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Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit believes that it will be tough for Mikel Arteta's team to win the Premier League. The Gunners finished second in the league in the last three seasons, but a summer of reinforcements have ignited hope of a title triumph this campaign.
Speaking to AS, Petit pointed out that his former side's start to the season could be vital to the rest of their campaign.
"They won against Manchester United in an ugly match, but they got the three points. Manchester United actually played well. Looking at the schedule, they'll soon be facing the big teams in the Premier League. The start will be key for the rest of the season. New signings, like Viktor Gyökeres and Martín Zubimendi, still have to adapt to Arteta's style," said Petit.
Petit went on to add that the north London side lack depth in the squad, and need further signings to win the league.
"Gyökeres, for example, prefers to run into space behind defenders, while Arsenal tend to rely on possession. Perhaps they need to get back to the fast-paced counterattacking style they practiced two years ago to get the most out of it. Both he and the team need to meet halfway. Too often, wingers drop deep, leaving the pitch empty, making it difficult for Gyökeres to find space. So he, alone, isn't the solution," said Petit.
He added:
"If Arsenal quickly find the balance between his qualities and his style of play, they'll be in contention. But they're still missing one or two players. Lack of rotation has been their biggest problem in recent years, especially when injuries mount in the second half of the season. If things remain as they are, Arsenal can compete until the end, provided they're not plagued by injuries."
He concluded:
"But it will be very difficult, and I'm not convinced anyway. They need at least one or two more signings before the transfer window closes, especially on the wings (they've already signed Eze) . Saka is too isolated on the right, and Ødegaard is the only real playmaker. They've replaced those who left, but they still lack real depth."
Arsenal next face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, August 31, in the Premier League.
Are Arsenal interested in Piero Hincapie?
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Piero Hincapie
Arsenal have entered the race to sign Piero Hincapie this summer, according to The BBC. The Ecuadorian defender caught the eye with Bayer Leverkusen in recent years and famously won the domestic double in 2023-24 campaign.
Hincapie reportedly wants to leave the BayArena this summer and the Gunners are among multiple clubs eyeing him with interest. Mikel Arteta apparently wants a new left sided center back and the 23-year-old fits the bill. Hincapie has a £52m release clause in his contract, and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in the race as well.
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Deepungsu Pandit
Deepungsu is a veteran football journalist who has been covering daily transfer roundups and news for over seven years at Sportskeeda. He has written more than 9500 articles for the website, and has garnered close to 21 million reads.
Deepungsu holds a PG degree in Microbiology and an MBA degree in Total Quality Management. He has an extensive two-decade long writing experience, which includes a decade of sports blogging. His writing prowess has even led his work getting cited on the legendary Franz Beckenbauer's Wikipedia page.
Inspired by Diego Maradona, Deepungsu played as an attacking midfielder for his local club at subdivision level in his initial years and scored an important goal or two. However, his all-time favorite footballer is Lionel Messi, and evidently, he feels Argentina's glory in 2022 is his favorite FIFA World Cup moment for fulfilling his long-standing dream. He is also an ardent East Bengal fan.
Deepungsu has been a Manchester United supporter since the year 2000. Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and the Scotsman helped him get through some of the toughest days of his life. Like the fiery Scot, Deepungsu also leaves no stone unturned when it comes to accuracy in articles and only relies on credible sources.
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