Fans of Premier League football club Arsenal have named manager Mikel Arteta & and defender Oleksandr Zinchenko as major factors behind their good start to the season.
The pair have helped the North London team achieve 47 points from 18 games, placing them top of the table, EIGHT points clear of their nearest challengers Manchester City.
This marks their best top-flight season EVER before the halfway mark, surpassing their ‘Invincibles’ 2003/04 campaign, where they won the Premier League without losing a game.
Season-ticket-holder Matthew Turner, 25, alluded to Arteta’s ‘no-nonsense’ managerial style, stating that, “getting rid of the players who didn’t care about the club enough and instilling a winning mentality”, were the ‘biggest factors’ to Arsenal’s current success.
Turner, who has been attending Arsenal matches since 2002, further said, “not only has it helped things on the pitch, but [it has] brought the fans back to connecting with the players fully.”
Arteta, who took over in 2019, was initially criticised by fans and pundits alike for leaving out high-profile players, such as Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, alongside two consecutive eighth placed finishes.
There were several calls for the 40-year-old to lose his job. However, the Spaniard remained and signed a new contract.
It has now been argued that the club’s patience with Arteta has been a crucial reason behind the change in fortunes for the North London side.
Callum White, studying Sports Journalism at Solent University, agreed that Arsenal’s ‘approach’ with “giving [Arteta] time”, helped reap rewards.
White, 20, also singled out the efforts of the players, with “proven winners” Zinchenko and forward Gabriel Jesus standing out.
“They have brought a backbone the club hasn’t seen since [Tony] Adams and [Patrick] Vieira”, White added.
The experienced pair joined Arsenal last summer from Manchester City, where they won FOUR Premier League titles.
Zinchenko particularly boasts an impressive record this season. The Ukrainian has won six from his last seven matches when in the side.
Matt Sears, who runs the official Arsenal West Midlands Supporters Club, said this was proof that Arsenal “can win the league.”
“We have the players”, Sears added.
Zinchenko and Arteta will next feature on Sunday, approx. 16.30pm BST, against third-place Manchester United.
A win against United, who remain the only side to beat Arsenal this season, could extend Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table.
Any other reasons for Arsenal’s successful season?
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