The Mikel Arteta revolution continues at a pace with a six-goal thumping of West Ham at the weekend maintaining a 100% record for 2024.
After a worrying dip that stretched across the whole of December, a revived Gunners have played four and won four since the new year, accruing an aggregate scoreline of 16-2.
It’s an impressive return to form that has seen their Premier League odds shorten, and understandably so given how the scrap at the summit of the top-flight is shaping up.
Just two points separate Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool in a season that is unlikely to see anyone sprint away unchallenged.
It’s a scrap that has seen Liverpool fly from the blocks and not yet stumble, improved by a new-look midfield, while City have had to overcome an inevitable drop-off after winning a famous treble last term.
Arsenal meanwhile have once again turned to their marquee names to regularly turn on the style.
Bukayo Saka boasts a goal involvement every 110 minutes and on his rare off-days Martin Odegaard is always there to pick up the slack and orchestrate proceedings brilliantly.
It is these two who have received the lion’s share of the plaudits, them along with an upgraded defence who have conceded just 0.9 goals per game. It is a defence now benefiting from elite protection courtesy of their big summer signing Declan Rice.
Yet scratch a little deeper and something else comes to light, a newly-discovered trait that in the past – somewhat disingenuously, it has to be said – was often attributed to Manchester United’s sustained dominance of English football.
This season, Arsenal have made a consistent habit of scoring in ‘Fergie-time’.
Last year, as they steam-rolled the rest of the division for the most part only to fall away near the end, Arteta’s side were not overly associated with scoring late goals.
They had their moments of course, with an 86th minute winner against Fulham springing to mind, the celebrations that followed riling up Richard Keys.
There was also a 90th minute winner, struck by Eddie Nketiah, that saw off Manchester United.
By the season’s end though, Arsenal had converted only three times in added-on time while just 12.5% of their entire haul was scored beyond the 80th minute.
Compare and contrast those stats to their 2023/24 output however and the difference is striking.
No team have scored more goals in added-on time than the Gunners to date, a remarkable eight in 24 matches to be exact. Only Liverpool come close to that.
Furthermore, it is a habit not exclusive to that last-gasp phase of play that used to endearingly be called ‘injury time’.
Add in goals scored after the 80th minute and Arsenal have notched 22.6% of their whole tally when legs become wearied and mistakes are there to be capitalised upon.
Naturally, what must be factored in is the dramatic increase in added-on time this season to better negate the wasting of it. Some games have seemingly been eked out into the following day.
But that doesn’t explain why it’s Arsenal who are most reaping the rewards, and to such a degree.
Might belief be at the heart of it, as Arteta’s charges dig down into a devout determination to right last season’s ultimate wrong?
Very possibly, and almost for sure a strong mentality lies behind such numbers.
It can be posited too that one late goal tends to increase the chances of another. It’s a very handy habit to pick up.
That’s certainly the case with Arsenal right now, and with several winners and crucial equalisers included, what’s the betting it’s a quality that by May sets them apart, as they finally end a twenty year wait for a Premier League title.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
