Arsenal 2022/23 season review: The year the Emirates dared to dream

The fact that Arsenal fans have ended this season feeling disappointed speaks volumes of just how successful the 2022/23 campaign really was for the Gunners.

Expectations were blown out of the water as Mikel Arteta's side led the Premier League for the vast majority of the season, and while they ultimately came up short to a Manchester City side who could still win the treble, it was still a year full of memories and real progress on the pitch.

Here's a look back at Arsenal's 2022/23 season.

Outlook heading into the 2022/23 season

With a young core that was making steady progress, the future for Arsenal was looking bright heading in the 2022/23 season, with another small step expected to be made as the Gunners looked to re-establish themselves as genuine top-four contenders.

A mixture of youth and Premier League experience was recruited during the summer and most predicted a solid campaign for Arteta's Gunners, who could probably sneak fourth place as part of their long-term plan to challenge for the title further down the line.

Expectations were tempered for Arsenal, so much so that not much was made of their early success in the season, and it was only as the finish line started to approach that supporters truly began to believe in the impossible.

Arsenal 2022/23 transfers in

Arsenal 2022/23 transfers out

Arsenal 2022/23 player of the season

Bukayo Saka

The 2022/23 season will always be remembered as the year Bukayo Saka established himself as one of the Premier League's top talents.

He may have only turned 21 in September, but Saka rose to the occasion and proved himself as a real leader for Arsenal, both on and off the pitch, and his return of 14 goals and 11 assists in 38 league games played a huge role in the Gunners' success.

This season saw Saka become the sixth-youngest player in Premier League history to record 50 goals and assists, behind only Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Robbie Fowler, Cesc Fabregas and Chris Sutton.

Honourable mentions: Martin Odegaard, William Saliba, Gabriel Martinelli

Arsenal 2022/23 goal of the season

Reiss Nelson vs Bournemouth

As far as pure screamers go, there are probably a few Arsenal goals better than this one, but Reiss Nelson's scorcher just had everything.

The Arsenal kid, whose battled injuries and had to work so hard for his opportunity, came off the bench to play a starring role in the 3-2 victory over Bournemouth, bagging an assist before this pin-point volley in the 97th minute sealed three points which kept Arsenal's Premier League title hopes alive.

Even if this wasn't a rocket of a finish, Nelson's goal would be right up there.

Honourable mentions: Gabriel Jesus vs Leicester, William Saliba vs Bournemouth, Fabio Vieira vs Brentford, Thomas Partey vs Tottenham, Thomas Partey vs Nottingham Forest

Arsenal 2022/23 performance of the season

Arsenal 3-2 Liverpool

Most Arsenal fans name October's 3-2 victory over Liverpool as the moment they really started to wonder what this team was capable of, and rightly so.

While Jurgen Klopp's side were already struggling, they were still Liverpool. The Reds scored twice and, in any other season, that would have likely earned them the victory, but Arsenal refused to lie down and bagged three of their own to emerge victorious in one of the season's most entertaining games.

Despite being pegged back twice, Arsenal's mentality did not falter this time. Their progress was beginning to become clear.

Honourable mentions: Tottenham 0-2 Arsenal, Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal, Arsenal 3-2 Man Utd

Arsenal 2022/23 signing of the season

Oleksandr Zinchenko

Arteta needed someone like Oleksandr Zinchenko to make his system work, but rather than go find an alternative, he returned to former employers Manchester City and picked himself up the real thing.

An early battle with injury, all while Gabriel Jesus was bagging goals for fun, gave Zinchenko a nervy start but he soon made himself undroppable, leading from example from left-back and helping pull the strings in midfield.

It's no coincidence that Arsenal's slump towards the end of the season coincided with another injury for Zinchenko, whose impact was perhaps felt even stronger by his absence.

Honourable mentions: Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard

Arsenal 2022/23 most improved player

Granit Xhaka

It's not long ago that Granit Xhaka was a laughing stock both among fans and rivals alike. Let us assure you, nobody is laughing now.

It was just last summer that Xhaka was being pushed towards the exit door at the Emirates, with Jose Mourinho looking to take him to Roma and many Arsenal supporters offering to drive him to the airport personally.

Dusting off the failed move and blocking out the vitriol, Xhaka let his football do the talking. He became a composed leader in the heart of midfield, and with it looking like he has played his final game for the club, Xhaka ensured he will go out on a high.

Honourable mentions: Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli, Aaron Ramsdale

Arsenal 2022/23 disappointment of the season

William Saliba's back

William Saliba spent the first half of the season being heralded as arguably the best centre-back in the Premier League, so there was obvious concern when the Frenchman went down injured against Sporting CP in March.

Diagnosed with a back injury, Saliba's return to action was pushed back and back and back. Arteta admitted the Frenchman's recovery had been alarmingly slow and the cherry on top of the rotten cake was the news that he would not return at all this season.

Saliba missed Arsenal's final 11 games of the campaign. Three games into that stretch was when everything started going wrong. Without him, the team just weren't the same.

Honourable mention: Gabriel Jesus' knee

Arsenal 2022/23 statistics

Most appearances

• Gabriel Magalhaes - 48 (38 Premier League, 2 FA Cup, 1 Carabao Cup, 7 Europa League)
• Bukayo Saka - 48 (38 Premier League, 2 FA Cup, 8 Europa League)
• Granit Xhaka - 47 (37 Premier League, 2 FA Cup, 1 Carabao Cup, 7 Europa League)
• Ben White - 46 (38 Premier League, 1 FA Cup, 7 Europa League)
• Gabriel Martinelli - 46 (36 Premier League, 2 FA Cup, 1 Carabao Cup, 7 Europa League)

Top scorers

• Bukayo Saka - 15 (14 Premier League, 1 Europa League)
• Martin Odegaard - 15 (15 Premier League)
• Gabriel Martinelli - 15 (15 Premier League)
• Gabriel Jesus - 11 (11 Premier League)
• Eddie Nketiah - 9 (4 Premier League, 2 FA Cup, 1 Carabao Cup, 2 Europa League)

Most assists

• Bukayo Saka - 11 (11 Premier League)
• Leandro Trossard - 10 (10 Premier League)
• Martin Odegaard - 8 (8 Premier League)
• Gabriel Jesus - 8 (7 Premier League, 1 Europa League)
• Granit Xhaka - 7 (7 Premier League)

Arsenal 2022/23 record in all competitions

• Premier League - P38, W26, D5, L5, GF 94, GA 33, GD +61, Pts 89, Position 2nd
• FA Cup - P2, W1, L1, GF 3, GA 1, fourth round
• Carabao Cup - P1, W0, L1, GF 1, GA 3, third round
• Europa League - P8, W5, D1, L2, GF 11, GA 6, last 16

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