Arsenal are aiming to embark on another title challenge, and they will need to perform at a high level from the very first game of the season.
Mikel Arteta’s side will face Wolves in the opening weekend of the Premier League, and they will need to start strongly as they face a brutal run of fixtures to begin the season.
Arsenal ended last season with 16 wins from 18 league matches, but fell just short of Manchester City in the title race, and they will now hope they can go one step further to lift the trophy this season.
Arteta and Edu Gaspar have made just one signing so far, with Riccardo Calafiori joining from Bologna, but they will hope that internal improvements set them up well for the campaign.
However, despite the quality Arsenal possess in a well-settled squad, Arteta has now demanded more from his players if they are to achieve greatness.
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal have room to improve
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta claimed that he still sees many areas in which his Arsenal team can improve to overtake Man City this season.
“It’s like you’re trying to climb the highest mountain, the most difficult leap in the world and you’re surrounded by people trying to achieve the same ambition. We’re certainly going to try,” he stated of the difficulty of challenging Man City.
“For me we’re still very far from perfection. This team still has levels to reach and they give me the reasons to believe that because I see the way they train and the way they play every day. I believe there is still big room to improve.
“Everything I do, I try to win. I try to do it at my best. I am happier afterwards, I feel fulfilled. If I am not able to do it, obviously I try to learn from it and apply things that will get me closer to doing that. That is the way I am.”
Marginal gains will be crucial for Arsenal this season
Arsenal finished just two points behind Pep Guardiola’s relentless Man City side, and this does not require wholesale changes to improve.
Arteta’s side finished on 89 points despite a disrupted start to the season. Jurrien Timber picked up a long-term injury, whilst Kai Havertz and David Raya came under intense scrutiny after poor starts to their Arsenal career.
The Arsenal squad has not lost any key players like they lost Granit Xhaka a year ago, and the team therefore has a lot of room to improve simply through internal gains.
Arsenal players now believe they can win the title, and they have the chance to make history if they step up and improve further from last season’s brilliance.
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