Mikel Arteta claims that he has learned some important lessons in his time as Arsenal boss, admitting that he still has much to experience also.
The Gunners have endured a rocky ride since the Spanish coach took over the reins, leading the club to FA Cup debut in his debut campaign, before a mass overhaul of the squad which appears to be almost completed.
It has been a long and winding ride, including dreadful winless runs in the division, as well as unbeaten runs which are worth writing home about, and we currently have the chance to make it 10 matches unbeaten when we take on Watford on Sunday.
Arteta spoke to the press ahead of his 100th match in charge as a manager this weekend, and claims that he feels like he has had an ‘update’ from the man he was when he took over the role, but hints that there is still much work to do.
“I think we all update any year like any computer!” he is quoted on Arsenal.com as stating.
“With everything that has happened to us, even more so. I am different, I see things differently, you evolve in certain ways, you learn a lot of things. We keep evolving.
“To have experience in something doesn’t mean that you’ve experienced all things that could happen in that journey, but for sure there have been some necessary things that have happened, some challenges and others beautiful to go through, but as I said, I’m really enjoying the moment and the opportunity that I have ahead of me.”
The manager has certainly come a long way in a short time in charge, and does appear to be getting better and better along the way, but whether he will reach the level needed to return us to the top level in the coming years is yet to be seen.
Do the fans now believe that Arteta is the perfect choice for the job in hand?
Patrick
WATCH The Just Arsenal Show on YouTube – Dan Smith responds to being called Mr Negative
Arteta took two years to realise he was not managing Man City and thus recorded two 8th place finishes. Logically he should have been sacked. But the FA Cup win and Covid meant the board and Mr Kroenke gave Arteta a third season. A new plan was unveiled. No more Man City coaching, get rid of as many of the overpaid entitled underperformers and bring in young cheaper high performers with high resale value. Getting rid of the expensive dead wood has been difficult post covid and remains a problem. But to cmpensate for the lack of sales Kroenke sanctioned a 150m spend to bring in 6 new “profile” players. A horror 3 game start has been followed by a 7 match unbeaten run while 4 soft Carabao cup games have been won. No European games has not harmed the teams progress and may have made things easier. So after 21 months of struggle and poor decision Arteta has finally found a winning formular and the tide seems to be turning.
@fairfan
That’s the perfect summary for MA
There won’t be any better summary and analysis
The only exciting thing about hi ms team ATM is the defence. Which people taught he made silly expensive purchases but now proven right .
Am so sure the next summer purchase will be about the midfield.
It is truly a process
But I Dont know how long i will be able to trust it to success
What makes someone perfect for the job in hand and does MA tick the boxes?
Unbeaten runs? ✔️
Excellent signings? ✔️
Winning trophies? ✔️
Improving Defence? ✔️
Admitting mistakes? ✔️
Learning from those mistakes? 🤔
Game plan?🤔
Tactics? 🤔
Consistency? 🤔
Player Management? 🤔
European Football? 🤔
Top Four Finish? 🤔
Scoring enough goals? 🤔
40% of the way there for me…. turn those 🤔 into ✔️ and MA will be “the perfect choice” as Patrick asks.
It is slowly (but surely?) seeming to happen, with the biggest hurdle being consistency…. in my opinion as a realist of course 😇😇
A good little chart you did there Ken TBF
And would say I probably agree with each one you have done .
A question to you though is if he gets us top
4-6 would you be happy with that and would you be happy with the football that he puts out for us to spectate?
I think what I’m trying to ask is ,even if he got us in them positions is the football still good enough for you to watch and can he go above next season and kick in or is he just a safe manager ,which I believe that’s all he will ever be .
I see nothing special in him and TBH we should be finishing in said positions with the money we have backed him with .
I get called out as being negative but all I wanna see is a manager who gets me off my seat ,and after 2 years that as happen maybe 3 times .
What I will add to what I was saying
10 games played and 12 goals scored ,for me that sums up the football we are having to watch .
I posted last season the goals for and against after fans were saying how he had improved our defence but it was not much better than the last 5 years and the goals scored went down by 20 per season.
For me his style of football is something I can not get behind even if he finishes better than the last 2 seasons .
Maybe I expect more than I should but the money he as been backed with I wanna see edge of the seat football .
Dank, I have been excited with what COULD be seen, in the spud, Leicester and villa matches – and that is what I mean by consistency.
If he can get the squad playing to that intensity in every game, then I would certainly enjoy watching them.
There is no excuse for not doing that – no European football, only one long-term injury and an array of talent sent out on loan… I assume surplus to requirement?
As Konstantine’s article said, credit where it’s due and don’t forget, GG’s style of football was based on solid defensive work.
I do believe that we need to keep hold of Lacazette and worry about Aubemeyang’s longevity (his contract).
So Dan, I’m optimistic and that’s being realistic!!!
I’d toss a few more in there Ken (sorry not set up for emojis – I’d only need the miserable face one if I was!):
Squad depth incl deadwood disposal
Team selections
In game management
Entertainment
Spot on with your ratings although I wouldn’t weight them all equally. For example I couldn’t care less about unbeaten runs – in fact if they go on to long they create pressure. Matches become nervous draws rather than confident wins.
Yes, agree with you guy, we can only wait and see – my reply to Dan kit sums up where I am and the Liverpool game, if we have no further injuries, will be the acid test.
With you on that one, Ken. Knowing both how we have disintegrated recently against the top teams, and also how delicately balanced our rebuild is, I’m nervous already. While I’m aware that defeatism isn’t good and that it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, against this superb Liverpool team at Anfield I just hope we do ourselves justice whatever the result.
displaying some humility is definitely noteworthy, I just wish this sort of honest self-reflection had emerged prior to his second term in charge, so that he might not have made so many selfishly-motivated managerial decisions that clearly weren’t in the best interests of the club
I have a different point of view. For a year and a half, he had a squad that was out of balance, burdened with old and young stars who didn’t want to follow his lead and were hard to get rid of. Nevertheless, over the last 2/3 of last season, AFC had the second-best record in the league.
After one match this year with half his team missing and two against the best teams in the league, this year he has the side working together as he wants, and they refuse to lose. Bring in or develop a scorer or two and the future is ours.
I also think we have to look at the handling of the talent we had on the books. Saliba appears to be having a storming season in France along with Guendozi. Mavropanos in Germany and we are about to let these players leave for peanuts! I wished him well when he first started and wanted to give him time. Frustrated at some of his decisions, not blooding younger players and giving them opportunities when more senior players were not delivering on the pitch. Continuing to play players that kept that get red cards or players that will never come good. I said at the beginning of the season he will get to Christmas and the decision will be in as to whether he stays or goes. Right now it’s looking good for him and I hope he’s turned the corner and the team will put in more consistent performances, stay around the top of the table. Think Ben whites been superb but should that money have been spent in another area that is in need! For years our defence and possibly midfield where dreadful. I think our back 5 look great and give them a season or two together and they could one of the best defences in the world! Midfield looks good, Partey is turning into that Gilberto, veira midfield we’ve missed. Now it’s attack where we have our problems. We need that striker that gonna get at least 20+ goals a season Saka and Smith Rowe will chip in and provide for them but we need a serious striker and bissouma. For years the team has been a player or two away from being the best team and I think now we are closer that ever.