Mikel Arteta was teammates with Nacho Monreal after the latter arrived at Arsenal in 2013. The current Real Sociedad defender has now given an insight into the mind of the Arsenal manager.
Arteta looks like a quiet individual who thrives on diplomacy, but he showed recently that he can also be ruthless after flogging the likes of Mesut Ozil and Shkodran Mustafi.
Monreal knew all along that the Arsenal gaffer is someone who knows what he wants and always goes for it.
He claimed that during Arteta’s playing days, he corrected everyone on the pitch and knew exactly where they were supposed to be.
Monreal further stated that Arteta always had the drive to become a manager and told those around him before hanging up his boots.
“He is a very direct guy, who knows what he wants,” Monreal says to The Telegraph.
“He understood the game, he corrected his teammates, regardless of his position on the field. He knew where each one had to be. He is a leader, he knows how to transmit, reach the footballer. And he always told us that he wanted to be a coach.”
The Spaniard won the FA Cup in his first half-season at the club and has now gotten rid of the players he doesn’t want.
After reshaping his team, Arsenal fans will expect him to deliver success to the Emirates.
Nothing new here. When Arteta was out injured he was often seen on the bench sitting next to Arsene Wenger. Without any inside knowledge I could sense that he was someone who thought deeply about the game and wanted to learn. I was actually hoping he would get the job first time round ahead of Emery. It would have been better for both club and manager to get to know each other over a prolonged period. At that time few fans were expecting instant success and were in the mood to be more accepting of the transformation required. After Emery the mood is one of ongoing frustration that the club has just stop still, allowing the likes of Raul, and Edu to make short sighted decisions. Whether or not Arteta succeeds this time around is another matter. Pre Boxing Day I had had enough of Arteta Ball. It seemed more like a fail safe option. The signs since have been encouraging. There is a lot more fluidity in our play,as well as a more adventurous selection policy. Certain positions do need to be strengthened. Most fans realise that Arsenal are two seasons away from having the right balance between strength and creativity. Sunday will also be a big test. I hope Arteta continues to be brave and stands up to be his own man ,refusing to settle for a 0-1 defeat.
I was so suprised that the club was even considering Arteta in the first place.
Arteta to Arsenal was one of those rumours that I definitely laughed at. I was thinking to myself “There is no way that our club would even entertain a no experience, never managed anything waterboy”.
But it all started to look real. Never in a million years did I ever thought the club would go for someone like Arteta.
But the moment he came in and started trying to address the problem areas that we all had been crying out for since 2006 then he relieved a bit of nervousness I had towards him.
Came in and started to work on our defensive inabilities. Started buying defensive players. Signed a strong DM (Partey), also wanted an attacking midfielder (Aouer).
Started to force our primadonna underperforming princesses to work hard or be benched and pushed out of the club.
Started getting rid of these princesses one by one.
To me these things have endeared me to him and forced me to give him a bit of leeway.
I think even if Arteta does not make it at Arsenal what he has left will be a very good solid foundation for the next manager that will take over.
I totally agree with you totally
Though i wanted him from the beginning
I totally agree with you too, though he gets me worried sometimes, especially with his substitution, faith in failed Willian and more
Coach has recruited fine, but if his attitude towards certain good players is not subjectively for wrong reasons ok. His substitutions are not good. Willan is a serious flop, a minus on the field, can’t pass accurately, looses plenty of possession. Give workaholics like Martinelly more chances. Ceballes is very good distributor, tackler, hardwoker plis let him play behind strikers and see more through balls. Lacazatte is a pure striker let him do and have likes of smith-rowe let him and auba score lots. Don’t sacrifice a versatile forward saka, to be at the back substituting a fair defender, you kill attack power the boy is marvelous at front / wing. Improve your subs, as of who when and be more attack minded, good you loaned inexperienced youngsters. Kolascinac had improved and a good cover up for left back who are fewer couldn’t have loaned him, defenders are not bad, xhaka has improved a lot, eleny must bring money for better midfielder, he is slow and tires quickly, otherwise for majority of youthful team, be competitive and in near future will challenge for all at stake, keep it up and avoid hating or loving where unnecessary, good job and work on positives we give you, we love gunners and you are a gunner plis lets be a good force to reckon with, beat those renowned and with most accolades and make yours sooner than later. Big Up, all the best, Wenger used to hammer and capitalize on smaller teams to be at par with bigger end of seasons, we belong to uefa cham league which we must win as well as epl this decade!!! # Go Arsenal