The vibes around the Emirates are hard to beat right now. Top of the Premier League, three wins from three in Europe, and more clean sheets than a launderette.
Things are going so well you almost feel obliged to whisper it, just in case you jinx it. After all, how confident can you really feel when this team has teased success but come up short three years running, and the club hasn’t lifted the league title in 21 years?
The answer, it seems, lies in the personnel. There’s no obvious weak link, no obvious drop-off. A busy summer of recruitment, coupled with the delightful versatility that seems to be in the contract of every Arteta signing, means this squad has absorbed injuries with an ease we’re simply not used to.
And that strength in depth hasn’t gone unnoticed. Speaking after last night’s 4-0 battering of Atletico Madrid, David Raya spoke openly about competition for places driving the team to a higher level.
“The depth of the squad is incredible. We have a lot of players and we have a lot of players that can play in two, three, four different positions.
“Like today, [Mikel] Merino came on as a striker and he can play as a No8, he can play as a No10.
“So, that’s the variety that the boss has and he’s using it for our advantage and for the best of the team. It’s looking very, very good and that depth is very important for us.
“Of course, that gives you an extra level in training and in games because if you’re not at it every day, you can lose your spot in a fraction.
“So, that gives that competitiveness in training and in games. That’s really, really important and everybody is on board with that.”
Arsenal revealed this morning that the current defensive record after 12 games is the best in the club’s history. Just three goals have been conceded, and in most cases, opponents are finding it very hard to find the space to even test Raya.
Unsurprisingly, the goalkeeper is hugely complimentary of the team’s collective will to keep clean sheets.
“Clean sheets are always important. I give them the same credit as goals. If we’re keeping clean sheets, it’s going to make games easier, to win them.
“It’s really, really important for the whole team, not giving away that many chances and being very, very solid.
“It’s a team effort, it’s a collective effort from the striker to the goalkeeper. Everyone is on it, no one wants to give anything (away) and everyone wants to intercept that ball even before getting to the halfway line.
“It’s really important for everyone to feel that way and we’re not giving away that many chances which is perfect.”
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