How Arsenal’s defense is turning Mikel Arteta’s fortunes

Undoubtedly one of the best performances for Mikel Arteta that more important got their fans at home against Aston Villa.

Arsenal looked back to their attacking best on Friday night when they blew away Aston Villa with a 3-0 win in the Premier League.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored, Emile Smith Rowe scored and even Thomas Partey scored. It was a performance that undoubtedly pleased Mikel Arteta and the fans.

Takehiro Tomiyasu; Photo Credit – The Telegraph

Yet what was perhaps even more pleasing was the manner in which the London club completely shut Villa down and stopped them from offering any kind of threat, aside from a late consolation goal from Jacob Ramsey.

Indeed, Friday’s victory now means that Arteta’s side has only conceded four goals in their last seven league matches. Which, unsurprisingly, has also seen the club win five, draw two and lose none.

The real turnaround in Arsenal’s season came after the disastrous 5-0 defeat to Manchester City in late August.

That day Arsenal started with a back five of Kieran Tierney, Callum Chambers, Jacob Ramsey, Rob Holding, and Cedric Soares, along with Bernd Leno in goals. Fast forward two months and only one of those players is still a starter in Arteta’s squad.

Nuno Taveres; Photo Credit – iNews

Indeed, the club had bigger plans for its defense, signing Ben White, Aaron Ramsdale, Nuno Tavares, and Takehiro Tomiyasu in the summer transfer window. And in one form or another, each has gone on to add something new to Arteta’s side and help the Spanish manager turn his club’s season around.

Arsenal have long been searching for a stable, long-term partnership at the center of their backline, and arguably not since Arteta was a player stationed in front of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny has there been the consistency required from that position

In the last five matchdays of the Premier League, only three clubs have conceded fewer goals than Arteta’s new-look Arsenal. Where they were once abject in possession, inaccurate in front of goal, and comical in defense, the London club now looks well-drilled and capable of nullifying some of the best attacking players in the division.

Arsenal may not reach their goal of finishing in the top four this season, but if they do they’ll do it off the back of strong, defensive performances thanks to the players signed in the summer window.