

Emirates


By Oli Dickson Jefford


The current Premier League campaign is drawing to a close and if there’s one thing to celebrate for all clubs, it is the unrestricted return of fans.


After over a season of action behind closed doors, it is fantastic to have a real, unmanufactured atmosphere back in all levels of football.


However, for Arsenal, it has once again left more questions than answers.


Perhaps only Manchester City face as much criticism about their stadium’s atmosphere as Arsenal do, with the Emirates facing regular criticism, ever since the Gunners moved there.


A decrease in silverware in recent seasons, coupled with criticism of Mikel Arteta and several of the club’s players, have only fuelled this.


However, are things slowly starting to change?


A general upswing in league form this season and a growth in young, perhaps more likeable, players within the squad is leading many to suggest the atmosphere has improved - but is that actually the case?



Arteta’s role


Perhaps the biggest issue that may be affecting the atmosphere at the Emirates is Arteta himself, the Spaniard still a potentially divisive figure at the club.


For some he is a young managerial talent navigating his first steps in the game, ready to lead his former club into a successful new era. 


However, for others he is a man out of his depth, not yet qualified to lead the club back to past glories, and someone who needs to go before Arsenal can progress.


In general the good feeling towards Arteta has perhaps grown more recently, with a strong campaign involving a genuine top four challenge, boosting morale around the club.


A group of players, particularly those on the younger side, who seem to be buying into his philosophy are also helping to generate a better atmosphere around the club.


Arteta’s growing popularity is certainly a big positive in terms of the noise around the ground, though there are seemingly some fans who will not back him just yet - meaning at points the atmosphere is still quite stifled.


Arteta


Player popularity


The most noticeable thing about Arsenal this year is that the players seem to be more popular than they have been in quite a few seasons.


A string of home-grown talent who have risen through the club’s ranks, such as Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka, have performed consistently well and are loved by supporters.


New signings such as Takehiro Tomiyasu and Aaron Ramsdale have also become firm fan favourites, while established stars such as Kieran Tierney are also still popular.


There has even been more positivity thrown the way of Granit Xhaka, a man once booed off the pitch now growing in terms of respect and admiration from the crowd.



Has the atmosphere improved?


It would seem that the general mood has improved around the Emirates Stadium this year.


There is still certainly room for the atmosphere to grow further and there are occasionally still some moments of negativity, but compared to where things were at the start of the season what we are now seeing is an improvement.


Arsenal are slowly looking more like a club that can repeatedly contend for the Champions League, whilst simultaneously growing a new identity.


The final few matches of the season may define how this continues, but the signs are positive.


Hopefully one day in the near future Emirates can recapture some of the old magic that Highbury had.


Photo credit: Getty Images

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