Jamie Carragher believes a ‘little tactical shift’ has breathed latest life into Arsenal after they took control of the Premier League title race and reached the Champions League final.
Mikel Arteta’s side were the very best team in Europe in the course of the first-half of the season but have been stumbling towards the finish line in recent weeks.
Arsenal fell short in each domestic cup competitions after which suffered what on the time felt like a costly defeat to title rivals Manchester City.
However the Gunners have responded brilliantly to that setback, winning back-to-back Premier League games and overcoming Atletico Madrid to succeed in the Champions League final.
While Arsenal looked back on the right track, Man City slipped up within the title race on Monday night as they were held to a 3-3 draw by Everton, leaving Pep Guardiola’s team five points behind the league leaders.
Recent results mean Arsenal are heading in the right direction to lift the Premier League trophy for the primary time since 2004 and are one game away from their maiden Champions League trophy.
Carragher, who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, says Arteta’s side were ‘definitely wobbling’ but have improved since ‘incredible’ Declan Rice adopted a deeper role.
‘I assumed Declan Rice was incredible and the very best player in each legs,’ Carragher said on CBS Sports after Arsenal knocked out Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.
‘Regardless that Arsenal find themselves where they’re within the Champions League and the Premier League due to what they’ve done over nine or ten months, they were definitely wobbling.
‘Within the last week they’ve sorted themselves out and I feel the choice to maneuver Declan Rice just a little bit deeper has had an enormous influence.
‘I assumed he was really good out in Madrid and got the Man of the Match award within the second leg as well. In-between that Arsenal beat Fulham and it was the primary time we’ve really seen them have a look at ease and play free.
‘It had probably been a couple of months since we’ve seen that, perhaps since they beat Tottenham 4-1 within the north London derby.
‘I feel that little tactical shift with Declan Rice has had an enormous impact they usually at the moment are two games away from winning the Premier League and Champions League double.
‘They’ve the Champions League final, obviously, but in the event that they beat West Ham on the weekend they’ll win the Premier League, it could be throughout.
‘So that’s how close they are but you’ve still got to get across the road and get there – nevertheless it does look a special team than we saw even just a few weeks ago.’
Bukayo Saka’s first-half goal settled Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final against Atletico after a 1-1 attract Madrid in the primary leg.
The Gunners will face French champions PSG or German champions Bayern Munich within the Champions League final on May 30.
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