Despite a less than stellar closure to their 2022-23 campaign, Arteta’s youthful side outperformed their harshest critics and ensured the season was a more than memorable one. The team comfortably finished 2nd in the Premier League, with top goalscorers Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Ødegaard both netting 15 goals a piece.
Fans can’t help feeling, however, that the league title was theirs for the taking as they stood 8 points clear of Manchester City at the top with only a handful of games left to play. Perhaps distracted by the opportunity to get their hands on the silverware or maybe mentally and physically fatigued from a demanding end of season, Arsenal were unable to match City’s consistent points haul and finished in a more than respectable 2nd place.
The powerful and passionate team deserved more for their efforts and came away with little to show apart beyond a revitalised fanbase, reaching the fourth round in the FA Cup, the round of 16 in the UEFA Europa League and only the third round in the EFL Cup. Fans can now breathe a sigh of relief and relax into their off season hobbies like the new and exciting live Crazy Time Casino experience available at Jackpotjoy.
Despite the lack of trophies, the season has been full of moments that have been nothing short of miraculous and will be remembered for years to come. We take a look at The Gunners’ best performances from 2022-23.
Saliba’s First Against Bournemouth – 20 August 2022
William Saliba had a stand-out year after returning from a successful loan spell with Marseille. The French centre-back proved he was useful at both ends of the field, putting a majestic final touch to a dazzling goal against AFC Bournemouth back in August of last year.
The move started from a free-kick near the right touchline in Bournemouth’s half. Martinelli took the ball towards the corner flag and managed to get a cross away, which was missed by defender Lerma and bounced towards Xhaka.
After controlling the ball with his chest, instead of unleashing a shot on target, he swept the ball back in the direction of Saliba who was waiting at the edge of the box. Saliba effortlessly curled it into the top left corner of the Bournemouth goal which left even his teammate Zinchenko in disbelief.
You can see highlights from the match at Sky Sports.
4-2 Win Over Aston Villa at Villa Park – 18 Feb 2023
Arsenal finished the season with four players accruing 10+ league goals. They were Martinelli, Ødegaard, Saka and Jesus which is the first time the club has achieved this since 2012: Walcott, Giroud, Cazorla and Podolski. As a result, there’s no shortage of spectacular performances to choose from.
Two from that elite pack helped Arsenal secure a rollercoaster win over Aston Villa in another crucial league match. After going 1-0 down, Saka drilled home a left foot, struck almost behind him at waist height to bring Arsenal level, but the home team hadn’t finished yet.
After heading to the locker room at halftime, with Villa 2-1 up after a Coutinho finish from a slick attacking move, Ukrainian Zinchenko struck a low, well placed finisher from just outside the Villa box in the 61st minute to make the score 2-2. But two more found their way into Aston Villa’s goal in added time via the right feet of Jorginho and Martinelli to tie up a truly thrilling fixture.
Watch highlights from the match on YouTube.
Epic Comeback Against Bournemouth at The Emirates Stadium – 4 March 2023
With the title race still firmly within their grasp, this was an important match for the side at the time but despite dominating in all areas, the home team were 0-2 down with only 30 minutes left on the clock – one of Bournemouth’s coming just 9.11 seconds after kickoff. Partey broke Arsenal’s drought, clawing the first one back in the 62nd minute.
Ben White drew the team level just 8 minutes later with a goal that almost wasn’t, deemed after the fact to have already crossed the line when Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto punched it clear. Parity may have seemed like sufficient recompense but with each point in the league worth its weight in gold no one was prepared to take their foot off the gas.
A corner in the 97th minute was cleared only as far as Reiss Nelson who centred himself then seared a missile into the net just inches inside the left post. The team, the bench and the crowd erupted into ecstasy.
Watch highlights from the fixture at Arsenal.com.
Arsenal have been working tirelessly to renew Nelson’s contract, eventually providing an offer that was too good for the English winger to refuse. This has improved the manager’s ability to spend in a midfield that has a few fragile areas.
It’s been a memorable season for Arsenal with many making understandable comparisons between them and the 2003-4 Invincibles side. The fans are poised for more unforgettable magic next year which, if the right transfers are made, could finally be Arsenal’s once more.