Daily Junction.mobi portalSports · July 8, 2026 · Tom Bennett · 10 min
Arsenal finished second for the second consecutive season in 2023-24, falling short by just two points. With strategic summer signings and a settled squad, can Mikel Arteta deliver the club's first Premier League title since 2004?
Arsenal Football Club are entering the 2024-25 season with their best chance of winning the Premier League title since the Invincibles era of 2003-04. After finishing second for two consecutive seasons under Mikel Arteta — falling short by 5 points in 2022-23 and just 2 points in 2023-24 — the Gunners have strengthened their squad, improved their tactical flexibility, and built the mental resilience required to challenge Manchester City's dominance. But history shows that coming close is not enough. Arsenal led the table for 248 days in 2022-23 before collapsing in the final weeks, and they were in pole position with three games remaining in 2023-24 before draws against Aston Villa and Brighton handed City the title. This season, Arteta's side must prove they can handle the pressure of a title run-in and finally end the club's 21-year wait for a league championship. Here is a comprehensive analysis of Arsenal's title credentials — their strengths, weaknesses, key signings, tactical evolution, and the obstacles standing between them and glory.
When Mikel Arteta was appointed Arsenal manager in December 2019, the club was in crisis. They had finished 8th in the previous season under Unai Emery, were playing uninspiring football, and had a dressing room divided by cliques and poor attitudes. Arteta, a former Arsenal captain and Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City, was tasked with rebuilding the club's identity and restoring them to the top four.
The transformation has been remarkable:
Arsenal have improved their points total by 33 points in four full seasons under Arteta, closing the gap to Manchester City from 15 points to 2 points. They have the youngest squad in the Premier League (average age 24.8 years in 2023-24) and have built a core of players who have grown together — Bukayo Saka (22), Gabriel Martinelli (23), William Saliba (23), and Martin Ødegaard (25) are all entering their prime years.
But the question remains: can Arteta take the final step from nearly men to champions?
Arsenal have fallen agonisingly short in both of Arteta's title challenges. Understanding why they failed is crucial to assessing whether they can succeed in 2024-25.
Arsenal led the Premier League table for 248 days in 2022-23, building an 8-point lead over Manchester City in March. They looked destined to win the title — until they didn't.
What happened:
Key stat: Arsenal's points-per-game dropped from 2.46 (first 28 games) to 1.50 (last 10 games).
Arsenal learned from 2022-23 and were more consistent in 2023-24, but they still fell short by 2 points.
What happened:
Key stat: Arsenal dropped 7 points from winning positions in the final 10 games (vs Villa, Brighton, and Tottenham), while City dropped 0 points.
Arsenal's summer 2024 transfer window was designed to address the two weaknesses that cost them the title: lack of a clinical striker and squad depth.
| Position | 2023-24 Options | 2024-25 Options |
|---|---|---|
| Striker | Jesus (injured 40% of season) | New signing + Jesus |
| Winger | Saka, Martinelli, Trossard | Saka, Martinelli, Trossard, Nwaneri |
| Midfield | Rice, Ødegaard, Jorginho, Vieira | Rice, Ødegaard, new signing, Jorginho, Vieira |
| Centre-back | Saliba, Gabriel, White, Kiwior | Saliba, Gabriel, White, Kiwior, Timber (returning from injury) |
| Full-back | White, Zinchenko, Tomiyasu, Timber (injured) | White, Zinchenko, Tomiyasu, Timber, Lewis-Skelly |
Arsenal now have 22-24 players capable of starting Premier League matches, compared to 16-18 in 2023-24. This will be crucial for managing the increased fixture load from the new Champions League format (8 league phase matches instead of 6 group matches).
Arsenal's tactical identity under Arteta is built on positional play (inspired by Pep Guardiola) and set-piece dominance (coached by Nicolas Jover, the best set-piece coach in world football).
Arsenal scored 22 goals from corners and free-kicks in 2023-24, the most in the Premier League. Their set-piece routines are meticulously drilled:
Arsenal's set-piece goals by month in 2023-24:
Key stat: Arsenal scored 8 goals from corners in their final 10 games, including crucial winners against Wolves, Chelsea, and Tottenham.
Arsenal averaged 61.2% possession in 2023-24 (2nd in the league behind City's 63.5%) and created 2.8 expected goals (xG) per game (2nd behind City's 2.9).
Their build-up play is based on:
Key stat: Arsenal completed 88.4% of their passes in 2023-24, the highest in the Premier League.
Despite their strengths, Arsenal have two glaring weaknesses that must be addressed if they are to win the title.
Arsenal's record against the top six (City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United, Newcastle) in 2023-24:
Points: 12 out of 30 (40%)
By comparison, Manchester City won 7 of 10 top-six matches (21 points, 70%).
Arsenal's inability to beat City, Liverpool, and Newcastle away cost them the title. They must improve their record in big games if they are to challenge in 2024-25.
Arsenal have collapsed in the final 10 games of the season in both of Arteta's title challenges:
While 2023-24 was an improvement, Arsenal still dropped 7 points from winning positions in the final weeks (vs Villa, Brighton, Tottenham). Manchester City, by contrast, won their last 9 matches without dropping a single point.
The question: Can Arsenal handle the pressure of a title run-in, or will they collapse again?
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