Opinion: Mikel Arteta’s credentials are no longer in doubt with Arsenal champions-elect

There really is something special about the Arsenal side that Mikel Arteta has built.

At 2-0 down to Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon the Gunners looked dead and buried, and with the news that Man City had beaten Newcastle meaning that the Citizens were now only two points behind the Gunners, the pressure was perhaps weighing heavily on his young team’s shoulders.

However, Reiss Nelson’s fine injury-time winner saw to it that the north Londoners would once again end the weekend five points ahead of Pep Guardiola’s swashbucklers.

There was a period when Arteta was under intense pressure and scrutiny from the supporters at Arsenal, and they should be thanking their lucky stars that the board held firm in not giving in to the boo boys.

All the Spaniard needed was time to move certain disruptive influences on, and the trust of his employers when it came to new signings and bringing players up through the academy.

The fruits of his hard work are now being seen week in and week out. The win over Bournemouth and the manner in which it arrived neatly underscored everything that Arteta is about.

Teamwork, togetherness, all for one and one for all. No one is above the team and the spirit he has engendered amongst his players has to be the chief reason why they are where they are.

And where is that? Top of the table and, dare I say it, champions-elect.

Like all of the great teams they are now passing every test set them, rather than stuttering along, and even though Man City are more than likely to make them work right until the last kick of the season, there is enough belief in this squad and management team to ensure they’ll get over the line.

The post Opinion: Mikel Arteta’s credentials are no longer in doubt with Arsenal champions-elect appeared first on CaughtOffside.