Does Arteta need to learn to be ruthless like Pep Guardiola?

Admin Pat

12 months ago

Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola were working together at Manchester City, with Pep as coach and Arteta as an assistant. Then, in December 2019, Arsenal opted to take a chance on Arteta because they needed a coach who could restore their identity. Years have passed, and the Spaniard’s performance as a coach has been good, with some fans claiming that the Arsenal manager learned his skills from Pep. Many Arsenal fans do not want to hear this, but either way, their playing styles are similar.

Having said that, Pep is still smarter than Arteta in several ways. Guardiola, for example, may readily experiment with his formation during games, whereas his “student” cannot. Pep can observe his players during a match and change his formation; if the initial formation fails, he can attempt another. For example, if he begins by playing 4-3-3, he can switch to 3-4-3, and so on. Arteta still does not do this during his matches. Pep also has the freedom to rotate his players and even switch where they play at times; Arteta, even with his small team, has not capitalised on his players’ adaptability.

For example, against Southampton, it was suggested that Arteta push Zinchenko in midfield, which was struggling, and then put Tierney at left-back, but he didn’t use that option. Guardiola can easily make the switch, as we presently see John Stones, a well-known defender, playing in midfield, where he has excelled. Finally, Pep does not use players whose performances have declined. He believes that a player must fight for his position on the pitch, and that if you are out of form, you do not play. This has caused players to give their best in order to perform, as opposed to Arteta, who plays players even when they are struggling, as there were questions about why, against West Ham, Saka, who was having a horrible game, wasn’t pulled off when he should have been.

These are just some of the tactical distinctions between Arteta and Pep. Yes, Arsenal’s manager cannot be the same as Manchester City’s, but he should change some of his decisions and become more ruthless.

Bottom line: Arteta’s development as a coach continues, and he can only get better.

Daniel O

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Arteta proud of our comeback after Arsenal 3-3 Southampton

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