“You have to do a lot of good things, incredible things, to be second in this league,” Mikel Arteta reflected, "and we’ve done that.”
Arteta is wholly justified in his glowing analysis of Arsenal’s season; his side could end the campaign with the club’s highest points tally in 19 years and have already matched or bettered the haul earned by six previous Premier League champions.
But if Arsenal want to go beyond second place and surpass Manchester City next season, they will have to do even more good and incredible things.
Here are some of the items on that checklist.
Tie down key players
Much has been made of Arsenal's crumbling defence in William Saliba's absence but the Gunners may have to get used to playing without the talismanic French centre-back. Saliba's current deal expires in 2024. Bukayo Saka, one of just two Premier League players to have hit double digits for goals and assists this season, will also be a free agent at the end of next season.
While there is an air of positivity surrounding the negotiations, nothing has yet been agreed.
Back in April, 90min revealed that Arsenal wanted to put pen to paper on new deals for the duo before they jetted off on their summer break. Arsenal have suffered from contractual negotiations conducted mid-season in the recent past and need to focus on future-proofing the talent already on their books - although, that's not to say that the squad shouldn't be bolstered.
Improve squad depth
To tweak a well-worn expression, players win games but squads win championships.
Arteta had settled upon his first-choice starting XI by the club's final pre-season friendly. The same lineup that dismantled Chelsea in July started the first three Premier League games of the season. Before the World Cup, Arteta's ideal XI had started six of Arsenal's 14 league matches, winning each and every one. However, the same set of players have not lined up alongside one another since the tournament in Qatar.
Aside from a starting midfielder to challenge the likes of Granit Xhaka, who may be moved on, and Thomas Partey - who tired noticeably in spring - Arsenal’s chief focus should be pointed towards figures that may not break up the starting XI, but individuals that don't represent a significant drop-off when Arteta is forced to rotate. January addition Leandro Trossard serves as the perfect template.
Arsenal bowed out of both cup competitions at the earliest possible opportunity and were eliminated in the first knockout round of the Europa League in their ultimately fruitless pursuit of Premier League glory. Unless Arteta adopts the same one-eyed approach and focuses exclusively on league football next season, he will surely need a better squad to draw upon.
Read the latest Arsenal news here
Tighten up defensively
Across the previous 22 Premier League seasons, one team has won the league while conceding more than 40 goals. Arsenal have shipped 42 and still have two more fixtures to fulfil.
Intriguingly, the Gunners have been more parsimonious on the road this term, keeping ten clean sheets away from home compared to just three at the Emirates. Only already-relegated Southampton have presided over fewer shutouts in front of their own fans.
Saliba’s absence has been felt but it isn’t the defining factor - Arsenal’s defence began to wane after the World Cup even when the Frenchman was in the team.
Oleksandr Zinchenko’s hybrid positioning, tucking into midfield from left-back, has undoubtedly opened up an extra channel of passing angles for Arsenal to exploit. However, it’s also presented the opposition with an obvious area to target in transition, with teams increasingly willing to penetrate the left-back zone Zinchenko vacates as the season has worn on.
Either Gabriel is dragged out of his centre-back role to deal with the threat or Zinchenko himself hurriedly scurries back only to expose his flaws as a one-on-one defender.
Pep Guardiola employed a similar flexible system at Manchester City - with Zinchenko for several years - but his side exerts so much more control over the tempo of each contest that they are less exposed on the break. City serve as the benchmark for Arsenal to beat but the Gunners can scarcely lay a glove on the Sky Blues in direct head-to-heads.
Purge Man City hoodoo
Arteta's solitary victory against Manchester City - before a run of seven consecutive defeats across all competitions - was a rare occasion when the apprentice surprised his former master.
Arsenal lined up with a fluid 3-4-3 for the 2020 FA Cup semi-final played behind closed doors, befuddling their illustrious opponents as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, operating from the left wing, scored twice.
Yet, in recent meetings, Arsenal have matched City's shape but been outdone by a combination of the refinements Guardiola can make or the superior quality radiating out of the Cityzen set up.
While not every league winner dominates their closest challengers, enduring such a wretched head-to-head record is hardly a recipe for success. In the entire history of England's top flight, just seven champions have lost home and away to their nearest rivals during a title-winning season.
LISTEN NOW
On this edition of The Chronicles of a Gooner, part of the 90min podcast network, Harry Symeou reflects on Arsenal's 3-0 defeat to Brighton & what it means for the Premier League title race. If you can't see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!
This article was originally published on 90min as What Arsenal need to do to win the 2023/24 Premier League title.
