Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal project has rarely ever been in better shape than it is at the present moment.
The FA Cup run at the end of his first season in charge was of course, a huge moment, and the Community Shield win over Liverpool in August 2020 provided a major source for optimism.
But in terms of consistent results and genuine expectation, the Gunners are in their strongest position, arguably since Arsene Wenger departed the club.
Having won seven of their last nine Premier League matches, including a double over their top-six rivals Wolves, Arteta’s side are in a commanding position in the race for Champions League football.
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With 14 games remaining, Arsenal sit just two points behind Manchester United - the team currently occupying fourth spot - with a whopping three games in hand.
For the first time under the Spaniard’s stewardship the voices of discontent are little more than a murmur, with many of his detractors won over.
That wasn’t always the case, however, and a look back 12 months emphasises just how much the tide has changed in north London.
March 2021 saw Arteta under huge pressure with Arsenal destined to finish outside the European places for the first time in 26 years.
But in the face of growing criticism, the Premier League’s youngest manager felt that with time, and the added stability of no Covid-enforced lockdowns, his project would finally take lift-off.
"It's been really challenging having the first job to do that (manage through the Covid-19 pandemic).
"And after that having only been in the job for just three months in normal conditions to start to have a completely different context and framework to work in has been really challenging.
"At the same time, it’s made us as a club, much stronger. We have created a really strong group, a really strong bond with our players, with our fans, with our staff. That’s going to make a big difference.
"I think in the future when everything comes to normality and we’re able to work the way that’s needed to work with some stability, I think this project is going to go bang.
“This is where we are but sometimes it’s difficult to see those moments now. I’m sure of what we’re doing."
But even in the year since those comments, there have been testing times, none more so than the start of his season which saw his side lose three straight games without scoring.
However, like his manager did six months previous, technical director Edu put on a confident front, claiming that once outside variables were controlled, the team were on the right path.
Speaking about the owners’ view on their dismal opening trio of games, Edu told Sky Sports: "They already know and want to see the squad playing together. We want to see them playing together.
“Mikel wants to see them playing together. Mikel was happy the other day when he had two or three players starting to train again.
"He wants to see everyone fit and I hope everyone without Covid. Then it is fair to judge us.
"I am really happy because the plan which we started to execute a year ago, we did,” he continued. “That's what makes me really happy because all the plans, all the steps, all the processes which we put together we executed.”
Asked if when the players were fit, results would pick up, Edu offered one word in reply: “Exactly.”
And it appears their confidence wasn’t misguided, even if the wider footballing world felt that it emphatically was.
