Mikel Arteta's ruthless Arsenal overhaul highlighted as he returns for debut fixture
A LOOK BACK: Mikel Arteta began his Arsenal reign with a point at Bournemouth on Boxing Day back in 2019 but his team and the club now look unrecognisable from that day
by Samuel Meade · The MirrorFor Arsenal and Mikel Arteta it all begun with a point at Bournemouth on Boxing Day nearly five years ago.
Nowadays that would be viewed as two points dropped, followed by a quick check on what title rivals Manchester City had done. Back then though the stalemate was seen as a good start, something to build on and a way to quieten the noise.
The draw meant that Arsenal had won just one of their last 11 games - a period which had seen Unai Emery sacked as manager, Freddie Ljungberg attempt to steady the ship as caretaker and then Arteta come in for his first ever game as a manager after leaving Pep Guardiola's side at Manchester City.
The ascent has been slow, steady and not without his bumps. One man who was present on day one and is still here today is Bukayo Saka. Back on that afternoon in Bournemouth he wore No 77 on his back, such was his standing within the squad. Nowadays he dons the No 7 as the team's talisman.
Saka also found himself playing at left-back - the position he occupied when he initially came into the first-team picture. 18 players were named by Arteta in the matchday squad but 17 of those have now been moved on by the Spaniard, who has ruthlessly changed the look of the squad.
Reiss Nelson, who started, and Emile Smith Rowe were the last two to depart. Both academy graduates being allowed to join Fulham in the summer.
Saka certainly won't be following them. 1,754 days ago in Bournemouth he played in a back four that also included David Luiz, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Sokratis Papastathopoulos. Mesut Ozil was then the team's main man and played in a midfield alongside the likes of Lucas Torreira and Granit Xhaka.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang donned the captain's armband and scored the Arsenal equaliser in the second-half. He struck past Aaron Ramsdale in the Bournemouth goal - a man who has since been signed and sold by Arteta.
The team's struggles and state of play was perhaps underlined by that fact the manager, expecting the inevitable bounce that comes with a new man in the dugout, felt that the team's attitude was "better than he expected" following a run of results that had seen the atmosphere turn toxic.
Arteta said: "I am pleased with a lot of things I have seen and a lot of things we practised that happened. I am not happy we have not won the game but happy overall. In terms of attitude, desire and commitment it was better than I expected."
Arsenal would finish in mid-table in what was a disjointed season, which finished with Arteta at the helm. Bournemouth were relegated and have since returned to the top flight. There they have found a Gunners outfit that is a far cry from the one they faced back in 2019.
The north Londoners have scored seven times and conceded none on their past two visits to Dorset. Their most recent outing at Bournemouth saw them romp to a 4-0 victory. Saka, 18 years old when he first played at the Vitality Stadium, would score the opener.
Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard - two of Arteta's smartest signings - also got on the scoresheet. Ben White completed the rout in stoppage time with his positional switch underlining Arteta's credentials as a coach. Signing the Englishman as a centre-half he's since been transitioned to a right-back so that William Saliba - a player Arteta inherited - can be accommodated at the heart of defence.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky Sports deal
Sky Sports launches 'lowest price' Premier League package
£43 (was £52)
Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £216 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
With Ultra HD included at no extra cost, football fans can enjoy the 2024/25 season with crystal clear picture quality.