Arsenal hired Arteta as a long-term project – Let’s support both…

Are you an Arsenal fan or Arteta fan?

 

“Then why hire him if he has zero experience. Are you supporting club or Arteta? From your comment Arteta’s success is more important than the club so the club needs to keep on giving him time and money so one day he will learn the trade. This isn’t a school; in real world no profession allows you to fail in your job completely for a year, then say let’s keep the dude to gain experience so one day he can deliver. They pay you for your skill set and if you cannot do the job or complete the tasks as put down in contract you are out.” (A comment from last week’s JustArsenal article “Why I don’t want Arsenal to sack Arteta” by Dan Smith

This was the statement a fellow fan made to me while trying to explain to me that I’m wrong in choosing to support Arteta. He chose to leave out the fact that also in the real world, no profession would see an employer not willing to invest time and funds with a new recruit or intern would employ that new recruit/intern to immediately take the very vacant high position at the job. Choosing to leave out certain facts, while going for facts that suits you the most mate?

 

I had to miss a whole lot of games and articles + comments as I was occupied at work, studio and some projects I had to conclude.

We’re out of the Europa league and still I am not budging when it comes to my support for Arteta or the team.

I was asked why I am doing that, and the response I gave that simply because he was a rookie and it’s only fair to give him time, was what got me the comment in that quote up there.

Quickly let’s discuss this okay. If you’re reading this, I want to believe we are adults and we’ve all had our different experiences in life. I like to be objective a whole lot in my doings, and I tend to make my decisions based on a mixture of logic and empathy. To survive and thrive the right way, you only need a balance of both. You don’t solve every one of life’s puzzles and dilemmas based on logic alone, or based on empathy alone. I’m a rational thinker.

Now I want you to go back a bit, read the statement at the beginning of this article and think about that statement like any rational, sane and logical person would do.

First of all, you don’t see companies or employers needing a ‘level A’ staff or skill set, then they employ a ‘level O’ staff or skill set to do the job of a ‘level A’.

I’ve worked in the finance Industry for a few years, I’ve been working in the entertainment industry for many more longer years. No business market, no company, no company owner or Employer would do that.

To be clearer and more practical, I’ve known Mr. Peter my neighbor for years now. Mr. Peter is a very good and experienced computer programmer who gets job offers abroad, while he’s told to work online and from anywhere. I’ve been learning how to code from Mr. Peter.

This is all true and real by the way.

Mr. Peter, in his advice to me when we have little chats about the opportunities one would get in the tech world is that: “Hoyte, the more you work and gain experience, with a very good portfolio of your past jobs, the stronger you’ll be when it comes to negotiating your salary with any company that wants to employ you.”

For now, there is no way on Earth I’ll be able to do half the things Mr. Peter does when it comes to coding. I simply don’t have half the knowledge and plethora of experience he has amassed all over the years.

Now, let’s say one of you on here, say Admin Pat, Dan, Phil, Sue, or Jon Fox owns a company and you’ve set up the target that you want to be a fortune 100 company within the next few years, and to do that you need a computer programmer to execute some mind-blowing projects, and to work for you to actually achieve this goal. None of you, I repeat not a single person out of you all (including myself) would decide to make this choice between Mr. Peter and Eddie Hoyte: “Mr. Peter, we don’t want you, we’re going with the rookie your student Eddie Hoyte as our choice, we expect him to deliver within the next two years and we’re sure he’ll do so.”

You must be very delusional or dreaming to think I would turn your company into a fortune 100 company within my first trials, or you must be very crazy and an insane gambler willing to take the risk to try it out with me and see how it goes.

There will be the occasional once in a while risky gamble that pays off. The rookie building you something that blows away the market, the rookie coach that wins the UCL in his first season, the rookie that wins the best staff in a company filled with better and experienced workers. There will be those moments of course, but it’s all a big risk. Now if you choose to take that risk and go with Eddie instead of Mr. Peter when you want the best results ASAP, then you’re mostly setting Eddie up to fail, based on your targets and expectations from him within the set time frame.

It’s as simple as that. There’s the saying that goes, you don’t send a boy to do a man’s job.

Arteta was always a gamble that the club chose, a gamble the club recognize would need patience to pay out in the end. A gamble the club knew would take the long approach instead of the more experienced and stable approach a Mr. Peter would’ve given you.

It’s so obvious, reported so many times, that the board as owners are behind Arteta and are ready to support him in his long-term project. Have you ever wondered why the report is always a long-term project with Arteta? Never a quick project or a short term one.

If the board and owners see it that way, then obviously they knew Arteta might either be a quick hit or a quick miss, either ways they’re prepared to give him time to get the results needed and build his experience, definitely which means time to win and lose.

So many times I’ve insisted, I’m behind the manager and his boys. During the Wenger days I was never an AKB or an AOB. I sat on the fence when I’d see so many fans fighting and arguing over Wenger leaving or staying. I knew in the end both fans only wanted what they felt is best for the club. I dreaded losing Wenger because I’d think of United struggling since Fergie left, and other days I’d say well ***k it, the next coac might just turn it around. In the end I was always ready to support whoever is in charge. Something I did very clearly until I lost faith in Emery and he lost the dressing room.

My expectations when it was Emery? Yes, perhaps they were too high, expecting him to just deliver the top 4 immediately might’ve been too harsh, but then I’ve grown to acept the fact that rebuilding this club wouldn’t happen within a year or two. The moment it got out that Arteta was the one getting the job. I made the decision already that; hey whatever happens, I am not treating this like I treated Emery. Plus I recognized the fact that unlike Emery, this one had zero experience, this is basically Eddie in the tech world.

When we won the FA cup, I recognized the fact that he did well, and I recognized the fact that it doesn’t change anything for me, I’m still prepared to give him time, and the general consensus back then was that he would need two to three years before we should start judging him.

I dare a reader on here to bring out a comment of me calling other fans Arteta’s haters. I’ve called others impatient, moaners and pessimists when I’ve seen them moan and complain basically about everything, but calling one a hater or saying they aren’t a fan isn’t something I’ve done.

This is a team sport, this isn’t about Arteta for me. If the next manager after Emery was Klopp, Allegri, Henry or Viera, I’d still be singing ‘give em time’ because I know rebuilding a messy team as ours doesn’t just happen within two years. Once again this isn’t about me or you, this is about the team.

I’ll always support this football club I fell in love with, whatever manager sits there and whatever players we have.

I recognize the fact that those who want Arteta out only do so because they basically want to see the team at the top. If Arteta leaves, and we get a new manager and we get back to the top, WILL IT STOP ME FROM BEING AN ARSENAL FAN?

I don’t know about you, but I’d be mad excited to see us at the top, while forgetting the past.

If Arteta stays and we get back to the top, WILL IT STOP YOU FROM BEING AN ARSENAL FAN?

I know it won’t, you’d only be elevated to see us back among the elites. This is what we all want as fans.

The board chose the rookie, and they keep saying this will be a long-term project. Look, I don’t know about you, but I perked up already and I accepted “shít, this is really happening, so all I got to do is support him” while hoping he delivers, and he learns quickly on the way.

I didn’t give him the job in the first place. I have no idea what agreement he has with the club but with the whole long-term talk, you got to know that okay it seems the board is willing to take a hit if it happens, willing to fall or see him struggle if it happens, as long as he picks up from there and presses further.

Now this is where my own expectations come in from next season. He’s failed, now he either learns from it and makes use of the experience to improve next year or I’ll reconsider having to wait for him to learn, because he wouldn’t be a rookie any more.

When Arteta came, we won the FA cup and community shield. We didn’t win it because Emery was shít, Pep was a fraud or Klopp was a fraud. We won those games because we worked hard to earn it as a team with plans. Players and the manager inclusive.

Moyes and West Ham aren’t where they are today because other football clubs and managers are failures or because the manager bears Moyes. West Ham are where they are right now because they’ve worked for it and earned it, manager inclusive.

Same goes for Leicester city…. Klopp isn’t struggling this season because he’s shít or because his players are. It’s simply because they’ve not worked hard enough to earn the positions they needed this season.

So this isn’t just about Arteta or feeling entitled to top four. We aren’t entitled to top four or UCL games. We aren’t entitled to winning games in the EPL simply because we are Arsenal.  We need to work hard for it and earn it like the other teams did.

All of this ‘we are Arsenal and they’re West Ham’ so we should be in their position is poor, delusional talk. You want it? Work hard for it, and this season we’ve been too poor, and we’ve not earned it, manager inclusive.

Next season, from game week 1 we get another chance to work hard and earn it. If Arteta’s here, I’ll be behind him. Only this time he won’t be a rookie no more, he’d be a manager with experience no matter how little it is, and expectations would differ from what they were at the beginning of this season. There won’t be defending his schoolboy errors as a coach anymore.

I am supporting this manager, and whoever comes in after he’s gone and the next one after that. I will support whoever it is strongly.

“There’s no time to accommodate mistakes or pay for the manager to learn on the job, or to fail on the way? This isn’t a school…?”

You’re right, if time wasn’t a luxury the club could afford for project UCL then the board should’ve hired a Mr. Peter instead of hiring an Eddie in the first place!!”

 

Take care of yourselves you lovely Arsenal people.

 

Eddie Hoyte

Tags faith Hoyte project Rookie

102 Comments

  1. A good article and you have well explained your reasons of supporting Arteta. If only you did the same in your comments you wouldn’t get that fantastic and truthful reply from Logic.

    Your weakness or problem is that you don’t engage respectfully with some people who don’t share your opinion. I know that because I have been on the receiving end of it numerous times.

    For example in the same article you received that reply you went on to call Logic stupid. You have called me chief of Arteta out brigade with negative vibes and energy and yet some people like Phil who write same things like me regarding Arteta you engage with respectfully. You treat same opinion differently based on a person.

    You have every right to support and have belief in the process but don’t shit on other fans while doing it, calling them stupid, moaners or negative energy.

    Regarding your article it is the first one I have seen from you and I congratulate you. It is long but a good read.

    My opinion, it maybe true that they hired Arteta as a long term project or it maybe that they hired him with expectations of Super League participation where the results in the league wouldn’t matter with guaranteed participation and revenue.

    1. Well said HH, world is full of ppl like these and then on other hand you have very nice ppl as well. So just ignore them and stick to what you believe is right. There is another dude called Jon Fox, who like Eddie think they know it all while they try to put down others. Time and time again it has been proven how naive they are. There is saying in my language “empty utensils make more noise” so let them make noise.

      1. I agree with everything you have said Logic and I applaud you for standing for yourself and not afraid of saying something you think is not okay. Personally I have buried the hatchet with Jon Fox and I would like to carry it through but I understand what you are saying. I have been there on both receiving and giving ends.

        The comments section is enjoyable because we are all good people here despite our differences. Things might get hot sometimes but it is all good if it is in the spirit of good discussion and no grudges are held.

        We all have our weaknesses so it would’ve been nice if someone would stop acting like some kind of a lord in feudal England or I am holier than thou attitude and we should all get along.

        COYG?

  2. Some fans want to replace Arteta now, with one of the following unemployed managers:

    – Benitez: Doesn’t he have the same playing style as Simeone’s and Mourinho’s? If he couldn’t get any trophy at Real Madrid, let alone at Arsenal

    – Allegri: I heard he’s already contracted by Juventus and some news stated that Real Madrid are after his signature. In addition to his defensive counter-attacking style, I’m afraid some players and fans will mock his English skills

    – Sarri: I heard he resigned from Chelsea to get closer to his family in Italy

    – Ten Hag: Nagelsmann cost Bayern 25 M, so he will cost us similarly because he just extended his contract. We could use the money to get a popular player and it’ll be less costly to hijack him from Ajax in December

    Before you guys push for Arteta’s resignation or sacking, think about his replacement first

    1. We had chosen, it was Tuchel. But like normal we took too long.

      There were so many good options 12-18 months ago, this cannot be denied.

      Answer this, would you rather have Tuchel or MA?

      1. Tuchel wasn’t available after Emery got sacked. Now we must choose from the available ones or the ones that could be hijacked

        After watching Tuchel’s success at Chelsea, of course I also want Tuchel. But let’s stop dreaming about the ones who got away like Klopp and him, because we need to be realistic about the present situation

        1. GAI, Emery out performed both Tuchel and Ancellotti at PSG, yet Arsenal failed to support him, undermined him and drove him out of the Club.
          If people won’t believe that top line managers, who respect Emery haven’t noted how he was treated, they are naive. They would want a lot of money and a hard nosed contract to come to Arsenal given the apparent lack of consistent performance criteria.
          As Eddie states the Board has no stated performance criteria or end of season targets for Arteta. There has thus far been no consistency in the treatment of Wenger, Emery, Arteta or a previous manager like Terry Neil. The Club is run as a secret society.

    2. But GOI, Benitez has won leagues, Champions league, Europa League, numerous cups and voted European manager of the year. What a stupid statement to make when Arteta could hold a candle to him and is a total rookie. Please tell me how he isn’t better than Arteta. He even managed to turn round Chelsea, who were dead in the water when he got there, turned round the fans and got them into the CL by winning the EL. YOU OBVIOUSLY DONT HAVE CLUE ABOUT BENITEZS ABILITY AND ACHIEVEMENTS.

      1. Just wanna point out that Benitez didn’t win any trophy at Real Madrid, despite having world class players and big transfer budget at his disposal. The last major trophy he won is EL, eight years ago

        Sports are dynamic, unlike politics where politicians can always brag about their past achievements decades ago. So Benitez could be successful or not at Arsenal, depending on many factors at present time

        I just dislike the fact that his playing style is boring and he couldn’t make it at a very wealthy club like Real Madrid

        1. Precisely GOI, he doesnt need to have big money, he is the master of wringing every ounce out of the hand he is dealt. He has proved enough since and before Real Madrid was a one off.

          1. Well said Reggie 👍 Benitez has won 2 UEFA cups/ Europa league, a champions league and been to another final and a league title or 2 at Valencia.. his CV is impressive.

          2. Kev, i think GAI, just says things to be different, he cant be that stupid not to see the greatness Benitez has achieved and what BS about his style being boring, tgen supports Arteta with a style that is so boring its sterile. I think Rafa fits Arsenal like a glove and i am really worried we are sticking with Arteta and regretting it badly down the line.

    3. Everything for you happens in December.Arteta to stay til December,Ten Haag to come in December….what else happens in December?Ok,my bad,Christmas…Til then amaze us with “ inverted wingers” and “ diamond formation” teories…

  3. Short & sweet.

    Mikel Arteta will start season 2021/22 as first team manager of Arsenal F.C.

    I look forward to an interesting summer window.

    Judgement will follow thereafter.

    1. “Mikel Arteta will start season 2021/22 as first team manager of Arsenal F.C.”

      Not based on capability or achievement but because people in power have decided so. Arteta managerial career has been gifted not earned or deserved and he has failed to use that gift and so far has given nothing back.

      1. Your opinion H H

        However just to put the record straight, he has “given back” and “achieved” the winning of the F.A Cup & Community Shield.

        And by the way, if you for one minute think I am a “Kroenke man” you could not be more wrong – THAT IS WHERE CHANGE NEEDS TO BEGIN.

        1. It is not opinion it is fact Arteta was gifted this job he had no qualifications and he didn’t deserve it.

          It was a gift that has refused to give back.

          We are the emperor of the FA Cup we can win it without a manager.

        2. But I give him credit for reaching the semi finals of the EL. It is a big achievement for any coach let alone someone out of his breath.

          1. Actually it’s not. The reason we got to the semi’s was because All the teams we played were poor.. Olympiakos, a poor benfica side, Slavia prague.. The moment we came across a descent team in Villarreal, we were confortably defeated.

            1. “All the teams were poor”????

              “comfortably defeated” ??? I thought we were just one goal away from the Final!

        3. Please stop saying he won 2 trophies. Charity Shield is a glorified friendly not to be confused with a real trophy like the FA cup.

          1. DM Charity Shield is the Room of Requirements. It is a friendly when one want it to be and a trophy when one want it to be. For me it is a friendly when Man utd wins it.

      1. @HH
        agree with many ofvyour comments BUT not rogers, his team invariably chokes and I cant take anymore since emery (epl and el) and the novice

  4. The fact that you missed “a lot of games”, is the reason why you support Arteta still. We all wanted him to do well until we saw him continually ruin his own position by insisting on picking Willian despite the player being an absolute liability, the team he picked for the FA cup against Southampton, his tactical ineptitude against Leicester, Leeds and wolves at home, matches we should have won, even if we had got 4 out of those 9 points we would have had a chance at top 4 this season. This is not including matches against Brighton and Sheffield united that we dropped points in. It’s nothing personal but he has to go. If you had watched the matches you would get it I feel.

  5. This guy is crazy..ur points have no land mark or finishing basics…you build points you can’t finish..spare me.. we’re a top team and all we need is results..nothing more..arteta can’t get that..let him fuxk ooofff

  6. Give Arteta or any coach 10 seasons, if the ambition at the top doesn’t change. This club is going nowhere. I have watched Arteta’s team this season to know that we need a big transfer window for him to do better next season.

    1. Especially when you have overhyped average players who are less committed. I think I agree with you

    2. And I say give Brendan Rodgers this team without any additions and he will be challenging for the title to the last minute of the season.

      1. HH 👍
        Brenda Rogers for me also .
        How any fan can still come up with excuses For Arteta is beyond me .

        1. They like his personality nothing else. They can give endless excuses until judgement day but it wont change the league table.

          Give a team to Rodgers and he will work with what he has. He doesn’t need 100 windows or doors and chimneys.

          A good manager like Rodgers turns mediocre players into competitive ones. A bad one like our play pretend manager has turned our good players into circus performers.

      2. You are absolutely right.That guy is a master of attacking,free flowing football,easy on eye.Compare that with the ugly Arteta product,i have sores on the eyes watching that ugliness…

    3. Nifty, the Arsenal players in the squad Arteta had at his disposal should have played Emery’s Villarreal off the park. They failed in the Europa League semi final against a head coach deemed not good enough for Arsenal.
      How many transfer windows will he require and how many can Arsenal afford?

  7. For me it is just more frustration and disappointment from ownership all the way down.
    It is nothing more than lowering expectations to a level that ownership is comfortable with.

    Kronke himself stated he did not get involved to win titles; whether it is the PL or CL.

    So no need to pay for that type of manager in his mind. Kronke needed the type of manager that would meekly go along with “the process” that the owner has put forth.

    As fans we got “trust the process” rather than concrete goals to determine success or failure as with Emery and Wenger.

    How many years have they bloviated about “investing in the squad” to make us competitive again? Wasn’t that the purpose of moving to the Emirates?

    I have never blindly followed any Pied Piper, and will not do so now. IF Arteta wants the fans trust and support, then EARN it. IF he wants patience and understanding, then EARN it.

    18 months and Arteta still has no identifiable style of play or philosophy, so let’s trust the process. He has mangled the man management aspect of his job, but next year will be different?

    Most agree his decision making has been atrocious; selections, tactics, square pegs in round holes, etc….

    Maybe several years down the road Arteta MAY become a good manager, but how long is reasonable to wait for a manager with no evidence he can get it right?

    What can be deemed “failure” for a coach without stated goals? 10th place in December? Out of the FA cup before Spring?

    1. durand, you are completely right; Arteta is a rookie manager who jagged a job, totally beyond his demonstrated competencies, because he is compliant, will follow orders and won’t make waves.
      While people attend and buy merchandise, KS&E make money regardless of results. Reaction from spectators will be interesting in the short and long term.

  8. So much as I blame MA lack of right tactics for our woeful season I see most of our players as not having ambitions themselves, getting a goal against Villarreal at emirates to qualify for finals isn’t a function of what a coach should tell you as an experienced player but a determination for success by all means, this is lacking in most of our guys, it’s possible we hire an experienced coach and get us playing better but there wouldn’t be much difference with these set of non committed players

    Eddie I mostly, agree with your logic, though I wasn’t in much agreement during your campaign against UE sack because I always feels our major problem is signing bunch of lazy overhyped players who doesn’t have much commitment, however after MA took over I saw a blueprint, a real design of how a team should be organise to defend. But you will agree with me that MA ‘passive possession retaining tactic’ as I do call it, will not help us make top 4.
    I don’t know maybe MA non aggressive tactics is because of arsenal vulnerability history or that’s how MA wants to play, but in life success comes with risk, if you are on defensive not taking any risk until you are 100%, sure, you might not get the opportunity from the opponent , I wish he realises this on time and encouraged his players to take more risk in the final 3rd instead of thinking of playing safe, pass backwards, or better still get players like martineli who are willing to dive in anytime not Auba and Pepe stylish players

    1. @ad
      You really have been carrying on blaming the tools and not the user.
      Who selects the tactics? the team? Look at how our loanees have fared? Willock…wow a new ronaldo.
      Its a given that many of our players are average/below average xhaka, holding,willan, bellerin, nketiah, even auba YET who is the dick that constantly starts and rarely subs them?

  9. No making any “Arteta In / Out” point here.

    Just thought it might be of interest to some;

    Arteta had three options upon retirement.

    He was offered to lead the Arsenal Academy, by Arsène Wenger, join Mauricio Pochettino’s backroom staff at Tottenham Hotspur or join Pep Guardiola’s coaching team at Manchester City.

    1. I would like to hear your thoughts in this AJ, hypothetically speaking, if say Arteta was to respectfully resign from the goodness of his heart which big team across the Europe or among 19 of the Premier league will have him as their manager?

      1. Hi H H

        Sure ;

        Mikel Arteta ’emerges as a managerial target for BARCELONA’, with presidential candidate Joan Laporta wanting the Arsenal boss to succeed Ronald Koeman if he doesn’t stay next season.

        ” Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta reportedly wants Mikel Arteta to take charge of the club should Ronald Koeman not stay on next season. “

        1. Reportedly. It might be true or it might be just a journalist who didn’t have anything to write making stories up. How many football news especially the allegedly and reportedly are true?

          I believe that is a made up news.

          1. Here is the problem.

            If I was responding to you agreeing with everything you say and I was a rabid “Arteta Out” man, everything I exchanged with you would be spot on and the truth.

            A soon as I float pieces of interest that just happen to support my view – they’re “made up”.

            We’ll just go ’round in circles here.

            The Barcelona link for me is definitely one for the future.

            They will watch Arteta’s progress over the next year or so – after he builds HIS side at our place.

            The F.A. Cup win after a few months in at Arsenal would have for sure made them sit up and note.

            There are playing and cultural links here, which Barca’ put great store by.

            In my opinion this is not fabricated, and Laporta truly has an eye on Mikel.

            “Joan Laporta took risk on Pep Guardiola and is now eyeing shock move for Arsenal boss if he returns as president”.

            Pep who ?

          2. ‘They will watch Arteta’s progress over the next year or so – after he builds HIS side at our place.’

            So if the reportedly is true (in my opinion it is not, and I am not saying you made it up rather the one who reported that) and they will be watching progress which means they are not yet sure he is the man. If he turns good they will poach him. He has already turned not as good as thought, rather bad actually so they wont go for him.

            The only difference is that they have the luxury of watching from the side while we are the one reaping the benefit of the potential.

            One season and a half is more than enough for at least part of the potential to be realized.

            WHAT HAS ARTETA DONE IN HIS ONE SEASON AND A HALF TO DESERVE MORE TIME? Going with that logic every manager under the sun deserve more time.

            The FA Cup victory cannot be the reason and should not be used as a reason for the simple fact that he has failed miserably to follow it up with anything meaningful.

            Had it been he finished last season poorly and won the FA Cup this season then the reason that he deserve more time would have been valid.

            THE MORE TIME THE FA CUP GAVE HIM WAS THIS SEASON NOT THE NEXT SEASON.

      2. Believe me H H – this guy wouldn’t be out of work for long ;

        ” What is the general perception of Arteta among Europe’s top clubs?

        There is great respect for Arteta from sporting directors across Europe who admire the project he is building at Emirates Stadium.

        The general belief among those in the Premier League and beyond is that Arteta will go on to become one of the best coaches in world football, utilising his tactical knowledge gained during his time working alongside Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

        Will he leave Arsenal?

        In short, no.

        1. He wouldn’t be out of job for long but not at any top level club. There is a reason we are the only one who capitalized on his potential and are paying extremely dearly for it.

          1. ” One season and a half is more than enough for at least part of the potential to be realised.”

            Really ?

            I bet these two clubs are glad the didn’t wield the axe after ” a season and a half”.

            Ferguson joins Manchester United in 1986.

            First trophy won in 1990.

            Read on;

            ” It may be difficult to imagine for those from a younger generation, but the Red Devils were at a low ebb when Ferguson arrived and it took the Scot a number of seasons to secure any degree of success. Ferguson steered the floundering side to an 11th-place finish in his first campaign and while they managed to finish second in 1988 and 1992, United remained an inconsistent mid-table club until the early 1990s, when the famous period of dominance began.

            Interestingly, that period might never have been as Ferguson came perilously close to losing his job in January 1990. With the club struggling in the league, there were calls from the fans for United to dismiss the Scottish manager”.

            Last two lines ring a bell ??

            Another manager you may have heard of;

            How many years did Klopp take to win a trophy at Liverpool? – FOUR YEARS !

            Hmnn 2 x 4 year periods there across 2 examples of managers who went on to be world class.

            Also ;

            ” they will be watching progress which means they are not yet sure he is the man”

            1) Keoman has got a 1 year extension. Short deal eh – one year ?

            We’ll see.

            And by the way for those who think Klopp arrived at Wembley not wanting to beat us in the Community shield as “it doesn’t count” – dream on ;

            Woven into our history – like it or not;

            FA Community Shield – 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1938, 1948, 1953, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020 (16)

            Anyway been good to chat H H

            No more from me, as I say we’re “going ’round in circles” – on this we agree to differ.

            I’ll close by repeating from above ;

            ” Mikel Arteta will start season 2021/22 as first team manager of Arsenal F.C.

            I look forward to an interesting summer window.

            Judgement will follow thereafter.”

          2. Enjoyed the chat too AJ.

            1. There were no billionaires buying clubs in 1986-1990. We can’t compare how it was then to how it is now.

            2. In those four years without a trophy Liverpool was not a mid table team they were finishing in the top 4 and challenging.

          3. AJ, when Alex Ferguson joined Manchester United in 1986 he had since 1974 managed across 3 Scottish Clubs, including winning the title with Aberdeen and the Scottish National team.
            Surely 12 years experience at this level is a “bit” more than Mikel Arteta has had.

  10. A long term project is not an excuse for getting worse although that’s what I see many MA fans hiding behind.

    Reasonably you could say we may stagnate for a year or 2 while getting our ducks in a row but that’s not what happened to us. We have shown a decline throughout the season, for me that shows a failed plan not a long term project.

    In our current EPL “slump” of almost 20 years now we have never looked so disjointed in my opinion.

    1. I agree with your insight. Why couldn’t Emery be a long term project also?

      Isn’t it ironic that most of Arteta supporters wanted Emery out? And there are some still blaming the great Arsene for the decade of declining (finishing not 4th but IN THE TOP 4) and yet giving Arteta full backing with the worst results in Arsenal’s history?

      It takes a lot of willpower not to pull my hair out because if I do the roots are gone.

  11. Let’s give Arteta one more season with minimum requirement of taking us back to the champion’s league.

  12. Please allow me to repeat my opinion.

    In one of the previous articles on Justarsenal, it stated that the manager has no game plan.

    If we recall Laca’s interview after our 3-3 draw with Westham, he stated, the players did not respect the Manager’s game plan. And I quote: “We didn’t respect the game-plan from the coach and we conceded three goals… ”
    They don’t seem to realize that we are in this position because of the players not the manager.
    I personally think Arteta is extremely brave to stand up to these players,and he is on the right track. As painful as this process is, it is absolutely necessary for our success.
    Let me remind you what Mustafi said when Ozil left: “Bro, you have been the most unselfish player on and off the pitch, I have ever shared the dressing room with. You will be always remembered as the #AssistKing. Unfortunately we as a team haven’t been able to assist you when you needed us the most…” Tell me that dressing room was not devided.
    A shake up like we had was bound to put us on the log position we are in.
    It was always going to be one of our most difficult seasons.
    This is exactly what Emery was supposed to do, instead he chose to keep those troublemakers. That led to his demise in the end. They got him fired and continued to disrespect us as fans. Their influence over team continued and destabilized the team. If you look at our performance just before the January transfer you could see improvement. The players new that the manager was going to get rid of some players. Once the transfer window ended we putting in bad performances again.

    Another clearout is still needed in this team, we need to free up some place for more ambitious players, than we will start challenging again, provided the board invests some good money.
    Now it is up to the board to be absolutely ruthless during this transfer window, and continue to rebuild this team.

    1. Well said dboy.The problem of course is that a clear out is easier said than done in the current financial climate.

  13. I wish people would stop using the excuse for Arteta of a “long term project” thats BS. There is no such thing as an individual long term project, everything is a long term project and it isnt an excuse for failure after 18 months. Arteta has nothing at all to back him up for a “long term project” in the medium term he has managed to take us backwards and make mistakes after mistakes. I dont see a project materialising anyway and i see no hope of it changing. League positions tell you everything you need to know, its the best guide to how good you are and if you have improved and we haven’t.

    1. 👍 13 losses thus far in the League.
      Is the long term object relegation?
      Stan is looking with envious eyes at the payments Norwich City received to go down and come back up. Promotion, once down in the Championship, would be far from guaranteed.
      Longest period in the top division of English football, another record to break for Arsenal FC.

    2. Agree 100 per cent … yep there is learning by doing but even your trainee apprentice in any profession is only going to be kept on if they demonstrate material progress along with mistakes … after 18 months there is no progress … no improvement in any department despite bringing in 9 new players … still tinkering with no purpose … still making unfathomable substitutions … just error after error that translates in to worst performance in decade … at the end of the day we judge not against some mythical long term project but against rival teams who are not stationary either .. on that measure we are going backwards and will continue to do so under arteta … the only solution is to change him … not because it guarantees progress but it provides hope of a turnaround

  14. Thanks for the goof read Eddie. A couple of points.

    First, I hope we can stop using the phrases Arteta Haters and Arteta Fanboys. It’s a false dichotomy. We’re all Arsenal fans who just happen to disagree on whether, right now, we should stick with the current manager. If we all agreed he world would be a boring place.

    Second, a possible insight into Kroenke’s thinking of a long-term rebuild. In American sports this is quite common – it’s called “tanking” or “blowing it up”. Teams sit their best players with phantom injuries to get a higher draft pick and trade established players for young prospects. All in the knowledge that they are in a private club and cant be kicked out (relegated)

    Rightly or wrongly, I think Kroenke has calculated that he can “blow it up” at Arsenal – by giving a promising young manager a chance to grow into the job and getting rid of expensive established players (Ozil, Mustafi etc) – and we wont get relegated. If successful then we stop being a treadmill top six team and start competing for trophies.

    Whether he’s right is a matter for debate. Whether he has executed the strategy well (resigning Auba, signing Willian) is also open to debate.

  15. Arteta wasn’t hired for a long term project. The truth is he was hired because he was cheap, available and could be groomed to suit because he was desperate to get the Arsenal job. Nothing to do with ability or long term projects.

  16. Good article but the story point you used is debatable(the programmers one) but seriously well written with a good perspective.

    And about MA ,i thought that if he disnt get us europe or a european trophy he will have to go but i think he has changed my mind.I am willing to give him my support as a fan till december with high hopes mainly because i see some real improvement tactically.Dude has ideas and he tries things.And also the players are playing for him even after all this.
    He made alot of mistakes but as the writer points we hired him knowing this so its only fair if we judge him with some experience.

    Thanx bro @Eddie

    1. If the players are playing for him and we have the worst results in history I wonder what would have happened if they didn’t play him. Championship would’ve been guaranteed by Christmas.

      Everyone have big ideas even me but ideas don’t bring success or win trophies if they are not carried through. And sometimes even if carried through but with wrong execution you end up with what we have.

      And to execute those big ideas successfully a talented and proper manager with experience is needed. We need that manager because currently we don’t have one.

      1. Respect your opinion bro
        We are 9th and thats a fact and i am not going to say that we were unlucky or we missed chances or the referees are biased.I saw some horrible performances this season as well as some superb ones and inconsistency was always there throughout so the manager has to take the blame alomg with the players.
        But why i am willing to give him time is i could see some improvements, mainly in the structure and ball progression and i believe with a little bit longer MA would be able to implement a good solid system.MA could fail as well but at the moment i think sticking with MA is a good option to go with.

        And say MA is fired in the summer,i dont see a very good replacement and i think we will have to gamble on someone again

        1. Lets hope he delivers on the promise for all our sake even though I would be happy if he is not there because I don’t have trust in him to return us to the top. Why wait years for him to come good when a good manager will do it sooner? Every season other teams are getting better and better.

          We have Man city who are basically buying the trophy and have no signs of stopping soon, Man utd are getting back up there, Chelsea with Tuchel are becoming unstoppable force and Liverpool will come back stronger. We have Leicester and Spurs and now West Ham. We don’t know which team will step up next season.

          Other teams are not pausing to wait for Arteta to learn. By the time he learns (if), it is going to be very late.

          Having said all that I would still have started positively with him next season (until he bottled it again) if he is still there were it not for the comment he made blaming Wenger for his failures.

          It was very cheap in my opinion and he get no love from me for that.

  17. only one problem with your assessment Eddie…we hired you then after getting a sniff at success you immediately started to pretend you were Mr. Peter…as most within the business of sports will attest, it’s incredibly difficult to win now and play for the future

  18. Arteta is not good enough, skilful enough or even able to relate enough to the players to manage or coach Arsenal. He should be fired immediately to make space to get a real manager in the next few weeks. Bad owner, bad manager! Most supporters want rid of Arteta and they know what is best.

  19. So, 3 years and if there is no upward trajectory after that?

    F that!

    First 6 months of next year or flush this organization!

  20. My take is that towards the end of Wenger’s time it was obvious the wheels were coming off – we were hanging on by our fingernails to the top 4, but looking worse every season. Wenger was deemed to be in control of all things Arsenal, and this coupled with his refusal to ever publicly criticise Kroenke, the board and senior management. He carried the can for years of bad or negligent administration, lack of funds to compete with the huge investments in the new superclubs (who did not subscribe to Kroenkes self sustaining model, but rather an ethos of “speculate to accumulate”). Kroenke’s disinterest allowed bad appointments, The Emirates debt hung over us, and Wenger could no longer buy the players the club needed. Alternatives available often were not of the motivated character necessary – for example Ozil, while seen as a coup by Arsenal fans, was sold by Ancellotti at Real only because of bad attitude and constant demands for pay increases – sound familiar?. So the seeds of the Emirates mafia – their mercenary motives, petulance and laziness – were sown.
    None of this came out to fans at the time, and so Wenger was unfairly “persuaded to resign” in the assumption that the issue went no deeper than on field performance, but of course the downhill spiral continued unaddressed and largely unknown to us into the Emery era, at an even greater pace because, well, Emery is not Wenger.
    And of course, neither is Arteta – a rookie manager thrown to the wolves to sort out over a decade’s deterioration, during covid, with no money. and many of the same players at the club who were instrumental in its decline.
    For almost 10 years the cracks were getting bigger but invisible under the “wallpaper” that was the ability of Wenger to still produce good football, until he left. Then even the wallpaper split because the very walls are crumbling.
    If it wasn’t clear this is in praise of Wenger, and in recognition of and sympathy with the size of Arteta’s “project”.

    1. Exactly man,, so happy that individuals without brain disconnection are still on the internet 😂😂😂… The size of some brain disconnection on this site makes me laugh so much🤣🤣🤣

    2. guy, agree Arsene Wenger unfortunately was the facilitator and apologist for the Arsenal Board’s incompetent management. He was cast aside to be the “fall guy” with no succession plan in place.
      After 22 years, whoever took over from Wenger was going to face difficulties, particularly if not supported in the transfer market and instilling player discipline by the Board.

  21. Watched a little on TV about Alex Ferguson. Made me think of the great days of Ferguson and Wenger. Arteta is so far removed from the magic of those two great men. Now we are so poor it’s actually sad. We should offer Brendan Rogers or Julian Nagelsmann a massive, seductive deal and stop mucking around with the Rookie Arteta.

  22. Hmmnn! Please let us be realistic!. This past few seasons, we have been playing in Europe (Europa League) and gradually we have been declining as per the league.This period coincides with Wenger latter years, Emery’s and now Arteta. Arteta’s time is the worst in performance and results ( table is there for everyone to see). Arsenal is built for Success, but that success is far eluding us because the board is just accepting medoicrity. Most serious and ambitious club would have sacked Arteta for long but Arsenal owners accepts medoicrity.We might not play in Europe , meaning we may not get the better players out there, what is the probability that Arteta will improve the performance when even when we are in Europe we are playing atrocious football to not playing in Europe which is almost a reality now. I’m an Arsenal fan first, whatever decision the board made, we can only be hopeful but with Arteta in charge, I’m not optimistic imo! Let’s see whether I’m wrong!

  23. The overriding point for me is ambition; do we have it or not?
    Hiring a rookie manager with no experience managing or building a single thing says “no.”

    After the mistake of hiring Emery, did we properly recalculate and show ambition? I would say another resounding “no.”

    Worst finish in decades, first time in 26 years without european football, and staring at further regression do we finally do a U-turn and show ambition?

    another resounding “no” but giving a failed manager more time to learn on the job.

    The “long term plan” here is to get people acclimated to mediocrity, not the “ruthlessness” it takes to become a wining side.

  24. The Arteta out brigade on here are the best football tacticians on the planet., have inside knowledge of everything going on at AFC and are obviously better at coaching than Arteta..
    So I leave them be…

    For me though I fully support Arteta.. I will judge Arteta in December 2021…

    1. The Arteta out brigade on here look at the league table, no European football, out of all competitions and worst results in history.

      You don’t need to be a tactician or know inside knowledge to see all that.

    2. Well done to you for sticking with Arteta. I was so disappointed after the failures against Villarreal that I withdrew my unconditional support for what he is trying to achieve. Was I right or wrong? I still hope he can prove me wrong

      1. So do I Sue P! I like him as a man, which helps my predisposition towards him. I like his honesty and bluntness in press/ TV interviews.
        I RECOGNISE THE HUGE SIZE OF HIS TASK, ESP GIVEN OUR OWNER and the damage done by such as GAZIDIS which has long lasting consequences. I still think we should have prosecuted GAZIDIS IN A COURT OF LAW, for deliberate dereliction of duty and thus breaking his contract! There is a mountain of evidence IMO to use against him.

    3. Mark what an stupid comment, we aren’t tactitians, we dont hate Arteta and we go on what is actually happening, not hoping or dreaming. Things are not working for him, what is happening to make us change our minds? Plus because you have put your date and time you are giving him it doesn’t mean you are right or wrong, just letting things carry on as they are.

  25. I much appreciated this mature article from such a worldly wise fan. I very much hope that Eddie, busy though he clearly is, will find time to give us more in depth articles of such top quality.

  26. I think this article was written by an Arteta fan and thus brought out all the fan boys from their crevices. So easy to please, but limited in their perceptions. It’s been a season of failure from top to bottom with nothing in sight to say that there will be a turnaround. The performance against Chelsea was “gutsy” in a limited sense. This is what teams like Burnley, Brighton and Sheffield United do every week, but the are not going anywhere ( except down eventually). Reasons to want Arteta out are obvious. He’s a whinger, poor tactically, stifles creativity, poor judge of a footballer, petty, and offer gutless in how he sets up his team.

    1. “I think this article was written by an Arteta fan.”

      That comment just shows that you didn’t read ONE WORD of the article!

  27. Arteta will still be here next season just like the leech will still own arsenal. This season is a total failure and there is little hope for next season right now. One benefit of keeping arteta is that we might be getting rid of more of those rotten players who will drag his club down regardless of who is the manager.

  28. Time for Arteta to go.Where?I don’t know,hard to see any team,even from Championship needing his precious “ expertise”.The truth is,once gone,Arteta’s career is over even before taking on.Let’s be frank,he’s a nobody in football manager’s world.And you can see that just watching Arsenal and the atrocious game the team displays.

  29. Eddie Hoyte…. I will make a mental note to read the article when you pen another. Pleased that Arsenal has fans with some degree of sophistication, genuine passion and conviction.

    Do present more fine reads like this and allow the site to raise its value.

  30. Agreed, this club needs stability. I’ve seen people say, “Oh but if this was happening in Chelsea, the manager would’ve already been sacked”. What these people don’t understand is that we ARE NOT CHELSEA. Chelshit is a club owned by an oligarch who’s willing to make the club great unlike Arsenal.

    We hired Arteta knowing that he’s a rookie and also that this is a long-term project. The Kroenkes have left a power vaccum at Arsenal which is only filled by Arteta and Edu. Sacking Arteta would only leave the vaccum and then someobody else would come in and start the rebuilding phase from scratch. This is what we can’t afford at the moment. We’ll sink further down and be one of those Everton-type clubs who “used to be great” but not anymore. Considering all that, we can’t afford to just sack the manager. I’m sure we as a team would come back stronger next season because let’s not forget, from each game, Arteta would gain valuable expereince which might be useful come next season.

    1. If anyone has any trouble distinguishing between you and your near namesake Highbury Hero, reading this sensible post of yours will amply show the difference between you who have an ability to put things in proper context and he who plainly writes, ALWAYS AND ONLY with his personal “sack Arteta” agenda.

  31. I thought this was a good piece Eddie, well put together and thought provoking, evidenced by the amount of replies/comments you have been able to raise on both sides of the debate

    I’m probably a bit too late to the party but my twopenny worth is that football management can’t be compared with any other industry, too many variables, too much emotion, too many parties involved etc, I may be wrong but I would guess that computer programming is an exact science, football is a spontaneous sport and far from being an exact science, at the level we are talking about it is only about success, which being subjective is about also about opinions

    Pep started out as an ex player rookie boss at Barca and is now probably the best coach in the world, his learning curve/mistakes were probably buried because he inherited the best player in the world and two or three others who weren’t far behind

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