Arteta, the Gunners manager, recently made a statement; according to him, Arsenal are “10 times better” than the previous year. However, facing a Fulham reduced to ten, his team was unable to achieve victory. Although trailing from the start, goals from Saka and Nketiah seemed to have sealed the match, but Fulham snatched a draw at the very end. It reminded many of Arsenal's old defensive demons.
Let's talk tactics: Arteta has made adjustments this season. Arsenal still appears in 4-3-3, but with a few twists. Thomas Partey, known for his prowess in the middle, strangely finds himself in the position of full-back. And there, we have Declan Rice, the new recruit at £105m, who heads the middle. It makes people talk.
The fans are divided. For some, Arteta seems to be “in trouble”. The team would no longer have the same ease on the field. And clearly, Partey's stance raises some eyebrows. They wonder if Arteta is not intellectualizing the game too much.
Even Martin Keown, ex-Arsenal defensive star, has his say. For him, it's the kind of play we saw last year, and which cost Arsenal the championship. He thinks the team needs to learn lessons, especially about finishing matches.
Arteta is confident for the future, but there are gray areas. The job is far from done, and fans are waiting to see if Arteta's gambles will finally pay off.