Progress
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal revolution: Reunion with Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez and Calum Chambers shows how far Gunners have come as they pursue Champions League return
Arsenal have become an exciting and progressive side who have set their sights on getting back into the Champions League this season.
The Gunners travel to Aston Villa - LIVE on talkSPORT - as they reunite with former goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and defender Calum Chambers, with the changes to the team since their exits showing how far Mikel Arteta's side has come.
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Arsenal are playing their best football since Arteta took charge in December 2019.
He guided the club to their 14th FA Cup title in 2020 and, although they've finished eighth in the past two league campaigns, this season they are in contention to secure a return to the top-four.
Arsenal have decided to make a change to their transfer policy that rejuvenated the squad last summer.
The standout stars within the squad are homegrown, but the arrival of Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White and Takehiro Tomisayu have shaped a formidable backline.
Meanwhile, Martin Odegaard's permanent move has inspired this Arsenal side with much-needed creativity.
The decision to terminate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's contract seemed extreme at the time but the overall improvement in the team since his exit has proven Arteta made the right call, giving Alexandre Lacazette greater responsibility up front.
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The north Londoners have made significant progress under Arteta as they sit in pole position to secure a top-four finish for the first time in six years.
The Spaniard played for the Gunners between 2011 and 2016, and returned to the club when he succeeded Unai Emery as manager.
Emery was unable to bring the club back into Europe's elite competition by finishing fifth and losing 4-1 in the 2019 Europa League final to Chelsea.
marvelbet369.com has taken a look back into Emery's final game in charge against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League group phrase.
It was also the final time Martinez and Chambers started together for the club - now they're preparing to face the Gunners as rivals.
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Arsenal's defence was their main area of weakness over a long period of time, despite Martinez's best efforts between the sticks.
Granit Xhaka has been an ever-present player since he joined the club and is one of the few players to remain from the Emery era.
His disciplinary record still holds him back, he has been sent off five times at the club and also stripped off the captaincy, but has improved under Arteta's stewardship.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have shined for Arsenal and become regular starters ever since, ahead of £72million club-record signing Nicolas Pepe.
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Meanwhile, Aubameyang's exit to Barcelona has allowed Lacazette to play an more influential role in the team, step up as a leader and take the captain's armband.
On the bench, Reiss Nelson and Matteo Guendouzi are currently on loan to Feyenoord and Marseille respectively - although the French midfielder will join his new club permanently this summer as they look to follow in the footsteps of Mesut Ozil in leaving the club.
The defeat to Frankfurt brought an end to Emery's 18-month reign in the Emirates dugout following a poor run of seven games without a win.
Emery pursued a move to Villarreal where he guided the club to Europa League success last season - knocking Arsenal out in their route to the final.
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The current Arsenal side, meanwhile, are moving in the right direction and creating the foundations to compete against the best sides.
Behind the sticks, Ramsdale has been a commanding influence in the squad, keeping 14 clean sheets in 27 appearances.
At right-back, Tomisayu has been sidelined with injury in recent months, but when fully fit he is first choice having made a big impact on the side with his versality and composure on the ball.
Centre-backs White and Gabriel are the heartbeat of Arsenal's defence and have formed a settled back line that has kept Rob Holding out of the team.
While 2020 summer signing Thomas Partey struggled in his first campaign due to injuries, he has recently displayed some of his best performances in Arsenal colours.
Odegaard leads the midfield alongside widemen Saka and Martinelli, who are all playing ahead of current top goalscorer Emile Smith Rowe.
It's not been an easy ride for Arteta as he looks to build the team that can sustain a title challenge over the coming seasons, but the the trip to Villa Park and reunion with two former players shows how far they've come in such a short space of time.
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