Arsenal now have the squad depth to fight on multiple fronts and deliver that elusive first Premier League title in 22 years.
Last year’s pursuit of silverware was completely derailed by injuries, because Mikel Arteta did not have enough high-class players in reserve to cover for key absentees.
The Gunners’ substitutes bench for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final at Parc des Princes against Paris Saint-Germain epitomises this.
Riccardo Calafiori, Benjamin White and Leandro Trossard were introduced, while the other players at Arteta’s disposal were Kieran Tierney, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Raheem Sterling, Ethan Nwaneri and Jorginho as well as goalkeepers Neto and Tommy Setford, alongside now departed youngsters Nathan Butler-Oyedeji and Jack Henry-Francis.
In short, not a lot of game-changers there. Fast-forward to this season, Arteta is regularly forced to leave senior players out of his matchday squad altogether.
Nevertheless, having said all of that about depth, guaranteed, world-class starters are also pivotal. Declan Rice is shining like a beacon again but he’s not the only player to become Mr Reliable at the Emirates Stadium.
Declan Rice's new role at Arsenal
Arsenal fans sing “we got him half price” about Rice, and they’re only half joking. Who can forget those free-kicks against Real Madrid? They were special, alright.
In the history of football, only 11 players have transferred for more than £100m, many of whom go down as bona fide flops; looking at you João Félix and Philippe Coutinho.
Others, such as Neymar at PSG, Antoine Griezmann at Barcelona and Jack Grealish at Manchester City, perhaps did not live up to the hype, while it’ll be interesting to see how Liverpool’s record men, Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, perform at Anfield in the long run.
Rice, on the other hand, has certainly proved to be value for money at Arsenal.
The England international has made 113 appearances for the Gunners to date, missing only three Premier League matches, scoring his 17th goal for the club against former club West Ham United last time out.
Initially signed as a holding midfielder, the club’s record signing has been granted more freedom to attack the final third the longer his Arsenal career has played out.
Whether it’s set-pieces or corners, Rice is now a true box-to-box phenomenon, something he touched on during the ongoing international break.
Alongside Gabriel, William Saliba, Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard, when available, Rice’s name is written in proverbial permanent marker on Arteta’s team sheet, but is another underrated Arsenal star elevating himself into a similar category?
Arsenal star is becoming one of the best in the world
Having conceded just three goals in ten matches across all competitions so far this season, Arsenal may well be the best defensive team in the world right now.
Gabriel and Saliba rightly earn a lot of the plaudits, but the form of Jurriën Timber should not be overlooked.
After arriving from Ajax for £38m, the Dutch defender ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during his Premier League debut against Nottingham Forest on the opening day, not seen again until the final day of the 2023/24 campaign against Everton.
Last season, the right-back roles were very much reversed, with Benjamin White sidelined for an elongated period, meaning Timber, pretty much, started every game, accumulating 3,680 minutes across all competitions, a remarkable amount for a player returning from an ACL issue.
Now that White is back, the Englishman can’t get back into the team as a result of Timber’s outstanding form, starting each of the last six Premier League matches.
Speaking on the Arsenal Vision Podcast, Tim Stillman asserted that Timber is “now one of Arsenal’s best players every week”, and the statistics below support this claim.
Tackles
25
1st
Tackles won
14
1st
Interceptions
6
3rd
Clearances per 90
2
3rd
Ball recoveries
18
5th
Attacking 3rd touches
134
2nd
Carries into final 3rd
11
3rd
Passes into final 3rd
24
3rd
Key passes
8
2nd
Big chances created
2
2nd
Shot-creating actions
19
2nd
Average rating
7.36
1st
The table underlines that Timber is vital to Arteta’s team all across the pitch.
As well as ranking highly for tackles, interceptions and ball recoveries, the Dutchman is also in the top three when it comes to touches in and carries and passes into the final third, as well as key passes and chance creation.
The only player consistently above Timber for these metrics is Rice, notably known to be the ultimate all-rounder, but the Dutchman should also be viewed in a similar way. Like the former West Ham man, he’s a warrior and somebody who always delivers in the clutch moments. They’re both hugely consistent individuals.
The £38m paid to secure the full-back’s signature is looking more and more like a bargain when considering that, according to Football Transfers, he is now valued at around £58m, a figure that is likely to only increase, given that he is just 24 years old.
Thus, if Arsenal do go on to achieve what they hope to this season, Timber will certainly be key to that success.