Mikel Arteta’s Dubai Break Boosts Fab Five Performance
Arsenal’s new “fab five” have been on fire since Mikel Arteta took them on a break to Dubai. Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus have all stepped up their game and have become key players for the Gunners. This improvement in form has given Arsenal a real chance at winning their first title since Arsene Wenger’s “Invincibles” in 2004.
Before their trip to Dubai, Arsenal was going through a rough patch. They suffered consecutive defeats against West Ham and Fulham and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Liverpool. However, since returning from their training camp, they have been unstoppable. They have won seven straight games in the Premier League, scoring an impressive 31 goals in the process.
The five attacking players have been instrumental in this turnaround. Over the past two months, they have scored a total of 17 goals and provided 11 assists. This is a significant improvement from their form in the first half of the season, where they managed 19 goals and 12 assists in 19 games. Their output has more than doubled since the turn of the year.
Bukayo Saka has been particularly outstanding. He is currently joint-top scorer in the Premier League with seven goals, matched only by Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins. Saka has contributed to almost every goal or assist for Arsenal since the start of the year, with a stunning average of 1.29 goal or assist contribution per match.
But it’s not just Saka who has improved. The other four players have also stepped up their game. Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice have started contributing more regularly, with Rice scoring twice and creating four goals in 2024. Trossard, on the other hand, has scored three goals since the end of 2023, adding to his initial four goals.
This incredible upturn in form has turned the title race into a genuine three-horse contest. If Arsenal can secure a win against Brentford on Saturday and Liverpool and Manchester City draw at Anfield on Sunday, they will go top of the table. This would be a remarkable achievement for a team that seemed to be falling apart just a few weeks ago.
Mikel Arteta’s decision to take his players to Dubai for a mid-season break has clearly paid off. The players have come back rejuvenated and their performances on the pitch have been exceptional. Arsenal fans can now dare to dream of their team lifting the Premier League trophy once again.
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