Gunners fans are seeing a return to form for their team, as the rebuild of Arsenal back to winning form seems to have been successful. While many factors influence a club's success, the influence of manager Mikel Arteta cannot be downplayed. Arsenal have proven over the last three seasons that they are, once again, genuine contenders for the Premier League title.

The last three Premier League seasons have given Gooners something to celebrate, the red and white are back to, if not winning ways, then serious contending ways. While it's true that Arsenal didn't win those last three seasons, coming back from being in the middle of the pack of clubs to, once again, being serious and consistent contenders is something for any Gooner to cheer about. The side has shown that under the leadership of Mikel Arteta, they can go just about all the way, and it could be fair to say that the rebuild is over, and now they are looking not just to compete, but to win.

Let's take a closer look at the recent history of Arsenal, from the years just before and after Arteta took the reins, to the currently dominant force they represent. This dominance is no accident and is a result of a number of different factors all working in concert.

Middle of the Pack to Serious Contenders

Arteta was handed the reins of Arsenal in December of 2019, while the squad was diminished from their normally strong position. It's true that the Gunners were never at the bottom of the Premier League table, but they were consistently finishing outside of the top 4, with season performances that were their worst in 20 years. 

Arteta didn't instantly change their fortunes, and the first 3 seasons, if we count the season he joined halfway through, saw little change. But the Spanish manager was looking ahead to the future and has since helped shepherd Arsenal through a relatively speedy rebuild. Arteta's vision is one that focuses on resetting the squad's discipline, structure and even its culture.

If we wind the clock forward and someone were to ask us for betting tips for today, we'd have to recommend Arsenal as a strong option for winning the Premier League. The team are sitting at the top of the table and has been pretty convincing in their wins. They have a handy cushion of points that means they could even absorb a loss or two without losing their position in the top 4, and have displayed a level of consistent talent that any side would be envious of. It feels like this season isn't theirs to win, it's theirs to lose.

Arteta Brought a Sense of Tactical Clarity

Gooners and football fans have pointed to a few things that have helped to bring Arsenal back to such strong form, and one of the most important has been the tactical influence of Arteta. A key component of Arteta's strategy seems to be to ensure that his side is equally comfortable attacking as they are defending.

Recent form has shown them using a relatively fluid structure on attack. Their full-backs move up into the midfield, and the wingers move out, stretching the defence of the opposition and attempting to expose weaknesses. The idea behind this structure is to try to maximise the amount of control they can exercise over the ball and game, and also allows for good chances to strike at the opposition's goal.

Just as importantly, Arteta has seen them transform into one of the best organised sides when it comes to regaining possession. The amount of pressure they are able to apply when pressing is enabling them to quickly get back on the attack.

Young Talent Taking the Spotlight

Another of the big wins for Arteta's overall rebuild strategy has been his commitment to putting his faith in emerging elite talents. Some of these players are coming out of the Arsenal Academy, while others are young stars picked up internationally. By getting their hands on young talents as they are developing, the Gunners are able to create a side that is relatively inexpensive and can grow together over time.

Two noteworthy mentions among Arsenal's young talent are Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka. These young stars are a key component of the current identity of Arsenal, and fans love them. Saka has recently re-signed with the Gunners through until 2031, which is great news for Gooners who have been enjoying seeing one of the Premier League's most effective young attackers playing in the red and white.

Recruiting With a Plan

As well as the investment into developing young players, the overall recruitment strategy for Arsenal under Arteta has been intelligently handled. There are no big names getting signed simply because they are big names; every player that gets approached is a player that Arteta can see slotting neatly into what he envisions for the team.

Because the squad is being built with one man's vision in mind, it is finding itself better able to handle different competitions. In short, Arteta has built a squad with a surprising amount of depth. 

Arsenal has long been a strong contender, but it has rarely been able to so easily field squads designed to combat teams across different leagues at the same time.

Defence is a Foundational Concern

It has become clear over the last three seasons that Arteta considers the ability of his side to defend as a foundational concern. Before Arteta, offensive ability was often undermined by a hollow defence that allowed opponents to have their way with the side. Arteta is having none of this. The Arsenal that he has created almost invariably deploys an excellent defensive line, stymying opponents' attacks before responding in kind.

In addition to a strong defensive foundation, the side's ability to press and regain possession takes pressure off their own defence. This dual balance of effective attack and strong defence is something that turns sides into champions.

A Shift in Culture and Mentality

While it might be harder to pinpoint or outline on a graph, another key point in favour of Arteta's Arsenal is its mindset. The players seem to have a strength of belief that the side before Arteta did not; they don't just go out there to play football, they go out there to win, and they believe that they can.

This innate strength of will and belief in their own ability to win is an important piece of the modern Arsenal. When they face tough opposition, believing that they have the ability to perform and bring home a win is what will help keep them in the fight until the very end.

Final Thoughts

While nothing is certain in football, you can be sure that the Arsenal era under Mikel Arteta will be viewed as one of modern football's success stories. A side that was slowly slipping out of form has been rebuilt into a serious title contender, and they look like they want the win.