Arsenal’s return from a lengthy, World Cup-induced hiatus is almost upon us. Friendlies out in the Middle East teased our salivary glands, but supporters remain unsatiated. We want the real thing.
The Gunners will round off a hefty Premier League Boxing Day schedule by welcoming West Ham to the Emirates. The league leaders haven’t blessed us with their majesty since mid-November, and expectations are high among fans despite Gabriel Jesus’ injury.
The Brazilian won’t be suiting up over the festive period after undergoing knee surgery with Mikel Arteta’s side playing two more games to round off 2022 before an ominous January awaits.
Arsenal have defied the odds to sit five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League through 14 games. They were the team of the first half of the season, but a long, adversity-laden road lies ahead for Arteta’s side. How they overcome their inevitable challenges will determine how far they can go this season, and their primary goal can’t be forgotten.
4 targets for Arsenal during the second half of the 2022/23 season
Here are four targets for Arsenal during the second half of the 2022/23 season.
1. Address critical areas in January
Priority number one. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
After a quiet end to the summer transfer window, Arsenal were always going to be busy in January no matter what. They lack depth in a couple of key positions, and the club needs to bring in at least one or two players to ensure the Gunners can cope with a demanding schedule down the stretch.
While the defence can be left alone for now, Arsenal require reinforcements in midfield – whether it be a holder or a box-to-box – and in attacking areas. Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk is said to be the Gunners’ ‘priority’ in January with Jesus’ injury failing to alter the club’s transfer plans.
Arteta could explore the possibility of bringing in a versatile striker option to fill the Brazilian’s void, but there are no signs of that being in the Spaniard’s mind. Mudryk is their guy, and he could be the X-factor talent to take Arsenal’s improved attack to another level.
Continued on the next slide…
Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk</a> is said to be the Gunners’ ‘priority’ in January with Jesus’ injury failing to alter the club’s transfer plans.</p>
<p>Arteta could explore the possibility of bringing in a versatile striker option to fill the Brazilian’s void, but there are no signs of that being in the Spaniard’s mind. Mudryk is their guy, and he could be the X-factor talent to take Arsenal’s improved attack to another level.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/12/22/4-targets-arsenal-second-half-2022-23-season/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #2 target </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2>2. Stay within touching distance of Manchester City for as long as possible</h2>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-131304" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/12/22/4-targets-arsenal-second-half-2022-23-season/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1440343736.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1440343736.jpeg 1600w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1440343736-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are five points adrift of the Gunners at the top. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)</p>
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<p>Supporters expected an improvement from 2021/22 after an<a title="The excitement at Arsenal is palpable – and rightly so!" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/12/22/4-targets-arsenal-second-half-2022-23-season/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/08/01/excitement-arsenal-palpable-rightly-so/" rel=""> impressive summer on and off the field</a>, but not even the most optimistic of Gooners would’ve projected this.</p>
<p>Arsenal have dropped points in just two league games thus far to lead Erling Haaland’s Man City at the top by five points. The Cityzens have been stellar themselves, but the Gunners have found their groove and <a title="Arsenal’s Dubai Super Cup win and the importance of momentum" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/12/22/4-targets-arsenal-second-half-2022-23-season/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/12/16/arsenals-dubai-super-cup-win-importance-momentum/" rel="">failed to relinquish the momentum</a>.</p>
<p>Arteta’s young outfit are not expected to win the title this season, but it’d be great to see them hang with the champions for as long as possible. Supporters want to dream for as long as the Gunners allow them to.</p>
<p>They have a nice cushion at the top but a difficult start to the new year without Jesus could see City eat into the Gunners’ advantage. Arsenal take on Newcastle, Tottenham and Manchester United in January before they face City for the first time in mid-February.</p>
<p>A mini goal for Arteta’s side is to still be leading the Premier League by the time that first City game rolls around.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/12/22/4-targets-arsenal-second-half-2022-23-season/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 target </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2>3. Enjoy a deep cup run</h2>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-130653" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/12/22/4-targets-arsenal-second-half-2022-23-season/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1438735139.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1438735139.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1438735139-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Arsenal progressed into the round of 16 of the Europa League after finishing top of their group. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)</p>
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<p>While <a title="Arsenal dumped out of Carabao Cup by Brighton in 3-1 third round defeat" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/12/22/4-targets-arsenal-second-half-2022-23-season/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/11/09/arsenal-dumped-efl-cup-brighton-3-1-third-round-defeat/" rel="">Brighton dumped them out of the EFL Cup</a> just before the World Cup break, Arsenal will compete in two cup competitions in 2023.</p>
<p>The FA Cup starts in January with the Gunners facing Oxford United in the third round before they resume their Europa League campaign in February. Arsenal topped Group A in the autumn/winter to progress straight into the round of 16 and they’re the current favourite to win the competition with the bookies. However, several high-quality sides will be gunning for glory in the Europa League including Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, AS Roma, Ajax and Real Betis.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, the strength of the competition will render a victory in Budapest even sweeter. This is a piece of silverware that heartbreakingly escaped their grasp in 2019, but the Gunners have a big opportunity during the second half of the season to rid the demons of yesteryear.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/12/22/4-targets-arsenal-second-half-2022-23-season/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #4 target </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2>4. Finish in the top four</h2>
<div id="attachment_131180" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-131180" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/12/22/4-targets-arsenal-second-half-2022-23-season/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1441394412.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1441394412.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1441394412-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Arsenal’s goal before the season was to finish in the top four. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images)</p>
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<p>Remember the primary goal.</p>
<p>Arsenal didn’t enter the 2022/23 season expecting to dominate. Sure, their pre-season was promising but the Gunners were light years off the top two last term. They were fighting for a top-four finish, but Antonio Conte’s Spurs pipped them to the post.</p>
<p>However, the Gunners have come on leaps and bounds since then while those folk down the road have stagnated. Our excellent start to the season not only means we’re five points clear at the top, but we’ve also created a major buffer with our top-four rivals. Fourth-placed Spurs are eight points adrift having played a game more, Manchester United are 11 points off, Liverpool 15, and Chelsea 16.</p>
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<p>It’d take a monumental collapse in 2023 for Arteta’s men not to make the top four and return to the Champions League for the first time since 2017. Still, the Gunners cannot lose sight of this goal.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
