Alan Shearer believes that while it’s too quickly to name Arsenal title contenders, they’ve now change into a workforce that everybody else ought to worry.
The Gunners returned to the highest of the Premier League desk on Sunday after beating Brentford 3-0, courtesy of objectives from William Saliba, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira.
They’ve now gained six of their opening seven video games of the season, and sit a degree above champions Manchester Metropolis and arch-rivals Tottenham.
In the meantime, the remaining ‘large six’ groups have endured robust begins, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool fifth, seventh and eighth within the desk, albeit having performed a recreation much less.
While nonetheless early days, the outcomes and performances of Mikel Arteta’s aspect have given Arsenal followers hope of a primary league title because the ‘Invincibles’ triumph of 2003/04.
Shearer doesn’t essentially share that enthusiasm, however hailed the work of Arteta in his BBC Sport column, noting the transformation from the woeful begin they made to final season.
He stated: ‘The Gunners’ win at Brentford epitomised their progress below Mikel Arteta, as a result of all of us bear in mind what occurred on this fixture on the opening weekend of final season – when the Bees didn’t simply beat them, they bullied them.
‘All the pieces was totally different about Arsenal this time – in assault and defence, plus the best way they managed the sport, and with their perspective and depth. They ran out snug winners.
‘This Gunners aspect will not be solely greater and stronger, additionally it is extra dedicated. They have been higher in each division and dominated proper from the beginning.
‘[Brentford’s] two strikers, Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo, hardly bought a kick as a result of Gabriel and William Saliba dominated them a lot, and it was the identical everywhere in the pitch.’
Because the worldwide break begins, Arteta and co. will hope to keep up their nice momentum when the season resumes subsequent month in what might be a really tough check for all concerned, as Arsenal will play 9 video games in October.
The postponement of their Europa League conflict with PSV, along with the condensing of fixtures because of the World Cup, will little doubt pressure Arsenal’s squad depth.
‘It’s not time to speak about them as title contenders but, however folks now know that it is a totally different Arsenal to the workforce we noticed simply 13 months in the past,’ Shearer added.
‘It’s been a wierd begin to this marketing campaign by a number of the large golf equipment, with Liverpool being nowhere close to the degrees we all know they are often. Chelsea have been the identical, and so they have had extra upheaval after their change of supervisor.
‘Manchester United made a extremely poor begin too however they’ve recovered properly, whereas Tottenham are nonetheless unbeaten and are proper up there together with Manchester Metropolis, who’re nonetheless the workforce to beat.
‘I nonetheless assume Arsenal’s fundamental goal is a return to the highest 4 for the primary time since 2016, and so they haven’t finished an excessive amount of flawed thus far.
‘Their subsequent two league video games in the beginning of October, at dwelling to Spurs and Liverpool, will inform us extra about whether or not they can maintain this robust begin however, proper now, their followers might be having fun with what they’re seeing.’
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