Carlos Cuesta spent several years working as a coach under Mikel Arteta before leaving Arsenal this summer to take charge of Parma.
The Italian club took a calculated risk in appointing a young and relatively inexperienced manager, but their belief is that Cuesta’s time spent learning under Arteta has equipped him with the tactical understanding and professionalism required to succeed in Serie A. While it remains to be seen whether this faith will be rewarded, Cuesta is working diligently to make an impression and establish his credentials in Italian football.
Parma are not among the elite clubs in the country, and their resources are significantly smaller than those of Arsenal. They operate with a fraction of the budget, and as such, expectations must be tempered. It would be unrealistic to assume Cuesta could immediately replicate the same influence he had as part of Arteta’s coaching staff, especially given the competitive and financial disparities between the two clubs.
A Coach Finding His Way
Despite these limitations, Cuesta has shown determination to keep his team organised and competitive. His focus has been on ensuring Parma remain stable and clear of relegation concerns while gradually implementing his footballing philosophy. He is thought to have introduced elements of Arsenal’s approach to training and match preparation, prioritising structure, pressing, and creativity in attack.
However, his methods have not gone unnoticed, and comparisons with his former club have already begun to surface. Some observers believe that aspects of his tactical style mirror Arsenal’s, particularly in set-piece routines and attacking movement. For Cuesta, such observations are a reflection of the influence Arteta’s methods have had on his own development as a manager.
Criticism from Italian Media
Italian journalist Giuseppe Pastore commented on Cuesta’s approach, suggesting it closely resembles that of his former employer. Speaking via Parma Live, Pastore said: “Arteta and Arsenal’s style of play, a team that almost always scores from set pieces, has not exactly been Las Vegas, and so being Spanish isn’t enough to play well.”
This remark hints at scepticism from sections of the Italian media about whether Cuesta’s tactical ideas can be successfully adapted to Serie A. Yet, as a young coach in the early stages of his managerial career, he will be eager to prove that he can translate his experiences from Arsenal into meaningful results with Parma.
In time, Cuesta’s methods will be judged by his ability to keep Parma competitive and help them grow into a more consistent force in Italian football.
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And the point is? I mean didn’t Arteta ‘copy’ Pep? Surely when you work for/under a successful coach you take what you’ve learnt from them to your next appointment.
Agree and that is what Arteta did. He also played under Wenger who was another important influence and both as a player and a coach he really couldn’t have positioned himself better than that. But he is also extremely capable in his own right
Right? Pastore is just trying to stir up controversy. Everyone learns from their previous experiences. Sounds suspiciously like a case of “Can’t bring those damn foreign ideas here, we’re special and unique. Don’t like change, me!”.
As for whether Cuesta will be successful at Parma, it’s too early to say and hangs on many different things. Maresca was manager of Parma a few years back and was sacked, and he’s a decent manager, so there’s obviously more at play.
That’s the best compliment you could ever give a person, Carlos may have recognized Arteta is a tactical genius
He wouldn’t be the first. Ask our players. Or Pep, or Simeone.
Gunsmoke,
Genius. you used that word again. I’m sure you’re being sponsored. 😂🤣👍
By whom, as I d say he’s a Guinness as that would get sponsored 😀
Derek
Honestly, I didn’t know the Spaniard would have turned out to be such a brilliant signing.
You must excuse me for that word coming up so frequently, am not known for my best practices in English.
GB
No sponsor , I just like calling a spade a spade 😀
Gunsmoke,
No need for apologies, if that’s how you feel about Arteta that’s perfectly fine. 👍
If they didn’t know what to expect who’s to blame? Carlos is repeating what he does best, and his best got him the job he now seems to be doing very well at.
Such a pity a section of our fanbase haven’t recognised what Arteta, after an awful start, has been doing at our club.
I never thought that he would turn out to be as good as he is today and the likes of Carlos is reaping the benefits.
I wonder if, at some time in the future, Per Mertesaker might also want to spread his wings?
If that happened, it would be a really big loss in my opinion.
Even Stoke City and Bolton’s managers didn’t invent their set piece routines. They adopted from previous successful teams and it evolves over time and now Jover. One can’t be accused of copying any football method. I suspect Arteta is now trying to copy PSG’s multi pronged attacking system. He’s seeing good results as goals flow from left right middle.
I love Arsenal team