For so long, it looked like Arsenal were ready to win their first Premier League title since 2004.
Ultimately they fell away in the final stages but there are still plenty of positives from the season.
The Gunners have a core of young players who look capable of challenging again and they have a return to the Champions League football to look forward to.
Despite a disappointing end of the season, Mikel Arteta’s project is finally taking off.
Here, Standard Sport assesses the 2022-23 season at Emirates Stadium…
Season in one word: Progress.
Star of the show: Martin Odegaard. Revelled in his role as captain, currently Arsenal’s joint-top scorer and also second for assists.
Biggest letdown: Fabio Vieira. Signed for £34million last summer but failed to deliver. Has a big season ahead of him.
Most improved player: Gabriel Martinelli. Established himself as one of the best wingers in the Premier League. More than doubled his goal tally from last season.
Game to remember: Reiss Nelson’s 97th-minute winner to seal a 3-2 win over Bournemouth in early March will go down in Arsenal folklore. The Emirates has never sounded so loud.
How Reiss Nelson’s 97th-minute winner was celebrated from different angles 🤩 pic.twitter.com/ZQ2TPcysYl
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 7, 2023
Game to forget: The Gunners were outplayed by Manchester City when they lost 4-1 at the Etihad on a night when the race for the title took a decisive swing.
Rising star: William Saliba. Frenchman returned after three seasons out on loan to become a key part of the defence. Vital he signs a new contract.
Manager verdict: Mikel Arteta massively overachieved by guiding Arsenal to second place. His aim now is to make them capable of fighting on multiple fronts.
Fans’ mood: Disappointed the title race ended in a whimper, but overall very happy. Feels like the start and not the end.
Grade: A
