Comparisons between Arsene Wenger and Mikel Arteta are a constant.

The Frenchman is one of Arsenal’s biggest legends and is still the greatest manager in the history of the club. Arteta, on the other hand, is on the right track to become an icon, more so than he already is.

While there are a lot of similarities between the two managers, there are a few big differences as well. One of them, according to many people, is the style of play.

Arteta is often accused of being too defensive, while Wenger was almost always hailed for his attractive, attacking philosophy irrespective of the opponent.

We’re sure Wenger still prefers his style, and stats show this current Arsenal side might be moving towards that.

That narrative has been thrown out the window this season, as 20 of the 21 goals they have scored have come from open play. The only exception was Bukayo Saka’s penalty against Sunderland.

That stat alone shows a step in the right direction, but there is also another one which suggests we could well be seeing a return of Wenger-ball at the Emirates Stadium.

Out of the 14 goals Arsenal have scored in the Premier League and Champions League this season, five have come after a sequence of at least 10 passes before the final strike into the back of the net. That is a 36 per cent return. (The Telegraph)

In the whole of last season, the Gunners did that on just 10 occasions – 10 per cent of the time.

This doesn’t just show that Arsenal are no longer a set-piece team, as many accused them, nor is it a sign of a team that plays on the counter-attack. It shows that the champions have improved their build-up play magnificently.

The best example of all of that came against Napoli, a game in which Arsenal were left frustrated after dominating the proceedings but still failing to find the net. Then, Martin Odegaard scored a stunner after a sequence of 29 passes.

Arsenal fans are clearly happy to see this style, and we’re sure Wenger will be delighted as well because he always pushed his teams to play in this way.

What makes this even more impressive is that the Gunners’ defence has remained solid despite the free-flowing football. Arsenal are the only team yet to concede in the Champions League.

This is an evolution many people hoped to see from Arteta, and they have all got their wish now.