Maybe Pep Learnt From Arteta After all by Goonerboy
Hello, Gooners far and wide, I am happy the World Cup has finally kicked off, not out of excitement for the tournament itself, but because the countdown has begun for me, I can’t wait for all this to be over so I can watch proper football offered by Arteta’s Arsenal again.
Speaking of our fine manager, in my opinion, it is easy to forget he is the youngest manager in the league and perhaps the least experienced. Before I go into tactics, I can’t but mention his excellent communication skills and courage which are qualities that endeared him to me from the moment he stepped in.
Boy, Arteta is a good talker, he must have passed all his communication tests in his badges because his responses are always on point, how he manages to say the most correct things need to be studied by some so-called elite managers.
I mentioned courage – because as a rookie, you don’t take the Arsenal job if you are not a courageous person, I don’t need to talk much about this, we all know the state of our club before he came in. I am not only referring to things on the pitch, the club as a whole was in shambles, fast forward to this moment in time…
Just look at the connection and the support from the fans, the spirit in the young team, the undeniable progress and all; has Pep ever done that? Hey! I am not disrespecting Pep by any means but I think he had a better start, would he have taken the job at Arsenal at that time, if he did, would he have survived it? Well, maybe, or emphatic maybe not.
Below is an excerpt from what Pep said about Arteta when he was linked to Arsenal:
“…more than that he is an incredible human being and works a lot, I said after a few months together, he would be a manager. He is already a manager – he behaves like a manager.”
If I have to write about the many comments from other top managers, including the great Arsene Wenger himself, about Arteta, I am gonna bore you to death, so we move on.
Arteta has been called many names, one I can remember well is Pep’s cone man, in fact, when you mention Arteta, many can only think of Pep and City, these ones believe the progress Arteta and Arsenal are making is all down to working with Pep. Now I’d be stupid if I said Pep has not influenced Arteta, but I think it’s time we start believing Pep, here is another quote from him:
“I’d like to say that I influenced him a lot, but I’d be lying. Mikel and I worked together for three years. He was taught since he was born, maybe I learned more from him than he did from me when we worked together”.
Pep also said this after City became the first club to accumulate 100 Premier League points: “What we have done this season, Mikel’s contribution was outstanding, amazing, we work together so good,”
Ferdinand said Pep has created a monster but Pep replied and said “He was already a monster”. I have always thought Pep was being modest or sarcastic, maybe he is but there is an element of truth in what he says.
For example, the inverted fullback position was implemented by Guardiola when Arteta was his assistant. Pep never used such a tactic when he was at Barcelona or Bayern, so there might be a debate on who is the innovator of that tactic.
Secondly, there are many things that differ between Arteta’s Arsenal and Pep’s Man City. Yes, Arteta’s positional system is very similar to Pep’s Man City, but Arsenal’s quick passing and fast transitions are more like Wenger’s and I am pretty sure Arsene Wenger’s dietary and fitness building is on full display on the young Gunners’ squad. Just look at Xhaka, Partey, Gabriel, and White. They have lost a lot of weight and their cheekbones are so obvious.
Also, whenever Arteta talks, you would observe he wants to be more like Klopp’s Liverpool. He constantly talks about how Liverpool evades a press with a long ball from Van Dijk to Salah’s chest. I have seen this pattern with us several times, what about the way we counter-press at times? Sometimes, you’d think you are watching Liverpool. He even tried to acquire the services of Klopp’s assistant, Pepijn Lijnders.
“Mikel Arteta had asked me to be his assistant manager when he was preparing for his new step into management,” Lijnders wrote in his new book, Intensity: Inside Liverpool FC: Our Story. “We were together years earlier on the Pro Licence course. His request came out of nothing”
“Imagine the assistant of Pep Guardiola and the assistant of Jurgen Klopp at Arsenal. What a crazy thought. Mikel said he felt: ‘There was just a difference playing Liverpool before and after you came in.’ This was the biggest compliment I ever got from somebody.
“I politely said no to him. A few months later, we won the title for the first time in 30 years.”
He is a student of the game and a meticulous planner this man. As I said, I am not saying Arteta has not learned a thing or two from Pep, but I think we have to start believing Pep when he makes these statements, he means it for real, and we need to start recognizing Arteta as a genius, and perhaps we also need to start believing that Pep has learned from Arteta as well. Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve got Super Mik Arteta!!
Goonerboy…
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Guardiola might’ve learned a few stuff from Arteta. But I’m sure Arteta learned more from him, because Guardiola has been working in football industry for many years before Arteta even started his career
I knew Arteta just needed more time and his own CF last season, because he could train his players well in some creative formations and our previous main CFs didn’t fit into his system
The Great GAI
May i ask you? Who or which Manager did Pep learn from either as Player or assistant before he became FCB Coach?
Years before Arteta had became our gaffer, and while still with the citizens, it was mentioned time and time again that Pep would sometimes turn to Arteta for his Input when a going get rough during a match.
Sometimes Pep is guilty of over thinking a game, but there is no doubt the teacher too had learned from the student.
A thoroughly enjoyable read, you made excellent points @Gooherboy
Sorry… @Goonerboy!
Pep Guardiola grew idolising Johann Cruyff, studied Marco Bielsa and took coach training under Arsene Wenger. Every player and manager had someone to learn from and succeeded. Pep had the full support at Barcelona, Bayern and Man City, financially and reputation. Arteta didn’t have that in the first 2 seasons. He took over when he was just 37 years old. Arteta did not have the reputation or the CV. Even now, he didn’t spend as much as others on each player but his managerial prowess is all bare to be seem. Although he might be artistic like Guardiola, he carried that passion from David Moyes and the wits, financial responsibility and eye catching style from Arsene Wenger. No doubt.
Arteta is a good coach and will soon be classed as a world class if he can win the EPL and go far in UCL. There was a game between us and City a few years back while Arteta was still there that they won and I think Arteta got the credit for the tactics used in the match.
Having said that, I also think Arteta still has one or two things to learn about game and season management. But hopefully, when we have a better squad he will improve on that. The usual saying that our focus is on the next game doesn’t sit well with me. A title winning manager/team will keep his eyes on the next match while also keeping his mind on the ones that follow.
Personally, I think the City team is weaker than last season and Pep must be regretting selling Jesus and Zinchenco to us. We should expect a change in tactics by Pep when the season resumes. Halaand, while been a very prolific in-the-box striker, has a limitation that affect how they play, and teams will soon learn how to effectively tame him. Their last 3 games have been unconvincing and knowing Pep as the master tactician that he is, Halaand will likely not be starting all their games.
I cannot but think this is our best chance.
There are lots of managers in the premier league that work as hard and even harder than our gaffer.
Probably none more than our former manager Unei Emery, the Spaniard sleeps and eat football.
What’s sets Arteta apart in my opinion is his hunger and boldness.
I would like to say I enjoyed the read 📚
I have said it once and will say again
MA when first came in looked to a very good coach but is still learning his trade to become a very good manager
Wasn’t happy when he was first appointed but when he was I supported him 100%
To date he has improved us and not just this season but running up to what has been a fabulous start to this season. May it long continue and enjoying every minute of it so far
Onwards a d upwards
Was magical watching Saka star for us today
Magic saka
Pep used inverted full back at Bayern
@Goonerboy, I am in awe of your article. Thank you for pointing out so eloquently what a lot of us have been aware of even before he became our manager.
Nice article, Mikel Arteta learned from many sources, especially in England.
Moyes, Wenger, and definitely Pep.
I remember one interview, Pep was asked why his midfielders deliberately commit tactical fouls, in Pep’s response, he said the question should be directed to Mikel.
To say Arteta didn’t learn from Pep is like saying he didn’t learn anything on the job.
Arteta was a student of Moyes for how long? A student of Wenger who is similar to Pep for how long?
If you ask me, Moyes and Wenger taught Arteta but it was Pep who gave him the platform to express himself.
In conclusion, would you call a novice to come partner with you on a tough job in a tough league? I don’t think so.
Accept it or don’t, Arteta has a niche in football, coaching, management and leadership. So to say Pep created Arteta is a total faboo.
Thank you very much Rowland.
I concur with you 1000%
“To say Pep created Arteta is a total Faboo.”
I once heard Pep say “I wanted to turn him [Lionel Messi] into the world’s best player, but as it turns out he turned me into the best manager”. He’s got a really down-to-earth humbleness about him that is amazing to see from somebody so accomplished. Max respect for the guy.
Anything that diminishes Pep genius in favor of Arteta is not right. Pep is great and Arteta can be great too. Time will tell.
This article wants to create confrontation. Shame!!!