It’s safe to say that Arsenal fans aren’t the happiest fan base at the moment—and why should they be? Back-to-back games without a win aren’t the only reason for their frustration. The performances in those matches were certainly below par, even though we created enough chances to win the most recent one against Newcastle. These two games laid bare the same recurring issues we’ve faced throughout this campaign. From our slow build-up play and lack of transitional threat to our poor finishing, our attacking struggles were clear for all to see.
As you might imagine, this has led to an increase in criticism directed toward Mikel Arteta, which, to some extent, is deserved—especially given the misfortune we’ve faced with absences this season. However, among the many criticisms being levelled, there’s one in particular that I find bordering on childish, to say the least.
Solely blaming the manager for not bringing in a particular player for a specific position—or suggesting that he’s actively blocking certain transfers—is a baseless argument. At times, we seem to overestimate how much control Arteta actually has at the club. While it’s clear that he plays a significant role in acquisitions, he doesn’t have the final say on who the club signs or when they are signed. The position in question is, of course, the forward line—most notably the No. 9 role. Watching the Gunners squander chance after chance against Newcastle emphasised the need for a clinical striker, but Arteta cannot simply snap his fingers and make a new signing appear. That’s just not how it works.
Furthermore, it seems that many fans are forgetting just how lengthy and complex the club’s decision-making process is. A 2023 report by The Athletic on our move for Declan Rice shed light on how these decisions are made. The report stated:
“Arsenal’s decision-making process is more bureaucratic than at some other clubs, as names and figures have to go up the chain of command—from the scouting system, Arteta, Edu, and Garlick, and then on to the majority owners, the Kroenke family in the United States—before any official move can be signed off. After that, it is communicated back down through the hierarchy in what is designed to be a model with checks and balances.”
This provides valuable insight into how the club operates and shows why it’s not as simple as “just signing a player.” It also explains why Arsenal has struggled to react quickly to opportunities during recent transfer windows.
To pin the blame solely on Arteta for not bringing in a new centre-forward is, quite frankly, unfair. It’s a misunderstanding of how the club functions and a failure to appreciate the complexities involved in modern football transfers.
I’ll probably get ripped to shreds in the comments for being an “Arteta fanboy,” but I’d love to hear your honest thoughts. What do you think—am I way off the mark, or do you agree? Let me know in the comments below!
BENJAMIN KENNETH
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
Complexities? What complexities? Do you mean it perhaps should not be as simple as slamming MA for anything and everything which could even remotely be perceived as negative but not giving him credit for anything positive while not fully addressing whatever matter is being “discussed”?
I get the impression, Benjamin, that you don’t think other clubs have the same kind of system that you describe The Arsenal as having.
Am I to believe then, that, say, Pep decides he wants player X, informs the owners and they say OK, here’s the money, now sort the rest out and HEY PRESTO he’s a city 130 player?
All clubs surely have a similar system to us, if the report you quote is correct.
Doesn’t that kind of recruitment exist in everyday life?
By the way, I do agree that MA is facing flack, some of which is his own making and some of which isn’t.
Since he discarded Aubameyang and Lacazette, he hasn’t brought in any CF. That’s years ago. I’m quite sure that however long the process is, two years is time enough to communicate to the owners that a striker is needed.
That said, it has been my opinion that we don’t need a striker to score goals. The benefit would be his movement which should cause problems for defenders. Not much more in my opinion.
We don’t need a striker. I’ve said it before and will again.
The above has a bit of a straw man argument.
Why exaggerate MA as a fan victim for everything not working out for us at the moment? Even worse when our so-called bureaucracy is so venerated as though that’s what Arsenal is made for. The arguments in this article by far vindicate us for feeling the way do about our club than whatever Benjamin is surprisingly trying to defend, Very sad.
👏
Forgive me, but must say the “bureaucratic process” is a lame excuse for transfer blunders.
By this I mean spending too much money on players not enough to improve the squad. Or, trying to fit square pegs into round holes.
After 5 years of Arteta, we’re back to square one. Back to the time when were paying 350pw for Mesul Ozi and 325pw on Auba. Don’t forget 300pw for Chelsea reject, Willian.
We are doing the same again with low-energy Havetz on 300pw plus and Rice in the same ballpark. Big earners Jesus and Zinchenko could be included here, too.
We have not learned our lesson. The same mistakes, again and again.
The lion share of our recent transfers budgets has been squandered on low-performing players. Or let’s just say players who have not performed to the levels of their hefty price tags.
The writer doesn’t seem to realize Arteta is not just the Coach. He was promoted to Manager – and wields significant influence and power on player recruitment decisions.
My final comment: all big clubs have bureaucratic decision making processes. It’s not just Arsenal. Trust me.
While I’ll say that Arteta has been backed financially by the club, it doesn’t matter how well backed you are if you waste a lot of your financial backing on players like Havertz, £65 million and the like.
You deserve what you get really.