Looking back over the season, there are a few key moments that resulted in us reaching third in the Premier League and the final of the FA Cup.

Around January I was feeling pessimistic and not just the regular Arsenal pessimistic either. We stank. We weren’t playing cohesively; we looked as if we didn’t even know each other or care for that matter. We were dropping silly points to the likes of Swansea and Hull – all the while picking up injuries like they were going out of fashion.

We were hovering around sixth in the league, three points behind Southampton (!!) in fourth.

It wasn’t good enough. We knew it, Arsene Wenger knew it and – hopefully – the players knew it.

However, around the beginning of the year something shifted. I don’t think it was just one thing that led us to challenging for second place in the league and finding ourselves in the FA Cup final for the second year running.

Here are five things that in my opinion contributed to us turning a corner and looking more like the Arsenal team we’re supposed to be.

Return of Coq

An injury to Mikel Arteta and the boss’s apparent reluctance to allow Mathieu Flamini anywhere near a football led us to recall Francis Coquelin from his loan spell at Charlton Athletic. Many were sceptical and believed we were just papering over the cracks. The lad was more experienced but, during his first couple of games for us, he seemed a little over-zealous with his challenges and looked as if he could turn into a major liability.

Fortunately, his boisterous nature appeared to just be initial enthusiasm and his tackles became far better thought out. His timing and decision making improved hugely within the space of a few games and he soon became an integral piece of the puzzle.

His performance against Manchester City at the Etihad was a real turning point. He proved he was up to the challenge and ready to play against the bigger teams.

We’d known for a while that we needed a defensive midfielder but I don’t think we ever truly thought we’d find one within our own club right under our noses. He anchors the midfield and is defensively minded – something our other options in that position aren’t. He loves defending and is trained in it – he’s not just there to fill a gap and do a job.

Having those eyes at the back, that man in the middle, has given us the confidence to go forward and I’m sure has been a relief to our back four in general.

Manchester City 0-2 Arsenal

On January 18th the Arsenal players walked out onto the Etihad pitch with a purpose. As a fan, I honestly had no idea what to expect. A considerable thumping the last time we’d faced them on their turf and a draw at ours didn’t fill me with confidence and I pretty much thought, as long as we don’t let them score six against us, it’s an improvement.

Little did I know we’d not only hold our own but outplay them and win the match by two goals.

The result wasn’t just three points. It was about proving everyone wrong and saying, yeah, we can beat the big teams actually. We’re no longer scared. It was also about proving this to ourselves – showing that we were more than capable of winning against the teams that’d shelled out millions upon millions to get to where they were.

Who the… are Man United?

Another huge win for us was at Old Trafford in the FA Cup. When we drew them, my heart sank. I felt certain this was where we’d lose out on the trophy and to say I was bitter is an understatement. Wenger’s record at their ground was being echoed left, right and centre – I didn’t see us winning and I was gutted.

Not only did we win and knock them out of the cup, one of their own Danny Welbeck scored the winner and celebrated as if he hadn’t been part of the team we’d just beaten months earlier.

As with Man City, the win at Old Trafford was far more than just a cup win. It proved that we could win there and that the mental block we’d suffered from against the bigger teams was slowly being demolished.

Magic Mesut

In January, another piece of the puzzle fell into place. German playmaker Mesut Ozil returned from a lengthy knee injury. After so long out, many were unsure how he’d fair in the team. However, we needn’t have worried and the player went on to be even stronger than he was before.

His rehabilitation had actually seen him improve his fitness levels and now he’s a crucial part of our team.

I wrote a column on our squad finally striking the perfect balance and I truly believe he’s a big part of that. When he’s not assisting goals he’s trying us forward and looking for options. He sees passes no one else can – he truly is such a special player.

Fighting fit

Arsenal have been plagued with injuries for years now. In fact, it’s now a running joke amongst most Gooners. In the past, the lack of first team players has seen us play our reserves at Old Trafford and lose 8-2; made us play people out of position and ultimately forfeit points. The first half of this season was no different.

Something then happened in the second half. Players started slowly returning and staying fit, we gradually began moving down the injury table instead of up it.

I joked in a previous piece about us donating a vial of Olivier Giroud’s blood to the football Gods but honestly something does seem to have changed. Whether it’s the way we rehabilitate players during their recovery, our patience when returning them to playing time due to the now considerable size of the squad, new staff or just sheer luck, I’m not complaining.

Long may it continue.