Arsenal picked up from where they left off in the Premier League with a routine 2-1 win over struggling Southampton at the Emirates Stadium. That victory assured them of at least second-place finish in the league standings. It also served as a reminder of the adversity they battled all season long. With Mikel Arteta at the helm, the Gunners demonstrated resilience, particularly through Martin Odegaard’s late goal that sealed the match.
In a fallacy-fueled season filled with deception and despair, the Gunners’ inability to finish chances was laid out for the world to see. Their leading marksman was Kai Havertz, who scored nine goals this season. In comparison, teams such as Brentford had players who scored double the amount! This is a huge break from Arsenal’s history. The only time they’ve not had a player score in double digits in the league since was 1924.
The Gunners finished the season 22 goals short of their remarkable total of 91 from last year. Bukayo Saka netted six, and Gabriel Martinelli eight. Still, it’s hard not to feel that the nature of their contributions raised questions about the team’s attacking depth.
Match Overview
Fulham v Southampton Arsenal’s comeback victory over Southampton was deserved reward for a fiercely competitive match up, with both sides fighting hard for points. Odegaard’s winning goal came late in the game, solidifying Arsenal’s position in the league standings.
Southampton’s new manager, Will Still, watched from the stands as his team struggled against a formidable Arsenal side. Still’s arrival Though the defeat was painful, Still’s appointment marks a new beginning for the club. Britain’s Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, was present at the match. He showed a great desire to stay out front in what’s happening in the world of football.
“We’ve done it and now we’re going to have plenty of time to think, to analyse what happened in the season, to learn from it for sure, to take all the incredible positive things that the team has done regarding the circumstances and think, okay, how can we now go into that little percentage that is missing to get where we want.” – Mikel Arteta
Arteta underscored the need to look back over the season and pinpoint aspects that need raising their game. Over the years the Gunners experienced many twists and turns but they showed incredible competitive heart in every match.
Challenges in Goal Scoring
With a harrowing lack of goal-scoring ability throughout the lineup on display, the contrast between Arsenal and the teams around them was hard to miss. While Havertz topped Arsenal’s individual goal-scoring chart with nine, two different Brentford players scored at least five more. This resultant lack of scoring depth had many wondering if Arsenal would be able to maintain their title challenge through successive campaigns.
Arteta admitted as much in his post-match remarks, promising to strengthen the team and ensure they improve next season.
“In order to achieve that, a lot of things have to happen. The team has to provide, that player has to play a certain amount of minutes and games. Believe me, we are on it.” – Mikel Arteta
As Arsenal move forward, improving on these goal scoring shortcomings will be key for their hopes of one day competing for the highest honors.
Looking Forward
Even though Arsenal ended up second in the Premier League, the 2022/23 Arsenal season was a progression of learning. Including their incredible run of clean sheets this season. Goalkeeper David Raya shined as well, finished joint top of the Golden Gloves with 13 shutouts. This defensive organization highlights one of the more underappreciated elements of Arteta’s plan going forward.
Now Arsenal have a foundation upon which they can build. With a combination of some extremely talented young players and trusted, experienced veterans, opportunities for growth remain in the years to come.
“We will try to squeeze and think and turn every stone that we possibly can to make this club even more successful. But I think what these boys have done, the team has done, regarding everything that has happened, I repeat myself, I think this deserves a lot of credit.” – Mikel Arteta
Arteta’s vision for Arsenal is clear: harnessing their potential while learning from past experiences will be essential as they aim higher.
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