Arsenal needs unity if they are to turn their season around under Mikel Arteta.
Yesterday I wrote a post saying that hiring Mikel Arteta will end in tears. I stand by that article and believe that appointing Arteta is foolish and will end in disaster.
However, once he is installed the time for being negative must end and full support afforded to the Spaniard.
This is not a game or trying to be proven right etc. This is about Arteta being a huge success and hopefully the likes of me being proven 100% wrong.
Arteta has a huge job on his hands, there is so much wrong right now that it will not be a quick fix. He is going to need significant time to overhaul the squad, offload the deadwood, implement his vision and get Arsenal back to where they belong.
It will get worse before it gets better, not even a new manager bounce can help this lot, only new signings and players discarded will do that.
I will back Arteta for as long as it takes, I have already written off most of the upcoming games where Arteta is concerned.
What I mean by that is that if he wins most of the next four games then great but if he was to lose all four then so be it, I certainly will not be saying told you so because I know he is going to need a lot longer.
If Max Allegri came in and lost his first four games I would be the same and so it is only fair that Arteta is given the same sort of room to manoeuvre.
I am probably being a little pessimistic, hopefully, Arteta does get a new manager bounce and get off to a winning start. But if he does not then patience is required, there should be no knee jerk reactions.
The fans, myself included, have to accept the state the club is in, the quality of players in the squad, the unhelpful toxic elements in the dressing room and settle down for the long road ahead. There simply are no shortcuts.
The minute he is appointed, Mikel Arteta will get my full and unwavering support and only in the event that it is obvious it is not working out will I voice my disapproval.