Former Liverpool star Steve Nicol has tipped Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta as the man he believes could be sacked first in the upcoming season.
The Gunners are yet to do any big business this summer, with the window only having officially opened this month, but if last year is anything to go by, it could well be after the start of the season that are main signings are completed.
Last August was atrocious where results are concerned, with our side finishing the month rock-bottom of the PL table with zero points and zero goals scored, and at this rate, you would have to be worried about us going into the new campaign without a new striker.
Nicol has now named Arteta on ESPN as the man he believes could well be the first to be removed from his role as coach once the new season comes around, claiming another bad start like we endured last term could be the end of his reign.
“I think Mikel Arteta [could be the first manager sacked] because they had a horrible start and everyone wanted him out, slowly they built it up and got themselves into fourth but by the end of the season, Arteta was under pressure.
“They really fell off, so if they start badly again he could be the first one to go.”
While I dread to believe that we could go into the new season unprepared, another terrible start to yet another campaign could well put added pressure on his job from the fans, but I don’t feel like his role is unsecure where the club is at all concerned. The board recently tied him down to a contract for a reason, and I believe it would have to be a major run of bad form that would see him removed as manager.
Do you believe that Arteta could be under threat of the sack next season?
Patrick
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ESPN are renowned for slagging off Arsenal. Who is this Muppet anyway ?Let’s make it from now on, if I need his opinion or even the opinion of Neville, Carragher, Owen etc; I will rattle pig bucket. Morons.
For certain, the signs are not looking good for the rookie-manager. We are slow out of the starting box again for this extremely critical transfer window – shooting ourselves in the foot, even before the start of the race.
We need to sign and integrate at least 5 new players into the squad just to be competitive at the start of the new season. Our recent history tells me, the probability of signing and integrating just three new players (including the preseason) – very unlikely! But to be fair to the dynamic duo, “there is clear plan”. We need to trust the process.
Looking at the positive side: Pochettino will be out of a job soon and should be available early in the next season. There is still hope. Conte worked miracles for the Spuds, last season; Poch will do the same for us. (Just putting my trust in Poch).
Huh? Slow out the blocks? Windows been open a few days… the players we are targeting are on international duty and enjoying holidays etc. Arteta etc have been on holiday and having to R&R. Now clearly you don’t watch many matches because your working 24/7 and making your company a world beater.. Anyway windows looking positive to me but I’ve been an Arsenal fan for over 30years so I remember the days we only signed players at the end of the season.. so any signing from Arsenal that happens before we play any football is a very early signing. So RFrancis next time please write your opinion on a piece of paper fold it up and stick it where sun don’t shine eh… that’s where your uneducated opinion belongs.. maybe you and fish it back out in 4 weeks time if we ain’t made any signings…
Lol
Holiday and international breaks are flimsy excuses not to sign anyone. A number of our competitors have already secured key targets including our own Bissouma for just 25M.
As for the rest of your comment – pure, unadulterated filth. And this is an understatement. If reminded me of the ghastly hooligan culture that almost destroyed the game close to 30 years ago, just a round the time you started watching.
Although I think Poch did a good job at Spurs, he cannot be our manager because of that strong link. It’s not as if he was there briefly and failed, making the transition to Arsenal manager easier. He’s got a great reputation amongst Spurs fans.
It’s like Benitez at Everton, and Graham at Spurs. Many will not get on board from day one because of the history, and it won’t take much or long to lose the trust at the first signs of struggle, of those who do initially support him.
this “story” speaks directly to the mindboggling nature of Arteta’s managerial reign, in that some have gone way out of their way to propagate the ridiculous notion that MA is on the precipice of greatness and/or that this is the best youth-based initiative in the footballing world, whereas there’s a multitude of others who hold a completely contrarian view
take for instance Steve Nicol’s speculative claim, which I don’t think is too far-fetched, under the particular circumstances he laid out, except it appears to be a totally counter-intuitive possibility IF there’s any logical basis whatsoever to the prevailing convictions of MA’s most ardent supporters and/or the plethora of club-contrived pro-Arteta PR messaging
of course, this is just one former player, turned pundit, doing what he’s hired on to do, make educated guesses and/or stir the pot, so maybe this doesn’t deserve any extraordinary attention…after all. under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t put much stock in one prognosticator’s claims, except that in this case there’s an overabundance of well-reasoned evidence that would support an exceedingly short managerial leash
regardless of what side of the fence you currently find yourself, the last thing this club can afford to endure is another polarizing managerial sh** show, as we all know what transpired the last time ownership allowed this sort of highly divisive issue to become the dominant narrative(lol)…so here’s hoping that we finally learn from the lessons of our past…that said, I’m certainly not holding my breath
Steve Nicol famed for having big feet which he now uses sticking them in his own mouth – what a Jack off – Arteta will be here long after Conte has shuffled off, long after a succession of other Premier league merry go round managers make way. Will Nicol eat his words or some humble pie? No – he’ll take his pay check for being a bang average player who turned into a bang average pundit.
Why should Arteta be here all this time? What did he achieve exactly? What the hell happened to our fan base?
“he’ll take his pay check for being a bang average player who turned into a bang average pundit”
if you substituted the word pundit with manager, some might say the same thing about our MIT(LOL)
Apparently we are after Guido Rodriguez from Betis
This could apply to almost any manager who has a poor start or has an owner who is over reactive- as in the Watford scenario
It was Nicol’s opinion but not one I happen to share.
In any case the rookie manager is no more – currently a few months away from 3 years at the helm. If it does go wrong on the pitch then he has to answer for it. If the transfer targets are not met then so does Edu, but at this stage of the window, it’s a bit early to tell
Nice post Sue P.
If Arsenal have a start like they did in Emery’s second year, then Arteta will probably be sacked. That’s the life of a PL manager.
I don’t see that happening though.
As to Nichol’s premise, not sure why Arteta’s seat would be any hotter than those at Chelsea, Newcastle, Villa, Everton and Leicester .
Exactly Voyageur
Mental.
In what way?
I dont believe he would be sacked even if we finished 10th next season ,the club have gone down this young route excuse now they have to save face and follow through with it .
My expectations are at an all time low and I expect this season to be no different from the last 3 laughable seasons .
Awful owner .
Awful manager .
Awful team .
@Dan kit
So winning an FA cup is laughable?
Well Jonbo, it wasn’t good enough when we won it three times in five seasons, I seem to remember…. and with all those dross players as well!
Of course Arteta won’t be sacked if we have a bad start.
Kronkie has invested £24,000,000 plus in him for the next three years and only a relegation threatened season would be a possibility of him contemplating such a move……..
Strange though, I thought we would be discussing our latest transfers, as we had identified our hit list.
Someone above blames International games, yet it hasn’t affected city, liverpool, spuds has it?
But your argument about those cup wins under Wenger is irrelevant, as he shouldn’t have even been charge at that point. Those victories came off the back of 9 years straight without winning anything!
And those who said those cup wins were just papering over the cracks, were proven right over time.
So I am not sure what your point is?
You’re probably right about Kroenke not sacking Arteta anytime soon, as we saw his insane amount of patience for Wenger, which in the end, was not rewarded.
Well, Arteta has been in charge for three years – we have finished 8th 8th and 5th in the PL.
After winning the fa cup with the dross players Wenger and Emery left him, we have been knocked out in the 4th and 3rd rounds of the cup.
If you think AW shouldn’t have been there for finishing in the top four for seven of those nine years, then 5th and 6th, while winning the Cup three times, along with the Community Shield (which has now become a trophy under MA!!) and also having European football for every season he was in charge, how do you claim Mikel’s two trophies mean anything, losing european football and achieving our lowest ever finish in the league for over two decades TWICE your argument about his cup win, isn’t only irrelevant…. it’s nonsensical when put against his other “achievements” to date.
Great reply fk
If I knew what you ment I might be able to agree with you
We’ll be fine and he’ll be fine too.
We are building an exciting team and Mikel has just signed a new contract in the last few months.
Don’t panic !!!!
There will be no sack for Arteta, so long as he is in the top half of the table. He hasn’t achieved top 4 in 3 finishes, and choked away 4th this year being 4 points up with 3 games to play.
In fact he was rewarded with a pay raise and contract extension.
It’s fair to ask the question “Is top 6 our new top 4?” Ownership is silent on goals for this upcoming season, and after Arteta boasting “CL trophy is 3 years” he has remained silent on goals as well.
Too many fans accept the state of the club; thinning the squad in January without any replacements is a perfect example.
Just think, 3 years ago managers got sacked for underperforming and failing top 4 finishes. Now it seems to be acceptable and even rewarded.
It’s not acceptable to you, me and any other Arsenal supporter, but I believe I’m pragmatic about the situation
You can regurgitate the same complaints over and over again but if the ownership are not fussed about being serial winners like Abramovitch then what do you suggest? We might get lucky occasionally but being at the top table almost permanently is most unlikely and success and failure are frequently cyclical
So, we have Arteta doing his best for now. This season should really show one way or the other if his best is good enough. He came close in May. So it is logical to think he could do at least as well this season.
You don’t think so and it fuels your annoyance.
It doesn’t look good for the one eye. I can’t see us past the current top 4. Man Utd will be better next season, Newcastle will be difficult to beat. The like of West Ham, Aston Villa will be competitive. I believe that he will not be at Arsenal at the beginning of next season. It isn’t something I didn’t know from the beginning of the one eye. Some of his decision is already biting him and other are going to bite him