Arsenal had the right "type of player" to mount a successful championship run in the Premier League this season, according to Mikel Arteta.
Crucial to the Gunners' title campaign were the additions of Viktor Gyökeres, Eberechi Eze and Martín Zubimendi last summer while others like Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and David Raya have had strong seasons at the club.
Asked why his team won the Premier League this season after three consecutive runners-up finishes, Arteta told Marca: "Because someone up there must have aligned the planets to make it happen. In previous years we've come close, but something was missing.
Mikel Arteta has praised his Arsenal players who won the Premier League. Mike Hewitt/Getty Images "The feeling has been different from the start, perhaps the type of player... but the consistency has been similar. I was convinced we'd be very close. Not to winning, as that depends on so many things. My job has been to convince them that they're the best, as there were moments of doubt.
"I gave them energy and told them to have fun like never before."
Arsenal won their first Premier League in 22 years and after seven years in charge, Arteta has finally guided Arsenal to the title. The long wait was worth it, according to Arteta.
"Yes, it has been [worth it]," he said. "The best part of this has been the journey. We've done this with people who are truly worthy and who have demonstrated values, courage, honesty, resilience, unity, and a willingness to face our vulnerabilities time and again.
"I've often wondered whether I'm the right person for the job, whether I'm the ideal person to lead them. And you don't know the answer until you've actually done it. I'm very proud that we've done it our way."
Arteta made tactical tweaks and used the depth of the squad to find ways to deal with the number of injuries they have had this season.
"If I'd put those injuries into a computer program and asked what our chances were of winning the Premier League, it would have given us a 2% chance," the Spaniard said. "And I wasn't going to settle for that. We've had to find other ways, using our resources and strengths, to remain just as competitive in the 60-odd matches we've played so far, given the demands of the competition."
Arteta says winning the Premier League has filled the team with confidence ahead of Saturday's Champions League final against holders Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest.