The positives of signing Mikel Arteta by Konstantin Mitov
With the most likely outcome of having Mikel Arteta leading Arsenal soon, we should take the time to look at the positives of having him instead of another pair of “safe hands”. Well lovely readers of this fair site, let’s dive straight into it.
With so many problems around, there is one thing people related to Arsenal all agree upon, and that is we need change. A dramatic one too. We tried a “proven” manager in Unai Emery and where did that leave us? Football is a game of confidence. Last season we were looking primed for the top 4, yet we tanked it. This season we started with 2 wins in a row (even though it’s hard to remember this at times like these), but why did we fall apart again?
Truth is, we never really had a playing style under Emery. His 22 unbeaten run was based off of energetic subs, and comebacks, rather than dominating the opposition. In Mikel Arteta we get a person who’s worked with the best in Pep G. He should be coming in with a vision of how we want to play football. He is extremely highly regarded in terms of improving players and we need a lot of that.
A lot of people fear we’d lose Aubameyang and Lacazette. We had them available to play against City and so what? Only Martinelli looked like a player with the necessary desire to wear the shirt. If the players really don’t want Arteta, well they should be moved on. Here’s my list of players, that should be moved on:
* Ozil – more of a problem than anything else
* Mustafi – enough said
* Luiz – past it
* Aubameyang – if he doesn’t sign a new deal
* Sokratis – not good enough
* Xhaka – not suited for our style of football
One thing Arteta oozes and Arsenal have been missing is class. I saw a video of his interview after his last game for Arsenal
Tell me you weren’t moved by this? I’m in football to enjoy the thrill and Arsenal have become a place full of apathy.
Mikel Arteta has the unknown factor. Nobody knows what he will be like. As much as I love what Freddie did as a player, he was assistant to Emery and his short managerial tenure looked exactly like what Emery left. We desperately need a new vision to come in from outside. Promoting from inside the rotten situation we are in will just not work.
What I expect from Arteta coming in, is a vision. I want a solid plan for the future, because there is no way anyone can come to our pigsty and suddenly transform us into a winning machine. We need to get rid of the overpaid primadonnas at the club and set a structure dedicated to building a playing style and getting the players that would fit it.
We tried signing expensive players, which we struggle to put them in the same team, yet our defence is absolute garbage. This is the result of impulsive actions hoping to temporarily paper over the cracks. We now need a solid plan on how to rework ourselves back to competing. We should accept where we are, and work not to get a few wins and suddenly think everything is ok, because short sightseeing is what we’ve been doing for like 10 years and this is the result of all that.
Finally, Mikel Arteta fits the young mould and we should look at people like Ten Hag and Julian Nagelsmann who have achieved wonders coming from being relatively unknown. Same with Klopp back in the day and Tuchel after him. The small difference is they all had some managerial experience before. Not a lot, but still better than the nothing sitting on Arteta’s name. The only game he managed in Pep’s absence was a 2:1 defeat to Lyon in the champions league.
I think the board should’ve acted more quickly if they wanted him and we cannot let them off the hook for that, but we should support Mikel. If he comes in, we must unite with him and give him a chance. This season is a shipwreck and we all should very well know it. if we start seeing desire, passion and fight from the team, everyone will support him no doubt. Then the style, class and identity we used to have need to be restored.
It’s a huge ask, but Mikel could be just the person we need. I know it’s difficult, but if he arrives here I’ll be his supporter as negativity will no longer take us anywhere. Time will tell, but if you are coming home Mikel, we’ll be there for you!
Konstantin
Yeah… Mikel Arteta got my support
I don’t see any difference between arteta and ljunberg …maybe the admin should do a piece comparing both bearing in mind ljunbergs work with the arsenal kids , impact as players and other indices…
Anyone was to try do such an article???
Freddie never really wanted the job, and Per certainly doesn’t want to be in the limelight.
I don’t understand how Allegri, J Nagelsmann, and Simeone are not on the three man shortlist, Vieira and Arteta probably making it a top five, but us then picking one front runner and an alternative to go all in aggressively after him.
Someone wrote a powerful piece like this when the Emery speculation was all over…
Unknown quantity yea .
Did arteta coach the kids at Manchester city for even a season ?
All I know he has done is sit beside pep…
Now the writer of this article is already judging Ljunberg ,can you just imagine that?..
I would be surprised if any coach can do anything with this crop of players…
I’m just looking forwards to the January transfer window…it’s our buys that will determine how the season goes and not the coach..
Arteta will struggle too..
Any decent coach will do better with a better defence and defensive midfielder minus Ozil.
Lovely article and I very much hope and very much believe that by the Evertongame Arteta will be our head coach. He should be MANAGER though and have overall team and BUYING /SELLING control, instead of merely being included in a collective decision. I have always believed and continue to believe that ONE man only must make the ultimate decisions and though, in the modern game, ALL managers need backroom help, IT IS IMPERATIVE that one man makes the final call.
I will give him full support in his herculean task; getting Kroenke to actually spend some REAL money and no more has beens , never was beens and total rubbish imported, as in recent times. We need proper, HUNGRY(listening Ozil?) players who will fight for the shirt and who have personal pride. This clearly highly rated man comes in , assuming he actually DOES come in, with a real chance to vastly improve things. BUT no man, not even God Almighty , can be expected to make our ludicrously so called “defence” into something water tight with the present clowns in residence. Good luck Mikel!
A lot, and I mean A LOT will depend on the coach being allowed to get rid of the players he doesn’t think would suit his style.
If Arteta gets the support, it could end well, especially the next season and later.
If he tries to play modern football and is stuck with the likes of Xhaka and Sokratis, he’s making a mistake in coming to Arsenal. He’ll just ruin his career’s start.
Jon
I agree with that manager needs to have final say on players coming in and out and not the people above make h the decisons on buying and selling
With regards to our defence, they are really poor agreed. In fact the worst I have ever seen but this has deflected from our midfield who dont cover or give any protection to the back 4 and in my opinon one of the worst midfields to grace our hallow turf
From top to bottom it’s like that. The forwards don’t do enough if anything in helping out, no consistency with it. Then the midfield does not have the numbers nor the quality to help out defence effectively enough. Then the defence has its problems and not enough protection, I don’t just mean getting back to protect, there’s not enough fighting going on higher up the pitch, and they’re not in-sync and looking like a team. There’s a lot of work ahead, we’re basically starting again from where we left off two years ago, only more work needed behind the scenes and a job on to get players who can come in and give us what we need. There’s some positives in the player personnel, but only time will tell.
This will be a big mistake. The board is just looking at the cheapest option. Typical of Kroenkes. I don’t see how Arteta will solve our problems, he still will have The worst defenders on the planet. This team needs a man of steel. Really not happy with this state of affairs.
Why did you mention the name of Almighty God in your little opinion, well,with God, everything is possible. Please take note
@ jon fox,
Why did you mention the name of Almighty God in your little opinion, well,with God, everything is possible. Please take note
In that case get him on the coaching staff and teach them how to defend.I don’t believe even god almighty could do that.
And while I’m not in any way having a pop at JF-get yourself a life PAL.He mentioned god almighty metaphorically.Not to offend anyone.
My full support as well. Even if we lose the first 10 games under him. Enough of negativity. We’ve reached rock bottom. Even if we finish 16th this season it won’t make a difference to me and I’ll still support Arteta. It’s time Arsenal fans see what negativity and Aftv have done to us. Support Arteta will all your heart. We need stability not miracles.
If we lose the next 10 games we will be playing in the Championship next season but of course give Arteta a chance however the end result he will most likely crash and burn.This situation is like giving a newly qualified driver a F 1 car to drive and expecting him to win.We are in a very serious state and taking a gamble with Arteta is madness
Arteta is Pep Guardiola in disguise it seems.
So if we lose 10 games all the other teams including bottom 3 will just continue to win? That’s your logic. You’re making it sound when arteta joins just because he has no experience all our players need to learn to pass a ball again. What experience did zidane have when he took over Madrid? Why pelegrini with all the experience is suffering in West Ham? N I said i have no expectations so why you comparing it to new f1 driver and expecting him to win?
I fully agree with you. We cannot continue booing everyone and no one. It is now time to give our full backing to Arteta and stop diversionary gimmicks. We should realise the magnitude of the problem the new manager has. The fact that Ljunberg failed does not mean Arteta will also fail. The two are different individuals. Arteta is not the only former player in coaching. There is Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Ljunberg. The fact that Arteta has been preferred by the Arsenal board is a vote of confidence in Arteta. In 2018 when Emery was appointed, I was one of those who opposed Arteta but now I am fully behind him because I believe he has gained sufficient experience under Pep Guardiola. The fact that the situation cannot get worse than it has been should encourage us to have hope in the future. Let us fully get behind Arsenal.
Exactly. Some fans just don’t understand everything is 50/50. A highly established manager can fail and a new inexperienced manager can prosper. There’s no guarantee of anything. So instead of being cry babies that santa didn’t give the man you want, why not just support the man in charge. Arteta hasn’t even managed one game for us and fans here are behaving like arteta is the one got us in this mess. It’s really sickening.
AfTV hasn’t done anything apart from highlight how upset fans are and why shouldn’t they be? Because I’m a fan and go to every game, home or away, I can’t voice my opinion but Graeme Souness on skysports who only watches 1/3 of our games can? What do our ex players say about the mismanagement from the board? Nothing because they are more concerned with their own brand. Without AfTV Wenger would have never left and I doubt the Pepe deal would have gotten done without the massive push from supporters clubs like AfTV. 20mil over a few seasons? Because we didn’t have the funds to put the 70mil upfront? Desperate stuff from our board.
great piece KONSTANTIN,lets all get behind him what are these players really scared of,they do not deserve the right to pick their next manager,they picked Xhaka for captain for pity’s sake,they take their inflated wages every month and offer us garbage on the pitch and expect to chose who they do or do not want ,i cannot believe my ears, I will back whoever gets the job and hopefully go on backing him into better times.
It’s time to effin unite! Together we stand divided we fall mafakas!
I would never doubt Arteta’s stature or commitment in relation to Arsenal but, I don’t think he deserves to be put in a position by Arsenal to take a job that the club are not willing to rebuild?!
The team does need rebuilding, it’s a fact. We have the wrong players and players with wrong attitudes! Arteta is one of those players that Arsenal deserved to have for his “professional” attitude and fighting spirit!
If Arteta takes over now he may very well fail by the end of the season? I think he would be the ideal guy to take the job on. Just not now. Or at least, not unless he gets given the funds and help to fix the god almighty mess it is in now!!
If he does take the job, I wish him well and urge all supporters NOT to expect miracles to be done over night..
I’m behind the arteta signing, and I like that it isn’t what all the pundits agree with tbh I think if pundits are against it, it’s probably got a chance of being a good choice.
It’s not the popular choice, but the board shouldn’t be there to make ‘popular’ choices imo.
I would have preferred we let Freddie lumber out the season while we scout for a coach of real choice. Arteta’ appointed looks a panic decision to me. This season is already gone; so what’s the hurry?
Turning my beloved team into a training camp for rookie coaches is not my idea of building for the future
I’m not excited at all about this appointment. It’s too much of a gamble to excite.
But deep down in my heart, I hope I’m wrong in all this; and that Arteta (if he becomes the ultimate choice) would give us back the Arsenal we had grown to love so much to watch play football
I just cannot imagine he’s the defensive head coach we need.
Not inspired or confident if Arteta is appointed head coach. His obvious lack of experience, and how many defenders have come out and said Mikel really improved their defensive abilities? Freddie has experience working with our youngsters and has improved several of them as well.
Not surprised we are not linked with a top manager, or one with a proven track record. Who will want to come here and concede all power and control to Don Raul?
Wasn’t one of the knocks on Wenger was he had too much control at the club? So now we bring in a money man, Raul, and he seems to have total control over players and transfers, staff, money, etc…
I guess club is taking a gamble that “Osmosis” actually works in futball, and sitting near enough to Pep qualifies as being “Pep-like?”
This appointment makes no sense at all to me. Relatively inexperienced manager with no pedigree is a shoo-in for a job because he worked underneath a top coach? Other posters have commented on the lack of investment and the act of going for Arteta is a sign of this. The structure of this club isn’t right at all.
Totally agree. Bunch of cheapskates sucking the life out our team. 😢
Pelegrini bags of experience is suffering in West Ham. Emery huge winner didnt succeed. Jose got fired from utd. I can name many more so called experience managers who failed. Zidane no coaching experience won 3 cl in a row. Lampard coached for one season. All the young managers started somewhere. There is literally no guarantee of an experience manager to succeed and an inexperienced to fail. So stop being negative.
Arteta will have my full support and hopefully he will decide which players should be unloaded and acquired.Until a clear out of our substandard defenders and midfielders takes place fans should not expect MA to work miracles.Our expectations for this season should be to secure a mid table place and perhaps a good run in the FA cup.This may seem a pessimistic outlook but given our appalling defence and mediocre midfielders I will settle for staying in the Premier League until new blood has been introduced.
After Sunday I think mid-table is optimistic Grandad!!!
The main thing that worries me about Arteta is that he is too passive. He sits next to Pep with barely an expression on his face, reminds me of Pat Rice and Steve Bould under Wenger. Can he motivate our moribund team full of egos (barring a few)? I honestly don’t know but if he does come I really hope that he proves me wrong. Personally I think it is time to bring in a George Graham type of coach whose attitude is ‘my way or the highway’, you don’t perform you don’t play.
Whatever happens I think this team is due some serious culling but that costs money which will terrify the Kroenkes. As a side issue, it would be interesting how Arsenal fans would vote if given the choice of Mikel Arteta or Patrick Viera?
👍 and the thing I want to know is, does he even own a hairdryer?! With that hair, I’m not so sure.
I agree with you, Andrew.
I for one will be really happy if he is appointed as Arsenal manager. I have given my reasons before n I think in long run he will transform us into top teams in Europe…if given time n support. He will give our football style back to us that’s something I am excited about. He will require some patience at fans end as the problem runs quite deep and may require few season to compete with Europe elite. I don’t understand some of the unlogical reasons given against him. Ppl who say he is not that active n sits with a plan face..they need to understand he is assistant coach he can not react n start bossing around so he is over shadowing the head coach. Plus in which manual is it written you have to run around n jump up n down on the touch line to be a good manager? Others who say Freddie is better because he has improved n worked with our youth are joking right? What youngsters only youngsters who have improved n doing better are not our Academy players n r involved all the time in first team…rest wilock, Saka, AMN, Nelson n etc etc are bang avg n I have not seen any big improvement which Freddie has made to them that has turned them into some kind of upcoming super stars. So far what we have seen in terms of football since UE has left is nothing…it’s all the same, no improvement of any sorts on any front. I know it’s only 6 games but I see same tactical gaps n no plan in place.
I think that’s a little unfair on Freddie. He wasn’t exactly going to come in and turn us into Man City overnight, was he? It’ll be the same with Arteta (unless he brings KDB with him 😜)
People will expect great things from the off…and if that doesn’t happen, god help him!!
Agree – we need a manager with a big personality + a CV to match
Pep and Arteta speak during matches so I don’t entirely agree with your assessment. Bould and Rice, however, looked like stuffed dummies sitting next to Wenger. I wouldn’t expect the number 2 to be rushing into the technical area barking out instructions, as I think that is the job of the manager to get his message out there.
A George Graham character would be very welcome in my view. It maybe be that Arteta has those attributes and then we will all be laughing
SueP my main concern is, has he got the personality to deal with with the current apathy running through the team and can he motivate them? I don’t expect him to run around barking out orders as assistant coach, just show some emotion. It does look like he will get the job and I would love it if he proves me wrong. Whoever gets the position will have an almighty job on his hands to motivate this lot.
Since you don’t know if he has the personality why not wait and see? Why cast doubt even before he’s managed a game. Arsenal fans are just incredibly hard to please.
Huge differences of opinion as usual. I am positive about him, and my biggest hope is that behind that silky and likeable character is a mean streak that he will use to kick ass and kick hard and no player in the squad will be above being dropped or jerked if they do not perform to his liking.
He has to be given two solid years to prove him self with first option of retaining the usual style of play and restore our Arsenal culture back to our old days of being a champions league club some thing which i see he can do only if the club management can give him the surpport. And im ready to give my support.
It’ll help next season without European football, we’ll be able to find our strongest lineup and there’s no need to rest them. We can loan players out, maybe loan some of the ones we’ll find difficult to sell because we won’t need a huge squad.
Preferred him over Emery so happy with the idea and a further 18months with the best coach in the world cant be bad … There are risks no doubt but am hopeful he can get us back to being a decent football team again and with right signings in the summer we can build back to being contenders next year
Can we effort to wait till the summer to improve knowing how fast we are going down? We need to sign a few players in the January transfer window to shore up the defence and midfield.
The biggest positive about Arteta is he will be cheap and be the type of manager Arsenal want.
First it was Wenger,then Unai…then Lijunberg….got their lineup wrong……This for me is not a coincidence.It rather tells me that some one powerful is always behind to decide about the lineup, substitution and player management.Now I am feeling that who ever comes to manage Arsenal, depends on the mercy of the owner of the club not talent of the coach…..Now I start to feel that even though we may sign strong central defenders and strong midfielders, we will not be effective as long as the profit motive, the profit calculation and the hunger to win something of THE OWNER OF THE CLUB is vivid….I wholeheartedly supported this football club for 19 years….My observation revealed that the timing the players got injured should have to be questioned….
…we will not be effective unless the profit motive, the profit calculation and the hunger to win something of THE OWNER OF THE CLUB is vivid….
Ownership of a football club is a business. Hence the profit motive is not a reserve of Kroenke but all Club owners. What we need from Kroenke is funds to get good quality players and the rest is for the coach and those running the club on a day to day basis. Kroenke will not coach players neither will he be the one to spot players. It is unrealistic to blame the owner for everything.
Still a fair bit to do, he’s going to have to put his own men in place behind the scenes and it’s his first crack at doing something like this. Will he be ok with more experienced coaches working under him. They need to get it right, before we even start bringing players in he needs his desired team in place. I would’ve liked Alonso to come over with him, this all sounds like it’s Raul even though some reports say Edu has the last say on a shortlist of three. The board also has to listen to the manager when it comes to signing players, we all seen the list that Emery wanted then look at what they did instead. They should stop looking for alternatives to our targets as it’s been going on for far too long now. Looking forward to Saliba all the same and Martinelli was a stroke of genius, big hopes for Tierney and hopefully Arteta will know what to do for Guendouzi. Arsenal, I hope we back Arteta properly, the club and the fans, I’d also ignore the toddlers when they use the sack word at every first opportunity.
Some reports are saying that it’s down to three and it’s not done yet, it feels like Arteta was always the fav though, and he won’t be happy if he talks with us again, only to miss out again, because city aren’t going to want him there if it happens a second time.
Arteta have my support all the way.
My theory is that Ancelloti will be too big for the Arsenal board to control. He must have told them that they will have to buy real quality players and do away with the mediocre set we presently have. He is not cheap too.
Arteta on the other hand may not cost above 2 million pounds and may be an easy scenario to cut losses if he doesn’t click.
Arsenal’s problem is dangerous cost control. Soccer is expensive business. Go ask how City and Liverpool how they became what they are today.
I have been saying this for the upteenth time. Our best team and formation are these players. A combination of pace, energy, grit and determination suitable for the way the EPL is being played this season. Call Nketiah back, he has the same energy levels as Martinelli. Our defense is still the weak link but that midfield and attack will put up a fight to win games with forward passes rather than side-ways and back passes. Mikel Arteta will play these players for a change and we will see the difference immediatly. His training sessions will be quick play and possession football from the players with confidence….watch out.
4-1-4-1
———————-Leno————-
Bellerin………Chambers——Holding—–Tierney
———————–Luiz—————–
Pepe———-Lacazette—-Martinelli——Saka/Nketiah
———————-Aubamayang—————–
4-3-3
———————-Leno————-
Bellerin………Chambers——Holding—–Tierney
Pepe——————Luiz—————–Martinelli
Lacazette———–Aubamayang———Saka/Nketiah
These teams will keep losing – no dominant midfield. They will be completely overrun.
Its a good job you aren’t our manager we would definitely get relegated. All attack, no ball winners, no balance.
I give my support to Arteta. He is coming to restart our rebuilding work though on a fast pace because we do not have any stadium to pay for any more. He is going to use the youngsters and we have enough quality there granted some of them have regressed do to wrong coaching.
I remember they did very well during the preseason tours beating at least one big team, only for most of them to be abandoned as soon as the preseason was over. I have lost faith in the so called senior players because they don’t impress at all and don’t make any difference in a game.
So bring on Arteta. He has my full support.
Many fans seem to be romanticising the idea of Arteta becoming Arsenal manager. This, it seems, it’s based around two things: he was a good (not great) midfielder who played for Arsenal; he’s been a coach alongside Guardiola.
He has never managed a team. We have absolutely no idea how good a manager he will be. So this would be a massive, massive gamble.
Except for the fact that Arsenal are in a crisis with no other obvious options Arteta should not really be in the conversation at this stage of his career.
We hope aftv will support him. I’m not sure whether they are working for or against arsenal.
If they don’t support I humbly urge fellow gooners to stop watching their videos. We really need to unite and stop with the negativity of any shape or form.
Guys we require a manager with personality. Who can command respect from these players. I don’t know how much effect will he have on ozil. Pierre, laca, luiz and other seniors who control the player room today. I wish we had some big persona to chide them. What bergkamp doing? If he doesn’t want to manage at least bring him as a coach. Everyone will be ears to him.