HAVING failed to make top four for six consecutive seasons between 2016/17 and 2021/22, Arsenal have since finished as Premier League runners-up twice in a row.
The Gunners have raised their game and Dream Team points have flowed freely as a result.
And so it’s no surprise several of Mikel Arteta’s favourites are set to the start the new campaign among the most-popular players in the game – but are gaffers got the true lay of the land?
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Let’s analyse Arsenal’s top stars, bargain options and players to avoid.
TOP STARS
Still just 22 years old, Bukayo Saka (£6m) is a well-established Dream Team superstar.
2023/24 was the talented winger’s best campaign yet as he racked up 363 points when all was said and done – a total bettered by just three players.
Goals, assists, bonus points… the England star does it all.
Arsenal dominated defence last season with Ben White (£5m), Gabriel (£5m) and William Saliba (£5m) making up the podium, leaving the likes of Josko Gvardiol (£4.5m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.5m) in their wake.
Interestingly, it’s the Frenchman who is the most selected of the trio ahead of Gameweek 1 with a massive ownership of 25.2%.
Saliba is undoubtedly a class act but it’s worth noting that White amassed 28 points more than his team-mate last time out, by virtue of ten goal involvements.
Gabriel features in almost a third as many times as his centre-back partner, which is rather curious as the Brazilian generally poses a greater threat at attacking set-pieces.
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Switching focus back to midfield, Martin Odegaard (£5m) is worthy of his status as the joint-sixth most-expensive asset in his position and the fifth-most selected.
The Gunners’ captain scored 11 goals and provided 13 assists on his way to 272 points last time out.
He picks up very few yellow cards, is a guaranteed starter when fit, and passes the eye test with flying colours more often than not.
BARGAIN OPTIONS
Arsenal’s improvement in recent years has resulted in a price hike across the board, meaning genuine bargains are virtually non-existent.
That being said, Riccardo Calafiori’s (£4m) arrival is an interesting proposition.
If the Italy international immediately establishes himself as first-choice left-back then he would offer a relatively affordable route into the best defence in the country – he’s £1million cheaper than White, Saliba and Gabriel right now.
This strategy might be overly bold for Gameweek 1 as it’s not a given that Calafiori will slot straight into the starting line-up – Oleksandar Zinchenko (£3.5m), Takehiro Tomiyasu (£3m), Jurrien Timber (£3.5m) and Jakub Kiwior (£3m) are all capable of playing at left-back.
Waiting for a clearer indication of Arteta’s pecking order seems wise.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Gabriel Martinelli (£4m) has been a frustrating asset in the world of Dream Team of late.
Having plundered 15 league goals in 2022/23, he mustered just six last season and seemed bereft of confidence at times.
Dream Team bosses know what the Brazil international is capable of when everything clicks but most will want to see improvements before he’s considered viable.
It’s a similar story for Gabriel Jesus (£4.5m) who has enjoyed hot streaks in previous seasons but has suffered injury setbacks and a dip in form more recently.
Kai Havertz (£4.5m) was mightily effective at the back end of last term when tasked with leading the line and if he is given the nod at centre-forward again come Gameweek 1 then Arsenal’s Brazilian No9 may have to settle for a substitute role.
