Arsenal don finish 22-year wait to be Premier League champions last season, and now dem dey face new challenge: to defend di crown. Di Gunners finish seven points clear of Manchester City, and Arteta na im dey lead di squad wey don already start new season with target to make history. No Arsenal team don defend top-flight title since 1935, so di task no small.
BBC don ask 26 pundits to pick dia top four, and 25 out of 28 (89%) say Arsenal go retain dia title. Overall expected ranking using all predictions show Arsenal with 109 points, Manchester City with 73, Liverpool 38, Chelsea 35, and Manchester United 21. AI wey dem generate with Microsoft Copilot Chat and Opta ‘supercomputer’ also come to same conclusion as di pundits – Arsenal go win again.
Dem dey talk say Arsenal get advantage of continuity. Mikel Arteta still dey there, and di team don strengthen instead of rebuild. Di signing of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle na big addition, joining midfield wey already get Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi. Diaz defence na also strong point, but one mata wey dey worry people na William Saliba injury, as im go miss early part of season with back problem. Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa dey expected to sign, to help cover.
But di pundits no dey fear. Theo Walcott talk say Arsenal get continuity and dem don add quality. Danny Murphy say na im go still pick Arsenal as champions, because of momentum and confidence from last season, plus di same manager and players wey dey together. Joe Hart mention say how Arsenal handle scrutiny of being champions go matter, but dem know wetin dey come. Chris Sutton say dia squad dey at different level, and dem fit beat you up or play through you.
Even with dat, there be concerns. Arsenal no dey among top three for open-play attacking metrics last season. Dem rely heavily on set-pieces and defence. But di 3-0 win over Manchester City for Community Shield show say dem fit score from open play. Arteta don talk say dem dey “attack” another title, not just defend. Im say dem go “go from strength to strength” with players wey dey already plus new signings.
Manchester City go be Arsenal main rival, but dem dey transition. Pep Guardiola don leave, and Enzo Maresca na im take over. City don lose Rodri and some senior players like John Stones and Bernardo Silva. Pundits like Thomas Hitzlsperger dey wonder if dis be di year City go drop out. But dem still get Erling Haaland and other world-class players, so dem no go easy.
Liverpool get new manager Andoni Iraola, and dem dey try to build new team. Signings like Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz need to fit well. But di midfield still need more players, and dem dey look for replacements for Mohamed Salah. Chelsea don bring Xabi Alonso, and dem get no European football, so dem fit focus on league. Man United dey under Michael Carrick, but dem still need more signings, especially for defence.
For Arsenal, one big question na whether dem go sign another striker before transfer window close on 1 September. Victor Osimhen and other names dey mentioned, but nothing don happen yet. Christos Tzolis arrive early as replacement for Leandro Trossard, but dat one na only outfield signing. Martin Odegaard na key creator, but im only start 14 league games last season due to injury. If im fit, im go help attack well.
Arteta don say im get belief for current squad. Im talk say players wey dey there fit improve, just like new signings fit add. Bruno Guimaraes na player wey fit break opposition line with passing, and im get goal threat. So even without new striker, Arsenal fit improve for attack. But with Saliba out, dia defence go face test early, especially against Aston Villa and Chelsea for first three games.
Di race for title dey open, but many pundits dey see Arsenal as clear favourite. Dem get quality, depth, and continuity wey other clubs no get. If dem fit avoid injury and add one or two more signings, dem fit make history. But football na anything fit happen, and dem need to show am for pitch.
