For the first of our Premier League team previews, we check on Arsenal’s new signings and bookmaker odds before arriving at a recommended bet for the season.
What happened last year?
Matches involving the fifth placed Gunners usually had a winner last season with just three of their 38 matches finishing in stalemates. The biggest issue was their lack of consistency and that was evident in the last three matches of the season, matches that would ultimately define their season. One of those three was a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby. They then followed that up with another defeat away to Newcastle United, which all but guaranteed Arsenal would finish in a Europa League spot.
Betfred
- Huge range of regular promotions
- 24/7 live chat service
- PickYourPunt builder for custom bets
Key signings?
Gabriel Jesus
It was always a matter of when and not if this transfer went through. Very rarely do City sell a player that the fans are gutted to see go, however, Gabriel Jesus is a player that was highly rated at the Etihad. He is one of the best pressers in the game and on his day can be a lethal finisher. He predominantly played out wide for the Citizens but many think Arsenal’s new number nine will be tasked with leading the goal-scoring charts by playing through the middle.
Fábio Vieira
The second coming at the Emirates is not of Jesus but rather Vieira. However, don’t expect Fábio to be a tough-tackling midfielder who will win every physical duel. The Portuguese midfielder has a bit more finesse about him and is probably closer to Martin Odegaard in terms of style of play. He holds possession well, is excellent at dead-ball situations and has the rare ability to draw the opposition in to make silly fouls. He’ll be a solid addition to Mikel Arteta’s side.
And who’s out?
Mattéo Guendouzi
The French midfielder has spent the last couple of seasons out on loan at Hertha Berlin and Marseille respectively. The latter have decided to make the loan permanent, which sees Guendouzi return to his native France and Ligue 1 football. It never really worked out for him in the Premier League and so a move was probably best for all involved.
Alexandre Lacazette
The 31-year-old has left on a free transfer and it’s hardly a surprise. A return of just six goals in 36 appearances across all competitions meant that a change was needed for both the player and the club. He’s returned to France with former club Lyon and as good a servant as he’s been in his five years at the club, a move back home probably came at the right time.
Who is their star man?
Gabriel Jesus
It was tough to decide who is the main man at Arsenal now after the new signings arrived through the door. It was between the new number nine Jesus and winger Bukayo Saka. But that alone shows that Arsenal are making steps in the right direction as they’ve already added some quality new starters to their team, as opposed to the squad players we have grown accustomed to seeing arrive in North London.
As mentioned above, Jesus’ goal involvement is impressive and I’m keen to see how he does when he knows he will be a consistent starter. Expect him to be the main man this campaign.
What can we expect from them in 2022/23?
If Arsenal can add a defender to their ranks, few clubs will have had better transfer windows than the Gunners. You can see what Arteta is trying to do at Arsenal and the additions he has made are exciting. They played some excellent football last season, but arguably some of the players didn’t possess the quality to implement what the manager wanted on the pitch.
If the new additions click, we could see Arsenal adopt a similar tactic to Manchester City, with the players utilising their exceptional ability to keep the ball, wear their opponents down and create a host of goalscoring opportunities.
As previously mentioned, it’s going to be interesting to see how Jesus settles in and how he does when he gets regular starts. If he can hit the ground running, don’t be surprised to see the Gunners go one better than last season and comfortably achieve a top-four place.
Where do the odds project them to finish?
Looking at the current odds, the market has Arsenal as the sixth favourite to win the Premier League title. Even Manchester United are currently a shorter price to lift the trophy at the end of the season which is slightly surprising.
There’s a long way to go in the transfer window and with plenty of acquisitions still possible for all clubs, those odds could fluctuate.
Any recommended bets?
Given the strong transfer window the Gunners have had, a price of 4/6 for them to finsih in the top six at this stage looks more than fair and will only get more attractive if they are able to add a centre back to their ranks before the end of the window.
With odds as short as 1/2 in places, a 4/6 best price looks good value for a top six finish especially given they finished fifth last year and have made some quality additions.
